A welcome surprise in the P47

[Kieren]

I fly it all wrong.

I was down low and slow today in the P47. I had made some wasteful attempts at high-speed passes on bogies (ok, not too wasteful, I got a couple). In typical hell-for-leather fashion I found myself going the wrong way with a Yak and 190 above and behind me.

It's clear that I am going to have to reverse if I am to have a chance, as I am low gas and headed deeper into doodoo. After dropping a little alt for speed, I pitch up for a reverse. I point the nose right on those two, knowing they would have to respect 8x.50's, if for only a second. They do, and I seize the opportunity to run. The problem is, the path home is strewn with trouble. A27 was awash with Bishops, Knights and Rooks at this time, and I spot a fellow Rook with 2 cons on his tail. I figure myself for dead, so I call 6 and peel the 190 off of him. The 190 is hit badly, and breaks for ack. I put the nose down again and try to extend.

No good. The Yak has ignored all else for what looked to be an easy meal. I can see he has blown through the pack and is gaining. I'm gonna have to fight my way out...

I reverse again at about D3.0 out. I take a weak snap, and he must have been grinning. I now have little speed or alt, and he neatly rolls to my 6 at about 700 out. So far I could have written the script, then the unimaginable happens...

I start the scissors when he closes under 500. I expect at any moment to look over my shoulder and watch my tail flutter away- but it didn't happen! Not only are my scissors denying him a killing shot, but I eventually get him defensive enough he has to pull away to extend!

I can't believe it! I begin to move towards home, on the deck, and I see a Zero trying for me. No worries, he is way too far away. Then I see a P38 knifing towards me in a wide arc, and I have to turn to meet him. He is going too fast and blows by. I quickly(?!) reverse and pour some lead in his butt. It looks like he is done for- then I see the cannon fire. The Zero, which had been following the P38, had gotten me. The truth is, had I not gotten greedy, I would have gotten clean away.

This must be a fluke, thinks I.

A little later, Verm is chasing a Spitfire in the same area. I try to cut it off, and we begin to roll about. I can't quite bring guns to bear, so I have to dive a bit, dragging towards Verm. Once he engages I have time to reverse and reenter. The battle wages a bit until Verm takes one in the engine. I see him ditch.

Now it is just me and the Spit- and believe it or not, we work down to the deck in rolling scissors and hammerheads. Unbelievably the Jug is holding its own, and I am getting snapshots, though nothing lethal. Finally I take one in the oil line, and it is clear I have to bug out.

I waited until the Spit tried once more to climb above my head, and broke towards home. I never dreamed I could open any distance, but I did, and the lead only extended as the minutes wore on. I was out of WEP, out of gas, and out of alt, but still the P47 separated itself from the Spit. Finally, inexplicably, my 47 exploded (no, nothing was afire, nor was there anything other than oil damage).

System: Mitsu has killed you

Now I salute Mitsu for the flying and the kill, but anyone thinking the P47 is a pushover and nothing but a hit-and-run bird had better be careful!  

[Dead Man Flying]

Neat story.    I too have found that the P-47 is a capable all-around plane.  The fact that it accelerates with a little room also gives it plenty of options, especially in the vertical.  I outscissored a Niki on the deck earlier tonight after he started about 2k off my dead six; he managed to get some decent hits in during the fight, but that rugged Jug construction pulled me through.

I love this plane.  

-- Todd/DMF

[airspro]

Nice to have the plane fly like it should . As there must have been a reason for Johnson's record in it . Why most all the other sims make it such a dog is beyond me . That and most don't have the 190A5 either .

Still I find the Mustang my ride of choice   .

Speed baby speed .

cheers spro

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[This message has been edited by airspro (edited 06-27-2000).]

[Naso]

<S> Kieren, i was the Yak attacking you in the first engagement, normally the p47 IS an easy meal for me, since i start saturday flying the Yak beauty, the problem with Yak is the small ammo load, so you have to wait and wait the best firing solution...

You have done wrong diving to escape me because you dont have enough alt to use the diving speed of p47, and on the deck you are slower than the Yak, so when you start that scissors, i was frushing hands (eh eh another p47 is doomed    ), following, and waiting for an error...

After a while i realized...    

In front of me was a great pilot, and i start to fear MY mistakes ('cause i'm only a medium pilot).

You are so damn good... and you negate the kill solution, only few snapshots (i hit you almost once).    

In the last scissors i extended because on our course was a high rook 205 coming down chasing me, so i gain some speed in front of you, reverse, dive a little (and you got me without damage), then break for the 205 attack, and extend away from both of you (and the 205 hit my aileron and rudder), once levelled and at high speed, i read in the buffer: "you killed kieren"     not true!!

I Salute you, i had the most adrenalinic fight since i start AH.

When, heading home, i look at ammo counter, i had only 43 12.7mm bullets.

Great fight!!    

Ops, forgot signature

Naso
4° stormo caccia
 


[This message has been edited by Naso (edited 06-27-2000).]

[Kieren]

Naso-

Sorry to have left your name out of there and a hearty S!, but I never seem to remember the names all that well when I fly for any length of time. Yes, you had me sweating bullets! I could see you rolling back and forth about 150 out. I figured I was toast,  but was pulling every stunt I could imagine. I thought perhaps you saw something you didn't like out there, because I didn't see you come back. (when I am in that type of mess, I just see red, I don't look at the icon!) I do remember about half way through it thinking "small ammo load, make him waste it, it isn't over yet..."

Great fight, and great memory! You did deserve the kill, as the Zeke that finished me only capitalized on the opportunity you created. And you are a great pilot from where I sat!

[Naso]

Thanks, kieren, i'm proud of your words.  

And dont worry about names, i have the same problem, but i remember your because you are on the top, and that one was one of the best fights i had in ah...

I have another similar with Downtown (was you ? ...damn memory!!) and he flown a p47... i that case i was more lucky   (<S> downtown !)

<S> again kieren, cya in the sky