Fighters as bombers

[nrshida]

Yesterday, about ten minutes after I was appointed commander and lord chief general of the entire Knight armed forces (by virtue of being the only Knight online) I noticed a ground vehicle at my town. Not wanting Starbucks to fall and not being able to inform a specialist I dropped two bombs on him from my Ki-84. I'd not done that before and much to my surprise, one must've gone right down his chimney, because I killed him 

I'm not sure what I did or even if I could repeat it, i just pulled out of the shallow dive I'd used to spot him and used the force to let them go. Only one could've hit, the Ki-84 bombs looked pretty small and the vehicle said M4 - that's a Sherbet tank I think. How does that work, by hitting the top armour of the tank which is presumably thinner?

Inspired by the possibility to enhance Kilroy's gameplay, as an example, I was wondering what fighter bombing techniques people use. Is skip bombing or near-vertical dive bombing possible to aim? Is there minimum heights for fusing I think I once heard? How do you 'aim' so-to-speak with no bombsight? Is it just instinctive with practice? Does the bomb actually have to hit the vehicle or can the ground explosion do the job if it's close enough, like the rocket splash in Quake?

[BOBO]

I stole and then modified a reticle that I thought looked really cool back in AH2.  Then I added a reference for shooting rockets and a pair of chevrons at the bottom for a dive bombing reference.  They seem to work fine for me with every plane that is not a Mosquito bomber. 
 
 
 

I've also made a reticle for use with Japanese planes.

[nrshida]

I've also made a reticle for use with Japanese planes.
(Image removed from quote.)

  I don't use a gunsight but I'm downloading that one 

[The Fugitive]

Yesterday, about ten minutes after I was appointed commander and lord chief general of the entire Knight armed forces (by virtue of being the only Knight online) I noticed a ground vehicle at my town. Not wanting Starbucks to fall and not being able to inform a specialist I dropped two bombs on him from my Ki-84. I'd not done that before and much to my surprise, one must've gone right down his chimney, because I killed him 

I'm not sure what I did or even if I could repeat it, i just pulled out of the shallow dive I'd used to spot him and used the force to let them go. Only one could've hit, the Ki-84 bombs looked pretty small and the vehicle said M4 - that's a Sherbet tank I think. How does that work, by hitting the top armour of the tank which is presumably thinner?

Inspired by the possibility to enhance Kilroy's gameplay, as an example, I was wondering what fighter bombing techniques people use. Is skip bombing or near-vertical dive bombing possible to aim?

Skip bombing doesnt work in the game. If the bomb hasnt traveled the arming distance before it hits something it just disapears... no bounce.

Is there minimum heights for fusing I think I once heard?

500 feet. The bomb must travel 500 feet to arm. This is in any direction. Coming in low and releasing to "lob" to bomb becomes harder to do seeing as you dont have any real "markers" to judge speed and distance on the fly, but it does work.

How do you 'aim' so-to-speak with no bombsight? Is it just instinctive with practice?

In most cases the easest way I have found to dive bomb is to come in at anything from 45-90 degree angle spotting the target in the low forward view. As you start to pull up/out of the dive release the bomb just as the target drops under the cowling (for the 45 degree drop) or a bit closer toward the piper (for the 90 degree drop).

So practice/instinct does come into play.

Does the bomb actually have to hit the vehicle or can the ground explosion do the job if it's close enough, like the rocket splash in Quake?

No the bombs have "splash damage" the smaller the bomb the closer it needs to be to get the max damage.

[nrshida]

Ah thank you Fugitive that was very comprehensive. I'd have liked to try skip bombing, that's too bad. Has anyone tried toss, especially over-the-shoulder in Aces High? I read American planes had a Toss Bomb Computer in the late 50s.

Very interesting topic I haven't investigated yet 

I thought the TA used to have targets on the ground once but I think they've been removed?

[BOBO]

Ah thank you Fugitive that was very comprehensive.  I thought the TA used to have targets on the ground once but I think they've been removed?

Very interesting topic I haven't investigated yet 

The TA has a divebombing range, I believe the air starts happen when you launch NE from the airfields on top of the mountains there.  It used to be that if you selected a bomb or rocket there you would get a magic crosshair that would show you exactly where your ordinance would hit the ground.   I preferred the 10K and 15K bases for divebombing practice.  The air starts allow for a lot of practice in a short amount of time. 



In no time you'll be taking out GVs like Iowa Hawkeye fans attack the goalposts after a road win against the Minnesota Golden Goofers.

[Puma44]

Ah thank you Fugitive that was very comprehensive. I'd have liked to try skip bombing, that's too bad. Has anyone tried toss, especially over-the-shoulder in Aces High? I read American planes had a Toss Bomb Computer in the late 50s.

Very interesting topic I haven't investigated yet 

I thought the TA used to have targets on the ground once but I think they've been removed?

I’ve tried toss on occasion.  It’s inaccurate without a lot of practice. A perfectly straight vector line to the target is required and the time of release during pull-up takes a lot of experimenting.  I’ve found that when my heals are pointing at the target, the release is more accurate. 

[BuckShot]

I'm in the habit of glancing out at my wingtip for a horizon reference right after I start my dive. It helps me determine my aim point.

[nrshida]

I’ve found that when my heals are pointing at the target, the release is more accurate.

Great tip, thank you.

In no time you'll be taking out GVs like Iowa Hawkeye fans attack the goalposts after a road win against the Minnesota Golden Goofers.

That's one of the funniset things I've ever seen. What do they do with the goalposts after they get them outside?

[colmbo]

Generally a steeper dive is a more accurate bomb. 

The most important factor is practice.

[Puma44]

Generally a steeper dive is a more accurate bomb. 

The most important factor is practice.

Having done it real world, both of these tips are the key to accurate bombing.

[nrshida]

Having done it real world, both of these tips are the key to accurate bombing.

Wow interesting.

[Puma44]

The steeper the dive angle the better.  A steep dive angle reduces some of the variables involved in dive bombing.

[nrshida]

The most important factor is practice.

I will do some work 

[Lusche]

Taking 1000kg bombs in the Tu-2 almost eliminates the necessity of aiming when dive bombing GVs in the Tu-2