After a 6 year hiatus I returned to AH in July. I last flew in late 2005, prior to the 2.07 patch which apparently changed many flight characteristics. I'm no expert on physics, my knowledge of aviation ends at history and aircraft specs.
I did fly AH for a long time and I feel like I had developed a good sense for what aircraft perform like on the edge, in game.
I would like to preface this by saying that I'm not making a judgement on whether this is accurate or not, I'm merely curious as to hear what's behind it. It wasn't do-able before I stopped playing in 2005.
The Maneuver, if I can even call it that since it's so easily executed as to require little or no skill once understood, seems to be a aircraft's departure of the flight envelope and rapid changes of nose angle when there's a sharp positive elevator input and an application of rudder opposite of the direction of engine torque. It is done at and below stall speeds, typically under 220 IAS depending on plane. It's doable in most late war, high powered aircraft with a lot of torque. The P47 probably does it most exceptionally followed by the 109K4, Ki84, and some others. It's tactical use is limited to close in fights and forcing overshoots because it allows you to both change nose angle rapidly and bleed energy extremely quickly. There is very little effect on forward momentum as speed returns to normal once you 're enter' the normal flight envelope. It's very hard if impossible to enter a spin.
The best example is film, therefore:
Films:
The first were done offline and the third is an actual combat encounter with a P47 using this 'move' and me countering with a similar effect in the K4. Seems like one can essentially slide the nose to the right laterally with rudder and throttle management, as if there's some kind of thrust vectoring in the rudder itself.
http://john-sanderson.com/files/Aces%20High/nath/flop/k4flop.ahfhttp://john-sanderson.com/files/Aces%20High/nath/flop/p47%20flop.ahfhttp://john-sanderson.com/files/Aces%20High/nath/flop/47%20vs%20k4.ahfI'm curious!
Thanks,
Nath