Posted by: Oliver 'inet' Schwarz

Message: Yesterday i have flown a few hops in the MA.

Although it was very late in the war i grabbed a 109g6 and headed off to purp-land. About half the way i encountered a purp ki84 about 750 meters below heading my way.

He started a shallow climb up to me. No one else around. I started a climb towards him myself, in the hope of dropping on him as he is about to pass under me. Everything went well according to my plan, but i missed him. After that move i still had an e-advantage, but not enough to re-attack, so naturally he was gaining on me, and ended up on my 6. I was able to shake him a few times but he always came back to my 6. After 5 mins he finally got me. :(

Just out of pure interest, what would you have done in my situation?

Oliver alias inet

Posted by: Bino (II./JG54)

Message:

The Bf-109G-6 has very few advantages that it can exploit against the late-war planes, but climb rate at high altitude is one. Take the fight up to about 6km before you burn any E trying to get angles on a badguy. A Frank will be able to out-accelerate, out-turn, *and* out-climb you at lower altitudes. And remember, the 109 rope-a-dope takes patience to apply correctly.

All IMHO, of course.

bino--

Posted by: Stiglr Stab JG5

Message:

you made three mistakes.

1) You missed the initial shot. Use that rudder better next time!

2) You must've gone below the Frank when you blew the gun pass. Otherwise he should not have been able to gain your 6, as you should have been able to spiral climb away from him as he went for angles.

3) Then, once you blew that E advantage and the Frank gained your 6, you failed to use the Frank's speed against him. At that point, you should have dropped the nose to pick up speed and let Frankie chase you, preferably towards home and/or some friendlies. Once he's in close at high speed, his roll rate problems begin to show. You should have been able to get him out of plane relative to you and either run or turn the tables.

Posted by: Pica 1/6 Spitfire

Message:

hehe seriously, out of any airplane I fear, it is the KI that I fear the most. You got into a situation that you had to make the kill on the first pass. Either run or roll the dice, don't know what else.

I did just have a similar situation yesterday though. Was in a spit xiv and met a ki (--pa--), where I did miss. So into a defensive spiral climb. pa kept following me till we hit 32K. all the while he was d9 - d12 behind me. Guess the KI doesnt handle as well as the spit at that height because he brode off and dove. I dove after him and got some pings. but he seamed to break up in his dive a few seconds later.

So if you can't outclimb him, don't know what else you could have done.

P/O Gazoo, 401 Squadron, RCAF Rams

YO-G

Posted by: Bino (II./JG54)

Message: The Frank doen't have many weaknesses, but poor roll rate at high speed is one you can exploit in planes like the F4U and FW. Of course, poor roll at speed is one of the XIV's weaknesses, too, so you're on your own in a Dweebfire.

;-)

bino--