Author Topic: Looking at driving F6F some...tips advice perhaps? (Read 767 times)

batdog · « **on:** October 23, 2001, 07:45:00 AM »

Yea... it moi again. I've been flying the 205, and KI alot. I have flown the jug abit and 38 as well. Now I'm wondering about that hellkitty.

I'm wondering... how does it turn vrs other aircraft...ie the spits, niki's etc.

Do the flaps help..does it use fowlers?

I know its similar to the jug but HOW simliar?

Does it zoom like a jug and hang on its prop?

I know it dives well....what about compression? The 47 has a high critical mach number due to its spit like wing...how about the f6?

And anything else I havent covered..

xBAT

Am0n · « **Reply #1 on:** October 23, 2001, 09:35:00 AM »

the hell cat is my ride of choice, fly it almost exclusivly. I am buy far not the best stick here, but i know the air craft well.

Compression is very rare, i have not had a problem with it at all it seemingly hits its top speed and stays there with out compressing. (unless of course your 0 g diving or something comprobable.)

One thing i worry about more than compression at high speeds is damaging the wings. Most argue this with me but it happens when going extremly fast and trying to turn sharp, you really gotta be easy on the stick in this ride (at all speeds). unlike other AC when the wings grown from the stress, you must instantly back off.

but if your easy on the stick it turns with little effort using the rudder mostly.

the high speed handling of the f6f is nearly unmatched in the MA, there are always exceptions but it can hold its own with any thing in that scenario.

In the vertical it excells in handling, while difficault to hang on its prop, if you can it can hammer head with awesome results. The reason why it is hard to hang on it prop is that it has a natural tendicy(sp?) to flip over quickly when vertical, which is a bonus in most cases.

it has a damn nice set of flaps on it. Use them at low speeds and you can turn with about anything if you make rolling turns, and in some cases flat turns. Again in the vertical, the flaps are better than most when used to flip the AC over at the arch. I normaly only use the first setting of flaps, its all you should need since you dont want to get to slow.

As you mentioned it can dive like a dream. The only draw back to diving is that it doesnt have a high top speed so you will have to pull out before most E-AC or you loose a lot of energy. But in the short term it accelorates very quickly and can surpise a lot of other AC that think they can out dive you, youll crawl right up there 6 at first.

just my opinions, im sure there are some much better sticks that can help you out with more information, but this is what i found to be true.

Soulyss · « **Reply #2 on:** October 23, 2001, 10:18:00 AM »

The Hellcat is one sweet ride. Like I was telling Mathman the other night it really lets me be agressive in a fight. It can out turn most E fighters and dive with any of 'em. Against the dedicated turn and burn planes it can hold it's own. While n1ks and spits can out turn you the difference isn't that pronounced if I can roll in and saddle up on one and get our speeds close I can usually hang in there against both of them till I can get a shot. But if either of these planes gets the angles early you can't win 'em back so easily. N1k are far more deadly to the f6 than the spit.

The only times I use the flaps in combat is to hold off a stall as long as possible in a turn or to hang by my prop. I can usually park that thing in the sky with a fair deal of success and since the stall has been "fixed" I am much more inclined to try and do it.

As far as compressibility I've been able to get out of most dives with trim and elevators though I have damaged my wings in the pull outs but both times I did that I wasn't paying attention to my speed. As long as your careful at the upper speeds 400+ lets say you should be fine. The Hellcat is a tough crate, she can take it.

Anyway hope any of this small novel I seem to have written here is of help at all. If you see me online come find me in the MA and we can wing up. We can get Mathman and AKLarry and form one mean flight.

batdog · « **Reply #3 on:** October 23, 2001, 11:47:00 AM »

Good info guys. Thanks

Keep it coming if you so desire...

xBAT

Mathman · « **Reply #4 on:** October 23, 2001, 02:21:00 PM »

The Hellcat is kind of a mixed bag. What I mean by this is that in the hands of a beginner, it is meat on the table (like most planes here). If, however, there is a good stick driving it, it is absolutely one of the deadliest planes in the MA.

The secret is to be selective in your fights. This is my biggest problem as I tend to just charge into the fray with reckless abandon.

