Quote:
Originally Posted by PotNoodles
I have roads on and everything high but how do I find the runways when I have no idea where on the map I am?
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Unfortunately, AFAIK we don't have the ground controller giving us a bearing to return to home base or nearest friendly airfield. I have sometimes gotten myself turned around, especially flying inland and out of sight of the coast. Here are some additional tips to add to the excellent ones above:
1) make special note which airfield you've spawned in, where it is on the map, and keep track of what direction you're heading out. It's so easy to quickly click on an airfield in order to select an aircraft and "create" a flight that you can't really remember where you started off! I've done it, but fortunately with the limited number of coastal RAF fields on the ATAG server I've gotten to recognize each one and the surrounding terrain/coastline/towns. But occasionally someone will report enemy aircraft strafing the field but can't name the field itself!!!!
2) as the real RAF/LW pilots did, make a point of flying some initial familiarization flights, making note of distinguishing landmarks (towns, rivers with funny bends, other airfields, shape of large/small forests, relationship to coastline, etc)
3) as you head towards the combat zone, make note of where the sun is and where it should be on your return. ie, if the sun is over your right wing as you head out, try to keep the sun over your left wing as you're being chased by three enemy fighters and you're wildly ducking and weaving. This can be a real life-saver since you won't have time to check your compass bearing and set a careful course for home while tracers are whizzing past your cockpit!!!! And every 10 seconds you can get closer to home is another mile further from home for your opponents!
4) sometimes over land you're just gobsmacked as to where you are. Trim your aircraft for hands off flight, open up your map, and try to find a landmark on the ground that matches one on the map -- then set a course for home accordingly.
5) over open water the best you can do is set a course that will get you to friendly shores. Hopefully you'll then be able to get your bearings using (4) above.
Good luck, mate!