stanford
04-12-2011, 10:01 AM
Previously posted on battle-fields.com
It was dusk over Jurassic Park. I was leading two other Spits on a routine patrol of the T-Rex compound. Why I was in charge was beyond me, I'd only learned what a magneto was the previous morning. None the less, there I was at the tip of a graceful sword; floating through the air at 4000 feet with only the reverberation of an engine to remind me this wasn't a pleasure cruise.
You would be forgiven, should you have seen me, for thinking I was flying in the blackness of night. I spent 75% of my time looking at instruments and my situational awareness was akin to that of a block of cheddar cheese. Some time later, with me still looking at my RPM gauge, the radio chatter started. One of my infinitely more competent wingmen had spotted something at 3 o'clock low, skipping the wave tops. It was a gaggle of Me109's.
I jammed the throttle forward, adjusted the prop pitch in an effort not to destroy the engine, and curved down in a gentle arc intending to dive on the rear left 109. Completely by accident we had the sun at our backs - and we thundered down to the wave tops.
Not one of the 109's moved, they were probably more concerned about a freak wave drowning their aircraft they were so low. I flipped my target reticle illumination on about 800 yards from my prey and slid down on to his high seven.
I kept fighting the urge to open fire early - surely he would see me and break soon and I would lose the chance for an easy hit. But still they flew straight and level. By the time his wing tips filled my reticle I could wait no longer and let out a long burst of red tracer, AP and Ball from my eight 303's. I must have killed a lot of fish, because nothing happened to the 109 at all. A quick check on the turn and bank indicator showed that my bullets were going no where near my aim point.
Furious, I pulled up, the 109's now fully aware of our presence. Red 2 caused multiple fuel leaks on the enemy leader who slowly but surely slid towards the sea until it swallowed him. His colleagues broke left and right and all of a sudden the sky was empty. How I could possibly lose everyone in an instant reminded me of every WW2 combat account I had ever read. The immersion was brilliant.
I continued my arc, rolled on my back and scanned the water for anything.
A minute went by with me seeing nothing but air, when I saw an explosion near the Velociraptor pen. Aha, there must be something going on there. I flew over the debris to see parts of a burning 109 - that was two down and all I'd done was kill a fish.
Scanning the sky I finally saw a dot - it was heading slowly across my nose and I punched the throttle and pitch up to 100% trying to catch it. I fixated myself on that dot until after what seemed like an eternity a yellow nose appeared. This time he was mine!
I was on his low eight o'clock, and as if in slow motion a 200-yard distant yellow nose b***** flew across my gun sight. I attempted a deflection shot, and what do you know, it worked. The 109's engine exploded. My bullets had completely destroyed something quite integral to its mechanical well being.
The German bailed out, his propeller spinning slowly as fire and smoke belched from behind. Ten seconds later, another explosion, and the 109 fell in pieces to the sea.
A perfect shot - at convergence and with deflection. Chuffed as monkeys I headed home.
Five minutes later, preparing to land, yellow tracer screamed over my wings and a huge hole appeared in my roundel. The remaining 109 had chased me all the way home and destroyed my elevator controls! Gutted.
The 109 broke off, assuming the smoke bellowing from my crippled Spitfire was a confirmed kill, and I headed towards the coast of the Diplodocus area. My engine gave up as I crossed the beach and I thudded in to the grassy fields, skidding across the mud.
That was so awesome. Full switch and the beauty of the game just made it seem so real. it didn't feel like a game at all, there were so many things to concentrate on I am now in love with full switch. I urge anyone who is still flying arcade to give CEM a go. I really thought I'd hate it, but it has added so much to the sim it's unexplainable.
If you would like anyone to walk you through CEM and start up processes feel free to drop by our forums and we'll fly you though it!
It was dusk over Jurassic Park. I was leading two other Spits on a routine patrol of the T-Rex compound. Why I was in charge was beyond me, I'd only learned what a magneto was the previous morning. None the less, there I was at the tip of a graceful sword; floating through the air at 4000 feet with only the reverberation of an engine to remind me this wasn't a pleasure cruise.
You would be forgiven, should you have seen me, for thinking I was flying in the blackness of night. I spent 75% of my time looking at instruments and my situational awareness was akin to that of a block of cheddar cheese. Some time later, with me still looking at my RPM gauge, the radio chatter started. One of my infinitely more competent wingmen had spotted something at 3 o'clock low, skipping the wave tops. It was a gaggle of Me109's.
I jammed the throttle forward, adjusted the prop pitch in an effort not to destroy the engine, and curved down in a gentle arc intending to dive on the rear left 109. Completely by accident we had the sun at our backs - and we thundered down to the wave tops.
Not one of the 109's moved, they were probably more concerned about a freak wave drowning their aircraft they were so low. I flipped my target reticle illumination on about 800 yards from my prey and slid down on to his high seven.
I kept fighting the urge to open fire early - surely he would see me and break soon and I would lose the chance for an easy hit. But still they flew straight and level. By the time his wing tips filled my reticle I could wait no longer and let out a long burst of red tracer, AP and Ball from my eight 303's. I must have killed a lot of fish, because nothing happened to the 109 at all. A quick check on the turn and bank indicator showed that my bullets were going no where near my aim point.
Furious, I pulled up, the 109's now fully aware of our presence. Red 2 caused multiple fuel leaks on the enemy leader who slowly but surely slid towards the sea until it swallowed him. His colleagues broke left and right and all of a sudden the sky was empty. How I could possibly lose everyone in an instant reminded me of every WW2 combat account I had ever read. The immersion was brilliant.
I continued my arc, rolled on my back and scanned the water for anything.
A minute went by with me seeing nothing but air, when I saw an explosion near the Velociraptor pen. Aha, there must be something going on there. I flew over the debris to see parts of a burning 109 - that was two down and all I'd done was kill a fish.
Scanning the sky I finally saw a dot - it was heading slowly across my nose and I punched the throttle and pitch up to 100% trying to catch it. I fixated myself on that dot until after what seemed like an eternity a yellow nose appeared. This time he was mine!
I was on his low eight o'clock, and as if in slow motion a 200-yard distant yellow nose b***** flew across my gun sight. I attempted a deflection shot, and what do you know, it worked. The 109's engine exploded. My bullets had completely destroyed something quite integral to its mechanical well being.
The German bailed out, his propeller spinning slowly as fire and smoke belched from behind. Ten seconds later, another explosion, and the 109 fell in pieces to the sea.
A perfect shot - at convergence and with deflection. Chuffed as monkeys I headed home.
Five minutes later, preparing to land, yellow tracer screamed over my wings and a huge hole appeared in my roundel. The remaining 109 had chased me all the way home and destroyed my elevator controls! Gutted.
The 109 broke off, assuming the smoke bellowing from my crippled Spitfire was a confirmed kill, and I headed towards the coast of the Diplodocus area. My engine gave up as I crossed the beach and I thudded in to the grassy fields, skidding across the mud.
That was so awesome. Full switch and the beauty of the game just made it seem so real. it didn't feel like a game at all, there were so many things to concentrate on I am now in love with full switch. I urge anyone who is still flying arcade to give CEM a go. I really thought I'd hate it, but it has added so much to the sim it's unexplainable.
If you would like anyone to walk you through CEM and start up processes feel free to drop by our forums and we'll fly you though it!