The second edition contains clarification's, updates as well as ideas that I just plain forgot to put in the first edition! Also included a new section on dealing with the George. Version 2a resulted from actually carefully proof reading the document.
Preface: Several people mentioned to me that they wanted to learn how to fly the F4U effectively in Air Warrior. For reasons that remain unclear, several have asked me for advice on this matter. While not an Air Warrior Old Timer by any means, I have flown the Corsair for some time and gained considerable experience flying the Big Hog. For this reason I thought I would share some of my thoughts on how to exploit the F4U's many outstanding qualities on-line. Also, it is perhaps the most mishandled plane in the PTO. Beginners in particular take the plane up, do terrible in it, and the immediately cast it aside for planes like the Hellcat and KI-84. The F4U is a plane with many subtle nuances. As with most fighters which rely mostly on energy tactics, it takes quite a bit of tactical acumen and heads-up situational awareness in order to get the most out of the plane.
For the benefits of all I will start at the beginning and work up. The experienced pilot is requested to bear with me. Since the F4U is an Energy Fighter, my thoughts on that realm of endeavor is also heavily covered.
Opening Comments: With a couple notable exceptions all the Air Warrior fighters can be flown successfully, provided the pilot learns to exploit the strong points and avoid the weak points of any plane which he chooses to fly. The key to success is to be true to the planes characteristics. Don't push the plane into a situation which it is ill suited. The F4U has many outstanding traits that can be exploited by the schooled pilot, and these can be used to fly it with great success for many victory.
This text is written considering the AW planes and gunnery as they are currently (July 95) modeled. Future changes in the Kesmai software, might result in subtle or even dramatic changes in some of the planes mentioned. These changes should be considered when reading this guide in the future. However, the general doctrine should apply to almost any flight simulation where the F4U is reasonably modeled.
Also, I have tried to avoid Air Combat Maneuver techno- babble whenever possible. One, I hardly understand it myself, and second, dropping fancy phrases is more likely to confuse than teach. An understanding of the bare bones basics of ACM is assumed however. Undoubtedly some of the maneuvers I describe go by fancier names in some other source. I prefer to coin my own (sometimes colorful) descriptions, and keep them simple.
The F4U Corsair is without question the outstanding Energy Fighter in the Pacific theater. Indeed, among those who have flown it extensively, many believe it is the finest overall prop plane available in the Air Warrior W.W.II Arena. The more I fly the plane and begin to understand its subtleties, the more I agree with that assessment. While I fly almost all the Air Warrior Fighters, I return again and again to the F4U.
Fly to a planes strengths to succeed! With this in mind...
1. Speed. The F4U is fast. It is the third fastest plane in the pacific theater.
2. Climb Rate: The F4U climbs quickly. Only the P38, George and Hellcat approach the F4U excellent climb rate in the PTO. Equally importantly, the F4U can out climb both the PTO planes which can catch it in level flight - the P51 and KI-84.
3. Retains Energy: The F4U keeps its energy very well. The ability of a plane to retain energy factors very heavily into making the it an acceptable candidate for energy fighting. The F4U shines in this department.
4. Ammo Load: The F4U's ammo load is the stuff of legend. The F4U pilot hardly ever has to look down with apprehension on his Ammo Load indicator needle on the Air Warrior Dash. A stingy and patient Hog pilot can easily land multiple kill missions on a consistent basis.
5. Durability: The Hog can take some heavy hits and keep flying. It is the second most durable fighter in Air Warrior. With the sometimes bizarre nature of the Air Warrior gunnery model, the F4U's durability adds a bit of a "comfort zone".
6. High Altitude Capability: The Hog's performance holds up well at high altitude. The higher the fight the more the F4U likes it. In fact in the 20K plus arena where angle fighting begins to lose its relevance, the F4U energy fighting skills are enhanced, and the Hog becomes doubly deadly.
7. Dive: The F4U dives like an aerodynamic brick. The dreaded effects of compression set in slowly, and the Hog accelerates well in a dive, enabling it to overhaul almost any plane in a power dive.
8. Roll Rate: The F4U has a decent roll rate. Although this is not a godsend it allows the F4U to flip around quickly. Like its distant energy fighting cousin the FW-190 (which has the best roll rate of all), the F4U can use its roll rate to keep its more maneuverable foes at bay for short periods of time, especially at high speed. Mostly I try to exploit the roll rate when caught in a defensive situation, and hopefully confuse my opponent enough with a few quick rolls to either turn the tables, or gain enough separation to extend out of range. The good roll rate can also be exploited in a dog fighting situation against the few planes that the F4U can compete with in that department.
9. High Speed Handling: The F4U handles well at high speed. Also, since the F4U retains energy better than almost all PTO fighters, as long as the Hog keeps the fight fast, the F4U can hang in there even with planes that are more maneuverable at slow speeds.
10. Zoom Climb: Because of its powerful engine, the Hog can "go ballistic" with the best of them. In the vertical the hog will usually leave others hanging on their prop well before it has to level its wings.
11. Its Big and Blue and its "gull-wings" look really cool. While these factors add few features to the planes flight characteristics, man does not live by bread alone.
1. Its not a stall fighter. The F4U is a poor "turn and burn" dogfighter. Frankly, once its airspeed drops much below 200 knots, it handles terribly. In a stall fight 150 knots IAS is usually the kiss of death for the big plane. Its sustained turn rate at low speed is terrible, and it has a tendency to stall itself into a vicious spin given even the slightest excuse.
The only fighters that it can try to outfly in a stall fight are the P51, P47, and N1K2, and that's not saying much. If you want to mix it up low in the eternal furball over the PTO central Atoll, take another fighter. A sustained flat energy bleeding turn in the horizontal plane is about the last maneuver you want to do in an F4U. Indeed, such turns will probably be the last thing you do, quite literally, before you are shot down.
