The Worst FSO I have ever been in

[BnZs]

Bah, the Zeke is at least a match for the Warhawks.

Now as for being a match for the B-17s OTOH...my squad decimated a squad of Zeros last night, wiping out 8 of them last night for a loss of only 3 B-17s. (I'm not sure since I left early, it is possible only 2 our losses were due to enemy action). Without formations. Non-bomber pilot BnZs, whom (he is told) does not know how tough it is to for the poor wittle buffs to defend themselves , landed with a score of 2-0 against Imperial Japan's finest.

[Saxman]

I disagree entirely that the Zero has the better gun package. Yeah, she has cannon. But cannon with about the worst ballistics and muzzle velocity compared to any other 20mm in the game. Shots outside of point blank range are a Hail Mary as it is--to say nothing if your target is actually maneuvering--and the ammo load is absolutely anemic. Afterwards you're left with just a pair of BB guns. The P-40B, however, has the same four Browning .50cal as the FM-2, even if not the same ammo load. Four .50cal will seriously mess a Zero up even with a snapshot as long as you're in convergence.

[Spikes]

I disagree entirely that the Zero has the better gun package. Yeah, she has cannon. But cannon with about the worst ballistics and muzzle velocity compared to any other 20mm in the game. Shots outside of point blank range are a Hail Mary as it is--to say nothing if your target is actually maneuvering--and the ammo load is absolutely anemic. Afterwards you're left with just a pair of BB guns. The P-40B, however, has the same four Browning .50cal as the FM-2, even if not the same ammo load. Four .50cal will seriously mess a Zero up even with a snapshot as long as you're in convergence.

IIRC the P40B has 4 30cal and 2 50cal guns.
Being the bad shot that I am, managed to down 5 P40s with my Zeke coming up two kills short of top 'dog' for the Axis ( gavagai!  )

[ROX]

box, my guys were with 2 other squads defending A9 last night.  We were in zekes as well--fully understanding the fact that the P-40's can out run and out dive us--but they sure as heck can't out turn us.

The 77th hit the bombers at A9 before the bulk of the main body could drop their eggs.  We ALL got jumped by scads of P-40's, but the #1 priority was to kill the bombers--or get the bombers so rattled that they either failed to drop their eggs or misdropped.  I can only speak from wittnessing what happened at A9, but we got plenty of bomber kills.  Not one Allied bomb was seen to hit any target at A9--and only one squaddie reported seing one and one single bomb crater at A9, doing no damage.  THAT is a successful defence.  Yeah, I got shot down too, but the defense was a huge success.  It was fun going down in my parachute whatching the Army of Muppets dragging the P-40's down to the deck and making mincemeat out of them using the Zeke's more nimble turning radius to their advantage--and that is exactly a great example of using their assigned ride to it's best use.

For each FSO, the CO needs to fully read the orders, look at what planeset each country has, and do a little in-game research as to what tactics they need to have in-mind, pre-take-off to advise his/her squaddies on how to not only survive, but get as many kills/do as much damage as possible with the tool at hand.  A Zeke is a HUGELY deadly plane in the right hands in a dogfight, especially on the deck.  It will out-turn just about everything (because of it's very light weight--down-side, because it's badly under armored).  I test rode it many times over the last 2 weeks and in 1 on 1 fights in MA--had Spit 8, Spit 9 and Spit 16's run away after they found out quickly I was the one on their six...and I am a mediocre fighter pilot at best.


Hang in there box!   <<<<S>>>>


ROX

[Shifty]

I disagree entirely that the Zero has the better gun package. Yeah, she has cannon. But cannon with about the worst ballistics and muzzle velocity compared to any other 20mm in the game. Shots outside of point blank range are a Hail Mary as it is--to say nothing if your target is actually maneuvering--and the ammo load is absolutely anemic. Afterwards you're left with just a pair of BB guns. The P-40B, however, has the same four Browning .50cal as the FM-2, even if not the same ammo load. Four .50cal will seriously mess a Zero up even with a snapshot as long as you're in convergence.

