Dive Bombing w/ P38

[Soulyss]

I know it's on the close side, but at that angle it'll pop a tank no prob.  It's taken me many failed attempts to develop my technique, but that's how I have the best luck on tanks.  Made quite a few of the gv'ers pretty angry last night doing this.

If I'm hitting a static object, I'll drop from much higher and at a greater angle (near vertical).

understood, was just throwing that tidbit about 1000' for the newer players. 

[AAJagerX]

Getting out of ack...  Speed and luck.  Try to vary alt, make yourself a small target (the 38 has a very thin profile).  If on the deck, I like to use the trees for cover as well.  Best option is to plan your attack and egress to minimize the time that they can shoot at you.  

[AAJagerX]

understood, was just throwing that tidbit about 1000' for the newer players. 

Yep, definately frustrating when you don't hear a boom. 

[Soulyss]

All very good input and i'm trying all suggetions. I have to admit though that when I try going close to vertical, which so far, for me is the most accurate, I find that I sometimes mark my laundry. Uncomfortable if a long way from home.  Next question: how to avoid ack on egress? I'm sure the first step must be to go emergency pucker, if not already too late.

I'm not an expert ack dodger by any means, but I believe you can avoid it by making small directional changes also skidding your plane a little seems to throw off the auto gunners (cross controlling, applying a little right rudder and left aileron to hold the wings level) careful not to do too much because cross controlling also creates a lot of drag.

Also as AAJagerX mentioned the 38 is a very large target when viewed from above or below, but viewed on edge or looking down the length the wing it's pretty small.  It has a smaller cross section than any of the other U.S. planes, learning how to "get skinny" is an important skill to develop when the bad guys are shooting at you.

[The Fugitive]

Dive bombing is all a matter of practice. I hit best when in a 38, only because thats the plane I'm in most often when I have bombs. For me an ideal run is to come in over the target at 5kspotting the target off of one wing tip or the other by rolling and using zoom. Once I know which target I am going for I roll in and point the nose down at a 45 degree angle, center the target with it on the lower edge of my site glass, ease off the stick ( no G's) and drop from 3k and pull back out.

No ack to worry about and I almost never miss. GV's I do about the same, but I will go a bit lower to make sure of my aim. If the dive is shallower I let the target pass under my nose before I drop, and if the dive is sharper I put the target closer to the pipper.

The practice comes in to let you know how much you adjust due to the dive angle.