2. Lethality: The F4U has no cannon, so its lethality is only average. Luckily this is offset by a couple of factors in the F4U's favor. The F4U's massive ammo load does a lot to make up for this, and many of the planes in the PTO, specifically the numerous KI-84's and Zero's are not particularly durable. However when facing F6F's or other Corsairs the F4U pilot needs to be mindful that he's going to have to dish out a lot of punishment on those fighters to down them. . The P38 is still a pretty big target, but it can soak up the hits so it still takes many "pings" to down it.
3. Stall: The F4U's spin is vicious, and quick recover (which isn't easy) is required in order to save the engine from oil deprivation (i.e. "porked"). Standard stall recover will usually bring the big bird back, but it might also be necessary to throttle down to cut engine torque. AW also allows you to cut the engine completely, this being a handy trick to keep the engine from becoming "porked". Stalling below 1000 feet is generally fatal, although a hard punch on the rudder might pop the Hog out of the spin provided that the spin isn't too severe. If you manage to survive the spin without augering in there is another worry. Once that oil gauge drops below 50, your flying a wounded bird for the rest of your flight. If you see the oil gauge dropping towards 50% - cut the engine. Also the Hog isn't particularly polite in regard to giving you warnings of an impending stall.
One of the less complementary nick-names the F4U assumed historically was "The Ensign Eliminator" due to its unforgiving flight characteristics. The F4U needed an experienced hand at the stick. In that at least, AW models history pretty well. The current version of AW does not model torque, which is just as well since that would make it even harder to handle at low speed. If AW ever does model torque it will be necessary to apply firm rudder on take off, as well as being gentle with the throttle on take off. Suddenly fire walling the throttle would cause the big bird to flip because of the massive torque of the engine. This was the fatal mistake that many trainees made and gained the Hog the aforementioned nick-name.
Take off: A carrier take off can be tricky if your packing bombs and a big load of gas. Generally, using full flaps and keep the wheel brakes engaged until the bird starts to roll. If your especially heavily loaded using WEP for the takeoff run might also be wise. If the nose drops a bit after takeoff, hit the WEP and pull in the landing gear ASAP. Prayer might also be in order. Practice this off line until you can do it without a hitch. If this causes fear to run up your spine, take off from a land based field.
Landings - Land based fields: Cut throttle to near zero. Do not engage flaps. Float down to the end of the runway. Make sure you are under 150 knots - although 100 knots is preferred. Don't bring down the gear until you are under 250 or you may suddenly nose yourself right into terra firma. Keep the nose slightly high and let the plane land itself. Don't try to force it into the ground.
Landings - Carriers: Patience is the key here. Do a low "flyby" to starboard throttle down and go to full flaps. When you have brought yourself to about 100 knots or less turn into your final approach. You want to be slightly above 100 feet as you reach the carrier, then cut throttle and engage the tail hook. You can cheat by nosing down slightly at the very end. (The key world is slightly.) If you miss the arresting wire located on the white strip pour on the coal and take off for another pass. Carrier landings with enemy around anywhere in the area are not recommended. Carrier landings take concentration and patience. If there are any baddies in the sector go to a land based field.
Dive brakes: The Hog can use its landing gear as an impromptu dive brake. I hardly ever use it however because using it often simply noses you into a negative G redout and results in a less than friendly contact with mother earth. Also its usually anathema for me to surrender even an ounce of energy in most situations. However using the landing gear as an impromptu "air anchor" can be used as a last ditch defensive move. If you have been completely outmaneuvered or are hopelessly "blacked out" in the "dead zone" of a flat turn, popping the gear might just make the guy on your six overshoot. This can't be recommended, but if you are a flying dead man almost anything is worth a try to give you a new lease on life.
The Hog also had more useful Dive brakes which can be accessed via the spacebar or programmed onto a control button. These are much more useful that the landing gear method. It doesn't dump energy radically, but is useful in a stall fight, or to put out the anchors during a dive and to overcome compression. They are also very useful for pulling those couple extra degrees of lead during a pass where you have a high closure rate and might be required to shoot with a lot of deflection. Leaning on the drive brake naturally cuts your energy level, so don' rely on them simply to make a difference in a pass that is already a lost cause.
Spins: Avoiding them - The Hog doesn't like maneuvering at less than 150 knots. As stated before this speed is the kiss of death in many situations. If you find your IAS around that area and you start horsing the stick around a spin is very likely. Gently correct your attitude to get your air speed back up.
Also, if your angle of attack is steep you can get hit by an accelerated stall at even more than 150 knots. If your starting a loop or an Immelmann, punch at least 1 notch of flaps. If your airspeed is dropping like a rock got to full flaps. The hog can "make it over the top" at surprisingly slow speed if the wings are kept very level, but its risky.
Compression: The Corsair is pretty forgiving in this area fortunately. The big blue bird will usually give you plenty of warning as compression sets in due to extreme speeds. Not being Techno-Guru, I wouldn't want to even try to go into the flight dynamics of compression. However, the AW flight model tends to place a higher emphasis on angle of attack than altitude to calculate how much concrete gets poured into the base of your joystick. Generally angles of 45 degrees down and worse are very dangerous. However, the Hog can hang in even at ultra- high speeds with a shallow nose down attitude. If a high speed embrace with Mother Earth appears likely, at least in a shallow dive the Corsair driver has plenty to time to chop throttle to zero, hit the dive brake, and horse the stick back to maximum deflection. Blacking out is the least of your worries in such a situation. The Corsairs airframe can withstand tremendous G loads, so the plane coming apart is a not a worry. However, even the best built Corsair will come apart when hitting the ground at 400 knots.
