P38L and J Choosing the right fight at the right time?

[BluBerry]

That is the single best and worst thing about the 38.  The way the guns and the DM works in this game, for the most part any solid hit from a 38 destroys what it was pointed at.  Unfortunately you've got to aim that tiny stream of bullets, you don't get the advantage of the X you get with wing mounted guns.

Interesting, I find anything nose or cowl mounted to be easy mode compared to wing mounted.. and even wing mounted seems simple. I feel like the AH2 gunnery should be harder, but that's just my opinion. 

[Arbiter]

Sorry bro, hard to tell sometimes when its left up to our individual interpretation of things.  

No worries man.  I also admit it was just a wee bit trollish.  I figured a few of your more vocal squadees would saddle up.  

In general, I agree with you by the way.  12K is usually the optimum.  I do fly above 15K between bases when I'm looking for buffs or the occasional 1v1 with a fighter and not have some one else jump in.  Seems the only way to find that kind of fight these days in the LWMA.  

Edit:  By "some one else jump in" I mean enemy OR friendly.  12 clearing seems on the rise lately. 

[ink]

Interesting, I find anything nose or cowl mounted to be easy mode compared to wing mounted.. and even wing mounted seems simple. I feel like the AH2 gunnery should be harder, but that's just my opinion. 

if they made the gunnery any harder I wouldn't be able to hit at all

[BluBerry]

if they made the gunnery any harder I wouldn't be able to hit at all

We would learn 

[Wiley]

Interesting, I find anything nose or cowl mounted to be easy mode compared to wing mounted.. and even wing mounted seems simple. I feel like the AH2 gunnery should be harder, but that's just my opinion. 

They both work, I just think the crossover makes it a bit easier to ping the other guy outside convergence.

As to gunnery, I think it's about the best model I've seen in here.  Individual bullet modeling, trajectory, dispersion, pulling G's changes hit location...

WARNING!  NOT FULLY RESEARCHED GENERAL LOGICAL STATEMENT NOT BASED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH HEAVY WEAPONRY MOUNTED ON COMBAT AIRCRAFT FOLLOWS!

Sorry, gotta qualify things properly on this board...  I don't know that much about how things react coming off planes IRL, but I do know a fair bit about guns and bullets.

I've heard somewhere along the way from guys that generally were not full of BS that firing when your plane's not moving directly forward, like if you kicked full rudder, causes dispersion to go WAY up, like to the point of essentially useless accuracy.  That doesn't appear to be modeled in the game.  Perhaps it's been overstated, I don't know, but I could see a 400mph head/crosswind from the angle you get from full rudder deflection playing havoc with a bullet as it leaves the muzzle of the gun.

Maybe it's been researched and dismissed, I don't know.  Other than that though, I think gunnery in the game is quite well modeled.

Wiley.

[Randy1]

The following advice hold pretty much for all twins.

1. One vs. many (defensive) will be VERY difficult for you. The 38 is a big target and even a two-weeker number guy will find its mark. Keep your SA up and know when to leave, or fly with wingmen.
2. Never ever allow a shot on your full plane. Learn to roll just before the other guy is about to fire even if it puts you in a less favorable position. The P-38 is paper-thin when viewed from the side, so break and if you cannot get completely out of the way, give them your side.
3. Once someone saddles up on you, it will be very difficult to wiggle your way out of that, like yaks, 109s or even P51s can. Do not let anyone get on your 6 - turn into them early, 1.5k with a minus sign is already too late. SA must be much higher than with other planes and the "threat range" much larger. As Delirium said, they are all looking at you.

Of all the twins, the P-38 has the best survival tools. It may fall short of the mossie deck speed, but your max speed goes linearly up with altitude. A few kft up, you are already in a better ranking speed-wise. Above 10k you are getting into your element and both your speed and climb start to get impressive. Above 20k you'll be alone, so come back down.

If you are in a learning phase, forget about smart flying and forget about your score this tour - go wild. Fly into the horde at low altitude and turn with every Brewster you see. That is the only way to learn how to handle a plane. After a tour of that, start to think about tactical flying.

Good points all Bozon.  Just in the last few weeks have I gotten much better at showing the skinny side as Del calls it.  I had to devolve a mind set to make that happen and it was not easy for this old brain.  As you posted, I have dove right into the middle of many furballs never fearing a lost plane but now I want to get more tactical savvy as you posted.

I don't exploit the high altitude performance enough.  You got me there for sure.

Good stuff.

[Randy1]

No less than 15, preferably 20.  This applies for any and all aircraft.

Wiley.

Wiley, you make another good point that Bozon touched on as well.  It does seem like the danger zone for a P38 is 9K to 12K.  The land of the 109s, 190s and P51s.  Thanks for the answer to the how high question.

[Randy1]

I disagree. The optimal altitude for any fight of any kind is always 7k. Right in the middle of things  .

I agree on the 7K.  As I just posted the danger zone is about 8 to 10K. 

[Randy1]

no wayyyy.


If there is a fight at 10k, then come in at 10k with speed and once your in Icon Range make your choice if you want to zoom climb to have the high cap or zip through the fight.

If there is a fight at 10k and you arrive at 15k, the bandits you kill will return at 20k. Once you die you will return at 25k. That cycle tends to suck because your left with one side hovering over an enemy base at 25k and no body re-upping to fight even from a further base, because it takes to damn long to get up there.

I go everywhere in the MA at 8-12k, if I am flying to a base that friendlies are already at I will stay at 8, if I'm first in with a dar bar and no visual contact 12k.

If you are going to work the top down as Delirum had posted when working a furball  with a 38 then he is right.  That was the original question.  The 109s, 190s, and P51s live at 10-15K.

[BluBerry]

  The 109s, 190s, and P51s live at 10-15K.

Disagree, there are just as many who fly those planes and don't "live" at 10-15k
I guess if you like flying high alt, your going to run into other alt monkeys, so what we experience is different.

[Randy1]

Interesting, I find anything nose or cowl mounted to be easy mode compared to wing mounted.. and even wing mounted seems simple. I feel like the AH2 gunnery should be harder, but that's just my opinion. 

Fast planes like a P47M and P51 can close quick enough to get inside 400 making them pretty deadly.  A full loaded M is exceptional.  When I switch from a 50s MG plane to the P38, it takes a few sorties to the "eye" back.  I don't find the P38 easier to kill with but I do find it different.  The Ki now that is point shoot and watch the explosion.

[Ack-Ack]

  It does seem like the danger zone for a P38 is 9K to 12K. 

It really isn't.  Quite the opposite really.

ack-ack

[BnZs]

Disagree, there are just as many who fly those planes and don't "live" at 10-15k
I guess if you like flying high alt, your going to run into other alt monkeys, so what we experience is different.

I mostly run the P-51 at 12Kish, where it goes close to 410 on cruise, a very high number for a prop plane's cruise at that alt, and which is above most things. Above 12K there is a dip in performance that doesn't correct until you get above 17.5K, which is WAY too high above bandits in most case.

[ink]

We would learn 

I think I am to old too learn that now....I tried to switch over to Trackir....

what a nightmare that was....

7 years and my aim is barely better then it was my first month....

I accept I will never be the crack shot lots of guys are....

no one is perfect 

[Tinkles]

Disagree, there are just as many who fly those planes and don't "live" at 10-15k
I guess if you like flying high alt, your going to run into other alt monkeys, so what we experience is different.

The only time I go higher than 5k is when I'm in a bomber. And even then I don't normally go higher than 15k, unless going for strats.