Author Topic: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.  (Read 15404 times)

Offline Max

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #45 on: November 10, 2017, 08:32:02 AM »
 :aok Good stuff Bozon, thanks!

Offline DaddyAce

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #46 on: November 10, 2017, 01:49:55 PM »
Thanks bozon, definitely worth resurrecting the thread!   :aok

Offline bozon

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #47 on: November 10, 2017, 05:55:58 PM »
Thanks bozon, definitely worth resurrecting the thread!   :aok
Not a resurrection. I am just very very slow at completing this guide...
Mosquito VI - twice the spitfire, four times the ENY.

Click!>> "So, you want to fly the wooden wonder" - <<click!
the almost incomplete and not entirely inaccurate guide to the AH Mosquito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGOWswdzGQs

Offline DaddyAce

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #48 on: November 10, 2017, 06:33:47 PM »
either way just want to offer a nod of appreciation for your fine work sir.   :salute

Offline bozon

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #49 on: November 21, 2017, 11:31:24 AM »
A correction to the new Chapter 6 posted above about dive bombing with the B.XVI:
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,360316.msg5184621.html#msg5184621

Since AHIII, the usual reticule aiming dot can be off center of the screen depending on the "neutral" head position that you saved. Therefore the amount of vertical shift of the clipboard clip-hole from the F6 crosshair may vary. It depends on YOUR saved head position in the B.XVI.

The best way to experiment is to go offline (also TA?) and turn on the calculated bomb impact crosshair. Do some mock dive attacks and shift the location of the clip-hole till it shows the green bomb impact point in it, given your favorite dive angle/speed.
Remember this position.
Mosquito VI - twice the spitfire, four times the ENY.

Click!>> "So, you want to fly the wooden wonder" - <<click!
the almost incomplete and not entirely inaccurate guide to the AH Mosquito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGOWswdzGQs

Offline Kingpin

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #50 on: November 21, 2017, 05:46:28 PM »
The best way to experiment is to go offline (also TA?) and turn on the calculated bomb impact crosshair. Do some mock dive attacks and shift the location of the clip-hole till it shows the green bomb impact point in it, given your favorite dive angle/speed.
Remember this position.

Yes, the divebombing crosshair will show in the Training Arena once you select your bombs (or rockets).

There are airfields with airstarts in the dive bombing practice area of the TA (Northeast corner) that will start you at different alts over different types of fields and objects to practice on.
Quote from: bozon
For those of us playing this game for well over a decade, Aces High is more of a social club. The game just provides the framework. I keep logging in for the people and Pipz was the kind that you keep coming to meet again.

Offline bozon

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #51 on: July 04, 2018, 02:10:02 PM »
For over a year now I have been working on a new cinematic featuring the Mossie. I have 1.5 minutes complete...

So, since I am lazy I opted to just record in-flight views from a few good dogfights that demonstrate what a Mossie VI can do. These are recordings from regular MA play including my recorded head movements, so you can see what I was seeing. For each vid I add a description that clarifies what happened and why I did certain things. The AHF file will also be included for those that wish to study them more carefully (aka noobs!  :P).

<S> to all opponents which are all excellent players - Remember that these films are super biased and do not reflect the 100 other times when I was a burning wreck 5 seconds into the fight...

#1 Complete the mission!
This time I am on an attack mission, carrying 2 500lbs bombs in the bay to kill the dar at an enemy base.

On the way, I am bounced by a high F4U-1. Since I am close to my target I keep my bombs and evade him, with a hope get a shot as he tries to turn with me (it is just an F4U after all and I am in a Mossie) - he doesn't. The F4U plays it careful and goes into hover-mode. This gives me the opportunity to dive into my attack run and leave him just far enough behind to allow me to complete the mission and deal with him later.
If your opponent does not pressure you - do something useful in the mean time!

I reach critical speed, destroy the dar and pull out at tree tops after acks hit the #1 engine oil - F4U hot on my tail. We go into high speed scissors where I am reluctant to slow down too much so close to the enemy base. The F4U pulls diagonally up to shed more speed and drop behind me, so the counter is to cut under him - if he goes for a shot he risks not being able to pull out... which works out as planned.

