My "Trainer"

[1pLUs44]

What's your trainer? Mine is the P39. Why?

1. It isn't the tightest turning
2. Can't run for crap
3. To survive with 2 .50s and 1 37mm, you gotta be a good shot.



This thing is nearly the definition of a trainer. When you take it up, you got just about everything on your back. When you learn to take on 2 or 3 planes, and win in the 39, THEN, you take up something like an F4U, you can take on many more.

I'm probably about the Average AHII player, but 2 things have definitely changed the way I played and made me 100x better than I was before.

1. That one hour or so session with Rolex (don't know how I can thank you enough man!)
2. Me flying the P39Q for a lot of the summer.

Any of you got a "trainer" for the MA's? I don't find uber planes as training because you can usually get kilt pretty quickly. 

[fudgums]

109G6

[Rebel]

I need to hook up with Rolex- he's a GREAT trainer.  Both he and Widewing have helped me shake off the rust in biblical amounts. 

If I'm in the training arena, I'm usually there to either try to recreate a problem that I faced recently in an a/c (the P38 spin damn near had me on Thursday night, for example- spent some time throwing a J into a spin repeatedly, and practiced getting it out), or it's specifically looking for someone (Rolex, Widewing, and occasionally I meet up with my buddy Banshee in there) to "work out" with. 

Otherwise if the MA's boring as hell, I'll practice a few landings in the planes I have issues with, while paying attention to the buffer and give out as much help as I can to the newer guys. 

**Edit** My trainer a/c I'd have to say is the Spit IX, the Hellcat, and the 109G6. 

[Bosco123]

109G6

Agreed with that one. <S>

[dedalos]

What's your trainer? Mine is the P39. Why?

1. It isn't the tightest turning
2. Can't run for crap
3. To survive with 2 .50s and 1 37mm, you gotta be a good shot.



This thing is nearly the definition of a trainer. When you take it up, you got just about everything on your back. When you learn to take on 2 or 3 planes, and win in the 39, THEN, you take up something like an F4U, you can take on many more.

I'm probably about the Average AHII player, but 2 things have definitely changed the way I played and made me 100x better than I was before.

1. That one hour or so session with Rolex (don't know how I can thank you enough man!)
2. Me flying the P39Q for a lot of the summer.

Any of you got a "trainer" for the MA's? I don't find uber planes as training because you can usually get kilt pretty quickly. 

Any one that can take on 3 guys in a p39 and win is not average.  Then again, its is all relevant.  Who were the three you took on?  I am just saying that dieing to some one better than you in a p39 after giving him a work out could mean a lot more than killing 3 zeros in it.

[fudgums]

Agreed with that one. <S>

I fly the G14 tho 

[Banshee7]

My "Trainer" aircraft I like to practice in or help others in is the SBD.  Then I have my Ghosth side and use the D3A1.  The SBD is for more advanced players (like a few months in) as the D3A is for new guys.  They are both slow so you can easily see what you are doing and when.  they also have guns which can show you if you or your opponent has gun solution.  The SBD, as stated, is for a little more advanced player than the "2week noob," and is a good plan to learn flap control

[Qrsu]

All of them. 

[Enker]

My Wildcat, she flys like a bird, and dives like a rock. Flap management is tricky at times, but if you come in with alt to spare, you have a killer on your hands. Plus, she is very resistant to just about any sort of snap shot. (I ho'ed a Niki(shut up, I was half asleep) and got hit a couple of times. Still flying, and I landed five kills in it!) The gun package may cause some to desire more, but you have to manuever just right so you can get them in convergence.(about 200) Then, the 4 .50s do all my talking.  to the FM2!

P.S. 1pLuS44 I have seen you in that P-39 of yours, that is a killer plane when you are flying it well.

[humble]

Overall I think the SBD is surprisingly useful as a "trainer" for a number of reasons. While its tremendous turn rate is a significant negative its lack of raw power forces utilization of both out of plane maneuvering and "lag to lead" transitions. When you combine this with its gun package  which rewards well constructed shot windows but provides little or no prospect of converting poorly generated shots it is a great combination of gunnery/ACM trainer. IMO it can tremendously enhance a persons understanding of relative E state issues in an angles fight as well as familiarization of "two circle" tactics and doctrine. It also is an exceptional plane to explore the use of "zoom" in a low speed angles fight.

[Spikes]

I like the P39D for training. 4 30cals don't do much but it helps with my aiming skills, need perfect him to make them do damage. 1 20mm with 60 rounds in the nose also helps with aim. 2 50cals tag along with the 30's for a little more power. You can't run, you can turn fairly, and for the most part you can hold your own in a 1v1, but it takes some skill.

[Gabriel]

Wouldn't it make more sense to 'train' in the aircraft you plan on flying the most?

[humble]

Wouldn't it make more sense to 'train' in the aircraft you plan on flying the most?

Thats a very interesting question and I dont know if a concise answer is possible. Here is my own take on it. The entire choice of a plane to learn (or "train") on is interesting and a lot of seasoned sticks have well thought out and completely disparate views. I always favored a plane that was slightly less then Stellar in pure turn performance and had flaps (F6F for example) that made a difference. This encouraged the use of the vertical, throttle and rudder to counter the raw turning capability of a plane like a spitfire. At the extreme a good trainer (P-39, SBD, 109E, A-20) allows the use of a combination of "inferior" traits to counter and overcome the superior capability of another plane by inducing a fight favorable to the trainer. The goal is to help make one's flying in a superior plane less dependant on the planes characteristics and more centered on the pilots skill set.

[uptown]

P51B

[awrabbit]

I would agree  that the 51B is a great gunnery trainer for the MA. 


Rabbit