Originally posted by ergRTC
Widewing, if your knocking zekes out of the air with an sbd, I think you need to realize your flying against guys not paying much attention.
Keep the fight vertical, and that a6m2 is a killer, hell any equal e fight and the zero has it.
I've killed 12 Zekes for 1 loss to them (although a proxy or two may be in the stats). That loss was due to turning my back on Leviathn's Zero, which I had set on fire and assumed that it would go straight in. It didn't. Lev blew up seconds later. So, if we count that one, it's 13/1.
They guys I killed saw me coming, there just wasn't butkus they could do about it. Above 150 mph, the SBD can turn with the Zero. At speeds above 300 mph, it owns the Zero. Only in a stallfight does the Zero have the edge.
In a a Co-alt fight, the Zero's speed allows it to extend. But if both are doing around 250, the SBD will reverse faster. As a dogfighter, the SBD is superior to the P-40B, considerably so. Believe it or not, the SBD retains energy better than the P-40B.
So, get above a Zero and he's in a world of hurt.
There are several secrets to dogfighting with the SBD, it is capable of things no fighter can match. Once a pilot learns how to exploit these, the SBD becomes quite formidable. I've killed F4U-4s, La-7s and Doras with it. Furthermore, I'm not an exceptional pilot. But, I know the tactics and I have the patience to employ them. Anyone can do what I do, if they are willing to learn how. Just in case anyone wonders, I know how to exploit the Zero's ability as well, going 11/1 so far. Again, it's all about understanding the tactics required and applying them. There's no mysterious tricks, no gamey stuff, and surely no great flying ability. Indeed, if talent were a real factor, I'd be at the bottom of the pile.
As to the P-40s, I've flown a few sorties with them, 13/0 so far. I will never turnfight with a Zero. He's gonna have to fight they way I want, and that means fast, fast, and fast some more.
The bottom line is this: Take the time to grab adequate altitude. If you're flying a P-40E, the Zero is badly overmatched when faced with a higher P-40E. Likewise, the SBD is extremely dangerous if it has an altitude advantage. Zero drivers had better grab as much altitude as possible. Otherwise, they are at a major disadvantage.
My regards,
Widewing