Author Topic: Proper Bombing Technique (Read 560 times)

slimm50 · « **on:** November 29, 2002, 01:50:04 PM »

OK people, lissinup. I'm a "relatively" new member here, and I'm having difficulty with level bombing.

Whenever I try level bombing using the instructions in the manual I miss every time. When I hold the "Y" key down for the required 2 seconds (or more), (or is it the " T" key? I forget just now), the screen says my target altitude is zero. Is there a bug in the system, or am I doing something wrong (the more likely possibility). One of you bombing 'sperts out there help me out, please, so's I can become a more well-rounded player:rolleyes:

Revvin · « **Reply #1 on:** November 29, 2002, 02:02:12 PM »

I calibrate more than once on the way into target and hold down for around 6-9 seconds to get accurate results. What you are not doing is bringing up the clipboard and clicking on the field or strat target you wish to bomb to give you your target altitude.

Alpo · « **Reply #2 on:** November 29, 2002, 02:08:39 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Revvin
What you are not doing is bringing up the clipboard and clicking on the field or strat target you wish to bomb to give you your target altitude.

What Revvin said... unless of course, your target is a sea level... then it's a correct readout

Pongo · « **Reply #3 on:** November 29, 2002, 03:04:14 PM »

i changed the mapping of my keys to C for calibarate and M for mark so that it is pongo proof.
I get to alt.
Point right at the target remembering that that is the direction I am going to fly over the target. So basically I am lined up at alt for my bomb run befor I calibrate.
hit c, pick a target to calibrate on and set to a zoom that I can easily track it.
ANY point on the ground or water is fine to calibrate on. Its not the thing you calibrate agianst that matters but not changing your flight paramaters at all between calibration and bombing.
track it long enought to get a steady bead on it then hold down the m key and count as long as I can..6 or 7 seconds is easy to achieve and seems to work fine for accuracry.

unzoom. bring up the map and click on the target. make sure that it is set to the right alt in the bomb sight and then close the map and hit c to finish the calibration.

set salvo 1
Stay on that course and alt till you get to the target.
At target get in bombsight and spot the point target you want.
zoom in on it.. open bomb bay doors( I have found that you dont have to open your doors to calibrate if you open them imediatly before dropping)
Pickle a individual 1k bomb on each hanger or a line of 4 across a town.
Calibrating takes all of 20 seconds at best. The problem is that you cannot evade any fire or fighters after you calibrate or its useless... I have made extrordinarrily minor ruder changes after calibration and had the bombs fall short or long..
Good luck

ALF · « **Reply #4 on:** November 29, 2002, 03:16:39 PM »

Check out the tutorial on my website...HOPE IT HELPS!

slimm50 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 29, 2002, 03:23:22 PM »

ALF, I appreciate your tutorial, but I can't read a thing with all those turkeys on the screen.

Karnak · « **Reply #6 on:** November 29, 2002, 05:23:11 PM »

Highlight the text on his bombing tutorial, press Ctrl-C on your keyboard and then bring up notepad and press Ctrl-v. Now you can read it.

ALF · « **Reply #7 on:** November 29, 2002, 08:04:00 PM »

OOPSIE!!!

didnt realize I had put the turkeys on THAT page too hehehehe

Fixed now (you may need to REFRESH the screen once

FTPiper · « **Reply #8 on:** November 30, 2002, 04:47:07 PM »

Here's my formula for buffing.....
1. Be at alt with doors open 1 sector from target (so speed stabilizes)
2. If above 14K and not heading directly east or west..factor in crab angle
3. Fly from nose gunner position..makes course correction easy without slowing down
4. acquire target from nose gun using max zoom.
5. you can check your crab angle here by watching target drift...correct if nec.
6. go to bombsite
7. press 'u'
8. select target by left clicking on map (sets target alt)
9. acquire target in scope...go to max zoom
10. keep cross hairs on target and hold 'y' key for long time (i like 15-20 secs)
11. press 'u' while still holding crosshair on target
12. drop eggs

this system works for me. I find it's not the calibration that is the difficulty, but the planning before the run. You need to plan a good IP and accurately account for drift. Too much correction after cal will throw eggs off.

Fancy · « **Reply #9 on:** December 01, 2002, 10:50:21 AM »

What's so hard about maneuvering in the scope that people never mention it? You can push your stick left or right to make course adjustments in the bomb-scope that are supposedly "steady" adjustments. I've found this to be more or less true although if you make big adjustments in the scope, the calibration will be thrown off a touch one side or another (you can test this effect out in the TA). But if you keep it gradual everything's okay. That being said, getting your course right a good sector away is one of the biggest helps to accurate bombing. I have found with a couple maybe three passes you knock out a medium airfield (FHs I mean) with a B-17 and 500 or 1000 lbers. Theoretically with several passes you can knock out all 6 FHs at a large base, but it takes some serious execution and minimal fighter harrasment. You can usually make one pass scot free, but by the second and third, you're going to have a bunch of angry little bees buzzing your bird.

Sleight · « **Reply #10 on:** December 01, 2002, 12:29:01 PM »

Pinpoint bombing is no longer feasible. Carpet bombing rules.

.salvo 20
.delay .4

ALF · « **Reply #11 on:** December 01, 2002, 02:06:49 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Sleight
Pinpoint bombing is no longer feasible. Carpet bombing rules.

I pinpoint bomb all the time. Take out 4 hangers with 1 B-17 formation.

Lazer1 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 01, 2002, 02:22:38 PM »

OR, you could just do what everyone else does and dive into your target with no intent on pulling out.

Blank · « **Reply #13 on:** December 01, 2002, 02:38:53 PM »

you can if you want stabilize speed from 30 miles out if you want, but i find just calibrating as late as possible works for me.

1:take off and climb to desired alt
2: I calibrate site to sea level so that it is looking as far forward as it can go (helps with lining up with target)
3: Obviously bombing from E - W or W - E is the best other wise you'll planes will drift off course as you approach target. if you cant approach from these optimum directions just factor in your drift as you approach.

final approach:

ok you can now see the target in the site time to calibrate properly.

1: as i approach I calibrate site.
2: if I have time I do it again
3: if I still have time I'll do it again and again etc etc

I do this because I have found the shorter the amount of time between calibration and drop the better as you have had no time to speed up/slow down or move.

500lb bombs delay 0.75 ish
1000lb bombs delay 0.9 ish

obvious problem with this is you cant keep up your SA as good.

Fancy · « **Reply #14 on:** December 01, 2002, 02:56:09 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Blank
obvious problem with this is you cant keep up your SA as good.

Which is why you should skip all the pre-claibrations (there's no reason, calibrations aren't cumulative) and just calibrate right before you're on target. That early, half-assed calibration is actually a good idea though, to give you an idea of how much time you have left.