3 questions

[InfiniteStates]

Originally Posted by sloppy_clock

Ya I did it! Stayed behind the gu at .6 and killed anyone in sight that lined up!

Yeah, that mission is easy - don't worry about killing anyone, just keep the "baby" in view at all times and fire bursts at anyone moving into position.

[haitch40]

right the free hunt mission i go to the nearest enemy every time but i always fail when there is those 2 grupes of about equal distance from their target please help

[sloppy_clock]

Thats a simple solution, after killing the first group tell your wingmen to attack mission critical targets using d-pad down then d-pad right; then whatever targets they dont attack you go for. Let them work by themselves, just focus on downing your targets as fast as possible.
First time I tried that tactic it worked and complete the mission!

[SgtPappy]

I don't have the Spitfire XVI yet, and I don'teally plan on using it, but how does it handle now?

The wings were clipped solely to enable a better roll rate at low altitudes. This was first done on Mk.V's after the quick rolling Fw-190 appeared in late 1941, but it was eventually done to many Spitfires.

By all means, the higher wing loading of the Spitfire XVI (with only 231 sq ft. of wing area and a similar weight and thrust to the Mk.IX which has 242 sq ft. of wing area) should make it more unstable, faster rolling, but wider turning than the Spitfire IX. Is this evident in the game?

[kozzm0]

Originally Posted by InfiniteStates

I don't think anyone has found a way of doing this on anything other than arcade yet...

I dunnit... check out my gold finished-all-sim-missions trophy to prove it!

Free Hunt is probably the toughest mission in the whole game, even worse than Hornet's Nest, because your wingmen refuse to obey any command.

What it takes is a combination of luck and weave attack. You've gotta down 12 transports.

Start at a heading of about 190 to intercept the first pair most efficiently. But when you get there, look at the map and see what your wingmen are doing, cause the second pair will be appearing southeast of you on a heading of about 30. Whatever pair has two wingmen attacking it, go attack the other one.

You've got the yak-9 in this mission, the yak-9 has the most powerful cannon of any yak. Don't waste time shooting the ju-52's from a distance - fly up close, staying under their wing plane so their gunner can't shoot you. Then set up a weave attack, up-down or side-to-side, make sure not to fall behind the target or you'll be shot to ribbons. Try to hit the engines, or the fuselage next to the wings.

If you can light up one ju-52 from each pair, your wingmen are likely to be able to get the other one.

Eventually, if you keep trying, your wingmen will come through and you'll be able to shoot down 4 or 5 before losing a plane, then another 3 or 4 before losing the 2nd plane, at that point you'll have a good chance.