Terra Firma: Like most planes the F4U doesn't like striking the earth at high speeds. Bad for the airframe. When pulling out of a dive don't forget that your nose attitude doesn't always indicate what direction you are flying. When pulling out of a dive remember the plane will continue to "flatten out" the bottom of the dive curve even if the nose attitude tell you should be pulling out of the dive. Translated, that means that you are still going down, even though you seem to be pulling out of the dive. This could lead to a quick end of your flying adventure.
Fighters are offensive weapons, and offensive weapons work best when they fight from positions where they, not the enemy have the initiative. Being in a defensive position is inherently bad for fighter aircraft. The pilot, to be successful, needs to maneuver throughout the fight to assure that he and not his opponent dictates the pace of combat, starts with the initiative, and keeps it throughout the fight. For the F4U, this means using energy and position in a deadly combination of maneuver and fire.
When flying the F4U as an energy fighter, energy is more important than position. Position is transitory for the F4U. This point, as well as several others are repeated many times in the text. And for good reason - they are important if not vital points!
While the stall fighter lives to obtain position, the F4U with its slower turn rate and (it is too be hoped) higher speed cannot hope to turn with its target on a majority of occasions. But it doesn't have to! By using energy wisely, the F4U can almost always regain position for that "moment of truth" shot.
The Energy fighter fights from a position of advantage only. The advantage we are discussing here is the big "E" - Energy. The F4U is a pretty simple plane to fly. If you maintain a superior energy state to all your nearby potential opponents you are pretty much untouchable. You on the other hand will be able to reach out touch them quite effectively - with the six 50 cal. machine guns that Chance-Vought was thoughtful enough to provide. Why is this? The F4U is slower than both the P51 and KI-84 in the Pacific; however it can out climb both to keep out of harms way provided things get ugly. The F4U can simply show its heels to all other PTO fighters.
Many simply point to the fact that the KI-84 is faster and are therefore reluctant to fly the F4U in the Pacific, afraid some KI-84 will overhaul them and womp them in a stall fight. The F4U which gets embroiled in a stall fight with a KI-84 is at a marked disadvantage it is true. However, the Hogs great climb rate can leave the more maneuverable KI-84 eating dust if properly applied.
The Stang on the other hand, is at a disadvantage against the F4U in a stall fight. So the Hog pilot doesn't have to worry about being overmatched in a knife-fight. In many respects these are the keys to the F4U's success in the Pacific. With correct tactics the F4U pilot can usually dictate the fight. And dictating the fight on your terms rather than that of the enemy is the key to victory.
Tactics: The key to successfully using energy tactics is about 80% successfully assessing which fight to fight and which fight to "flight". There are numerous factors that effect tactical assessment.
The Numbers Game: Even if we don't want to admit it, numbers, not skill, usually determine success or failure in the Air Warrior Arenas. The Energy Fighter can cheat fate to some degree by virtue of being to choose when to engage and when not to engage. The Angle Fighter however, once committed to the "low and slow" fight is basically locked in to a "win or die" situation. Egress from a Dogfight, especially one where the numbers are against you is fraught with difficulties. This is why most in historical air combat most pilots avoided the dogfight.
Even in W.W.I, a dogfighters heaven by any standard, most of the top Aces avoided the huge multi-plane furballs. They were content to float above the conflagration, their protective wingmen in tow and pick off an occasional straggler. Furballs were often deemed just too risky for those who lived in the ultimate "One Life" arena. No matter how good you are at angle fighting, the odds catch up all too soon. Numbers are the ultimate arbiter of the successful angle fight.
The Second major factor in the successful Energy Fighter is patience. Develop it into a fine art. Practice deep breathing techniques! Do Yoga! Whatever! Don't "lose your head" and just jump right into the nearest furball! Especially with a Hog! I often work a "mark" for an extended period of time. Once all the cards are in your favor apply the Coup de Grace. Its not fair, but well that's war. The Energy Fighter may lead a boring life, but he has a better chance of seeing the friendly runway rising up to meet him at the end of a tough mission.
To engage or not to engage, that is the question!
Judge your energy state as compared to that of the enemy. This involves two factors. Altitude and Speed.
Assessing altitude discrepancy is easy to assess of course unless you are very much higher or lower than the enemy. If you are well above the enemy it is a fairly safe assumption that you have a superior energy state. When altitude is fairly equal, assessing the energy state of your opposition is sometimes more art than science. There are several clues that will allow you assess what the speed of your opposition is. It is more difficult to judge the energy state of a target moving towards you than going away. If your plane to the rear of the enemy it is a relatively easy matter to assess his speed by comparing your speed to the rate of closure. That is, how fast your are overhauling him, if he is slow, or how fast he is pulling away if he is faster. If the distance counter on the dash is spinning like a top you its pretty safe to assume your target is not tooling along, if you are heading towards each other.
On the other hand, if you are closing on the enemy from the rear, the rate of closure is a reasonably good indicator of his speed. Also, it is more difficult to judge an enemies speed who is flying at an angle to you rather than flying straight at or away from you. Unless you can do trigonometry in your head, this often involves a lot of guesswork.
Your targets recent activities can give you a clue as to his energy state. What's he doing now, or what has he done recently? A target near takeoff or landing is lucky to be doing 200 knots IAS. A gentle climb is usually an indication of fairly low speed. A plane in zoom climb usually means that the pilot has energy to burn. He is reconverting his speed to altitude. There is nothing like experience however to make a snap judgment on enemy energy state. And even the most experienced pilots "guess wrong" now and again, and end up not having to worry about spending tedious on-line dollars landing those "Kills". The Air Warrior Host is thoughtful enough to provide quick and free transportation to headquarters for pilots who have been shot down.
