Flying defensively

[Murdr]

I had already uploaded this film because it was a little large for emailing, and pondered if it was worth posting here.  Aside from the situation awareness and the energy managment, I think the point that could be taken from the film, is that you can learn to avoid the shot.  You do not need to feel obligated to head on someone because they point their nose at you.  A head on is easliy avoided with a little bit of experience, and often gives you a better position to work from.  Sometimes the situation warrents a HO shot, but taking all commers is does not give any experience on out maneuvering another plane.  
You do not need to jerk the stick around and flop like a fish to avoid a 6 shot.  If you learn to anticipate an upcomming shot on you, you can easily pre-position yourself in a spot that takes the shot opportunity away.  Other times, a well timed change of direction will simply sidestep the shot.

I am outnumbered (sometimes heavily) throughout the film, and have a crippled plane half of the film.  There are pleanty of examples of flying defense.  

nvrgivup.ahf
Description: Film by Murdr

P38J, 22 minutes, multi vs 1 (or 2) the length of the film

This is not one of those "killing prowess" films. (If thats what you are looking for try 14in38l.ahf This one is about SA, E managment, defensive flying, and surviving odds you shouldnt live through.
Version: .ahf | Filesize: 2.68 MB
Added on: 06-Mar-2006

Warning: VOX is uncensored

[B@tfinkV]

great film, thanks for sharing!

the E management at the start shows your experience in that 38.

shame the lala got away


S! murdr

[Iceman24]

Nice flyin, sorry I wasn't there to help, got tied up by a typhy and and lala... I was listening over vox, and figured there was no way you were gonna make it out alive.... WTFG   great flyin, everyone can learn something from watching this... Its all an angles game  

[Guppy35]

I watched it and found that there is no way I could pull that off.  I just don't have the patience

My old 38G would have been down to the deck in the mess in no time.  Of course I'm lucky if I make it to 10K in my 38G.  Knowing I'll end up on the deck anyway, tends to make the climbing time wasted time

More power to ya for having the self control to not bite on every opportunity.

[daMIG]

very kewl Murdr. Thanks, you hit another nail on the head:aok

[RAPIER]

Murdr, I just saw your film and it was very interesting.  I now know why I can't ever knock you down, lol.  Really, found your film very informative and thanks for doing it.

[Murdr]

Thanks.  One of the best lessons I learned years ago after comming to AH, was that the defensive positioning that I brought with me from flying AW was relatively crude in comparison with the better sticks in AH.  I realized this after several times of *almost* shooting down the likes of Levithn or Drex.  They were getting out of the way of, or taking away shot opportuinites with a much narrower margin than I ever tried.

The angles/positioning are so fine, and the number of situations so varied.  That its not something that can be explained, but I put it out there to suggest it is a good task to work on, but it has to go hand in hand with situation awarness to be sucessful.

In that film, the reason I kept re-engaging is because I was willing to fight them outnumbered, but it was going to be on my terms.  The reason I could do it on my terms is E managment.  Here are 2 short films (5 mins) with what I was trying to do in nvrgivup, but was unable to do because there was always one loitering out of contact range, waiting to come in when I blew my E.

A little 3v1 film from this morning.  Before I turned film on, I had to get out from under all these guys, climb, and come back.  Notice that once I get some separation on the spit16 that came in behind me, I was actually climbing in front of him.  The higher you get, the better the 38 is against the spits.  

Below 20K you cant expect to out zoom a near co speed spit 1k on your 6 (about 22k for spit5, 24k for spit9).  Often (as in this case) they try to keep the nose down and close up separation.  That little bit of difference in alt is enough vertical separation to out zoom them.

At the top of the zoom I deploy full flaps, and just hang on them long enough for the other 16 and the 51 to try to zoom me.  This is the "flap hang" I always mention.  I was sure none of them could make a stable shot when they topped out....the result, 3 bad guys stalling out below me.
The final rope, I chopped the throttle after I topped out.  That was enough to delay the merge where I would have a shot, and the spit would be stalling.

