B17 questions

[Kirby]

First off I would like to say that I'm new to this game, actually i'm not, but I really haven't been playing in a really long time. I play H2H and I usually fly Spits and other fighters, but I'm starting to learn how to fly B17s, but I have a couple of questions I need to ask you experts.

1. I always drop 1000lb bombs on hangars when I'm over 10K but even with a direct hit, they never seem to destroy the hangar. Any suggestions?

2. Sometimes my beacon thingy in my instruments flashes green or yellow, what does that mean?

3. How can I gain alt as soon as possible? Do I take off and cruise around 3K until I gain enough speed of 250mph to 300mph then increase alt again or do I pull up when I have the chance to without stalling?

I'll post other questions when someone answers the ones I already have.

Thanks in advance.

[Ack-Ack]

1.  Fighter, Bomber and Vehicle hangers require 3,000 pounds of bombs to destroy.

2.  The beacon is your connection quality indicator.  Unlit means your connection is solid to the host, yellow means the connection quality is poor, red means you're pretty much discoed.

3.  I don't know the optimum climb rate or speed for the B-17 but you can adjust your climb rate and speed by using the .speed XXX command with the auto-climb command.  By adjusting your speed, you can vary the rate of climb.  Maybe guys like Rod367th or any of the other good bomber pilots in this game can tell you what the best climb rate/speed is.

If you haven't done so, you should download the manual and read it to refamiliarize yourself.




 AH manual

Ack-Ack

[Kirby]

Yikes, 3000lb to destroy FH? That means 2 FH each flight with B17, sounds hardly worth it, but eh.

Anyho, I'll make sure to read the manual, thanks Ack Ack.

[BadRad1]

Kirby, I fly for the SkyKnights. We are a Bomber group that flys the B-17 Exclisively. ( I usually fly Fighter escort ) But I do fly the 17's quite a bit as well. Our squad night is Friday nights at 9:00pm EST. You are more than welcome to tag along and join us for a few bombing runs. The guys are good at what they do and will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.
BTW, we fly for Rook land.  Just look for the Sky Knights, "SK's"..

[spiffykraits]

Originally posted by Kirby
First off I would like to say that I'm new to this game, actually i'm not, but I really haven't been playing in a really long time. I play H2H and I usually fly Spits and other fighters, but I'm starting to learn how to fly B17s, but I have a couple of questions I need to ask you experts.

1. I always drop 1000lb bombs on hangars when I'm over 10K but even with a direct hit, they never seem to destroy the hangar. Any suggestions?

2. Sometimes my beacon thingy in my instruments flashes green or yellow, what does that mean?

3. How can I gain alt as soon as possible? Do I take off and cruise around 3K until I gain enough speed of 250mph to 300mph then increase alt again or do I pull up when I have the chance to without stalling?

I'll post other questions when someone answers the ones I already have.

Thanks in advance.

1. You need 3k bombs for each hanger -therefore only 2 hangers can be killed in a B17 (Lanc has much bigger bomb load but punier guns and less of them, and climbs slower)

2. The beacon indicates how good your connection is.  If you get yellow it means you are losing packets over the net but not yet discoed right out of the game, check net status in setup when connected for a graph output, if yellow shows frequently re-log and see if you can get a better connection.

3.Autoclimb works fine as a compromise between speed and climb rate at full throttle, set with - Alt X, but get the flaps up early if using auto take off in setup. Climb rate will depend on bomb/fuel load.  The less fuel you take the quicker you climb.
Unless you are crossing the complete map 50% fuel is plenty, 25% for two sectors and back gives quite a lot spare.

If you are on auto climb, or change height/manoevre drastically with drones in tow, make sure they catch up in formation by throttling back slightly till they are formed again, else they will blow up.

[Tarmac]

Originally posted by Kirby
Yikes, 3000lb to destroy FH? That means 2 FH each flight with B17, sounds hardly worth it, but eh.

Don't forget that if you take a formation of B-17s, you'll be dropping 3 bombs (one from each bomber) every time you push the button.  So you should be able to take down more than 2 FH's easily if you're right on target with your eggs.

[spiffykraits]

Originally posted by Tarmac
Don't forget that if you take a formation of B-17s, you'll be dropping 3 bombs (one from each bomber) every time you push the button.  So you should be able to take down more than 2 FH's easily if you're right on target with your eggs.

You have to be low and slow for accuracy, and certainly under 16K, bomb spread from drones even at the minimum delay usally means that if yiou drop less in the salvo you may not kill the hanger IMO. I'd rather kill 2 hangers for sure  than use smaller salvos which may not get enough on target because of the spread as they drop.  Calibration accuracy contributes of course, but it is chancy to drop less.

[Boozer]

At delay = .05 you can pinpoint bomb them with salvo 3 of your 12 500 lb and have enough to kill all FH at any field consistently.
    The buff drivers that bothered to learn can pick off multiple pinpoint targets each pass from any alt.
   
    Be wary of a bad connect tho, I think it can mess up a good calibration.

