But they were'nt. They ran at the first sight of opposition.
I have fought some very good P-51 pilots in a Spit. Fights that went on for a very long time in tight and turning. Today I did so in a N1K against a P-47. Some of the best P-47 flying I've seen.
Who won?
I've killed N1Ks and Spits 1v1 with the "bricks" in question. It can be done. However, if you look back and see a Spit on your long six with little to no closure in a P-51D, you are better off extending. And if you are in the typical melee, slow that Pony down too much, you are dead for any Spitfire that cares to latch on to your tail with controlled closure. (Yes, I realize a Pony at corner speed can dodge a 400mph diving Spit as easily as a Spit dodges a Pony screaming in at mach .6. But I'm not willing to bet every Spit driver in the melee is that callow.)
Likewise I've done the same in a 190A-8 against a host of mid-tier energy and turn fighters.
Sir, I mean no disrespect. I understand you are a very good pilot. None of this false modesty crap, you are well above average. But I can't believe
well-trained pilots in Spits are regularly loosing duels with the 190A8. Throttle control, lag pursuit, are these things unknown in the MA?
Learning to fight in the plane of your choice? I guess that's too much to ask huh?
Extending is one thing and is reasonable. Running everytime you see an enemy is another. Wait... I guess we need to put a limit on it. Extending a couple of K is one thing. A couple of sectors is another.
My normal practice when I have good smash in an energy fighter like the the Dora and see a lone co-alt fighter like the Spit is just to merge. If they make a mistake which presents an opportunity (usually merging nose down in an attempt to HO), I'll work on them. If they know their business and end up on my long six, I'll run. It is their fight to loose.
Myself, I won't normally reverse on and continue to harass the plane that just drove me off if he decides to turn around and find something else to do. I've been on the receiving end of this: Climbing into the saddle, having the faster fighter run away, turning around to find something else to do and then having to repeat the process, SUCKS much more than if the thing just rides off into the sunset. Also, one must consider the ancient Chinese definition of insanity: Repeating the same process and expecting different results.
Normal MA environments are NOT 1v1 though and normally the thought processes involve something like keeping the speed high and not committing unless I can drag one out of range of red icons.
Here are the top excuses runners always give and my retort:
"I fly to survive" Learn to survive a fight.
"I won't engage at a disadvantage" Learn to fight from a disadvantaged position.
"I won't turn with a "turny" plane" Learn your plane; you obviously don't know it.
Sir, the primary purpose of a top speed advantage is being able to choose when to engage and disengage. If you close the disengaging option, then top speed hardly matters anymore, and the complexion of what aerial combat is like and what planes are favorable will look even less like WWII than it does now. Whether or not this would be a good thing is a subjective matter I suppose. Some planes are built to boom and zoom/E-fight, it is what they do best and are second rate at best trying to do something else. Apparently there are alot of people who are not flying these boom and zoom planes to their full potential. But their are also alot of people not flying turn and burners to their full potential. There is only one reason I can see why the former are loathed so much and the latter are not. Presumably, the latter cannot escape after they screw up, and end up being another kill for a more experienced stick. Forgive me if the complaint that too many people are refusing to let themselves be shot down strikes me as petty.
BTW, Here were some of the match-up's last night:
P-51D running fron a P-51B
La-7 running from a Spit IX
And in the DA a C.205 running from a Spit V
Just how much disparity does it take?
Sir, I can top all of those. I have seen P-51s running from my Dora. I have even had an La7 running from my 190-A5 on a couple of occasions. What is your point? I figure that if they knew how to beat me, I wouldn't be on their six watching them run away. Chasing them only leads to tears. *shrug* Live and let live.
I mean, come on, which is worse? Would those who complain about runners REALLY rather have someone in a much less maneuverable aircraft make them look like an idiot and shoot them down? That stings. What they really want is that runner to come back and become a kill for them.
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