Iku_es
Sep-13-2011, 06:53
I think that we could share our experiences flying online. It's a good way to learn new tactics, and new lessons.
We can share our victories, our mistakes, the funny moments, our "wtf!? you must be kidding" moments …
For example, yesterday I’ve one of the best hand to hand dogfights I can remember. I have to write it down because I don't want to forget it.
I hope you enjoy it, and please forgive my grammar mistakes.
(Edit: It turned out larger than expected. Best read with a beer mug or a cup of coffee nearby)
ATAG Server, 12/09/2011. German aerodrome. Calais sector. 9:30 mission time
I'm sitting in the cockpit of my old but trusty Bf-109 E3B "Green 13" reviewing the mission plan.
My Kameraden are having a busy time shooting down Wellingtons, so it's time for a fast solo mission.
The target is that annoying radar installations at Dover.
Loadout: Standard gun ammo load, SC250 with short delay fuse, 90% fuel.
Flight plan: I’ll keep it simple. Steer to 300, climb to 2500 m. or above, bomb the target and get out of Dodge City. It sounds easy enough.
I repeat out loud the start-up procedure, as always:
Preflight check complete. All systems OK
Trim tabs control + 1. CHECKED
Propeller pitch indicator: 12:00. CHECKED
Radiators OPEN
Cockpit CLOSED and LOCKED.
Fuel cock ON.
Magnetos ON
Prime the engine 5 times.
Open the throttle 1 cm.
Clear prop!
Starting... the pneumatic starter fires up, I count 3 blades and the engine catches up. Nice, it purrs like a kitty.
I reduce the throttle without flooding the engine.
Flaps 15є
The engine is still warming up and as I wait, I look at the sky. Scattered clouds at 1,8 - 2,5 km., winds calm. What a beautiful day.
I look at the temperatures: Oil temperature 40є, water temperature 50%. It’s takeoff time.
After releasing the brakes, I slowly increase the MP. The engine roars at 1.35 ata. I keep playing with my rudder maintaining the plane in straight line. The tail comes up and the speed increases very fast. 100, 120, 140, 160, 190, rotate, positive rate of climb, gear up.
I let the speed increase raising the flaps at the same time. After reducing the power to climb settings I put the aircraft in a wide left hand turn to my planned heading 300.
Several minutes later, I'm crossing the English coast at 3000 m. ASL. I start looking for my target. There it is!. 10 o'clock. It’s show time. I arm the bombs, and dive towards my target.
Bombs away!. I turn to my egress heading looking back at the radar. Direct impact! Take that englanders!
I'm now several km. into the sea, climbing back slowly to 3000 m but keeping my speed above 400 kph. I see a lone Spitfire at my 2 o'clock low, heading towards France. It’s a perfect opportunity to bounce him. I perform a gentle barrel roll into the foe, positioning myself in his low 6.
I open fire at point blank range with all my guns ... poor Tommy, he doesn't stand a chance. Next time watch your six, sweetie!.
I see his chute opening as the Spitfire falls from the sky.
I zoom climb back to altitude resuming my original heading of 120.
I'm delighted with the mission progress so I relax on my way to home. I'm feeling inspired so I try to rhyme popular mottos... Beware of the hun, that comes from the sun ... he's having so much fun ... uh, what rhymes with hun, sun, fun and makes sense?...
Wait a minute, I think to myself. You're alone, so who is checking your 6? Epic fail, noob.
I take a glance back just in time to see a hurricane at my 5 o'clock high diving towards me banking hard to his right.
He opens fire and I just react, I've no time to think: I chop the throttle, full stick back and left, full left rudder.
My (put that lovely british accent here) one-oh-nine flick-rolls, slowing down almost below the stall speed. The hurri has scored some hits on my plane, but I have avoided the worse part.
Poor Emil, it has some holes on the right wing and it's losing fuel. I'm shocked, but still alive and my plane's engine seems undamaged. We’re ready for combat, don't panic little grasshopper I repeat to myself, just keep flying.
I run the throttle through the gate pushing the nose down to regain some airspeed. The elegant hurricane is rolling slowly above me, ready for another pass.
He has a huge E advantage now, I'm pretty much doomed. He knows it, and I know it.
Mein gott im himmel, I think he is not a newbie. Instead of diving towards me, he's testing me. Also, he is trying to gain more lateral separation before attacking again ... no my friend, I'm not turning away presenting you an easy kill.
I start a lag pursuit turn keeping my nose pointed just below him, reducing the separation and gaining some altitude at the same time. If he wants to attack, he will have to trade some energy doing it.
