!09 K4 + 30 mm Mk108 tips & tricks

[Max]

I've chosen the K4 as my fighter ride for a few tours. Would be appreciative for T & T's...especially need help landing hits with the taters. At present I have the MG's set to d400 and the cannons at 350.

Fire away!

[hazmatt]

I'm not a master in it at all but I set the 30mm to 200 and did like Hartman and got close and had some success with it. I was never able to connect with the long shots in the k4 like I could with the 262.

My advice would be to dial it way in and than move it out as you start connecting with it.

[Dadtallica]

I’ve also been picking it up a little bit lately myself and mostly what I can tell you from everybody who kicks my butt in it is get as close as you can… then get closer.

That’s why I usually end up flying the G14 instead just so I can have the extra 20s.

The climb in it and the energy retention is pretty neat. It starts to compress around 425ish at low levels but you can still control it around there a little and use it to your advantage.

I know it flips around over the top pretty well and around behind because everybody does it to me, but I’m still working on that lol. 

[DmonSlyr]

Rule #1 The 30mm has a mind of its own 

But you can help it out.
The key is setting up your shots. Its best for crossing and deflection shots, or shooting bombers. If you are chasing 6s, forget about it. It works best to get planes nice n slow in the rope, then flip over on them and shoot em as they are floating. Or another good way is to get them nice n slow, force an overshoot, and shoot them as they cross in front of you. Always shoot about 1 second earlier than you think you should with a nice lead. The bullet drops quick. I keep it at 400 to avoid too much quick droppage. The lower your convergence, the further you have to lead, the higher the convergence, the more it lobs. Its beneficial to come up under the plane you are chasing and then shoot as tour nose crosses above their plane. That way the bullet lobs into them.

The key to flying a 109 is very similar to how you fly a Ki84. Fly it the same way using vertical loops and quick in and out shots. This helps you get better ropes and better shot opportunities. If you are trailing a guys 6 for longer that 5-10 seconds in a heated battle than you should pull off immediately and re-adjust the fight to force crossing/deflection shots rather than direct 6 and bank lead shots. The longer you chase the more you waste bullets and the quicker you get picked. You can catch them, get in close and lead on the bank shot, but if you overshoot, pull up into vertical immelman immediately and come back around but make sure to check your 6.

[Eagler]

Have trim programmed to help with compression..

Get close  then get closer..

Get higher than what you're hunting..

It's a good fit for the new dar settings..

Eagler

[hazmatt]

the higher the convergence, the more it lobs. Its beneficial to come up under the plane you are chasing and then shoot as tour nose crosses above their plane. That way the bullet lobs into them.

force crossing/deflection shots rather than direct 6 and bank lead shots.

I never had so much luck with this. I've seen guys in films that could make amazing crossing/deflection shots but I never flew it enough to get the timing down like these guys which is why I pulled mine in tight  and shot them from dead 6 at <200.

It's cool that you can get advice from guys who were good at it and other guys that just "made it work" and adapt your own style. I'd be interested in hearing how it works out for you if you don't mind sharing.



And that trim thing that Eagler said is critical. I made some smoking holes before I got that figured out.

[Max]

Good info Gents! 

 

[DmonSlyr]

It would be greatly beneficial to fly in my cockpit with me in the MA so you can see how I set up the shot. Thats the most important part. Shot setup is 90% of the key to aiming the 30mm. Even still with a great set up, you are still likely to miss 40%-50% of the shots. I cant tell you how many more kills id have if the bullets didnt somehow miss on perfect shots I thought I had. Even though the 109 has amazing engine and performance, there is a reason why its not always a top killer like the P47, NIK, La7, Spit16 ect, and thats because setting up shots in the K4 is a style of play rather than just gaining a 6 and shooting.

[LCADolby]

In short;

     First switch to a G14 and get accustomed to the 109 with a 13mm + 20mm set up. Once you are starting learn the aircraft with a more manageable torque and land 3 kills a sortie with regularity, switch to the 13mm + 30mm set up.
     With the 30mm, lead your target twice as much as you would with the 20mm and use the rudder to nose into their flight path. This gets the potential for more 30mm strikes.
     Only once you have done the above steps should you K$.