Happier Buffing for Old Guys

[Hap]

Here's some tips for old guys like me who enjoy buffing.  They have to do with immersion, calibration/true airspeed, an easy way to adjust your true airspeed without having to recalibrate, and lastly, turning toward your target.

Immersion: open up your e6b in your bombsite.  Use the 8 key on your keypad or push your hat on your joystick forward and look out the plexiglass nose of your bomber.  It's just very cool.  You might have to page up or page down the bombsite a bit to get your best view.  Very cool and neat says I.

When in the bombsite, open your e6b and place it just below the crosshairs.  Very easy to check calibrated speed against true airspeed.  Not indicated, but true airspeed is the number you want to calibrate against.

If you're a tad fast, that is your true airspeed is a little higher than your calibrated speed, and you don't want to recalibrate, give your - key on your keypad (not keyboard) a tap.  Your rpm's will reduce a smidgen, and so will your airspeed.

A variance of 1 mile an hour true airspeed from calibrated speed is fine.  2 mph is a no no.

Turn from the bombsite.  Yup, in F6.  You'll bleed no e, almost always pickup airspeed, and it is just too cool and too much fun.  Right, many turn from a gunner's position.  Try it from the bombardier's position.  Less gamey and has some airspeed benefits.  The turn is slow.  Not good for 180's etc, but fantastic for steering towards the airfield using your map and silver airplane icon to navigate.

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[Rich46yo]

Also I like to approach my target, most of all CVs, in front gunner/F3 view using my rudders to line up the target better. You can actually accomplish turns like this ,up to 90%, without needing to recalibrate, as long as you have enough time to flatten out the climb rate again.

Case in point. I make one pass in my KI-67s, "little Gems most haven't discovered yet", and when I reach the dar circle after I start my turn in front gunner "1"/F3 view until I can see my 2nd lined up again. Then I pop into bombsight and calibrate again quickly. "BOOM", "Big Bada-BOOM"!

The great thing about the F3 views while in your bombers guns is you can see the 360% around you. And using your rudders you can better control your turns. Using your Alt/X command, along with a pre-set speed, and you can use your dive/climb abilities of the aircraft. Most of all those without belly guns, like the 67 and the B-26. Next time you see a con setting up to run up your belly type a speed of .speed 140 and then when the cons starts his attack climb hit ALT/X and he'll climb right up into your tail guns. Very lethal.

[007Rusty]

nice write up Hap     

[EskimoJoe]

Went out bombing for the first time in awhile today, my bombs fell directly on the sight! Bad thing though, I'm so use to leading my bombs that they fell just short 

[Hap]

Hey Rusty!  LOL Joe.  Right no need to lead etc.  But sometimes, calib is just off; not enough time or we're sloppy.  That's when we need to bomb long if we're slow or short if we're fast.