Using tracers for aiming

[artik]

It is known that before modern computed gunsites with radar based range detector like LCOS the aiming was done using tracers...

I mostly prefer to fly planes with canons like 109D, or Yak-3, La-7. So I'm familiar to be very careful with ammo and not waste it too much.

Now when training for BoB with Hurricane with its 8 .303 cal guns I tried to look on my traces in offline shooting 111...

I was surprised that I started getting kills much easier. I looked at my tracers, adjusted them a little pointing to the cockpit and poooof 111 is gone. Once I started to looking on my tracers and aiming using them it was much easier to calculate the correct deflection.

Now it has price: you should do longer bursts of fire because it takes time for bullets reach the target area and than after adjusting it takes time to the stream to move to the target.

Now I started testing this in planes with .50 cal that have longer shooting time and found that it was easier to move the bullet stream even in
hard deflection shoots, in other case I could shoot down easily a 110 running away in my Pony. I just started firing and than adjusted a little a stream of bullets and... many many hits detected and 110's wing had gone.

- How many of you actually use tracers for aiming?
- How effective do you find them?
- I know that many prefer to hide tracers because they are not helpful and disclose your shooting. Does it really worth the effort?

[Lusche]

- How many of you actually use tracers for aiming? I do
- How effective do you find them? Quite effective in the long run, as without racers my ability to hit the enemy will diminish rapidly over time
- I know that many prefer to hide tracers because they are not helpful and disclose your shooting. Does it really worth the effort? For some it will be, for some it won't

[Latrobe]

I liked tracers on because I thought they looked pretty, and you can see just where your rounds are going.

I've recently turned them off to see if maybe it'll help me improve my aim and the enemy doesn't know when I'm shooting. It's not really hard to shoot plane down with tracers off. Once you've flown with them on for a while then you know where to aim and where your shots will go. Just pull the same lead you always pulled with tracers on, pull the trigger, and watch the magic sprites light up. I think some people also turn tracers off so there is less stuff showing between them and their target so they don't lose track of their target in the tracers.

[Lusche]

. Once you've flown with them on for a while then you know where to aim and where your shots will go. Just pull the same lead you always pulled with tracers on, pull the trigger, and watch the magic sprites light up.

I did experiment with tracers off several times in my career. At first, it's like you said, just oull the same lead and pull trigger. However, after some time I start to lose my mental sight picture, and my ability to hit gets worse and worse. Without tracers I can't judge as well by how much I missed and correcting my fire will be more difficult. When I tried no tracers for a week, my gunnery was down to 'average' at the end.

So I do occasionally disable tracers (mostly in the 262), but only for one or two sorties.

[Triton28]

I shoot with them off most of the time.  For me it just cuts down on the visual distractions and eliminates my problem of aiming with the tracers instead of my sight.  I'll turn them back on if I'm flying a plane I don't fly often or if I'm in some sort of aiming slump. 

 

[GhostCDB]

I haven't used tracers since 05' simply because my aim increased significantly without them. I can't aim worth crap with my tracers on, they just get in the way. 

[dedalos]

I shoot with them off most of the time.  For me it just cuts down on the visual distractions and eliminates my problem of aiming with the tracers instead of my sight.  I'll turn them back on if I'm flying a plane I don't fly often or if I'm in some sort of aiming slump. 

 

Buffs can have tracers off too? 

[Triton28]

Buffs can have tracers off too? 

IIRC, the lead plane can cut them off but the drones still have tracers.

[deadstikmac]

Just my humble thought...


So when I had tracers on, I would take high deflection shots... Crossing or raking shots... Very high miss percentage shots. On top of wasting my ammo on those shots I found myself flying for position setup too even take those shots.

Wasting ammo is bad. Flying for the wrong position is bad.  






 

This tour I turned my tracers off.......

Now instead of flying for a position which places me in a bad spot. I find myself flying for the sure shot. The dead six.

       .  Why, how, what?

I do not waste my planes energy seeking a momentary shot that will place me in a bad position for the overall outcome of the fight. The mentality of my flying changed along with my placement for the saddle.

I used too have my convergence set at the weapon type maximum range.... Now I set EVERY weapon to a point convergence of 300.....

My enemy will fill my windscreen and I know I do not miss by doing such a dirty deed..... With tracers off he holds still just long enough for me to readjust my fire and make the rounds count.  

[Nath[BDP]]

Always preferred tracers off.  One advantage is not giving away your  or   firing on

[SmokinLoon]

I use tracers.  It isn't like your plane is a sniper trying to hide, the enemy KNOWS you're there.  If they do not know you're there then it doesn't matter anyways: you get the kill regardless.

I use tracers on all of my AH planes.  I rely on them more so for the high ammo planes loaded with MG's.  Otherwise, I only fire when the aim is more true for lack of better terms.

One thing I suggest for everything to try: while in the Ostwind move your sight up and out of the gun sight and rely only on tracers.  I've been far more successful with the Ostwind since going that route vs using the gun sight (plus, the sight picture is very limited).

[Nath[BDP]]

I use tracers.  It isn't like your plane is a sniper trying to hide, the enemy KNOWS you're there.  If they do not know you're there then it doesn't matter anyways: you get the kill regardless.

Uhh... if you're on someone's six whose saddled up on another guy and he starts seeing your tracers flying by, it will alert him to your presence.  This is big when using MGs where you will have to hit consistently for a slightly longer amount of time.  

I also like tracers off when taking pot shots from longer distances.  I know it always freaks me the fkk out when I'm trying to get a gap on someone and they suddenly ping me from d500 and he had tracers off.  psychological advantage.

I also find as someone else noted tracers add a lot of clutter to the screen.  It would be cool if we could choose the amount of tracer rounds fired. 

[Fulcrum]

Tracers on now, but I vary depending on mood and my shooting i.e. if I'm on a hot streak or so cold I couldn't hit an elephant in the arse at 5 yards (which is sadly most of the time).  I rarely see a difference in hit %, but agree the tracers off helps with not alerting the target you are firing...until pieces start to fly off of course.

[Oldman731]

Now instead of flying for a position which places me in a bad spot. I find myself flying for the sure shot. The dead six.

Agreed.  Turning off tracers encourages you to fly like they actually flew, particularly to hold your fire until you're within historical ranges.

And, as others say, turning off tracers also turns off the public service announcement, "SOMEONE IS SHOOTING AT YOU."

- oldman

[gyrene81]

And, as others say, turning off tracers also turns off the public service announcement, "SOMEONE IS SHOOTING AT YOU."

- oldman

not if you tweak the advanced sounds a little... 

there is one drawback...i got a sound glitch that made me think there was a tank on my six at less than 100 yards firing at me.