No time to rest, a Spit16 is already 600 yards behind and closing fast. I am already slow enough to play some rudder shenanigans - a short turn with full rudder left to throw off his shot, then reverse right assisted with full right rudder. This swings the nose to the right past the flight vector into a skid, slowing me down and getting the guns to bear a split second earlier. The spit is too fast and off in his pointing - flies right in front of the quad hizzokas.

Escape at low altitude, mission accomplished.


YouTube Link:
https://youtu.be/RE0aa_KmH-0

AHF file attached below:
« Last Edit: July 04, 2018, 04:02:27 PM by bozon »
Mosquito VI - twice the spitfire, four times the ENY.

Click!>> "So, you want to fly the wooden wonder" - <<click!
the almost incomplete and not entirely inaccurate guide to the AH Mosquito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGOWswdzGQs

Offline bozon

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #52 on: July 04, 2018, 03:10:23 PM »
#2 Fly off into the sunset
In this vid I fly near a friendly bomber (not seen in the vid) hoping that he attracts trouble. We meet a high P47M that chooses to engage me (escort mission successful  :aok). This time I choose to ditch my bombs (I often carry two in the bay just in case I find a use for them) and the fight begins.

Nose low to pick up some speed - speed (not excessive) is always better than altitude. Speed means options. The P47 comes in guns blazing and I keep him a bit off to the side, and pull up without rolling - this gives him my narrow profile to shoot at instead of my large surfaces had I rolled. Only after he misses I add a roll and since I was already pointing to the side, this gives me a few degrees head start in turning into him. He sees my Mossie's nose pointing ahead of him, which is not something anyone wants to see and do the only thing to prevent instant death - roll and give me his side, just as I did. This works and he survives - not a noob there. He goes up and I pop flaps and cut inside of him, but can't get a shot. He does the smart thing and disengages in a dive. I was sure he will streak all the way down to his base, but I underestimated his aggressiveness and skill - more on that later.

A ki61 is coming and I estimate he is hiding a lot of E. Ki61s are usually dangerous! It is a so-so and unpopular plane which means it is flown almost exclusively by veteran players. Instead of going up and risking him flying straight up my butt, I pick up speed to blow by him and assess the situation. This turned out to be the correct thing to do because the P47M is back! I sure underestimated him, and now I am in trouble.

My speed has dropped too much, so I get the nose lower, flip inverted and pull to point down vertically. This gives me the option to pull out in any direction I choose simply by rolling. The P47M is pointing too far behind me so I pull hard to get inside his circle - P47s accelerate fast in a dive and will have a large radius on the pullout. The fancy move that comes later is just me losing control over the mossie. I recover very fast, but the P47 was able to pull out and put some holes in me as I cross him. We go into vertical scissors with me fighting to keep the mossie on the edge of control as yaw instability develops (a typical mossie "feature" at low speeds and high angle of attacks).

The KI61 is back! one of them shoots off an elevator of mine (no trouble, organic plane! just put it in water and it will grow back) and we go into some sort of rolling scissors and they both spill ahead. I am after the P47 and the KI smartly peals off to get some separation. I know he will be back so I better look for him. Indeed he does and I can't move out of the way, I give him my profile. Can't go after him, the P47 is in!

I am now slow enough to start popping out the flaps - and get into a spin... oh dear.. stick forward, right rudder, navigator is praying, and I recover. P47 blows by, but I manage to point my guns in front of the KI61 juuuuust enough to get an elevator off of him. This widens his circle and I am able to get another shot as we cross again (not sure if I hit this time). The KI61 splashes and a second later the P47 is destroyed by a friendly that joins the fight, together with an enemy Spit9. It ain't over yet...

The Spit pulls up and I try to go after him, only to realize that I am doing 120 mph, under a Spit9 with superior energy at the top of his zoom, near an enemy field... My navigator fainted at this stage. Lucky for me, the spit was initially worried about the friendly, but no one can resist the red "Moss" sign - he comes for me. I manage to point my wingtip to him and go as close to the waves as I can to make him point down and risk a splash. I pull up as he blows by, but he turns in the opposite direction with the friendly hot on his tail.

Seems like he can handle it, so I go down to ride the waves and fly off into the beautiful sunset - and home.



YouTube link:
https://youtu.be/6mf3VBUde8w

AHF file attached below:
« Last Edit: July 04, 2018, 04:03:30 PM by bozon »
Mosquito VI - twice the spitfire, four times the ENY.