[B17Skull12]

i find the alt f4 helpful when you got like 5 n1k dweeb's lal7 dweeb's or a 109g10 behind you and also the enter 3x mght help in that sitution to. and 3k of bomb's to kill fh's no i dont kill fh's sorry i kill start:p  and pork pork pork pork and also i find hq to be to munch fun



skull12

[Roscoroo]

For quicker Alt check the map for the highest alt feild nearest your take off point, (even if its 1-2 sectors away it helps) .

As for take off and climb out i run down the runway with flaps up until i get near Take off air speed (around 110) then lower flaps 1-2 clicks. Gain alittle alt (enough to not hit the ground ) level off retract the flaps and let the air speed increase ( 160-180) .

i then start climbing 1000-1200 fpm and set it with " Shift X " ,
Now watch your air speed at first it will drop 10-15 mph , but then it should hold steady and not drop anymore (if it keeps dropping your rate of climb is too great ,level off for a little bit then reset your climb rate  est. 900fpm or so ,and hit shift X again.

If your Airspeed increases you can increase your rate of climb until it will hold a steady speed ,(not increasing or decreasing)
 
You do need to watch for wind directions,wind alts,and updrafts,
For when this happens you will have to reset your climb.
(airspeeds and rate of climb will change as this happens )

The speeds and rates of climb ive used here are for the B-17 , W/ 25-50 % fuel load , and any bomb load  in it.

this is the fastest method i have found .

these directions work with any fighter/ bomber,  they just have different climb rates and speeds .

you will find that the auto climb (RED light /alt X ) sets the plane to climb at 125mph and at as much fpm as the plane will climb to maintain that speed .

Now the .speed xxx   command  is ok if you know alot about each of the buffs fuel /load optimal rate of climb, and I have used it . but i've found that my method works easier and better.

[sonar732]

Originally posted by Roscoroo
For quicker Alt check the map for the highest alt feild nearest your take off point, (even if its 1-2 sectors away it helps) .

As for take off and climb out i run down the runway with flaps up until i get near Take off air speed (around 110) then lower flaps 1-2 clicks. Gain alittle alt (enough to not hit the ground ) level off retract the flaps and let the air speed increase ( 160-180) .

i then start climbing 1000-1200 fpm and set it with " Shift X " ,
Now watch your air speed at first it will drop 10-15 mph , but then it should hold steady and not drop anymore (if it keeps dropping your rate of climb is too great ,level off for a little bit then reset your climb rate  est. 900fpm or so ,and hit shift X again.

If your Airspeed increases you can increase your rate of climb until it will hold a steady speed ,(not increasing or decreasing)
 
You do need to watch for wind directions,wind alts,and updrafts,
For when this happens you will have to reset your climb.
(airspeeds and rate of climb will change as this happens )

The speeds and rates of climb ive used here are for the B-17 , W/ 25-50 % fuel load , and any bomb load  in it.

this is the fastest method i have found .

these directions work with any fighter/ bomber,  they just have different climb rates and speeds .

you will find that the auto climb (RED light /alt X ) sets the plane to climb at 125mph and at as much fpm as the plane will climb to maintain that speed .

Now the .speed xxx   command  is ok if you know alot about each of the buffs fuel /load optimal rate of climb, and I have used it . but i've found that my method works easier and better.

I attempted to do this and it always pulls left and I crash.

[Flit]

If you use auto takeoff, the first time that you hit shift x or whatever you shut off the auto pilot.make sure you are not on "auto anything", or move the stick a touch to shut off the autotakeoff, then engauge the auto agian.

[sonar732]

Originally posted by Flit
If you use auto takeoff, the first time that you hit shift x or whatever you shut off the auto pilot.make sure you are not on "auto anything", or move the stick a touch to shut off the autotakeoff, then engauge the auto agian.

I let the autopilot take the plane and it wouldn't take off until far after the end of the runway.

[rod367th]

WOW no wonder some have hard time bomber, First never fly low and slow in bomber. Its just as easy to hit a hanger from 35k as its to hit from 5k....



 Do a search on my name and you can find bombing 101. your bomber shopuld be at cruising speed fopr alt your dropping at, doors must be open then calibrate if you do it perfect you can get 3-6 hangers at base. for bombers at 5-117 k 205 mph is good  18 to 22 190 mph   22to 27  180    and 170  mph 28k to 35 k. the whole secret to bombing is speed speed speed. go to netaces.org or to hoitech  web page they both have chart on what each target takes to destroy.  HQ is 19k bombs    and so on.



if you would like to see all 18 1000's hit same building 1 drop ask me to take 5 mins to show you how............... only takes 5 mins to teach . many have come to da to learn and now hit exactly what they want to hit.







 Last thing if you have bad beacon bombs may not register as hits.

[sonar732]

I've been doing quite a bit of offline practice and getting great.  I keep going up in alt and I'm still hitting my targets with the eggs.  Granted, my delay is set for 1.00.  I'm still hitting and that is all that matters.