Bombsite messing with me

[pembquist]

So when I'm doing my usual gamely bombing run and calibrating 15 feet from the target between trips to the bathroom or answering the phone, usually right after leveling off, I have noticed a certain perversity to the calibration, to wit it likes to calibrate the speed higher than I'm flying.  Beyond that it likes to calibrate a more and more distant speed the closer I am to max level speed and the more right on top of target I am. I've resorted to chopping the throttle so I have some power to accelerate but this gets so gamely and I feel so ashamed that it messes up my aim on the guns. Has anyone noticed this phenomena? In some ways you might say that I use the calibration to get the altitude and some arbitrary speed that I then match manually, actually not "some ways" that is how I do it almost every time.

[thndregg]

I am desperately attempting to understand your problem.

I usually prefer to calibrate my bombsight at full throttle.

Before that point, though, I level off and accelerate until my E6B climb indicates "3", then I open my bomb bay. That has the effect of bringing my climb to zero, or at least really close.

With the E6B climb indicator reading zero, I calibrate. Usually I am right on with my calibration speed matching my true airspeed. Occasionally it might be one mph off, but it still works.

The other thing I pay attention to is my actual altitude versus my drop altitude. Any blatent differences and you might want to recalibrate.

[Lusche]

The other thing I pay attention to is my actual altitude versus my drop altitude. Any blatent differences and you might want to recalibrate.

Hint for those who fly buffs only occasionally: If only the altitude is off, no full recalibration necessary. Just tap U twice to get into calibration mode and get out of it immediately. The altitude is corrected instantly.
With some routine, you might even use this feature to avoid recalibration when you find yourself being to slow while approaching target after a turn for example. Instead of calibrating again, you may give up a bit altitude to accelerate instead.

[bj229r]

Ive been flying the mossie bomber of late, usually drop throttle a bit a half sector out, to make certain my speed stays consistent......no matter HOW long I do it, calibrated speed is always off by 4-5 mph from actual, and bombs drop accordingly off

[The Fugitive]

I had this happen to me last night. I climbed out to 18k in B24's. Leveled and flew about a sector. Jumped into the site and calibrated holding the Y key down for a slow count of 10, re leased, and hit U to get out of calibration mode and found that my calibrated speed was wayyyyyy off. I ended up calibrating 3 times in a row before the speed and alts matched. It never did that to me before. Each time I turned and made a new run it was fine and worked as normal, it was just the first time that it was off.

[Karnak]

What I do in the Mossie is fly straight and level at full MIL for two or more sectors and then hold the calibration key for 30 seconds.  This usually gets me within 1mph of my speed.  If I accelerated past it I open the bomb bay doors for a short time until I drop back to my calibrated speed, then close them again.  I only open the doors a moment before the drop.

If I need a quick calibration I simply hold it for 5 seconds or so and see what I get, if the random number is bad I do it again and again until I get a close number, then use the bomb bay doors to modify my speed as needed.

[Chalenge]

What I do in the Mossie is fly straight and level at full MIL for two or more sectors and then hold the calibration key for 30 seconds.  This usually gets me within 1mph of my speed.  If I accelerated past it I open the bomb bay doors for a short time until I drop back to my calibrated speed, then close them again.  I only open the doors a moment before the drop.

If I need a quick calibration I simply hold it for 5 seconds or so and see what I get, if the random number is bad I do it again and again until I get a close number, then use the bomb bay doors to modify my speed as needed.

This except I calibrate (count of 30) with bomb doors open. If I get within 1 mph its good as long as it is not faster than actual speed. I can jockey the throttle to match calibrated speed. The simpler the operation the less things can go wrong so I think it is best to have things set for a single pickle of the button.

[Hap]

your e6b is your friend.  when the climb rate is 0, that's when you calibrate for you are neither accelerating nor decelerating.  try a clock with a 2nd hand or timer.  calibrate for 30 seconds or so.

also, there's lots to be said for flying at normal power settings once you've reached your terminal altitude.  try it.

[thndregg]

terminal altitude

I can identify with that term.