Originally posted by Creamo
I have heard so many arguing whether the critical factor in success is the plane or the pilot. Actually, I believe it to be neither. It's all about tactics and SA. Performance and ACM skills take a back seat to those two. If it is possible to maintain a positive K/D in a slow climbing, slow moving, poorly armed dive bomber, anyone should be able to do much better than that in any fighter assuming they employ the correct tactics and have good situational awareness.
I challenge you to a duel, in the DA.
You in the SBD, me in a Dora. Best of 7. Loser pays accounts till 2003.
No amount of SA in the current MA will let you win. Your just using MA tactics of being away from anything all the time, or being next to flak even more.
You haven't figured it out yet, have you? What you desire is that SA and tactics be factored out by having just one enemy and every advantage possible from the outset. However, in the MA all bets are off. You might find that lowly SBD 10k above you, meaning it can run you down. You might find yourself at under 250 mph, where a Dora is dead meat against the ancient SBD.
For starters, I would not even engage a Dora unless I had at least one of the following in my favor: Speed, altitude and stealth. I will always engage if I have two of them. Again, tactics and SA are the critical factors. No one would be so silly as to claim that the SBD was as good as the 190D in the role of fighter. After all, it's easy to avoid the SBD by staying fast. Moreover you can engage in slashing attacks at will. Just don't screw up and burn your E down. This is a genuine "no-brainer".
Last night I caught a Ta152 on the deck chasing a Corsair. I was 6k above. It was easy to run him down and beat him up. There was nothing he could do about it. Good fortune smiled on him when a C.205 intervened. I had to kill it before turning my attention back to the 152, who managed to ditch before I could catch up. I landed 9 kills that sortie, reloading once. By the way, two of those were B-26s, both of which had a wing sawed off in a single pass. Don't underestimate those two .50 caliber MGs.
The whole concept of SA and tactics is focused on forcing the enemy to fight your fight. If you can force them into a slow turning fight, very few aircraft (the A6M2 being the sole threat) can survive long against the SBD. What about the Val? No problem. Don't even bother to try shaking one. Just man the rear guns and blast it to oblivion. Those paired .30 cal Brownings hit a lot harder than the two 7.7 mm water pistols of the Val. I don't know why that is the case, but it is.
Yet, the fact is that many of my kills are gained flying at speeds well in excess of 300 mph, using stealth to work my way into a position of advantage. Frequently, it's a classic "bounce". The SBD is also a fun platform for intercepting and killing Ju 88s headed out to your CV.
I seem to recall getting a kill on your Dora last week, I think I was in a Yak or La-5.
I honestly don't recall the circumstances, but odds are that never saw me before it was too late, or not at all.
As to flying near or around ack, you're as likely to encounter my SBD over your field as over mine. As I've said many times, if you want to catch fish, ya gotta go where the fish are.
Now, if you really want to duel, I suggest you take a P-40B or Bf 109E-4, and then see what happens.
My regards,
Widewing
