Author Topic: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)  (Read 4030 times)

Offline Muzzy

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #30 on: January 17, 2011, 07:52:22 AM »
I actually stumbled upon this tactic last night while fighting a large buff raid in LW:Blue. Dropped 3 Lancs but their escort got my radiator and I had to ditch within sight of the runway.  :cry

My problem is still the deflection shot.  I think I've been zipping down and taking shots from dead six, instead of at a higher angle.  Again, I will post some film of a failed attack for critique.

Oh, and maybe if someone could post some in-cockpit snapshots of the firing point?  So I can see what I'm looking at?  That would be very helpful.

-Muzzy
« Last Edit: January 17, 2011, 07:59:38 AM by Muzzy »


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Offline CAP1

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #31 on: January 18, 2011, 12:16:56 PM »
i seem to do best with slashing attacks. it keeps me in their guns less, makes me appear faster, and thus a harder target. it also allows me to climb somewhat parallell to the target, setting up the next attack.
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Offline shiv

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #32 on: January 20, 2011, 08:41:43 AM »
Oh, and maybe if someone could post some in-cockpit snapshots of the firing point?  So I can see what I'm looking at?  That would be very helpful.

Steeper is safer, if I find myself getting too shallow I pull out and try again:



Always go for the drone, tougher for the buff pilot.


« Last Edit: January 20, 2011, 09:00:35 AM by shiv »
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Offline CAP1

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #33 on: January 20, 2011, 09:00:55 AM »
careful with that "go for the drone" thing.

 a lot of us gun from the drones.   makes it easier.  :devil
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Offline shiv

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #34 on: January 20, 2011, 12:00:20 PM »
careful with that "go for the drone" thing.

 a lot of us gun from the drones.   makes it easier.  :devil

Gotta start somewhere though Cap.  I'll take my chances with the drone :)
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Offline CAP1

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #35 on: January 20, 2011, 12:15:53 PM »
well, the best advice with going for a drone.....most tend to go for the right drone, as they approach from the rear of the bomber formation. they do this to avoid the "warp" as the left drone is destroyed, and the rightr drone moves over. i(and i think a lot of us) guin from this drone for this reason. if you're gonna go for a drone, then go for the left one first, keep speed high, and keep "slashing", as you're a much harder target this way.

this is what happens on a six high attack....


and if i recall, this one was a direct six attack......


 generally, fly parallel to the target, about 3k above them, and about 1.5k to 2k horizontal from them(to keep out of their gun range). continue till they're about 45 degrees behind you(about your 4 or 5 oclock). turn into their flight path, adjust as necessary, try to keep your speed above 400mph. take your shot, and keep going. bank slightly in the direction of your original heading, so as you climb back up above them, you're pulling out front again. repeat and rinse.
 if you misjudge the turn, and they're passing through before you can get guns on them, use your rudder to "skid" the plane slightly,. if you get guns on him, take a shot, and then see above.
 this is the slow way to do it, but it works about 80% of the time, and is much easier than the vertical dive. it also gives you a chance to put rounds in all three of the planes in the formation if you do it right.
 these types of slashing attacks work best for me, and on the other end, i've found these to be the absolute hardest to defend against.
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Offline Messiah

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #36 on: January 20, 2011, 05:48:33 PM »
In 262 or 30mm birds I always attack from 3-9 line, co-alt/slightly above and fire on the lead bomber and let the rounds trickle across all 3 bombers. 3 in 1 pass is always fun.
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Offline Spork

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #37 on: January 22, 2011, 08:09:10 AM »
Came upon a strategy, thought I would throw it by you guys and see what you thought:

Instead of a high 6, which always seems to get me shot, this is what I do:

From 2 or 10 o'clock about 2k out, turn inbound and set yourself up for a shot into the lead plane cockpit. You can only normally get 1 at a time but it is such a high angle and such a quick attack, that gunners barely are able to track you. Also, it is a guaranteed kill if you lay into the cockpit with a rain of .50s.


Thoughts?



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Offline CAP1

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #38 on: January 22, 2011, 08:33:34 AM »
the cockpit is a very small target.......when i do my slashing attacks i mentioned before, i aim for the front half of the plane, and normally land hits across the wings and tail sections. this may or may not kill em, but it creates a goodly amount of damage, and often times, you end up tagging all three of em.

 once damaged, it's only a matter of time
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Offline Ghosth

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #39 on: January 23, 2011, 08:49:59 AM »
Cockpit is fine, if you can hit it. And a pilot wound on a bomber is as good as a death. As his odds of getting home and landing before dieing are virtually nil.

10 or 2 Oclock approach is classic, just takes the patience to set up correctly.

However if you have trouble hitting the cockpit, or your line isn't quite right settle for a good wingtip shot.

Offline Bubbajj

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #40 on: February 02, 2011, 01:39:28 AM »
Knowing how to attack which bombers and what the weak points are helps a lot too. For instance, the attack from straight up is great on B24s because the wing root lights on fire so easily. This isn't as true for a lanc which seems to die best by knocking off wing tips. B-17s are different too. B26s are a challenge because they are fast and have big guns. Knowing your enemy helps in this process.

Offline bozon

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #41 on: February 02, 2011, 02:28:24 AM »
Shooting down the leader instead of the drone has the advantage of throwing the gunner off on your egress. Especially if you just tear its wing, the lead bomber will slowly roll and drop - it is nearly impossible to hit anything if the gunner is still aiming from there. If he quickly bails and moves to another drone, he will be off in the aiming point and will take time to reacquire you. By then, you are safe.
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Offline CAP1

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #42 on: February 02, 2011, 08:02:32 AM »
Shooting down the leader instead of the drone has the advantage of throwing the gunner off on your egress. Especially if you just tear its wing, the lead bomber will slowly roll and drop - it is nearly impossible to hit anything if the gunner is still aiming from there. If he quickly bails and moves to another drone, he will be off in the aiming point and will take time to reacquire you. By then, you are safe.

unless said gunner is gunning from a drone.
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Offline Daubie

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #43 on: February 02, 2011, 06:47:30 PM »
« Last Edit: February 02, 2011, 06:49:29 PM by Daubie »

Offline CAP1

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Re: How to shoot down the bomber?(Guide)
« Reply #44 on: February 02, 2011, 07:13:31 PM »
Thanks, cool post.

Now, what if B-17 is at 37,000 feet?

Most bombers fly too low.

in rl, b-17's only flew at 20,000 to 26,000
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