Historically, how did they kill mobile AA?

[Nuku]

There are lots of texts on how to fight other aircraft, attack bombers, dive-bomb/torpedo ships, but I haven't been able to find any good info on how to tackle mobile AAA.  I have yet to even encounter a single personal account in WW2 of someone attacking mobile AAA.

The lethal range of most AAA is beyond the lethal range of most aircraft guns, and the introduction of the Ostwind with its considerable armor makes it a salamanderly kill.

Strafing AAA requires heading right at it, which gives it a zero degree deflection shot.  Not good odds.  With net lag, a guy can peg you before you even realize you're inside his lethal range (I do better against airfield AAA than mobile AAA).

Korean and Vietnam-era personal accounts indicate the use of 500lb dumb bombs(HE/frag) and napalm (oooh, the latter would be good against open-topped Ostwinds   )  But dropping dumb bombs accurately outside the Ostwind's lethal range is difficult.  Rockets I thought would be a good standoff weapon, but they seem to go inert outside 1k range.

Gangbanging seems to help, assuming you can see his tracers, but it requires bravery beyond what I've seen lately  

Desert Storm style "tank plinking" with medium bombers works okay too, but it's difficult to get one on station high enough to avoid getting hit.

Any tips?

[Tac]

Dont even try to strafe an Ostwind.. not even if you are in a CHOG. You will die.

M-16's (and if you are insane enough to WANT to strafe an Ostwind) and tanks are best attacked by bombs/rockets from a 90 degree angle (or a very high angle).

If you want to strafe them, the best way is to get to "lawn mowing" altitude about 4k away from the vehicle and close in at high speed.. when you see the target shoot like hell. Best results achieved when attacking from the 6 position of the vehicle.

That has been my experience.

[AKDejaVu]

Practice with 1k bombs.  It gets quite easy after a bit.

AKDejaVu

[SC-GreyBeard]

I've found that dropping down at a VERY steep angle works well. 75-90 degrees.

According to one source, (think it was Whels)
"..man thats a wicked dive, hard to track ya for a shot.." (prolly paraphrased a great deal..)  

But then again, i think I still lose more of them than I win..

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GreyBeard, Squadron Leader
Commander, "E" Flight, Aces High
Senior Staff Council
"The Skeleton Crew"
"Fly with Honor"[/i]
"Keepin' the Faith"

[Fishu]

Historically..

I've read at least one case where Finnish Air Force plane made a strafe attack against soviets AA gun - AA crew ran off.
Probably been unarmoured gun and also light caliber.. (I don't recall reading possible caliber figures for the AA gun)

[Ripsnort]

That why we got tanks before Flakwagons, wherever theres a Flakwagon, there is a tank spawning point  just 10 min. away from that OST's position...usually.  

[flakbait]

Team up with another guy. Mobile AAA can only track one target, so you get a pair of planes. One distracts while the other blasts him to kibble. Works for me every time, even against Ostwinds. That turret limits the view, so even if he did look back he'd just see armor plate. Since he can't see you, he can't see your icon.

It works against M16s for the most part. If he's dumb he'll try to hit a target in a low orbit. 1.3k is far enough away to orbit and not get hit. One plane orbits while the other rockets in from above. Bombs, rockets, gunfire, spitwads; whatever works.

Flakbait
Delta 6's Flight School
"My art is the wings of an aircraft through the skies, my music the deep hum of a prop as it slices the air, my thrill the thunder of guns tearing asunder an enemy plane."
Flakbait
19 September 2000

[miko2d]

 Flackbait,
 If you raise your head (PageUp key) you will  look over the armor in Ostwind. Jast use F10 to make all your views, (even the front view while holding KP8) to look over the top. The default forward view will be the gunsight.
miko

[Mighty1]

I drive tanks and ostwinds all the time and I can tell you as far as AH goes if you want to kill an ostwind all you have to do is take a spit up.

I have survived multiple passes from all other AC but more times than not I get killed on first pass by a spit. I don't know why this is but I fear spits more than I do the 1C.

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Mighty1
The New Baby Harp Seals
"Come try to club THIS Seal"

[Jigster]

People forget that most of the time, the AAA guns aren't mobile when firing. While an M16 could get away with it with the sheer volume of lead it throws, larger caliber AAA guns went stationary to fire. It's very hard to keep both the ammo and the crew in order chugging along at 25 mph.

Notable exceptions are AAA on German rail road cars. They were generally smooth enough to allow "accurate" fire.

Alot of the German 20mm aircraft guns (in single mounts, not quad's) on half tracks and Pz38 chassies required stopping to lower the sides of the gun compartment to allow a greater field of fire. Granted it took about 30 seconds to do so though  

Also, we don't have trees and other obstructions to the Ostwind's field of view, so they get a nice clear shot no matter how low ya get.

- Jig

[miko2d]

 How about the turret rotating speed? You would fly out if you tried that in RL.   of course it compensates somewhat for the narrow field of view.