Click!>> "So, you want to fly the wooden wonder" - <<click!
the almost incomplete and not entirely inaccurate guide to the AH Mosquito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGOWswdzGQs

Offline bozon

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #53 on: July 04, 2018, 03:52:02 PM »
#3 Two La7s too much
Flying alone towards an enemy field I run into a pair of La7s flying as wingmen. I did not realize this in the beginning and I casually start a fight from a disadvantage against the 1st one. After all it is just an La7 and I am in a mossie. What can go wrong?

Suddenly there are 2 of them... I evade a 2nd pass and they are playing it safe, blowing by, not slowing down or turning. Since I am at a disadvantage and at this altitude the La7s cruise speed is pretty much my critical mach speed, there is no point in turning after then. Instead I pick up some speed in preparation for what that is about to come. They reverse very fast and instantly close the gap. "Prop driven jets"...

The 1st one that comes in takes out my rudder - lucky shot or a good pilot? I am starting to suspect the latter, which is not common for La7s. I immediately look for the 2nd one and indeed he follows closely. Realizing that I have no rudder, I flip the mossie over using a "snap roll" - you apply full aileron deflection, center the rudder (gone), and then gently but quickly pull into a mild stall. This flips the mossie over and you have to be ready to release the stick pressure after half a roll or you risk a spin. It is safer to do to the right, (against the torque) but less "snappy".

2nd La7 blows by and I send a few shots after him, but the 1st one is back in - OK, these guys are well timed. This is starting to look bad. Evade 1, evade 2... AHA! this time the 2nd one made a mistake and dropped too low under me  :devil . A quick roll and pull to gain lead for just the split second that I need. Kaboom!  :cheers:

Maybe it is too early to celebrate... his wingmen is instantly going in and now he is angry. I pull him into a right handed rolling scissors that started to look good, but wait! I have no rudder!... Rolling against the torque of my twin Merlins at that speed is impossible and the nose falls off to the left. This is the end against a competent La7 pilot that  knows where his throttle is. I get sent back to the tower, but at least we went down fighting.

Good fight boys.  :salute



YouTube link:
https://youtu.be/WuHjxt6UjME

AHF file attached below:
« Last Edit: July 04, 2018, 03:57:06 PM by bozon »
Mosquito VI - twice the spitfire, four times the ENY.

Click!>> "So, you want to fly the wooden wonder" - <<click!
the almost incomplete and not entirely inaccurate guide to the AH Mosquito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGOWswdzGQs

Offline bozon

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #54 on: July 05, 2018, 02:50:31 PM »
#4 Join the Navy
These are 4 fights from the same sortie, where I go on a single-ship formation fighter sweep.

1st to come by is a co alt P38. I ditch the bay bombs that I carry just 'cos its a mossie and I can, then turn to engage. I am not sure what the P-38 was trying to do - I think he misjudged my speed after we crossed and thought I had much more E, then realized this is not the case but turned to re engage too soon. I dunno.

Getting closer to the enemy base I spot several cons a bit lower than me - it is nice to have the advantage for a change. The Spit8 looks determined to climb and engage me and spits are dangerous, so I prioritize him. He tries to escape in a dive and I follow, throwing 20 mm rounds all over the countryside. We get too low and too close to enemy acks and my navigator is screaming in the starboard seat, so I let the spit go and zoom up. He immediately pulls up after me. We zoom steep enough that the spit cannot go into hover-mode - when zooming with spits/yaks/zekes/ki84s and hellicopters in general, it is important to make it as close to vertical as possible and eliminate any component of lift. If you zoom at a shallower angle, they will be able to transition into a very low-speed climb, and keep the nose up while the mossie falls out of the sky. Spit8/16 and Yak3 can maintain near 4000 ft/min climb at 100 mph with the nose pointed 45 degrees above the horizon. Anyway, I catch the spit out of control and shoot him from 0 range just to be sure I hit.

Next, I find a 190D a bit higher and faster then me. No problem, it is just a Dora and I am in a Mossie, so a Dora needs every advantage it can get. You'll see that I am more worried about the planes that I shot down coming back again from the base for revenge, so I watch my 6 a lot. We cross and I stay under the Dora to hide my E, not going up after it. It works and he reverses too early. I get only scattered hits and the Dora starts to run away.