If you keep the speed up around 250-300, it is easily one of the most maneuverable planes in the arena. The trick is to keep your stick movements smooth and fluid. Ra;pid stick movements and hard turning will still throw you into a stall, and at low alts, it is tough to recover in time as the pitch control gets mushy. It also has the ability to lose E very quickly. This comes in handy when forcing a diving opponent to overshoot. It also picks up speed in the initial dive very fast, allowing you to regain some speed and get a snapshot or two off before the con is out of range.

It dives incredibly. I can't recall the last time I have compressed in it or shed a wing in a dive. It is a very stable gun platform and excellent in the jabo role.

As for flaps, I never used them, but since I have mapped them to my stick, I occasionally use them now. It is still very rare that I do, as I live for speed in that thing and the flaps kill whatever acceleration it has.

The jug is a bit better in the last portion of the dive and zoom, but I haven't run into many situations in the vertical fight vs. a jug that I have been left in the dust and in a seriously disadvantaged position.

Anyways, feel free to ask more questions if there is anything else that I can help you with.

-math

214thCavalier · « **Reply #5 on:** October 23, 2001, 03:48:00 PM »

Agree with Mathmans comments regarding flying it smoothly and at speed and of course pick your fights

I do use flaps but only when taking off or landing.
I avoid them at all cost in fights, but hey thats just me your mileage may vary.
Vs N1k's or spits if you dont have an advantage be wise put your nose to a shallow dive and extend to approx 2.5 - 3k and do a 2 g climbout reversing and fill em up with lead

If your really pressed with 1 of these 2 crawling up yer bellybutton and on the deck try to keep your speed hi cos the faster you go down low the slower they can roll in comparison to the F6. Scissor em carefully timing it each time so as they roll to your new hdg you roll back again DO NOT pull hard as you lose your only advantage hi speed roll ability, if done right you will gain more separation each time until they are rolling so much in lag you have time to pull some vertical and reverse slicing the turn and rebuilding your E in the process, usually they roll back in time to see you diving back down and just try a flat turn to follow you, of course this has been the objective all along rebuild your E and sucker them into burning theirs.
Now you decide end game or pull some of that pilot toejame and finish em off.
If bounced as well i try to pick the place to fight, if possible I will head for any gradient variation available, hills valleys even a shore line as a last resort.
The idea here is to exploit the vertical performance of the F6 as much as possible as well as trying to limit the flat turn ability of some of your likely opponents, basically BnZ in a contained airspace.
For me this is the best place to practice E tactics.
You can go into these situations with a better turning con on your 6 and come out a winner.
Of course your mileage may vary and of course i may just be full of it

[ 10-23-2001: Message edited by: 214thCavalier ]

Soulyss · « **Reply #6 on:** October 23, 2001, 06:55:00 PM »

...and if all else fails the Hellcat is just about damned near toughest bird in the arena. I've been completely blindsided by La7's before and walked away with minor or no damage.

Am0n · « **Reply #7 on:** October 24, 2001, 07:29:00 AM »

I think we all agreed on one thing here for sure, be easy on the stick. youll notice that even with the slightest movement that once your wings catch the air it turns sharper and sharper into the turn.

Note about the toughness of the F6F. Last night i was on the other end of the stick flying a LA5 defending our bases and i 6'd a enemy f6f and stayed there for quiet some time.

I kept the distance between 300-100 at all times and landed 5-6 sustained burst witht those 20mms and he was still flying like a pro, eventual he bit the dust but thats a hell of a lot of fire power to with stand.

Mr Hanky · « **Reply #8 on:** October 26, 2001, 07:49:00 PM »

I just started an account this week and have been flying the F6F-5. I have to say this plane is nice.

Most everyone else has mentioned its good points... but there are some things that I think help it. I dunno if its because of its dark color, but people seem to underestimate its speed and its zoom capability. I've caught 1/4 of my kills as they tried to go vertical and out-climb me when starting with an obvious energy disadvantage. I'm not quite sure why that is... but I like it.

It also handles well above 200 without flaps, and excellent below 200 with flaps. I did some horrible things to a Yak today at 120 IAS as he tried to force an overshoot.

I haven't gone up against an N1K2 yet, but it seems I've hit most other types of aircraft. This plane allows you to be a pilot in all aspects of the word.