As a general rule it is very unwise to commit to an attack when there are known enemies above you. This violates the rule of engaging from advantage. Although there are exceptions to virtually all "rules of engagement", this is one that the hog driver in particular must commit to memory.
There is an exception to this. If you are at 20k and there is a nose-bleeder at 30k eyeing you over, by all means drop down to troll the furball at 10k. The much higher fighter is more likely to pass you up as a target if he has to "spend" his horde of energy chasing you down 4 miles! Even if he does, by the time you both get to the furball at 10k, much of his energy advantage will have eroded.
Numbers: Numbers are a "force multiplier". (to use a favored buzzword) in the truest sense. If your side has numbers it is easy to engage; however as the numbers stack against you the threat increases geometrically as numbers move up numerically. Engaging numbers is always risky. Diving into a furball, and getting dragged into a "turn and burn" scenario is generally folly with an F4U anyway. Doing so when you are outnumbered is a sure way to pad some other guys kill total. Also remember if your diving through a host of enemies on a gun pass you only have to misjudge the energy state of one of the enemy gaggle to end up floating home.
So as a general rule, the bigger the numbers are stacked against you the bigger the initial energy advantage should be. Caution should be redoubled and patience stretched to near infinity in such situations. Be a hunter, work the "mark", wait for a straggler to disengage. Don't ever just dive in and start turning with the horde, unless living is something you have no interest in. The F4U can roar through a pack, administer a kill and climb away regardless of the numbers and live to bounce again given the right set of conditions. No matter how many give chase, the bad guys will never catch you provided you simply stay in a gentle high speed climb. If some KI-84 wants to follow you up to 30k - so much the better. At 30k the KI-84 is just another kill decal on the fuselage of your F4U anyway, but more on that later.
Situational assessment: After assessing the energy state of his potential target(s), and the numbers involved, there are other tactical assessments that need to be made. The key to success to keep control of the tactical situation; that is make sure no "loose ends" end up getting you killed.
Recheck the radar. After having assessed the tactical situation as favorable, it is very important to periodically reassess the big tactical picture.
This is one of the biggest mistakes pilots make. It is all too easy to get caught up in the fight and lose control of the situation. Even the most experienced pilots often make this mistake. If landing your missions is something that is important to you, it is very important to know when to disengage!
Has a enemy flight appeared on radar? Furballs tend to draw a crowd, so its always best be the last guy to show up! Keep an eye out for the "tail end charlies" flying in to join the fun. A radar icon appearing and moving towards the fight is almost always going to be at higher altitudes, and thus present a bigger threat, than any number of slow moving whirling dervishes within a furball.
Is the number equation turning dramatically against? If you check the radar icons and there are way too may of the "wrong" colors, and your buddies, who were recently at your side have done you discourtesy of being shot down, you have probably already waited too long to disengage and extend towards friendly airspace. Keep track of the ongoing combat as it develops, recheck the radar, check for new threats. If the numbers start to slip away, use that energy you have been hoarding and zoom away to fight again.
Beware of defensive tricks. The radio is often the most powerful weapon of war. Know when to use it, and know when it may be used against you. Watch out for "drag and bag" and "bait and switch" defenses. If you are pursuing an enemy plane, especially if he is heading towards home, its fairly likely he's alerting his buddies as to your altitude and heading. If you are low you are going to be vulnerable to counter attack.
Out of the Sun! - The element of surprise: Historically much of air combat revolved around gaining surprise. With the notoriously poor rear visibility of most W.W.II fighters (who designed these planes anyway - certainly not pilots!) tactics often revolved around maneuvering for a rear quarter "bounce", ideally versus an enemy who for any number of reasons had not spotted his attacker. Historically, spotting the enemy and identifying him first was THE biggest factor in air combat success. Air Warrior does not address this factor, except perhaps indirectly, in its simulation.
Air Warrior has several aides which help visibility conspicuously, particularly the ubiquitous plane "icon" which appears both on radar as well as both sides of the dash. Provided the pilot is viewing the correct view key at the time, he is immediately clued in to the identity and range of his attacker. (Except for the notorious "Doppler shift" in the rear view mirror.) This means of course that no one is ever blown of the sky by an unseen attacker right? Wrong!
Surprise, both total and partial are a big factors in a successful Boom and Zoom kill in the Air Warrior Arena. The astute Hog Driver needs to keep a keen eye for situations linked to human frailties and psychology that can be exploited to gain surprise on the opponent.
Total surprise is that thing most devoutly to be hoped for. The Pilots killer instinct is usually gratified to the extreme after executing a "one- pass kill" on a target whose wings never wavered in response. While the "swivel-headed" Ace checks his view key every ten seconds for bogies, the less vigilant Dweeb tends to be lazy or become inattentive in his duties.
It takes about 20-30 seconds of inattention to die unawares in Air Warrior Arena, and that is probably a generous assessment, even with a seemingly empty friendly sky all around. The relatively benign blue square on radar can turn from a unidentified dot to an enemy "F4U" icon closing fast and finally into a "on your six" obituary notice in a shockingly short period of time. The F4U in a full power dive can keep control at almost 400 knots at most engagement altitudes. This means that the defender has to react pretty fast to stay with the living.
Usually I try to keep the pass at speeds of less that 350 knots because compression can spoil your run, making last minute targeting adjustments impossible. However, when a plane has given no sign of sighting me as I close in, I usually just push it to the max and touch the dive brake or throttle back if needed at the last possible moment to regain control to get the gunsight on target. Getting that "one pass" kill often revolves around diagnosing an inattentive pilot.
