Friday Update, April 6, 2012

[ATAG_Snapper]

Originally Posted by Jatta Raso

hmmm you're doing something VERY wrong, i haven't lost a 1vs1 fight in over 2 months now, the only way i get shot is when i'm caught by surprise and blown in first pass, which is also not that frequent btw. i fly Spit Ia always, and alone mostly. in fact once a fight starts with one 109, my main concern is to get him before he pulls the inevitable run away (or his mates arrive).

ok i realize you may think that i'm the luckiest ATAG flyer, only getting the worst blue pilots, i assure you that's not the case; 109s can even have some energy advantage, that may keep them out of reach for the time, but won't make them shot me easy either; that's really what the picture has been for me lately. i fell like the 109s have the handicap, on 1vs1 scenarios.

i've been puzzled by this reports of being unable to fight the 109s, or how they're superior machines etc... ppl you're not exploiting the Spits to its potential; the Spit Ia has an agility the 109 does not, there are a few maneuvers 109s just can't follow, in fact you can always turn tables on a single blue on your 6; make sure you never go below 170mph, learn to turn tight the right way (it's plain impossible for a 109 to keep up a turn with a spit above 180mph if done right), always keep at least 2000ft, never cease to scan the air; have no fear, it's vital to address combat with confidence, fear makes you do unwise decisions, though i recon that comes with victories mostly.. and of course, don't bleed energy, it's ok to burn some on a turn that gives you the upper hand, but you have to be wise about it.

p.s. - i realize this is not exactly 'common view' around here, i'm likely to get flamed about it, but i'd rather discuss it...

Well, there you go, Osprey; you're doing something VERY wrong. You heard it here first.

Jatta Raso, thank you for these very helpful tips. What name do you fly under in the ATAG Server?

[Jatta Raso]

Originally Posted by ATAG_Snapper

Jatta Raso, thank you for these very helpful tips. What name do you fly under in the ATAG Server?

i fly as UFO_113, i have to explain that i may have annoyed some on comms until i realized my mic is broke, i sounded from distorted to alien-like, so i use TS3 but to listen only (i'm getting a new one); i've been making good progress (6 months ago i was way worse in most aspects of CLoD) so i'm happy to talk about it

Originally Posted by 335th_GRAthos

@Jatta Raso: You must be getting the worst pilots, your technique is good and precise but, in my squadron, any Bf109 wingman that would follow a Spit or Hurri on a right turn, I would have court-martialed...

~S~

well i get a bit of everything i suppose, but some of the best tend to fly on wings and i avoid those, as i usually go alone; anyway you'd see several blue that can't really resist giving some chase on turns, most without stretching the rope too much; those who blindly follow are few. plus there's horizontal turning fight and vertical turning fight, many of my encounters involve dodging vertical passes until i get an opening for a shot, by no means i'm saying tight turns alone will save your a$$ in Spits vs 109s; they just help a lot, combined with other stuff

also don't get the wrong idea, i don't think i'm an ace by all means, a good share of the effort comes from tactics, trying to put yourself in a good position for when a fight starts.. even when it means letting a lone blue sneak on your 6 and reacting at the last moment; there are ways and ways to have the surprise factor

[ATAG_Snapper]

Originally Posted by Jatta Raso

i fly as UFO_113, i have to explain that i may have annoyed some on comms until i realized my mic is broke, i sounded from distorted to alien-like, so i use TS3 but to listen only (i'm getting a new one); i've been making good progress (6 months ago i was way worse in most aspects of CLoD) so i'm happy to talk about it

Hopefully we'll have a chance to fly together -- once you get your mic fixed! LOL

TBH I tend to be in Osprey's camp re the underpowered Mk 1 RAF fighters. Like most I just want to see ALL (RAF and LW) flight models corrected to true historical parameters. It will make for more interesting encounters for both sides, IMHO.

Over the past few months I have radically changed the way I fly and fight in the RAF fighters. Athos provided me with some valuable feedback after watching some guncam footage of mine. MK.MR.X. posted some excellent videos recently which demonstrated exceptional deflection shooting. I'm nowhere near that level of skill, but I've been developing and practicing deflection shooting offline (using FMB aircraft that are more "cooperative") that has been helping me in online encounters. And per Osprey's post, I try more for the element of surprise and altitude than I had been doing in the past. I'm far more conscious of my energy state than ever before, and I will stifle my ego and disengage if I sense things are not going to my advantage.

But if I could just get a few more pounds of overboost......