Originally posted by Tac
"trying to lure the Niki into a vertical fight were it can't match the P-38. If you get into trouble, just dive away and extend into a shallow climb and repeat attack once you regain your altitude."
*cough*
Haha, too bad that dont work in AH. You have to do a very steep almost 90 degree dive just to get away from the thing. It beats the 38 in the vertical (hover & icons letting him fire cannon spray at d1.1 with accuraccy).
But that tactic works wonders vs 109 and 190, ki61, zeke, f4u's and the yaks. Dont try it vs a spit though
Taking the Niki vertical when fighting it works very well, virtually all of my Niki kills have been from roping them. I agree that the performance of the Niki is a little porked to its advantage but its no where near the super plane you paint it out to be. The only time that a Niki has caught me in a vertical fight is when the Niki had a marked altitude advantage over me and was able to match my maneuvers. If a Niki is coalt or below me, now way that rice burner is going to match my vertical moves, especially if I go into a triple Immel on the merge.
You can also fight the Spit 1, Spit 5 and Seafire with the same tactics. You can also loop fight Spit 1, Seafire and Spit 5 in the P-38 with great success. Also possible to loop fight a Spit 9 but it's not easy, especially if you break down and are forced to turn fight. At least with one of the earlier Spits you would be able to dive away and escape but if you blow the loop fight against the Spit 9 and are forced to run, he will catch you and kill you. But like the Niki, the Spit 9 isn't Uber and can be taken out with good, solid, well thought out tactics.
Ack-Ack
479th FG - Riddle's Raiders