"Its Miller Time": The Pilot tooling back to base at cruising speed after a tough mission may be less attentive than regulations require. Assessing the targets energy state is much easier when there is only one enemy in range, and the F4U can attack with impunity with a superior energy state. The "Miller Time" pilot keeps flying straight and level even as you begin your bounce. The ideal "Miller Time " pilot is a pilot flying alone. As a straggler he is an ideal target. (See below)
"Smoke Break": Players tend to be less attentive during, or right after they execute a kill. They are either concentrating on getting the enemy plane in their sights, or gloating over their kill. Chances are they are not flipping through their available views. This is a good time to attempt a pass. Also planes that are right in the middle of killing a plane are usually flying fairly straight, making them pretty easy targets.
"The Pack Rat". The guy in a middle of a squadron of his buddies may ease off of the view keys because his buddies will warn him if about to be bounced. Like the "Miller Time" pilot the "Pack Rat" keeps tooling along straight and level as you approach the formation, making him easy to spot. One note of caution however: Attacking the "Pack Rat" target is inherently risky. If the whole formation breaks back into your attack, head for the stratosphere with WEP engaged. Also, as I have mentioned, with so many enemy to assess, you only have to misjudge the e-state of one of the planes in the group to end up being the one floating home. This is especially true if there are no other enemy counters on their radar for them to chew on. If you have doubts about the energy state of the pack, you are rolling the dice making a pass on your intended victim.
"Sensory Overload". This guy is checking out multiple bandits at once. He's got too many to watch and too little time to decide which is the most threatening. With a stealthy approach angle and a little luck he might never see you. The first indications of an attack might be a couple of loud noises, a red screen, and a "you have been shot down" notification.
The "Speed Demon": This Pilot is confident that his six is clear because he roaring along at high speed. Math says otherwise. A F4U at 400 knots closes on planes doing 300 knots. This often leads to the ultimate "Q.E.D." - another kill painted on your fuselage. (See "Foxhound" below)
The Straggler: The plane is well below your patrolling F4U. He is fair distance from any friendly airfield and none of his buddies are close. You hold all the Aces even if he spots you. Attack.
The Wounded Bird: This plane is trying to leave a furball, maybe even smoking. He is making a beeline for the nearest friendly airfield, perhaps at very low altitude for no apparent reason. These are indicators that he is hurt or low on ammo or gas. Since mercy is not the vocabulary of the Air Warrior Pilot, an immediate dusting is called for.
The "Low and Slow and out of Ideas": The typical "vultch" victim. The lower the airspeed the easier the target.
The "Vultch": Killing a guy just into his take off is the easiest kill of all. This is rather a sore point with many pilots, who think that hovering above an enemy airfield waiting for some poor unsuspecting enemy to pop up is unsporting. Of course everybody in Air Warrior vultches, but most claim that others do it to the exclusion of all other types of air combat activity.
My philosophy on this is: Expect no quarter and give none. If the plane is not the same color as the country you are flying for - its fair game at any and all times. War is hell, and its not particularly fair either. If the guy doesn't check his views before starting his engine or deliberately takes off knowing his field is under low level attack, he deserves what he gets, good or bad.
In their current incarnation Air Warrior airfields are very weakly defended, perhaps in the future airfields might gain their historical reputation of tough nuts to crack.
In any event, the F4U is not the ideal "vultching" platform despite its huge ammo load. Staying low for extended periods of time is generally not healthy with any plane, and is especially bad with a plane that maneuvers as poorly as the F4U. If "vultching" is your aim, the F6F comes highly recommended. It is probably the best plane in AW to perform the odious task of "vultching".
The "Social Climber": This guy makes the mistake of climbing too steeply at very low speed to try to gain your altitude. He's a sitting duck at under 150 knots.
The "Fox Hound" The Foxhound a plane in high speed pursuit of an enemy plane. The Foxhound usually is afflicted with a bad case of tunnel vision. He wants that sure kill so badly that he is neglecting his views. The same math used with the "Speed Demon" (see above) applies, however the "Foxhound" is even less likely to check his six, and even if he does he may ignore your attack and keep pursuing that "easy kill" just out of gun range. With luck you can pick off two or three "Foxhounds" in one very high speed pass in quick succession. Do a "Side Swoop" (see below) and chances are he will be flying Swiss cheese when he finally figures out he is under attack.
The Parlor Magician is an expert at making the target audience miss what's really going on. The successful B&Z pilot also knows that a distracted unaware target is a dead target.
"Now you see me now you don't". The rear and down views are the hardest to access via the keyboard, so are less likely to be checked. For this reason attacks from those quadrants are less likely to be spotted in time. Attacks from 6 o'clock high are the most likely to be spotted because those are the views most often checked by Air Warrior Pilots. To avoid being spotted it is better to attack from different rear-quarter directions if possible.
The Low Bounce: Dip under your targets "rear" view before you enter Icon range (5000 yards). This generally requires a big edge in speed since you have to climb back up slightly to shoot. If your closure rate is suspect, boring right in might be a better bet.
This is without question the best surprise attack of all, and the most difficult to achieve. Often the situation appears suddenly by chance, and the ability to see the tactical opportunity is fleeting. Also since surprise is almost always total in this kind of attack, it is permitted to bend the rules a bit in regards to the rules of engagement. If the target is unaware of your presence, all that is required is a gun solution for an almost guaranteed kill. Also, if he does spot at the last moment he will probably immediately go to a radical evasive maneuver, more intent on escaping from his brush with death than of getting on your six. In other words, even if the energy state is pretty equal you will still have the initiative psychologically. Total surprise triggers the "flight" instinct to escape. Only the coolest and most experienced pilots will try to turn the tables immediately from that kind of situation.
