I need help avoiding this...

[FDutchmn]

an HO after a merge.   Last night, it happened to me four or five times straight...  I luv furballs and always try to pick out those least suspecting, but most of the time, the opponent usually sees me coming and we merge a near HO.  Thereafter, either going into a B&Z tactic, trying to gain angles momentarily enough to fire enough lead into the guy or degrading into a turn fight each of us trying to gain the angle to get a good gun solution.

However, it happens often that I am watching the guy as we merge, watching the changes in the distance between us, watching was he does... in the midst of the turns, I notice that watching my six, the bandit is going away, then watching my high six, the distance is still getting longer but slower... by my very high twelve, the distance is steady, then closure slowly starts which progressively gets faster and faster, when I bite my lips saying "ruh roh..."  I realize that we are going for an HO as we come out of the turn.

One option is to go for the HO anyway.   The other is to stop the turn at the risk of letting the bandit gain some angles...

Is there any other options?  I want to avoid this HO without losing the advantage.

[Wotan]

after a ho always go up. when in doudt immelman

What i mean is on the first "ho" merge is where you set up whats going to happen next. If you see the guy coming at you you head on then ideally you want be below him and to one side a bit.

Start a shallow/ neg g dive to the left of his 12 (or right it dont matter) at d1200 or so do a roll to through his aim off a bit but keep your e. No crazy e bleeding moves here. at d300 or so pull up

fyi the reason i always go to the left is most guys as they miss the ho flat turn right.

Now heres the key timing your pitch back manuver so that you maintain the advantage. If you keep going straight up as the nme extends and turns he may get all the way round before you reverse leading to another ho. You wanna reverse quickly to gain the angle as the nme is turning. A hi yo yo works good here.

If you are not quite sure about your timiming then immelman. You will be above him if he flat turns and you will have time to set up another pass.

Goto lephturn page he has a good article on hoing.

This explanation is a bit simple but you need to stay fast and conserve e. I am a bit tired as it 3:41 am and i just got home from a week in the keys so maybe ghost leph or another expert can give ya a better break down.

[MANDOBLE]

Originally posted by Wotan
after a ho always go up. when in doudt immelman

Only if you have a clear E advantage in the merge or if you are flying an hyper-zoomer (like the spits ).

I have a funny problem with HOs and the N1K2. I find a N1K2 lower than me, I dive and I see the closure rate indicates he is stopped or also diving, but, surprise, he is just climbing and pointing at me. This plane colors make me difficult to determine whether he goes or comes and at 400 yards (nikki nose possition identified) it is too late to avoid its four guns.