It is faster than me and there is no point in staying with him - If you want your enemy to turn and fight you, give him room to do it!. Staying 800-1000 behind someone and calling him a runner is nonsense. He absolutely should not turn in such a situation. So, I point to the side and let our flight paths diverge. This also carries us away from the enemy base, which is good. Over 2K distance the Dora reverses to fight again - good man, that's the spirit! Another merge and the 190 is late in initiating the turn (because he was going for a front shot on the merge), plus Mossies turn way better than 190D, so I easily cut inside for a 90 deg deflection shot.

This emptied my cannons, so I turn for home (in the film I see I had 3 rounds, but at the time I was sure I had only the 303 staple guns). My paranoia turned to be justified as I spot a Spit8 trying to creep up under my tail at tree top level. He was closing fast, I am at low alt, out of cannons, and still too far from my base... My navigator was breathing into a paper bag in an attempt to recover from hyperventilation. I have to fight this spit.

We make a few crosses, but the spit goes high every time, playing it safe or baiting for a rope. After the 3rd time I see an opportunity to pick up speed while he is not pressuring me and attempt a dash towards my base. This sort of works, but in AH the Mossie VI cannot outrun a Spit8 on the deck (unless starting faster). No friendly planes means I have to fight him, so I point off from my base and take him to fight over the water and out of the base acks.

I pull him into flat scissors and hit the brakes as hard as I can down to 100 mph or so. He passes by, but it is a spit, so he can pull high up while I can barely keep the mossie in the air with flaps, WEP, and a lot of rudder work. Some more dangling on the edge of controlled flight and the spit takes my right aileron. Too bad, because I was half rolled to the right and just could not roll against the torque to sharpen the turn. I level the plane and skid it hard with the rudder. If I lose the WEP now I will fall out of the sky like a rock.

The spit gets thrown forward again and I take a useless shot at him with my 303s. I cannot follow a right handed turn and am about to splash - I can only try and keep the mossie from spinning into the waves by leveling a picking up a few precious mph's above stall speed. Lucky for me, the Spit was also too slow, too eager and splashed.... pewwww.

Looking at my navigator that lost all blood in his face and all urine in his bladder, I decided to take us on a cruise vacation. A CV happend to be passing nearby, so I head there. Since we do not have a hook, I opened the bay doors and the navigator reached out and grabbed one of the cables - perfect landing  :aok
Take that Eric Brown!



YouTube link:
https://youtu.be/ZHUWbZaPz0c

AHF file attached below:
« Last Edit: July 05, 2018, 02:58:56 PM by bozon »
Mosquito VI - twice the spitfire, four times the ENY.

Click!>> "So, you want to fly the wooden wonder" - <<click!
the almost incomplete and not entirely inaccurate guide to the AH Mosquito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGOWswdzGQs

Offline pembquist

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #55 on: July 05, 2018, 04:07:37 PM »
Eric Winkle Brown Achievement I believe.
Pies not kicks.

Offline bustr

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #56 on: July 06, 2018, 12:50:57 PM »
In the mossi bomber wouldn't it be easier just to use the HUD for the aimpoint?
bustr - POTW 1st Wing


This is like the old joke that voters are harsher to their beer brewer if he has an outage, than their politicians after raising their taxes. Death and taxes are certain but, fun and sex is only now.

Offline bozon

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #57 on: July 07, 2018, 05:43:22 AM »
In the mossi bomber wouldn't it be easier just to use the HUD for the aimpoint?
What HUD?
Mosquito VI - twice the spitfire, four times the ENY.

Click!>> "So, you want to fly the wooden wonder" - <<click!
the almost incomplete and not entirely inaccurate guide to the AH Mosquito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGOWswdzGQs

Offline pembquist

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #58 on: July 07, 2018, 11:29:20 AM »
What HUD?

The man with the barbed wire soul.
Pies not kicks.

Offline bustr

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Re: So, you want to fly the wooden wonder - again.
« Reply #59 on: July 09, 2018, 03:04:01 PM »
What HUD?

This HUD.....where wolf, there wolf..... :O


bustr - POTW 1st Wing


This is like the old joke that voters are harsher to their beer brewer if he has an outage, than their politicians after raising their taxes. Death and taxes are certain but, fun and sex is only now.