The Side Swoop: You are in a 3 or 9 o'clock high position. Swoop down into a 5 or 7 o'clock low position to take your shot. I've considered applying for a patent for this move, but unfortunately there isn't much in Air Combat that hasn't been done better by someone else. However this is the bread and butter kind of move that has the target muttering "Where did that guy come from?" upon his return to HQ.
The Gun Pass: Gun passes of 300-350 knots are an acceptable standard. Speeds less than that are risky, and approach folly as you approach 200 knots IAS. Remember that it is the speed at time of engagement, not initial speed that matters.
Attack angle: Generally its a bad idea to have too steep an attack angle when making a gun pass. There are several good reasons for this. Steep attack angle means your airspeed is going to very high, and your rate of closure high. If the deflection angle of your shot is high getting a hit will be difficult. Also, an extremely high rate of closure will make it more difficult to "one pass" the target. This is especially true if the target is a lumbering bomber. If you are well above your target it is a good idea to swoop low first and flatten your attack angle as you approach your target, rather than just bore straight in.
Overshooting your target and having to squander energy pulling out of your power dive is a big threat if you just head straight for the target from well above.
This is probably the biggest "Dweeb" mistake that spoils many attack passes for beginning energy fighters. Even experienced pilots lost in the excitement of the hunt will commit this cardinal error. Indeed, this is probably the mistake I commit the most often. I kick myself for it afterwards for being a stupid Dweeb of course, but that doesn't keep me from doing it again when iron discipline fails.
If you do make this mistake do not pull mega G's trying to "correct" your mistake with a quick pullout! That's the second cardinal error! You will bleed energy like a stuck pig, your enemy will most likely now be well above you and you will have blown all your advantage. It is best to just to disengage with a gentle pull back on the stick and extend away with the realization that you make a mistake. Its not great of course, but it beats being shot down by the guy who seconds ago was pretty much at your mercy. That is really embarrassing when it happens! I know, because it has happened to me!
A high attack angle means that if you don't dust the guy on the first pass, the loss of energy involved in recovering from the overshoot could cause you to lose much if not all of your energy advantage. The closer you get the to target the less angle you want. Thirty degrees should be the absolute steepest attack angle at the time you take your shot. I usually like to see much less. Actually I want to be starting my zoom out with nose up as I enter into gun range, but this is not always possible.
As you gain more experience with the F4U (or any energy fighter for that matter), you will begin to take more liberties with the "rule of attack angle". That is because the difference speed between you and the target are closely intertwined with attack angle in determining the success or failure of the bounce. Miscalculation can lead to either a disastrous overshoot, and or just plain blowing the pass. The general rule being: the higher the attack angle, the lesser the speed difference must be for a successful bounce to be executed. This particular phenomenon lead logically to the maneuver to be discussed next - the Drop.
The Drop: Maneuver into a position directly above your target. If you insist on dropping on somebody with a very steep dive angle, there is a correct way to do it. Hovering like a Hawk above the target will hopefully panic the target. He may stand on his prop, cutting his airspeed, or try to dive away.
It is very hard to judge a planes attitude and intent when it is directly above you. Oddly enough you don't want too much difference in airspeed when you conduct a drop. Often go into a very high Immelmann, and then just hang inverted at speeds as low as 100 knots IAS above your target. This will usually provoke a panic as the target tries to either dive away or climb into you.
If the target has enough energy to start pulling his nose up into your attack when you drop on him, your attack will probably not succeed. What you want to do is wait for the target to declare its intent, and then execute the bounce. The key to success in this maneuver is to drop into a rear quarter shot, not a head-on shot. By using the targets plane attitude as a guide its possible to roll into a rear quarter firing position. Also, with an initial low airspeed, it's easier to follow the target planes break and get a rear quarter shot. A patient target will not panic and keep his airspeed up and await your move! A faulty drop will result in you overshooting the target at very high speed with a very steep dive angle results in a substantial loss of the energy advantage you have worked to gain, since you have to pull out at high G's shedding energy at a prodigious rate. Also a slower initial attack speed allows you to track the break for a longer period of time that would be possible if your airspeed is much higher.
The Drop is most effective against a target that loses its head and tries to climb at low air speed or panics into a dive. A slow target is a sitting duck even for a head on or deflection shot. Once the target presents his tail in a dive the Corsairs excellent dive characteristics come into play. The Hog should overhaul the target easily and administer a quick kill.
The Drop transitioning to the "Anchor": If you drop on a foe without a huge advantage in energy it is possible to for the F4U to drop the anchors by cutting throttle and smashing the drive brake to cut airspeed suddenly and dramatically as you close for the shot. This means the instantaneous turn performance of the F4U will suddenly jump allowing you to follow a break far farther than the target would assume possible. Doing this takes a big investment in energy, and is not recommended when there are multiple foes in the area.
The drop can be a double edged sword versus an experienced pilot however, who by keeping his airspeed high, dodging your pass, and waiting for the overshoot can try to turn the tables quickly. I have found that using this maneuver to settle into a "saddle up" position by dropping "anchor" and settling up the breaking targets six at near equal airspeed is the best thing you can hope for against a good pilot. This maneuver is inherently tricky, and is not recommended for inexperienced pilots. A small mistake is all is required to die.
Once you have been spotted your chances for a quick kill dramatically decrease; however this doesn't mean that you shouldn't continue to prosecute the attack. Once the targets begins to "break" the Hog Driver has to make several decisions. There are a limited number of defenses to an that initial "bounce". Each of these call for somewhat different tactics.
If the target begins to break outside of gun range. All you can do is to set yourself for the best deflection shot possible. With luck and a bit of skill you can still finish him in the first pass. The good news is that in order to get the LCOS on target you don't have to pull mega-G's as your target as you come into gun range.
