How to perform Lag Displacement Roll Attack?

[Woke Up Dead]

"Why is this manouver sometimes better, than a normal high yoyo?
Does lag displacement roll, sometimes succeed where high yoyo fails? (or would fail)?"

I believe there are two reasons.

One, the high yo-yo is a tighter, more aggressive maneuver; the attacker stays closer to the defender and often has to shoot while diving form up high. It's not that hard to dodge a shot and force an overshoot from such an aggressive attack. The lag displacement roll on the other hand puts the attacker further back, on the defender's six or mid-high six and closing; more time for the attacker to set up a shot, more difficult for the defender to create a tough angle. For that reason, you should probably use the high yo-yo when your target is much faster than you; if you lag-roll against a 109 in your I-16, you probably won't catch him despite your initial energy advantage. If you're in a Yak or LaGG though, you probably will.

The second reason I suspect is that a lag displacement more confusing from the point of view of the defender. A high yo-yo is almost as clear in its intention as a hard break towards the defender's six, but in a lag-roll your attacker pulls up early (maybe he didn't see me?), rolls away (maybe he lost me or is distracted by one of my team-mates?), and additionally all those maneuvers are hard to track from inside the cockpit. In the confusion the defender just keeps flying straight.

[majorfailure]

The "roll away from the defender" part got me confused too - got me thinking to let them pass below your aircraft. I'm still not 100% sure I'm doing the textbook maneuvre, but as long as it works what I do, who cares about the textbook. Basically what you do is using your roll rate to change your planes heading - by pointing it roughly upwards, rolling and leveling out again.

[rollnloop]

I think this video explains it pretty well ?

[Janosch]

^ Ohhhhhhhh now I see! Brilliant video! The pilot starts the maneuver before the target passes his gunsight, and that's why rolling away from opponent's turn enables the unbroken visual contact. Things are different and perhaps less aerobatic if you start pulling up after the other guy passes your gunsight - that's usually when you try an initial snapshot with a plane that has lots of cannons. Then it's just a regular nearly vertical climb, roll and see-what-happens-next.

[Laurwin]

Originally Posted by Janosch

^ Ohhhhhhhh now I see! Brilliant video! The pilot starts the maneuver before the target passes his gunsight, and that's why rolling away from opponent's turn enables the unbroken visual contact. Things are different and perhaps less aerobatic if you start pulling up after the other guy passes your gunsight - that's usually when you try an initial snapshot with a plane that has lots of cannons. Then it's just a regular nearly vertical climb, roll and see-what-happens-next.

Those bi-planes and tri-planes sure do turn on a dime, though!

How much energy would you lose, if you simply tried to turn into the breaking bandit, and simply try the high deflection shot?

Would you lose more E, compared a well executed, lag displacement roll? Probably you would lose quite a bit energy, if you really had to pull lot of Gs, at high speed turn, and if you still missed the shot. Depends on the attacker's plane also, though.

High yoyo would retain more of your energy, also.

But I have to try this manouver sometime online. I will be going on one week vacation to Canary islands (Lanzarote), tomorrow on 21st December, so the earliest time I can play IL-2 again, is on the 29th December or something.

LOL I'll just have to contain my eagerness for battle for even longer time! Maybe play golf or tennis there. And check out the beach babes of course

[Janosch]

Originally Posted by Laurwin

How much energy would you lose, if you simply tried to turn into the breaking bandit, and simply try the high deflection shot?

Beats me, but you could try shooting without actually turning much, sometimes from a leveled wings position, if you're fast and are indeed already in a lead pursuit. A bit of rudder with ailerons to compensate can be used to make a fine last second adjustment to your aim. If you miss though, you'll lose ammo, time and someone else might see the tracers from miles away - too soon.