My plane is doing what it's designed to do. It's climbing like a rocket at 2400 RPM and 1.40 ATA reducing the foe's advantage, but I’m pushing it too hard and my engine's temps are already above the red line.
I must throttle down a bit to cool the engine or I'm going to damage the bearings in the process.
The Hurri's pilot realizes that I'm gaining altitude. He turns and dives forcing me into a guns defense maneuver. He wants his advantage back.
I just barrel roll, trying not to lose too much altitude in the process. I can't do much more. It works, he hasn't touched me, but he has gained lateral separation by trading some altitude.
We start now a shallow left climbing turn, watching each other movements. We’re in opposite sides of the circle. 1 circle, 2 circles, 3 circles, 4 circles.
He's running out of time because I'm reducing his altitude advantage after each circle. Then he makes his move, turning for a head on pass before starting a horizontal scissor maneuver. Challenge accepted :coolio:.
8x .303 mg's vs. 2x 7mm mg's + 2x 2cm cannons. We fire upon each other ... I feel some impacts as he flew through my bullets unharmed. Then we start the scissoring.
I have my left radiator puncturated and my plane is losing coolant ... but the battle isn't over yet.
We start waltzing around each other. In one of my right turns, I'm a bit too aggressive with my pull, dropping my airspeed below 200 kph. almost stalling. Fool of me, I've lost a lot of energy there!
Surprisingly, he has made a mistake too. He hasn't pulled hard enough, and I've got a firing solution, despite his speed advantage.
I roll my wings level and unload my plane opening fire. One of my canon shells impact on his left wing.
He pulls up, rolls over the top, dives into my flight path and opens fire as I break left.
Luckily, my cannon shell has damaged his port wing Mg's. He can't correct the yaw imbalance when he opens fire so he miss. When I regain visual contact, he's rtb'ing at max speed.
Time to call it a day, I should have been shotdown, but I managed to survive, somehow.
Minutes later I'm doing a perfect three point landing in the airfield but I'm sweating in my chair.
One of the best dogfight experiences so far in Clod. I didn’t noted the Hurricane's pilot name, but that was a hell of a show. I wish I had it recorded.
If you read this, my gallant foe, Salute!. Hope we meet soon again, this time in the same team :salute:.
We can share our victories, our mistakes, the funny moments, our "wtf!? you must be kidding" moments …
For example, yesterday I’ve one of the best hand to hand dogfights I can remember. I have to write it down because I don't want to forget it.
I hope you enjoy it, and please forgive my grammar mistakes.
(Edit: It turned out larger than expected. Best read with a beer mug or a cup of coffee nearby)
ATAG Server, 12/09/2011. German aerodrome. Calais sector. 9:30 mission time
I'm sitting in the cockpit of my old but trusty Bf-109 E3B "Green 13" reviewing the mission plan.
My Kameraden are having a busy time shooting down Wellingtons, so it's time for a fast solo mission.
The target is that annoying radar installations at Dover.
Loadout: Standard gun ammo load, SC250 with short delay fuse, 90% fuel.
Flight plan: I’ll keep it simple. Steer to 300, climb to 2500 m. or above, bomb the target and get out of Dodge City. It sounds easy enough.
I repeat out loud the start-up procedure, as always:
Preflight check complete. All systems OK
Trim tabs control + 1. CHECKED
Propeller pitch indicator: 12:00. CHECKED
Radiators OPEN
Cockpit CLOSED and LOCKED.
Fuel cock ON.
Magnetos ON
Prime the engine 5 times.
Open the throttle 1 cm.
Clear prop!
Starting... the pneumatic starter fires up, I count 3 blades and the engine catches up. Nice, it purrs like a kitty.
I reduce the throttle without flooding the engine.
Flaps 15є
The engine is still warming up and as I wait, I look at the sky. Scattered clouds at 1,8 - 2,5 km., winds calm. What a beautiful day.
I look at the temperatures: Oil temperature 40є, water temperature 50%. It’s takeoff time.
After releasing the brakes, I slowly increase the MP. The engine roars at 1.35 ata. I keep playing with my rudder maintaining the plane in straight line. The tail comes up and the speed increases very fast. 100, 120, 140, 160, 190, rotate, positive rate of climb, gear up.
I let the speed increase raising the flaps at the same time. After reducing the power to climb settings I put the aircraft in a wide left hand turn to my planned heading 300.
