Fear the Pony

[Sunka]

Ya know, I'd be willing to bet that someone with an hour or so worth of instruction and still very green behind the ears can hold their own if they are in a Spitfire Mk XVI and the "vet" is in a P40C.  Point being: the "easy mode" plane and the benefits they offer do very much exist.  When a plane can (and does) make up for the lack of knowledge and skill it certainly bodes well for the player.  When a player who has the knowledge and skill relies on an easy mode plane to get the advantage I think it speak volumes.  That is the difference in those of us who are here to play arcade games vs those who are here to partake in the experience.

I've always said and I will always maintain that I'd rather fight like mad and work for every shot I get and barely lose while in a challenging plane (P40x, 109F/G2-6), etc) than to get an easy kill and land with name in lights in an easy mode plane (Spit16, La7, P51D, etc). It is so much more satisfying.  But alas, to each his own. 

Whats more satisfying is out flat turning a KI in a 51 after saddling up on him and shooting him down. Or staying on the deck all night killing 109's

[Midway]

...
The bigger question, what to do about getting the best sticks to stick around.
...

One must honour, admire, respect, and thank said best pilots... for they have earned same.  

When one encounters said best pilots one must put all best efforts into winning.

Only then will said best pilots get some pleasure out of fighting wannabes.

Although one must accept being but a cheap toy to them.

When one does defeat said best pilots...

...one should let it be known.

Then offer a rematch.

and win again.


Then one will join said best pilots and they will stick around to attempt to push you off your perch.

It is the circle of life.


   

[Scca]

Who is the best p-51 pilot in the game?  And not in the DA.  

Can you define "best"?

The reason I ask is there are several great 51 sticks out there depending on how you define great.  BTW, successful and great aren't the same.  

Steve for example had great gunnery, and great BNZ tactics.  He could dive in, and pick you off of another con with impressive accuracy.  He knew when to leave a fight, frequently flew with help and rarely got into a defensive position.  If that is the criteria for "best", then he was at the top of the list.  On rare occasion I caught Steve alone, and all I ever saw was a rapid extension.

To me, the best pilots have the willingness and ability to stay and fight, even from a disadvantaged position.  

[Changeup]

No P51 pilot ever stands out because it's not hard to fly....there are a lot of guys who get a lot of kills in it for sure but most all the 5 any ez mode planes have that.

Let's not forget the overall theme with the 51D....speed.  That fortune smiles clearly on the Dora drivers who, with the exception of only a handful, fly it in the same manner the 51drivers fly theirs.  I have only played for 7 years this December but I have never ever seen the running from co alt engagements as I have over the past 6 months.  If they don't get an advantage on the initial merge, down to terra firma they go.

Yes, I fly the K4, a speedy little plane in its own right but I cannot make that choice as the speeds required to chase or evade would cause me great control issues from compression.  Sure, trim....I'm fairly certain a manually trimmed plane is quite noticeable and just as sure it's an easy six shot for a Dora or 51.  So maneuvering is the choice.

How about you Dora and 51 spinsters start trying to maneuver a little bit?  Huh? Mmmkay?  Learn your planes speeds, cornering and gunnery tendencies and put up a damn fight.

The great JUGgler said it best:

"With all the revenge left in the hanger, there is no excuse for timid flying"

[ReVo]

Let's not forget the overall theme with the 51D....speed.  That fortune smiles clearly on the Dora drivers who, with the exception of only a handful, fly it in the same manner the 51drivers fly theirs.  I have only played for 7 years this December but I have never ever seen the running from co alt engagements as I have over the past 6 months.  If they don't get an advantage on the initial merge, down to terra firma they go.

Yes, I fly the K4, a speedy little plane in its own right but I cannot make that choice as the speeds required to chase or evade would cause me great control issues from compression.  Sure, trim....I'm fairly certain a manually trimmed plane is quite noticeable and just as sure it's an easy six shot for a Dora or 51.  So maneuvering is the choice.

How about you Dora and 51 spinsters start trying to maneuver a little bit?  Huh? Mmmkay?  Learn your planes speeds, cornering and gunnery tendencies and put up a damn fight.

Dogfighting? In MY Aces High? Blasphemy! Dogfighting is a waste of time! The point of the game is to take bases and if you aren't going to do that then you should quit! 