The Lateral Flat turn (Break): If the target begins his break close to gun range, as a general rule I track the target for about 45 degrees of break if the break is lateral. This is about as far as you want to follow the break and allows the F4U to keep its energy level. Only do this if there is a reasonable hope of getting your guns on target. Don't yank on that stick pursuing a break that you can't possibly track with your guns! I generally go into a lazy turning climb. This move could be interpreted as a super high High Yo-Yo.
A climbing break (possibly into a loop or an Immelmann), is generally easier to track than a Split-S, since the F4U doesn't have to pull negative G's to maintain his gun "solution". Also, while it is a good idea to "turn into" the attacker, this can present problems for the defender. A direct break back towards the attacker will mean that while the defender is in the process of doing his Immelmann, the deflection angle for the shot is not going to vary a great deal until a full head on shot is all that remains.
Also the defenders maneuver cuts airspeed. This might give the Hog just enough range to start firing. Also because of the "Doppler shift" in Air warrior, it is often difficult for the defender to gauge exactly when to break since the exact distance of the attacker is not known. If the defender insists on breaking into the vertical, it is usually wise to do so at some kind of angle horizontally. At least then the attacker will have to pull more G's and shoot with a bigger deflection angle. The defender breaking straight back into the attacker can present the attacker with a killing "canopy" shot as the plane loops back, and generally presents the attacker with an easier shot. The current gunnery model tends to make canopy shots quite deadly, considering the inherent "head-on" aspect of the shot. This is something to be mindful of, on the attack as well as defense. Having had my beloved Hog "no-pinged" by such a shot, I can attest to its inherent effectiveness!
If you miss or only damage the target after the first embrace do not despair, and don't start turning with the target. Trying to turn with the target is actually riskier if you have a big speed advantage because your turn radius is now much bigger. Don't give the slower target the opportunity to turn inside you using his lower airspeed! Zoom away.
If airspeed is reasonably close and you have a good "saddle up" position, and there aren't any serious threats in the area, and the guy is in a relatively slow turner, you might considering dropping into a stall fight. Be warned however, once you make that decision you have traded your E-advantage B&Z edge for a big edge in position in a stall fight situation there is usually no going back. That may not necessarily be bad of course, but once you have made that decision you are banking on your stall fighting skills and your initial position advantage to win the day.
Giving up on a failed gun pass is another bit of iron discipline that the F4U pilot must instill in himself. The hard break means your foe is bleeding energy badly. You can zoom away going into the vertical - banking energy like JP Morgan banked cash, and "repeat as necessary" all the bounces necessary to get the job done. I have had to apply a dozen or more passes on stubborn Zeke pilots on many occasions, but the key was, I knew, and HE knew that the outcome was never in doubt. (More on Plane-Vs-Plane encounters later).
Beginners often use the dive brake too much trying to follow breaks. This is a bad habit to form. As a general rule, never use it when engaging multiple enemies. The energy you surrender leaning on the dive brake chasing that break move, is the energy you wish you had when the enemy turns to engage your dangerously slow Corsair.
If the enemy uses the tried and true split-s maneuver, generally you will lose your opportunity for a realistic gun solution once he has completed his roll into the inverted position. Pulling negative G's results in a redout very quickly, so chances are you will not get your guns lined up once he begins his downward trek. Instead, talk about the "big one that got away" a the crash and burn cafe later, and go into an energy conserving vertical maneuver. A high Immelmann or a lazy chandelle (climbing turn) are both good. Generally its bad to try to follow the Split-S down, going vertical is usually much better since you energy advantage over your opponent will actually increase. Trying to follow the Split-S is tempting, but will usually result in the loss much of your advantage, since with your higher airspeed you will actually end below your opponent because our your bigger turn radius at high speed. Trying to correct this by yanking the stick back results in the inevitable loss of energy. As the defender continues to turn inside your high speed loop you are in the process of being "suckered". Continuing to follow this move will result in a stall fight starting in a series of loops. If the target is in a better turning plane you are already in the process of letting him turns the tables on you in a big way.
The rule of not following a Split-S is not set in stone of course. It can be tolerated if airspeeds are reasonably similar, and the target turn performance is reasonably similar. Never follow a Split-S if your airspeed is much higher than the targets. That is almost always wrong.
This brings up another general principle. If you are going to follow one break move, follow the first break move and no more. If no gun solution presents itself its time to zoom. This tactic was recommended by several W.W.II Aces, and its wisdom becomes self evident after a time.
Separation: Don't worry about separation too much. In an energy fight I generally don't get worried about separation until the target gets over 3500 yards away. While allowing the target a large amount of breathing space allows him to recover his energy level, obsessing about keeping separation small will generally cause the energy fighter to bleed off energy with too many high G maneuvers trying to keep close to the target. Naturally, lateral separation is the only factor to really worry about. Vertical separation is not usually a problem provided you are the guy with the advantage in altitude!
As long as your Hog stays well above the target the Hog's diving ability will gobble up the intervening ground quickly even if the target goes into a dive to evade. Judgment has to be used of course. Consider the diving ability the target plane when considering these calculations. For example, if the target is a Mustang, I will try to keep him on a shorter tether than a Zeke. A Mustang with 3000 separation is a serious threat to disengage even if well below you, while with a Zeke, as long as I can still see it, I'm not worried.
Tracking Bogey's while B&Z'ing a furball, is an arcane art which many beginner Energy Fighting pilots find very frustrating. Arriving at the exactly right time to get a shot is an art form that requires experience. Luck is also a useful commodity. However there are several ways to anticipate the movement of planes in a furball, and to use this knowledge administer a kill on a slow, fast turning whirling dervish.
