In an effort to maybe talk about planes and add something positive to the discussion board about the game. I thought I'd discuss why only flying 1 plane in AH is not a good strategy for being successful for novice pilots, and can lead you into boredom or frustration.
All planes in AH have a strength and weakness, some more than others. Some planes are designed better for long high alt attack flights and some are designed better for low defensive type flights. There are but a few that are good at both though player skill greatly comes into factor. Only learning one plane can greatly start you out at a disadvantage early on if you don't fly them in the correct situation.
Situation 1
Let's say you want to start with the P51D. Everyone's favorite. Yes, it's a wonderful plane. It's well balanced and dives very well while also turning pretty decently and great at maintaining E. Here's the situation though, if you roll this plane at a field that is under attack, you are going to be already starting off at a disadvantage. Why? One of the greatest weaknesses for the P51 and many American planes is acceleration and climb speed. You do not want to be stuck on the deck having to use defensive maneuvers trying to get attacking planes to overshoot you. It's a very poor start for the p51 and you will have a lot of trouble getting the alt and E you need to be successful. This plane should really only be flown in attacking situations, where you are either A. Flying to a field your team is on the offensive, or B. Rolling from a back field to defend your base from high bombers and attack planes. You want to be able to get 17-20k and use your diving speed to your advantage. Same goes for most other American planes, 190s, Tiffies, Temps, C205, ect .If you want to defend a field, there are other planes that are great for it. The Spitfires, La7s, Ki84s, N1Ks, hurricane 2c, Brewster, A6ms, are great planes for defense rather than a P51. They accelerate fast, turn on a dime, have great cannons for quick snap shots on a overshoot. Can dive well in low alts and can gain alt rather quickly off the field. Instead of tugging that P51 off the field to defend, grab one of these other planes and learn that for defense. It will greatly improve your capabilities and will help you stay alive longer. Once you get an attack plane to turn, you will be able to out maneuver them and win the fight, or be able to dodge them diving on your easier. Normally in defense at your field, you will have more friendlies to help you, therfore being able to dodge planes easier for longer so your friends can help is very beneficial.
Situation 2:
Let's say you want to start off with the Spitfires, another plane everyone loves. Unfortunately, you will not want to use this plane for attack missions as a novice. Why? You will get caught up low and slow in a turn fight with less friendlies and more enemies to gang you. You won't be able to escape the fight once this happens. The thing with great turning planes is, you want to turn them... this is a disadvantage when attacking a field. Hey we all love to do it. But as a novice you will just get ganged more times than anything and get frustrated. This is the time you want to grab a P51, P47, P38, 190, Tiffin, temp, C205, F4u ect. Don't focus so much on out turning people. Focus on keeping your speed and alt, focus on maintaining E and staying fast. Practice roping planes if you are clear from higher cons.You want to be able to dive on planes and pull out to regain your alt and be able to extend from defensive planes diving on you. These planes generally have a lot of gas so you can be more patient regaining your alt and E to come back into the fight. This will keep you alive. Your spitfire will not. It cannot dive fast enough to get away from the hoard coming after to you. I never like to encourage running, but for a novice this is your tactic until you learn ACM, flaps and throttle usage. Be aggressive but not so aggressive that you end up chasing a plane to the deck in a turn fight and getting picked. Low and slow is the last place you want to be when attacking a field.
Situation #3.
You are a lover of the furball and see that both teams are fighting in the middle of the bases with co alt E. What do you do? You really don't want an attack plane, and you really don't want a slow defensive plane. Why? An attack plane is going to be too heavy vs other fighters. You aren't going to maneuverable enough to get into snapshot positions or defend from them, and if you get slow on the deck you will get ganged. A slow defense plane like Brewsters, A6ms, hurricane, older spits, ect aren't going to be fast enough to catch most planes, you will be stuck on the deck turn fighting until someone comes to pick to you, or spending most of your time dodging planes diving on you. So what plane do you choose? There are a few planes that fit well nicely in this category, and furball type scenarios are also a learned situation regarding SA and what you can and cannot get away with. Planes that I really like to use are. The 109s, they don't dive well, but have great acceleration, great climb, lots of wep, and can outrun most planes once you understand the flight models and ACM. The La7 and Yaks is very similar and great for furballing. The spit16 and spit8 or even the ki61 which is very similar but more advanced. The P38 for more advanced sticks, the Ki84, great furball plane. You want planes that can turn generally well and climb well, but not too much of a turner because you'll want to be able to escape the furball when the time comes and need quick acceleration speed, not be stuck on the deck turning and getting ganged by higher planes coming in. The F4us and 190A5 are okay for more advanced sticks but should really be flown in situation 2 to be mostly successful. These are planes than can be flown in both attack and defensive situations but are generally not the best for either because of dive speed in situation 2 and lack of turning ability on the deck for novice players in situation 1. Some generally don't have enough gas for situation 2 either like the La7 or Yak. Situation 3 planes are great for mid alt, and that's where you want to fight most of the time. I always like say in a furball, enter and strike your targets like a shark enters a school of fish. Quick stakes on planes in and out. Never follow an enemy too long. If one jumps your 6, do your best to drag then out away from the larger fight to make it a 1v1 or towards friendlies. This is where quick excelleration and decent turning comes into play when shaking an enemy.
By understanding each situation and which plane is more suitable for these situations, you will have a much better time in AH getting kills and staying alive. This is how I play the game. This is why only flying one plane can be frustrating and not helping you to be more successful in the MA. I hope this helps and that you will consider flying different planes for each situation rather than your 1 plane that may be hindering you in certain situations.
