Need help with Ar234

[nooby52]

Where can I find a good tutorial for flying the Ar 234? I have never tried this plane and would like to learn it. Thanks!

[Hap]

Don't know of a tutorial.  Practice offline.  I would reset your climb speed to something akin to 200 mph though.  Once you're clear of the ground, you can reset it.

The bird can be a tad hard to get airborne; a few takeoffs offline, and you'll gnaw it out.

[FLS]

To learn aircraft handling characteristics you want to explore slow speed flight, high speed flight, stalls , turns, roll rate at high and low speed, acceleration and deceleration. Tactics for fighting are based on performance relative to the performance of the threat aircraft. When you know the basics of flying and the basics of air combat you can learn any aircraft by flight testing.

The Ar234 is very fast and only has tail guns and bombs. Go fast and don't try to HO anyone. 

[Volron]

As far as I'm aware, Steel Rain is still active.  Talk to them, they'll set you straight.   Use to see them LIVING in the 234.

[Zimme83]

Biggest difference is the slow throttle response compare to a piston engine so u have to be a bit careful when low and slow.
Take off is a bit like taking off in a B-29. Brake until engines are spooled up. When to ignite the RATO is i guess a matter of personal preference. I do it around halfway down the runway. Use as much runway as u can to build up speed and level off after take off to accelerate to at least 200mph before climbing.

Jets uses a lot less fuel at altitude so climbing greatly increasing the range. Problem can be that the engine uses a lot of fuel even on idle at lower alt so it might be an idea to turn them of during decent to avoid running out of fuel before landing.

Landing is a bit tricky because of the low drag. U cannot loose any greater amount of excessive speed or altitude on final approach and that can cause u to come in too high and too fast and over shooting the runway. At the same time the slow response on the engine makes it hard to do a go around.

I usually landing by entering the downwind leg at about 500 ft above ground and slowing town to 150mph and one notch of flaps. Then turn on final and use engine thrust to drag the plane to the treshold. It makes the approach much more controlable and engines are already producing enough thrust to keep the plane in the air so i can easily do a go around.

 

[Hap]

Nooby,

Just took a min and upped Arados at sea level offline.  Auto takeoff got the bird up just fine: 1) full fuel 3 eggs, 2) added the guns, 3) added the RATOS.

I noticed no difference between tests 1 and 2 as to when she got airborne.  However, for test 3, I hit the RATOS just as she began to roll and she was airborne 1/2 way down the runway.  Quite a difference there.  Tests 1 & 2 required the greater portion of the runway and a tall tree or hill would have meant loss of perks in the main arena.

Hope that helps <S>

[Zimme83]

Is no reason to not use RATO, they are released when used and adds no wheight or drag penalty or using up any hardpoint.

[BuckShot]

Save the RATO for evasion. You can take off without using it.

[Rich46yo]

Have your entire flight Planned to minutia before taking off. Make sure you take off from runways with no obstructions at the end, like Hills. I prefer runways to the sea, and thats cause I prefer to keep my RATOs. Brake hard and get engines to full power before releasing brakes to take off. I used to flap down one right before lifting off and keeping the flap up until I got at least 500' of air under me, then flap up. Used to set climb at about 180 mph.

Climb to 6k to 8k, one pass and haul butt. I used to like to attack bases with a lot of enemy in the air just so I could hit RATOs and give the finger to all the Reds trying to catch me. Its a good plane to hit a heavily defended bases VH but its not forgiving to turn and make a second pass with. With RATOs on and in a slight dive a attacker has to time interception perfectly. Its been a long time but I think nothing holds together at speed in a dive better then the 234. Not even the 262.

To slow down I would shut the engines off and rudder a lot. Then starting them again at 200 mph would maintain that speed, approach the runway at 500 to 800' and flap down once. Turn off the engines when you get good contact on runway, keep braking and rudder a bit until youv slowed enough to flap down more.

A few times Ive had to put damaged ones down in canyon runways. Its difficult but can be done. I saw an enemy squad heading towards our HQ the other day. They didnt shut it down, probably cause I ratted them out on comms, but it looked like a fun thing to do.

[dirtdart]

Take off from a costal base. Fly under 50 feet (do not use rato). At the dar ring zoom climb to 3k. Calibrate bombsite and use throttle to keep speed in line with your calibration. Drop bombs on vh, turn hard, rato, before you get into the ask.

^^^ my favorite arado mission profile.