Yak-9T - incredible firepower (or maybe incredible tank's lack of armor?)

[majorfailure]

Originally Posted by Art-J

If you're trying to hit a tank from 100 m, or even 300, diving at 45 degrees and above, it's highly unlikely that you're going to pull out of a dive at all . A bit too low for these kind of stunts I'd say!

Nah, 300-400m in a 45° degree dive is okay to do (especially in a slower plane with good elevator authority) - and if memory serves me right was a tactic used by IL2 pilots in real life. Takes some training till you learn to judge the right moment for the pullout, but then you can do it on a regular basis. With the VYa armed ILs it is possible to destroy PzIII/IV AFVs that way. It gets unreal when you need a ~60° dive at ~400m in a fast plane with so-so elevator authority (Try destroying PzIII/IV vehicles with a Beau/Mossie - it is possible to pull that off, but the risk is beyond what non suicidal real life pilots would have done IMHO).