| |
 |  |
|
0 Players Online
Take me to the game |
|
| American Fighter Tactics | |
|
CAA-NRC Committee on Selection and Training of Aircraft Pilots, 1942
Know your airplane Every aircraft has strengths and weaknesses. Make sure you know yours and those of the enemy aircraft you're most likely to encounter. Knowing you can out-climb, out-accelerate, out-turn, or out-gun your foe changes the way you fly. So does knowing your own plane's vulnerabilities. For plane specs, go to the aircraft specification page of the official Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2 site. Keep your head on a swivel Visualizing the positions and movements of fast-moving objects in a three-dimensional space is difficult. But it's what separates fighter pilots from fighter aces. Being a good shot is a useless skill if you can't keep track of the enemy. [In Combat Flight Simulator, you can use joystick and keyboard commands to scan the sky rapidly.] Use the element of surprise When you come in from behind or below the enemy he can't see you. But dropping in from above gives you the potential for greater speed. While you're closing in, use the enemy's blind spots to your advantage. Come out of the sun or the clouds with your guns blazing so you can shoot him down before he even knows you're there. Stay one move ahead of the enemy A good fighter pilot's actions in the present are dictated by his prediction of the future. If you merely react to your opponent's actions you will be shot down. If you anticipate his actions and respond intuitively without hesitation, you will emerge the victor. Trade altitude and airspeed Are you flying too fast? Pull back on the stick and you'll slow down as you climb. Be careful though: pulling up to shake the enemy off your tail is a dangerous move! Your airspeed will drop quickly, and a slow ship under fire is a sitting duck. Are you flying too slowly? Nose your ship over into a dive to gain some airspeed. Trading altitude and airspeed is an essential part of all aerial combat maneuvers. Fly slower to turn faster When you ride a bicycle around a corner quickly you want to go fast, but not too fast, and it's the same with your aircraft. At fast speeds, centrifugal force causes the plane's turn radius to increase and its turn rate to decrease. Every ship has a speed at which maximum-performance turns are possible. In general, though, a slower-flying aircraft will out-turn a faster flying one. Turn into your opponent Turning into the enemy's direction of movement increases the angle between your movement and his guns, making you harder to hit. Turning away decreases the angle, making you an easier target-and making it much easier for him to get on your tail. So, if the enemy is coming in behind you and to your right, bank right to get out of his gun sights. Use "deflection shooting" Attacking an enemy aircraft from in front or behind is easy. Just aim and shoot when you're close enough to hit the target. Attacking from other angles is more complicated. You must coordinate your shooting with your speed, and fire ahead of the target so that he runs into your bullets. This difficult skill is called "deflection shooting," and it is the mark of a good combat pilot. Learning it is essential to your success. Don't shoot until he fills your windscreen Wait until you're so close that you're sure you'll hit him, this tactic will save ammunition. This strategy takes less concentration than deflection shooting, but it isn't always practical -- especially if you're meeting the enemy head on! Never stop an attack once you've initiated it If you run away when you're within range of the enemy, it's easier for him to get a shot at you. Courage is not the absence of fear; it's action in the face of fear. If you've decided to attack, be courageous and follow through. Cowardice at close range will get you killed. |
|
