Quote:
Originally Posted by shauncm
JtD>
i am happy that you disagree with me! it may be a personal question but what tactics do you use, how do you fly it? i would be nice to hear from someone that flies it regularly!
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I fly on a server where you can expect to have at least semi-historical plane sets - contemporary planes, from the proper sides. So I don't have to take it up against Spitfires and La-7's, only against Bf 109's, Fw 190's or Ki-84's.
Generally, I only engage if I have the advantage. I disengage if I don't. The good thing about the P-51 is that it is fast, and allows you to disengage very easily in a shallow high speed dive.
Also, it is great at high altitude, so if someone wants to deny me the altitude advantage, he'll have to climb up into my playground. There I can defeat him even without an altitude advantage.
I usually fly the P-51 loaded with about 50% fuel at 90% pitch, 99% power, rads closed at higher speeds. I open the radiator for extended low speed climbs over friendly territory. I go all out when I need to run, no use in getting shot down with a brand new engine. Better to rtb with a wrecked one. My convergence is usually set to 150 .. 200.
I know the opposition very well, I fly all planes frequently. I for instance know which planes I can outdive, which I can outclimb, which altitudes I am faster at and so on. I also know that the 109 manoeuvrability sucks at high speed, and that there's no way it can follow me through high speed scissors. Listing details like that is a bit too much to do here. I can only recommend to look at data given in il-2 compare, memorise it and use it.
In most cases, I fly like IceFire already described - hit and run or B'n'Z or energy fighting, with gentle control input. I try to maintain a high speed and a good altitude. I don't blow my advantage in order to follow a bandit through a tight turn, in which I'd only black out anyway. I rather use repeated passes, and if the guy is just too good at dodging repeated passes, I'll just leave him where he is going to look for an easier target.
Most people that realise that you're not pushing things will get lazy with their defence. Also many folks have a single favourite evasive manoeuvre, which they will perform every time you show up on their six. So with every pass you do, they'll be an easier target.
And now the fun fact - the P-51 can dogfight fairly well. If you're low on fuel, it is absolutely possible to beat a 109 or a 190 in a dogfight, I've done so numerous times. You shouldn't take on a 109G-2, but G-6 and later usually works out OK, as do 190ies. You have to be aware that once you have slowed down to the 109 speed, it can regain speed and altitude quicker than you, so if you need to disengage, dive. If you instead of going into a zoom climb go into a lag pursuit mode as IceFire said, you can come down on his 6 fairly quickly again. Usually, this catches the bad guy off guard, but even if not, your speed is still superior and with combat flaps, you should have little trouble following him through a number of manoeuvres. Don't get too close, you may overshoot, and abort when you still have a chance.
Anyway, all of the above may sound as if the P-51 was a killing machine for the lone wolf, but it is not. Most of my kills I achieve when cooperating with team mates, may they want that or not. A bandit focussed on turning with someone else, easy meat. A bandit zooming up in a fight with someone else, easy meat again. A bandit recovering from an evasive manoeuvre flown to dodge someone else's attack, easy meat. A guy flying straight while chasing a team mate, easy meat. You get the picture - fast planes all are OK on their own, but _extremely_ good when flown even loosely in some sort of team work. The P-51 is no exception. And in that kind of combat, it leaves the performances of Spitfires and La-7's far behind. Dive speed, high speed manoeuvring, high speeds - that's what counts and what the P-51 is clearly better at than the other two.