Aiming rockets with F6F

[SirFrancis]

Maybe I am missing something, but I spend some time in the TA to learn aiming rockets with the F6F.

I filmed everything and and then tried to adjust my cross hair. So after several runs aiming at auto-ack and softguns I realized that I have to aim in a way I do not understand:

If I want to hit and destroy the target well it has to be in the edit: center of the square field (this is the size of the auto-ack diameters)  just left to the vertical center line.



Can someone explain me why it has to be that way and I can´t align the target with a vertical center line (which you have to imagine yourself on the cross hair)?

Regards
SF

[ImADot]

Probably because the rockets are on the wings, pointing straight ahead.  Unlike your guns, which are set to converge somewhere in the "middle", rockets are not slanted inward to "converge" - so they fly straight ahead.

I've actually seen a screenshot of a gunsight with little circles on either side to help aim the rockets (as long as you know which side will fire) so you can shoot one rocket to kill an ack.  Closest thing to a computer-assisted HUD we'll see in this game.

[SirFrancis]

Well, that sounds like a good answer to my question. But I would understand this answer better, if I am only using the left wing rockets. But same affect (aiming to the left) when I am using right wing rockets as well...

[ImADot]

Are you using any rudder to yaw towards the target?  I don't fly birds with rockets, so I'm just relaying what I've read/hear from others.

[BaldEagl]

I've flown the F6F almost exclusively as an attack platform for the past eight years and whatever problem you're having isn't with the aircraft.

The F6F's rockets are extremey straight firing (good ballistics).  I always place my pipper (default gun sight) directly on my target regardless of speed or dive angle.

This is one of the best attack planes in the game for it's combination of ord carrying capability, ease of use and ability to fight after the ord is gone.

[mtnman]

I'm not surprised that your rockets appear to hit "low" in your sights.  That seems normal.

The off to the side aspect sounds to me like you're somehow giving some rudder deflection while you're shooting.  Twisty stick?

Also, make sure your stick is calibrated, etc.  

And, if you haven't already done so, read the "Dive Bombing" info at the Trainers site.  It includes some info on rockets http://trainers.hitechcreations.com/divebomb/divebomb.htm

Lastly, enable the "Lead Computing Gunsight" while in the TA.  It'll give you a little green "+" showing you where your currently armed weapons will hit if you fire at that moment.  Enable it with CTRL TAB

[Shuffler]

Replace ground crew

[Mace2004]

Rockets are different animals from bullets and, like others have suggested, I suspect that you're either putting in rudder inputs or the aircraft is out of trim.  If you're using the rudder to center the pipper on the target this is incorrect technique.  Also, a rocket flight path (and impact point) will also vary in the vertical dimension if you fire with high or low AOA.

Unlike bullets, rockets will fair (turn) into the relative wind when launched.  If you yaw the airplane with rudder (or it's out of trim) to put the pipper on target you are flying with sideslip.  In other words the relative wind is not coming straight down the centerline of the aircraft.  When the rocket leaves the rail (or tube) the fins cause the rocket to turn into the relative wind and away from the yaw.  The same thing happens with high or low AOA.  Say you roll into a target with your pipper below the desired impact point and pull the pipper up through the target you have higher than normal AOA and the rocket will pitch down and hit short. 

When launching rockets (or dropping bombs for that matter) you should be wings level with stabilized dive angle.  If your pipper is to the side of the target, use lateral stick to turn the aircraft and then stabilize wings level for a second before firing.  If you need a vertical adjustment, make the pitch change and stabilize again before firing.

[SirFrancis]

  thanks for the replies! Well its now 00:22 h in Germany and I am going to bed. But I will repost today(!) 

Regards
SF

[chewiex]

SirFrancis, try this, use the bottom of your sight.... where the bottom curve and vertical line meet. Use this as your "rocket cross-hair". Reguardless of your speed or angle of attack (AoA), you want to fire your rockets around 2k-1.5k. This is where practice comes in, finding a visual aid in assisting the range to target. Once you have accomplished that then all else is moot. The rockets in AH2, unless I am mistaken, have a small blast radius and can kill ack even if the hit is not direct. I agree with the other posters, if your rockets are hitting way left or right of center, then yaw or other flight dynamics are affecting you rockets trajectory.


Some in-game sights have "rocket and bomb specific" areas set up for you, all you have to do is learn them.

Good luck SirFrancis, I'm sure there are many others that will chime in on your post with much better info than mine.
 
DasChewy

[Nisky]

These might help.



Using the the inverted v for rockets and the bricks for bombs helps.

