Planes that have combat flaps can use them to increase lift at the cost of extra drag. This is only possible or reasonable at low speads. Generally, you want to feed in flaps one notch at a time as you slow down to help increase your lift and hence your turn-rate a bit. Be aware though, that you increase your turn rate at the expense of more drag, and that means you slow down faster. You really only want to use flaps for short periods of time to get over the top of a loop, or make those last couple of degrees for a killing shot.
When to use flaps? Depends on the plane, but in the Hog I start to use them below 200 IAS if I need to turn or manuever quickly. One notch down to say 170, two at 150 or so, three at 130, four or more if I'm going slower, or I'm out of options. Normally going beyond 4 notches in the Hog will just stop you. Experiment with the flaps at very low speeds so you know what works best, and what they feel like.
I use flaps more when doing verticle manuevers. I will use 2-3 notches of flap at the top of any manuever that takes me up higher where I slow down below 200. As you get your nose down, reel the flaps back in to accellerate as fast as possible. If you have to use flaps when flat-turning, you are in serious trouble in a Hog. If you need to, pop flaps only for a short time, and only to get a kill or evade.
Most typically "angles" fighters CAN benefit from flap usage at the right times, just like any other plane. Generally, only planes with multi-position "combat" flaps get any benefit from using them. However, generally if you are flying an "angles" fighter, you shouldn't need the extra bit of turn. I use flaps in a turn fighter more for slowing down than for turning tighter.
You should also think about what flaps do. Yes, they make you turn tighter, but also slower. This means that although you can turn a tighter circle, your turn rate may be slower. If you are turning flat with flaps, you need to do a turn-radius fight, which is to say a 1 circle fight. You and the other guy need to be chasing each other's tail in a big circle. If you turn one way and he turns the other, you will have a 2 circle fight, where the fighter with the better turn RATE has a good chance to win. If you are using flaps to turn, be sure to turn the same direction as the other guy so you can capitalize on your smaller turn-radius.
I hope that helps.
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Lephturn - Chief Trainer
A member of The Flying Pigs
http://www.flyingpigs.com 
"My P-47 is a pretty good ship, she took a round coming 'cross the Channel last trip.
Just thinking 'bout my baby and lettin' her rip, always got me through so far."
- Steve Earl
[This message has been edited by Lephturn (edited 08-15-2000).]
