Originally posted by Apache
I'm sorry, I just don't get it. I will never again suggest others fly what I fly nor in the manner I fly. I learned to adjust my way of thinking if I was gettin rattled. Yes, I agree their are alot of N1k's and spit's. I just changed my target selection a little and been having a blast.
That's exactly correct. I don't care who's flying what. Spits are easy if you use the proper tactics and avoid a turning fight. Sure, some Spit pilots will whine about "cherry picking", but that's just sour grapes. The same goes for N1K2s.
Let me address some remarks from others too.
Geez, if you arrive at a fight with an altitude advantage, YOU SET THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. It doesn't get any more simple than that. If you don't have the alt advantage, you extend away, climb and get it. Facts are hard things. If some pilots find themselves getting smacked by Spits and N1K2s, I suggest that their SA is the problem, not those aircraft. Even if you don't have the advantage in altitude, good SA goes a long way to winning anyway. Rarely do I encounter a P-51 below me. Yet, I'm something like 62/8 against the P-51. Why? Because I'm aware of where they are, and what they're doing. If they're not real careful, eventually I'm gonna take their E/alt advantage away, then I'll kill 'em.
Recently I started flying the Dora some. So far, I'm 13/4, with 3 lost to PTs and Flak, or 11/1 air to air. One loss was to a Spitfire that I failed to notice sneaking in on me. That was my fault, because, had I noticed the Spitfire, I never would have let it get anywhere near me. If you are losing Doras to Nikis and Spits, your SA is probably the reason. Remember, it's your SA that gets you ganged. Knowing where the enemy is in location and altitude
is SA. Moreover, this extends well beyond visual range, into adjacent sectors as well.
Let's face it, you can't fly through a swarm of Nikis and Spits at Co-E and expect to NOT get smacked. Situational Awareness gentlemen, that is the key. That, and knowing the capability of your fighter and the enemy aircraft too. If I get killed in my Yak or Dora, it's because of poor SA or a deliberate decision to take a major risk (de-acking, strafing Flak Panzers, etc). Either way, I am responsible for placing myself in that situation. It's not like you just woke up to find burglers in your house. You left the door unlocked.
The sooner pilots are willing to admit that the problem isn't the Spitfires, Nikis or Yaks, and accept that their SA and tactics are the root causes of their woes, the sooner they will see their losses drop dramatically.
My regards,
Widewing