Sax you got two 50 cals and four 30s with the B model. Turning isn't the only way to use the A6M2 against the P-40B. Keep the fight going up and use the P-40B's weight against it. Sooner or later it will lose it's energy and you'll own it. If you stay in a constant turn you just end up being bait. We had a lot of success in late 07 or early 08 FSO with an Aleutians setup flying the A6M2 against the P-40B using these very tactics. In fact we really had our way against the P-40B with the A6M2 until the last frame of that FSO when P-38Gs were added. The cannons on the A6M2 are deadly against the P-40Bs you just have to get in close. Be it P-40B or A6M2 my convergence is set at no more than 250 and that's where I shoot. Stating that the Zeke is totally outclassed while landing six P-40 kills and a B-17 kill is one of the most humorous post I've seen to date.  I do agree the B-17 was too much for this setup however.

[Anaxogoras]

Not hard to do when the P40s are cutting circles 5 ft over the water, Shifty.  They could have disengaged earlier in the fight to grab altitude, but chose to turn fight instead.  The one thing you absolutely must have to succeed in the P40B vs A6M2 is patience, but patience isn't fun.

[Shifty]

Not hard to do when the P40s are cutting circles 5 ft over the water, Shifty.  They could have disengaged earlier in the fight to grab altitude, but chose to turn fight instead.  The one thing you absolutely must have to succeed in the P40B vs A6M2 is patience, but patience isn't fun.

I guess it's up to the individual's taste. I've enjoyed my time in the A6M2 in the past. I will tell you this if I'm fighting against the A6M2 I'd rather be in a P-40B over an F4F.
On the other hand if I'm flying the A6M2 I rather fight against a P-40B than I would an F4F. Like I said, individual taste.

[68Wooley]

Not hard to do when the P40s are cutting circles 5 ft over the water, Shifty.  They could have disengaged earlier in the fight to grab altitude, but chose to turn fight instead.  The one thing you absolutely must have to succeed in the P40B vs A6M2 is patience, but patience isn't fun.

I agree that patience is key, but I don't think dissengaging is that easy in a P40B. It has a theoretically higher top speed, but its accelaration and climb are so lethargic a zero is going to run you down in most situations. The E model is a differnet beast however.

[Anaxogoras]

Well, since our fight started at 25k ft, any P-40B had the opportunity to disengage from there down to about 5-7k ft.  Once you get below 5k ft you're really asking for trouble because, like you say, the P-40B has crap acceleration.  Every single P-40B I killed was on the deck.

Not every fight has to be decisive, but most of them in FSO are because it's fun.  What's wrong is to expect the results of patient, prudent flying while pushing a decision at every opportunity.

[ink]

I think it was a great FSO sorry but it is what it is,   I got killed so be it, we got jumped by a swarm of P-40's, so be it.

It is an awesome time with like minded people, live or die, win or lose, It's about having fun and reliving a part of our history.

I always think of the men who actually flew the missions we are "acting" out, and just give them a silent thanx

[Krusty]

Well, yeah... but in the real thing, the zekes didn't come in at 30k with 50:1 odds, like my unit ran into last frame 

 

[oakranger]

We maxed out at 26k alt and had a zero group come in 2-3k higher than us

Had to be barley hanging up there for the zekes.

[jededii]

It wasnt our best outing but some setups work for ya and some don't. 

[Vulcan]

Check the charts the P-40B is 20 mph faster at every alt until 22K, and the zeke is a Ronson it lites first time every time

Check them yourself boxboy. The P-40B is 10 mph faster until 16k, then gets slight boost then drops even at 22k. The A6M2 has nearly a 600fpm climb advantage over the P40B that gradually decreases til 16k. But it still maintains a climb advantage.

And the Zeke is not a ronson.

[Dadsguns]

I think it was a great FSO sorry but it is what it is,   I got killed so be it, we got jumped by a swarm of P-40's, so be it.

It is an awesome time with like minded people, live or die, win or lose, It's about having fun and reliving a part of our history.

I always think of the men who actually flew the missions we are "acting" out, and just give them a silent thanx