Several minutes later, I'm crossing the English coast at 3000 m. ASL. I start looking for my target. There it is!. 10 o'clock. It’s show time. I arm the bombs, and dive towards my target.
Bombs away!. I turn to my egress heading looking back at the radar. Direct impact! Take that englanders!
I'm now several km. into the sea, climbing back slowly to 3000 m but keeping my speed above 400 kph. I see a lone Spitfire at my 2 o'clock low, heading towards France. It’s a perfect opportunity to bounce him. I perform a gentle barrel roll into the foe, positioning myself in his low 6.
I open fire at point blank range with all my guns ... poor Tommy, he doesn't stand a chance. Next time watch your six, sweetie!.
I see his chute opening as the Spitfire falls from the sky.
I zoom climb back to altitude resuming my original heading of 120.
I'm delighted with the mission progress so I relax on my way to home. I'm feeling inspired so I try to rhyme popular mottos... Beware of the hun, that comes from the sun ... he's having so much fun ... uh, what rhymes with hun, sun, fun and makes sense?...
Wait a minute, I think to myself. You're alone, so who is checking your 6? Epic fail, noob.
I take a glance back just in time to see a hurricane at my 5 o'clock high diving towards me banking hard to his right.
He opens fire and I just react, I've no time to think: I chop the throttle, full stick back and left, full left rudder.
My (put that lovely british accent here) one-oh-nine flick-rolls, slowing down almost below the stall speed. The hurri has scored some hits on my plane, but I have avoided the worse part.
Poor Emil, it has some holes on the right wing and it's losing fuel. I'm shocked, but still alive and my plane's engine seems undamaged. We’re ready for combat, don't panic little grasshopper I repeat to myself, just keep flying.
I run the throttle through the gate pushing the nose down to regain some airspeed. The elegant hurricane is rolling slowly above me, ready for another pass.
He has a huge E advantage now, I'm pretty much doomed. He knows it, and I know it.
Mein gott im himmel, I think he is not a newbie. Instead of diving towards me, he's testing me. Also, he is trying to gain more lateral separation before attacking again ... no my friend, I'm not turning away presenting you an easy kill.
I start a lag pursuit turn keeping my nose pointed just below him, reducing the separation and gaining some altitude at the same time. If he wants to attack, he will have to trade some energy doing it.
My plane is doing what it's designed to do. It's climbing like a rocket at 2400 RPM and 1.40 ATA reducing the foe's advantage, but I’m pushing it too hard and my engine's temps are already above the red line.
I must throttle down a bit to cool the engine or I'm going to damage the bearings in the process.
The Hurri's pilot realizes that I'm gaining altitude. He turns and dives forcing me into a guns defense maneuver. He wants his advantage back.
I just barrel roll, trying not to lose too much altitude in the process. I can't do much more. It works, he hasn't touched me, but he has gained lateral separation by trading some altitude.
We start now a shallow left climbing turn, watching each other movements. We’re in opposite sides of the circle. 1 circle, 2 circles, 3 circles, 4 circles.
He's running out of time because I'm reducing his altitude advantage after each circle. Then he makes his move, turning for a head on pass before starting a horizontal scissor maneuver. Challenge accepted :coolio:.
8x .303 mg's vs. 2x 7mm mg's + 2x 2cm cannons. We fire upon each other ... I feel some impacts as he flew through my bullets unharmed. Then we start the scissoring.
I have my left radiator puncturated and my plane is losing coolant ... but the battle isn't over yet.
We start waltzing around each other. In one of my right turns, I'm a bit too aggressive with my pull, dropping my airspeed below 200 kph. almost stalling. Fool of me, I've lost a lot of energy there!
Surprisingly, he has made a mistake too. He hasn't pulled hard enough, and I've got a firing solution, despite his speed advantage.
I roll my wings level and unload my plane opening fire. One of my canon shells impact on his left wing.
He pulls up, rolls over the top, dives into my flight path and opens fire as I break left.
Luckily, my cannon shell has damaged his port wing Mg's. He can't correct the yaw imbalance when he opens fire so he miss. When I regain visual contact, he's rtb'ing at max speed.
Time to call it a day, I should have been shotdown, but I managed to survive, somehow.
Minutes later I'm doing a perfect three point landing in the airfield but I'm sweating in my chair.
One of the best dogfight experiences so far in Clod. I didn’t noted the Hurricane's pilot name, but that was a hell of a show. I wish I had it recorded.
If you read this, my gallant foe, Salute!. Hope we meet soon again, this time in the same team :salute:.