I pulled this from a post today by Robo over at the 1C forum which I regard as top notch specifically for the current plane modelling in Cliffs of Dover. We all probably have our own thoughts & experiences on this very topic, but it's a good read that I wanted to share with anyone who may have missed it over at 1C:
---------------------------
Posted by:Robo
*
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Nottingham, UK
Posts: 89
Regarding the actual topic, flying the Spitfire Mk.Ia - what has been said is valid for any fighter aicraft - e.g. stay fast, stay high (ideally both), loiter around dogfights and pick the strugglers etc.
The usual mistake you'll see on servers is Spits getting engaged with Bf 109s right after taking off (you got no choice sometimes, I know), but a 109 coming fast on you while you're down and slow is a difficult situation even for experienced pilot. You can turn better, but the 109 won't turn with you - he will zoom in and out, shooting at you in the process and you will be defending yourself hoping for a buddy to come over and help you out. It's so much better to be that buddy
The Spitfire is an excellent plane, it has got wings and it has got guns. You've got your head with brain in it. If you make good use of them three you can be very succesful pilot.
1. Unless you intend to practice defensive maneuvers and breaks, don't fly straight underneath the 109s. There are always some 109s near Hawkinge on ATAG - coming in various alts, make sure you're not below unless you have to. Climb instead and watch out for the enemy.
2. When engaged in a fight, say 109 above dives on you - break hard enough to make his shooting difficult, but keep your speed and gain some height whenever possible. Don't even think about outclimbing him, your plane can't do that. You won't be able to catch him either if he decides to break away. The key is to fly your maneuvers clean and make him bleed his energy trying to attack you, climbing afterwards, ideally rolling into his turn so he can't do a hammerhead on you. You will see if you're gaining, but carefuly with your nose up as if you get too slow trying to get a shot, your Merlin III will cut as your nose drops in a near stall situation and you will lose precious seconds. That's not worth it, if done correctly, you might as well gain some angles depending on the initial energy difference. Obviously, if he comes in with massive E advantage and zooms up 2km above you, you better bugger off. If you feel you can fight him despite his advantage, try doing this, chose trajectory where he won't be able to roll into you and shoot and don't pull more than necessary. It's a thing to master on all the aicraft - keep you energy, fly clean and smooth. Then, eventually he either notices he's sort of co-e with you and disengages, in which case let him and climb away and watch him closely. Or he won't notice the danger until you make some .303 holes in him. Just shot him down. If he hits you though, that's pity because you already made a mistake of being below a 109 and this is just a way to fix that mistake, doesn't work against good 109 pilots. Good news there is not many of them
3. Ideally, you made it to some 11-13k and you see a dogfight, perhaps some RAF chaps chasing a 109. Let them do their job, there is nothing more annoying than some hot shot spoiling your fight when you're behind your target. If you see a pair engaged in a fight in paragraph 2., e.g. a 109 zooming a Spit or a Hurri, it's your turn. Don't go in being another Spit the 109 zooms! Climb and get the bugger when he can't see you. It's all about timing, the Emil yo-yos up and down, slowing down for a hammerhead or immelman - that's when you want to get him. He probably won't see you at all as he's busy not losing the contact underneath him. You can dive on him or even better, make a zoom climb as you got more control that way. Even if he hears you or sees you coming, there is nothing much he can do. Make sure you hit him, the 303 are devastating if used right. Practice your shooting!
3. The 109 pilots sometimes think they can outclimb you. But they can not. If you come from good position, if you can keep your energy and if you fly clean, you'll catch them and let them have it. That is priceless feeling in any aircraft, but slightly more so in a RAF fighter against a 109 because you beat them on their own ground so to speak.
4. If you happen to be in a co-e fight against a 109, what you do all depends on how your oponent handles the plane. You can outturn him (but don't bleed too much speed), he's stronger on the vertical (especially stall fight as your engine will caugh, his won't), fly yo-yos to trade speed for alt and fly better than him. Shoot better than him and you will win. Good 109 pilot won't turn with you and rather decides to extend and come back with advantage. This is rather hypothetical as if you see a Emil turning after you you know he doesn'k know what he's doing and if he keeps doing that you'll be shooting at him after 2 cycles. Still, don't go too horizontal, fly clean lag and pull only as hard as you need to win the fight and keep your speed. Careful with 109s going in fast, they turn better than you for at that speed (theirs is high, yours is low) and certainly can get few 20mm holes in you.
Above applies to Hurricane as well, the difference being mainly maneuvrability, speed and roll rate, but they somehow share the main characteristics regarding basic advantages - disadvantages against a 109.
Bookmarks