[SirFrancis]

Are you using any rudder to yaw towards the target?  [...]

no, not that I know.

[...]The off to the side aspect sounds to me like you're somehow giving some rudder deflection while you're shooting.  Twisty stick?

Also, make sure your stick is calibrated, etc. 
[...]
Lastly, enable the "Lead Computing Gunsight" while in the TA.  It'll give you a little green "+" showing you where your currently armed weapons will hit if you fire at that moment.  Enable it with CTRL TAB

Twisty stick? Well, I have a Saitek ST290pro (4 month old). Nothing twisty there. Its calibrated well.

As I wrote in my OP. I was in the TA and used the "Lead computing Gunsight". I orientated my aiming with the help of the little green cross. As I have everything on film, I could post the film (but don´t know yet how to do that). Unfortunately you can not see the green "+" on the film. Maybe I can manage to post a picture of the attack run.

Replace ground crew

Done that  No help at all...

Rockets are different animals from bullets and, like others have suggested, I suspect that you're either putting in rudder inputs or the aircraft is out of trim.  If you're using the rudder to center the pipper on the target this is incorrect technique.  Also, a rocket flight path (and impact point) will also vary in the vertical dimension if you fire with high or low AOA.

Unlike bullets, rockets will fair (turn) into the relative wind when launched.  If you yaw the airplane with rudder (or it's out of trim) to put the pipper on target you are flying with sideslip.  In other words the relative wind is not coming straight down the centerline of the aircraft.  When the rocket leaves the rail (or tube) the fins cause the rocket to turn into the relative wind and away from the yaw.  The same thing happens with high or low AOA.  Say you roll into a target with your pipper below the desired impact point and pull the pipper up through the target you have higher than normal AOA and the rocket will pitch down and hit short. 

When launching rockets (or dropping bombs for that matter) you should be wings level with stabilized dive angle.  If your pipper is to the side of the target, use lateral stick to turn the aircraft and then stabilize wings level for a second before firing.  If you need a vertical adjustment, make the pitch change and stabilize again before firing.

I will consider this advise when I visit the TA again 

[...] The rockets in AH2, unless I am mistaken, have a small blast radius and can kill ack even if the hit is not direct. I agree with the other posters, if your rockets are hitting way left or right of center, then yaw or other flight dynamics are affecting you rockets trajectory.

I made several attack runs on the ack. Some rockets hit right beside the ack with no effect, other hit it straight on killing it.

Some in-game sights have "rocket and bomb specific" areas set up for you, all you have to do is learn them.
[...]

Thats what I tried to do -> create my own gunsight for the F6F (see OP)

These might help.
[...]

Using the the inverted v for rockets and the bricks for bombs helps.

I will try them out. Thx!

To all: Thank you very much for your advice. I will go to the TA again and see what I have to change.

 

Regards,
SF

[SirFrancis]

ok, I think I managed to get the film uploaded:

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=ec9b679d86f23b240dec85adfe0a530ae04e75f6e8ebb871

give me note, if this is not working.

When you start the film, you have to adjust your sitting position with the arrow keys. As I stated before: I used the help of the green "+". But it is not displayed on the film. If you look at the external view and watch my rudder, you will see, that I am not using it.

Hope this film help.

Regards
SF

[bozon]

Two things can go wrong regarding how you fly the plane:
1. Slips - either due to rudder input, your plane being out of trim or secondary yaw effect. By the last I mean for example elevation movements that cause a yaw secondary effect, as when you push forward to lower the nose to your target. Banking also case a yaw effect, which brings us to...
2. Bank - You may not be perfectly level. If you somehow have a tendency to be banked slightly left when you shoot, the true gravitational vertical axis is not your gunsight vertical axis. You also slightly change the direction of flight so the impact point is no longer where the aiming point was.

Perhaps this could be seen in the film, but I cannot view it at the moment.

[mtnman]

By "twisty stick" I meant one where you twist the handle L/R to control the rudder.  With those sticks some people have trouble because they accidentally apply some unintended rudder when they fly and shoot.  They may think they're flying straight, but may actually be yawed a bit.

Your film worked fine.  It was odd for me, no sound at all, and the prop didn't move, but that's ok.  I'm not sure why that happened.

It did not look to me like you have a yaw issue, or wing leveling issue when you shoot.  I'm not sure why your impact point is a bit left of center.  The "low" aspect seems normal.

Have you by chance tried the guns, and really paid attention to where the impact point is?  I wonder if that's also going to be off?  I wonder if anyone else has this issue, and has noticed it?  Maybe it's a bug?

If I get a chance I'll try it on my end too.