Requesting help for evasive maneuver.

[Igo kyu]

Originally Posted by IceFire

When on the defensive against a competent foe you're already dead.

The statistic is that most pilots who were shot down didn't know they were being attacked. I believe the corollary of this is that in the real world, defensive manouvers, done properly, work.

Turn toward the enemy (if he's behind you, turn to the side on which he is relative to your tail), and keep turning until he's gone past, if an attacker blacks out, his attack is done, whereas if a defender blacks out, and his attacker doesn't, the attacker has gone past so you've some time to recover. If the attacker is in the better turning aircraft and the speed is too slow for blackouts, get more speed and get out of range, but basically keep turning, and keep rolling, even if he can catch your turn he can't catch your roll. Rolling without turning is no use, that's just fancy flying in a straight line. Once he's past, then it's your turn to attack.

A big mistake I often make is thinking he's past before he actually is, that usually ends badly.

Also keep in mind that the LaGG against contemporary fighters is always at a disadvantage. It's simply too heavy and without enough engine power to compete against the Bf109F or G series. The LaGG is good at absorbing some battle damage and its not in a horrible position versus these but the way to win in a LaGG is to ensure you arrive into combat with altitude superiority and that you attack in a smart manner so as it limit the Bf109s effectiveness.

Avoid close in dogfighting in a LaGG. Again...not enough engine power versus the aircrafts weight so any moves that burn a lot of energy you want to avoid.

The LaGG is not a boom and zoom fighter. Which means (against the 109) it is a turn and burn fighter. Get to zero altitude (plus a wings width of height, so you don't crash), and turn faster than the 109s can. If they come down at you they will be faster than you, which means they have to risk flying into the ground to fire at you, if they stay at ground level you will catch them in the turn, so they usually don't. Against the AI always take out the wingmen first, they don't fight unless you attack the leader, and the leader's already fighting so you lose nothing.