I cut the film due to size, I had to chase the 51 all the way to the deck

film62_0000.ahf

P38J vs P38L and N1K

A engagment on a lone 38 quickly evolves to a 3vs1.  Notice when I am being shot at that I try to show the shooter the slimmest profile that I can.  It doesnt always work but this time it did.  I quickly duck out of the 3v1.  A combination of low-high enemies is a situation to avoid if possible.  

There is a long boaring period where I am 'extending'.  There were a couple things I wanted to accomplish before I re-engaged.  First I wanted to gain some E on the N1k by leveling out after the initial dive.  His plane will bleed off dive speed faster than the 38.  

The 2nd thing was to wait until there was enough separation between the 38L and N1K so I could address them with a merge individually.  When I turn, I first address the 38.  My intention is only to maneuver enough to have a clean fly-by merge, because I must also have time to set up a good merge with the N1K.  The N1K did fall for the vertical merge (covered in previous film) which is a trap I could not afford to capitalize on with the P38L in tow.  Having limited options, with part bluff, and part deliberate positioning, I went into the rope zoom/flap hang (previously covered) waiting for either enemey to "blink" and break from the zoom.

One other side note.  When I followed the 38 through is evasive spit-s you may notice I closed the throttles, thereby keeping a matching turn radius, and not inducing auto-retract flaps during a hard nose down turn (which can cause a nasty spin)


dragnbag2.ahf

P.S.  These are all among the 42 films in the 479th Film Library with films by AKAK, pellik, and myself.

[RAPIER]

I could see very well how in the first film you used your height advantage and got the other AC to come to you for the most part.
The second film however, was amazing for how one AC can set up three.  I would have been drooling over those odds, and still can't figure out how they didn't set you up instead of vice versa.  The external view looking back at your 38 with them trying to close, low, and high, seemed to be a senerio for your demise if you turn back to them, or, they catch up with you.  Very revealing on what can happen when the meat on the table isn't dead yet.   Thanks for a very interesting view and lesson.
I recommend anyone who sees this to check it out.  Shows you what can happen, and how.   lol

[Murdr]

I think this set of films would be a good addition to this thread.....

Text write-up, 6 films (3 with commentary) --->evarevall.zip

[toon]

stupid question murdr..not too good at computer stuff..i downloaded the films to my documents but when i click open file nothing happens..what gives?thanks,brick

[Murdr]

My films are all compressed with winzip.  You need something like winzip, or winrar on your system to open them and extract the films.

[toon]

i'll google winzip...thx

[Goth]

I've referenced your vids a couple times Murdr and am astounded at the skill level. My problem, I work defensively inevitably I lose my e management. Somehow I can't figure out (or comprehend) how to work the two in together.

I know it boils down to patience a lot, but I get frustrated and then BOOM.

[x0847Marine]

Originally posted by COBA94
i'll google winzip...thx

Zip Central is more better IMO. Also freeeeeee, less bloat.

http://zipcentral.iscool.net/

[Murdr]

Originally posted by Goth
My problem, I work defensively inevitably I lose my e management. Somehow I can't figure out (or comprehend) how to work the two in together.  

If I sit here and think about it, what I am doing in the first 3 films posted is putting SA as the primary consideration above everything else.  By that I mean, Im looking at my opponents, predicting what they are going to do; reviewing my options and discounting the ones that are most likely to get me shot down, but still consider the risky ones that I think I can get away with.  What happens is the E managment automatically follows along with the decisions you make.

You can see this in the middle of the first film where I am behind the La7 in shooting range.  Instead of drawing a bead on the La, I am looking out over my left wing at the N1K that had just came back into contact range.  I could probably have downed the La, but then I would have been in a poor position with the other two.  Many other times I am calling on vox what the enemy is going to do long before it happens, as a further example of SA.

On the other hand, in the MA enviroment, you can easily get boxed into a situation where your options are taken away one after another, and there is nothing you can do about it except to try some of that pilot stuff, and do your best with whats delt.  Even the hottest sticks in the game commonly get themselves in over their head, the difference is that once in awhile, with a mix of skill and luck, they still manage to come out on top.