Slower top speed for bomber formations

[thndregg]

I had to throw in a little comparison myself. 

Just what's easier to catch, folks? 

[Charge]

"the faster you fly the looser the formation is"

 

-C+

[Eric19]

I had to throw in a little comparison myself. 

Just what's easier to catch, folks? 


(Image removed from quote.)

you know that lanc chart is misleading right it goes above 24k with a load and flys nearly 10mph faster at 25k <S> eggster

[Chalenge]

In either case the chart is misleading. It is quite common to run into bomber formations that are doing 360mph. Even Lancs can do that. What is frustrating for the pilots that lack patience is trying to catch a bomber that is nose down and heading away from them at some unknown angle. It is frustrating because even a 100mph advantage will not put you out in front of the bomber instantly. And so pilots lacking patience will end up in the pocket of a bomber formation exactly where the bomber pilot wants them.

In other words our OP needs not only patience but a lot more experience before he sees the error of his ways. There is no other learning experience that will earn him the ability he is looking for.

[thndregg]

you know that lanc chart is misleading right it goes above 24k with a load and flys nearly 10mph faster at 25k <S> eggster

(sigh..) Yeah, I suppose that's what I get for not playing enough. 

[thndregg]

.. And again last night, Rooks saw our 24 sets of B17's (and some that joined outside the posted mission as bombers and escorts) coming for their factories, and were able begin engaging us an our escorts at 25K before we reached target. Quite a few Rook pilots (<S>, you guys  ) demonstrated great tactics and patience on their attack angles and took a few of our bombers out. The fight continued all the way through until the last 190 was shot down shortly before we landed deep into our own territory.

I don't think much needs changed. We varied our speed in order to keep as many .50 calibre turrets as close as possible, so it was not an absolute full throttle mission. If it were, we would be spread out all over the map, and easier pickin's for the Rooks.

Great fun, everyone. <S>

[Tilt]

"the faster you fly the looser the formation is"

 

-C+

When formations were newly added this was a problem that was "debugged" on some formations. 

Seems to me that drones often "outperform" the lead plane to return to formation after a manouvre. Simply disable this such that the lead has to slow to allow drones to regain formation after a manouvre.

Equally some times they under perform........ particularly when the lead plane is making rudder orientated manouvres.

This varies with AC and whilst obviously the FM has its role the abilties of e.g Boston drone pilits seem somewhat more enhanced over e.g.  B17 drone pilits.

[phatzo]

If conflict is all you seek then it is all you will find.

When you can walk the rice paper without leaving a tread, only then are you ready to leave your footsteps upon the world.

[icepac]

I've oiled 1 or 2 engines on both drones and landed yak for rearm, climbed back up, and found the drones keeping up with the piloted center plane 15 minutes later.

[Torquila]

When you can walk the rice paper without leaving a tread, only then are you ready to leave your footsteps upon the world.

Understood.

[guncrasher]

I've oiled 1 or 2 engines on both drones and landed yak for rearm, climbed back up, and found the drones keeping up with the piloted center plane 15 minutes later.

you can drop alt, rearm then catch up to a bomber at full speed in 15 minutes?  I cant even catch up to a bomber at 1k alt if I bailed out and and got a new plane as it flew by at full speed.

midway

[Volron]

I remember a while back, when a drone lost one engine, it would fall behind (back when I first started playing).  Now, if it loses one engine, it's able to keep up as if nothing was wrong.  If it loses TWO engines however, it will fall behind like it had lost TWO engines.

[icepac]

you can drop alt, rearm then catch up to a bomber at full speed in 15 minutes?  I cant even catch up to a bomber at 1k alt if I bailed out and and got a new plane as it flew by at full speed.

midway

Yep......because he was at 12k feet and I was in a yak9 which can climb very well while matching the speed of the buffs.

I also got a half sector lead in letting down.

Maybe you should tighten up your game to include techniques influenced by knowledge of basic physics.

Or you could ask snailman how often I have intercepted his b29s in a single mission.

Sure, I only caused minor damage and was only able to arrange a dead six pass but I do make the intercept multiple times.

[guncrasher]

Yep......because he was at 12k feet and I was in a yak9 which can climb very well while matching the speed of the buffs.

I also got a half sector lead in letting down.

Maybe you should tighten up your game to include techniques influenced by knowledge of basic physics.

Or you could ask snailman how often I have intercepted his b29s in a single mission.

Sure, I only caused minor damage and was only able to arrange a dead six pass but I do make the intercept multiple times.

sure you  can intercept anybody if you up from a base in front of them,  that's not a biggie but you won't  catch up to a b29 within 15 minutes of taking off as it passes over the base you are taking off from.

I find it hard to believe that you will catch up to any  bomber within 15 minutes of breaking off, rearming then climb back up to altitude unless you get them on the return trip.

You can catch up to them given enough time but not within 15 minutes unless of course you call catch up seeing them in the  distance.

midway

[Lusche]

I find it hard to believe that you will catch up to any  bomber within 15 minutes of breaking off, rearming then climb back up to altitude unless you get them on the return trip.

Of course you won't catch high altitude bombers in 15mins, but at low/mid levels you can. A 109K takes merely 3 minutes to get to 11k, with still 7 minutes of WEP left. In that time a heavy bomber will typically have traveled 12 miles and the 109 7 miles. So the bomber is only about 5 miles away, which is easy to catch up in the 109k in the remaining 12 minutes.