Sorry, taking a 'vacation' from flying. Just don't fly enough with school, sports, and my job to make the $15 worth it. But I know you're a very skilled opponent, even AnglEyes and I together had a hard time beating you in our 109's.
But pilot skill being an unknowable quantity, you have to go based on a plane's characteristics. And the weaknesses of a plane don't change with the pilot. AKAK may be one of the '38 aces', but even he can't keep his plane from compressing in a 500mph dive. HighTone, may be a good A6M stick, but his skill won't keep him from ripping his wings off in a high speed pullout.
Point is that since we're talking in the hypothetical, we cannot evaluate specific situations that are as of yet impossible, and that plane characterisitcs are the best way to tulips a plane's value before its added.
And INK, you in a IIC, I'm not so sure I would be as assuredly dead as you think. I'm not quite in your leauge, admitedly, but I'm far from being easy meat. When I get back on, I'll take you up on your offer as soon as I get some refresher flying.
you are right...at the start of an engagement all you know is the plane generally.....I know within moments before the merge if my opponent is any good, and from there I deal with what
they do, not what the plane
can do.
you mention AKAK in a 38...he for sure cannot pull out of a fully compressed dive...BUT he WONT put that plane into that situation...a noob/inexperienced 38 stick will.
this is my whole point and what I try to get across if someone asks me for help.....PLANE does not matter....ACM....TIMING.....A
IM....are the most important for the out come of a duel.
as far as me in 2C goes.....me in a 2C will smoke me in a KI-84.....the Hurri in a 1vs1 is much more of a deadly plane then the KI84...not so much in the MA environment, which is why I switched over to the KI....
its easy to avoid BnZ passes and just roll around on them and caress them with those 4 20's.
I have almost 7,600 killz in the Hurri with a bit over 4000 deaths.....with around 2,500 killz in the KI.....I fight exactly the same in both planes except the KI allows me to climb a bit longer, hold my E a bit better, in the MA environment that is a huge help due to the hoards and being jumped.
anybody can BnZ around picking slow planes that don't see them.
in a duel you must get to your opponents level to make the kill......does not matter if its same plane or different plane match ups...you still have to get within a certain distance to make the kill...BnZing may keep one safe in the MA...but if you are in a Duel that "tactic" just don't cut it. so it comes down to What the Pilot does.....not what the plane can do.
of course this is how I see things and is entirely MY opinion, but it has kept me going and allowed me to kill 5 nme cons out of 5 trying to kill me. while THEY had ALT advantage and faster planes.