[Changeup]

Dogfighting? In MY Aces High? Blasphemy! Dogfighting is a waste of time! The point of the game is to take bases and if you aren't going to do that then you should quit! 

I know it. 

I want a rematch....and I've never seen you in a Dora or 51

<S> .....hehehehe

[Masherbrum]

Everything you said happens to me every single day in this game.  There was one regular 51 flyer that was very good in a scrap but I haven't seen him around in a long time.  Most of the rest are hand-holding, fraidy-cat pusscakes.

Now I remember, it was OLDemon.  At least I think that was his name.

Thread over.   0lDemon.

[ReVo]

I know it.  

I want a rematch....and I've never seen you in a Dora or 51

<S> .....hehehehe

I fly the Dora when I need to stay fast to avoid/catch the masses of LA7's, Ponies, and Spit16's but I won't back down from a 1v1 if I can drag somebody away from the pack. As for the Pony I did a few sorties in it the last couple of tours trying to see what it's really capable of and I was very impressed. I was able to turn fight with K4's, Ki-84's, N1k's, some Spitfires and come out on top. A few times I had to extend and reset if the fight got slow and vertical but I really felt like I had the advantage on the merge with those high speed flaps which usually got me into a favorable position pretty quickly.

You can have a rematch anytime you want.   <S>

[JunkyII]

Not speaking about TJ here because I don't think I've ever had a chance with him 1v1....judging by the sticks he beats I'd say I'd be lucky to win 1 out of 10 in any ride but some of these other pilots.....are what I was speaking about before. I've personally beat some of these sticks from the E-(Like they had 5 K alt advantage) while I was in a 152....a plane which below 10k is out classed by the pony in everything but the vertical. I for dang sure ain't nothing "special" in any ride.

[JunkyII]

Surprised nobody has said VansCrew yet...never seen him fly in the MA(was always in his team) but he for damn sure backed it up in the DA in any ride.

[IronDog]

Midnight and Lucky,whom I flew with in the Nightmares,in Air Warrior,both would give you all you wanted in a P-51.

[david625]

I really enjoy flying the pony but so many people fly it that I choose not to. I have been an engagement where there were 3 enemy p51's, 2 friendly p51's, and then me in my 109g2 lol. It does seem to be a very liked ride. It's funny though, I really think that Americans fly it mostly for nostalgia reasons.
We are told the p51 won the war and all this nonsense and it was the greatest plane in the air(blah blah blah) but I have always disagreed tremendously.
I think the best ride the Americans had was the p47 but then again I was not flying back in ww2!
*commence rant*
Disclaimer: I am an American and I am happy that the allies won WW2! I in no way support the axis efforts and what they did.

The thing people do not understand is that America came in at a time when Germany was stretched thin and struggling with supplies. Even with Germany lacking the supplies needed the air war was very much in favor of the Luftwaffe. What doomed the Luftwaffe was the fact that the allies were taking ground rapidly and the Luftwaffe suffered heavily from this. Another large factor was that their leaders were complete morons.  
I would take a gamble and say had Germany not been struggling so much in the east, where most of the Luftwaffe were operating, the west would have not even been a challenge.

For example:
Replace Britain with America. Say that the Luftwaffe were knocking on America's door and were commencing an air operation which was supposed to cripple America. The American planes, as well as the pilots, would have been incredibly outmatched.  

[earl1937]

He's very good, too.

Lot's of guys are very good from my perspective and are likely great in any plane they choose to fly.  Bruv, DrBone, and Thrila are a few that come to mind there, and there are probably a bunch of others, too.

There are a lot of good "sticks" in this little game, but I witnessed "Pand" shoot down 9 "cons" in one sortie one evening during a fighter sweep. I saw each kill as I had his high 6. Another good stick in this game is Paliden3, who is very deadly in a 51D.  
P.S. Pand was in a 51B!

[SirNuke]

no discussion there, I'm (was) the best pony pilot EVER  

[Brooke]

There are a lot of good "sticks" in this little game, but I witnessed "Pand" shoot down 9 "cons" in one sortie one evening during a fighter sweep. I saw each kill as I had his high 6. Another good stick in this game is Paliden3, who is very deadly in a 51D.  
P.S. Pand was in a 51B!

No question that Pand is good.  I've fought him before and can attest first hand.  Other guys are of that caliber, too, but I'm not saying such level of skill is common.  Those are the top 1% or less of the game.