The simplest expedient is to be flexible. Don't concentrate on just one target. Look at all enemy planes as potential targets, and pick out the enemy plane that will give you a reasonable shot. Timing the approach is often tricky. Planes are usually more vulnerable at the top of a loop or turning at intermediate speeds. Slow target airspeed doesn't necessarily mean an easy kill. If the target is in a very tight radius turn with low airspeed, getting a shot is largely a matter of trying to set up a good deflection shot, unless the target does you a favor and starts flying straight.
When estimating the point of intercept trying to get a rear quarter shot, it is often necessary to "mark time" while the target moves into a position in his tight turn where you will be able to shoot. There are a couple of ways to do this does not involved loss of airspeed. The simplest way is to use the "snake" approach as you are sizing up the furball for targets. Very gentle scissors back and forth (like a snake) will delay your time of arrival without a large loss of energy. For the supercool stick- jock a barrel roll or two will also do this, but makes target assessment much more difficult.
Besides the "turn and burn" planes congesting the center of the furball there are often other E-fighters working the furball. These are also legitimate targets of course. The B&Z plane is pretty easy to spot. As I have stated, the good B&Z'er makes sure he is the last B&Z'er to join the fun. A B&Z'er who has made a couple of passes on the furball is in many respects an easier target than the stall fighter in a low speed 6G turn. Since the B&Z will be assessing the furball as he makes his passes just like you are, using a stealthy approach angle is very important. A cute trick is to slip under the extending plane from the flank and underneath and then use your higher airspeed to catch the target just as he is reaching the top of his extension and beginning his loop over for his next gun pass.
Most of the advise dolled out so far has been of a generic nature; that is, not specifically designed with the Air Warrior Pacific Theater in mind. There are many tricks regarding flying the AW PTO that unfortunately can be gained only through hard experience.
Pre-Flight: The Hog has a pretty generous gas tank, but as an energy fighter it has to allow for a longer sortie time than a plane that's flying from take off right into a furball. I usually take 40% when taking off from non-atoll field, and somewhat less when flying from an atoll field. This should be tailored with your specific mission needs in mind of course. Also, be mindful that a Hog with 40% gas handles much more sluggishly than a Hog with 20% gas. As a general rule I avoid stall fighting with the Corsair if I have over 30% gas sloshing around in the tank. The plane is a sluggish beast with 40% gas if any kind of maneuvering is being called for. Anything over that, and a turning fight is almost never an option.
The Hog is more vulnerable than most planes right after take off, so taking off from an atoll field when your country doesn't have air supremacy in the area is pretty risky. The Hog is big fat target for the enemy "vultures", so its generally better taking off from a field where an immediate enemy bounce is not a concern.
If you insist of taking off from an atoll field, it recommended to level off immediately upon take off and work on getting up speed as quickly as possible. This serves two purposes. Even if low, the Hog can maneuver at faster speeds, plus getting away from the field quickly is important. I usually try to get out of visibility (8000 yards) of the atoll field I am taking off as quickly as possible. Air Fields are vulture magnets, especially on the atoll, and the quicker you get out of being a "low and slow" target in their immediate vicinity, the better. Take off in the direction of friendly airspace if possible, and begin a gentle climb at 200 knots IAS or better.
What altitude should the Hog go to begin "operations"? Well, that depends on many factors of course. Engagement altitudes tend to increase dramatically away from the atolls. In the big blue spaces the Corsair should consider 19,000 feet a good minimum patrol altitude. This is the altitude where its supercharger kicks in, and the Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp Radial can start showing its stuff. Climbing too high can be counterproductive at times because targets below might escape visibility all together. Unless prodded, I generally don't get much higher than 25,000 feet. Too much altitude can be bad, since targets can be missed. A 5000 foot altitude advantage on the target is more than enough - 10,000 feet amounts to overkill. If you need a 10k advantage to begin a bounce, consider another hobby.
Flying the Pacific Atolls of Death: How should the Hog driver approach the fabled meat grinder of the Pacific Atoll? Generally the Hog is going have to drop out of the stratosphere to find a target. The Atolls, being the proverbial target rich environments are a fertile hunting ground, but pose several tactical problems. The Hog driver faces a paradox. To get a kill he has to go low. Being low is bad. What to do? There is no easy solution of course, but there are several hard learned general rules that might help out. Engagement altitudes usually drop significantly over the Atolls so the F4U driver should drop from his high altitude perch.
I look at any altitude of less that 5,000 feet as a kind of "red zone". When in this high threat zone, the Hog should almost never drop below 300 knots if there are numerous enemies lurking about. In a heavy threat environment bounces should be executed with extreme care, generally towards friendly airspace. 5000-10,000 feet is the "yellow" zone where almost equal caution is called for. Getting slow at these altitudes over the atoll means that you, and not the enemy, are now the "low and slow" target. Zeke Bait.
I avoid bouncing towards the center of the central Atoll if numbers are a concern. Doing so might mean jumping from the frying pan right into the fire. Its very important to keep track of "tail end charlies" and "johnny come lately's" who join the fun from outside of the Atoll area from a higher altitude. These guys are biggest threat to the F4U that dips low into Atoll furballs. It is imperative to remember that watching for the new threat appearing above you is as, if not more important, than watching the enemy floating around at or below your altitude.
When heavily outnumbered, the F4U driver engaged in trolling the Atoll can use another hard learned tactic. If numbers are so ridiculously lopsided on the Atoll as to make direct attacks foolhardy, the Hog driver can engage in what I call "fringe trolling"; that is patrolling the fringe of the atoll for incoming our outgoing targets.
Dive Bombing: The F4U is an excellent fighter-bomber because of its generous bomb load, durability and ammo load. Because AW makes life real easy for the fighter-bomber pilot by provided a computerized bombsight, it is almost impossible to miss the targets if any kind of patience is shown on the approach. Simply keep that nose down angle shallow enough to allow for easy target acquisition. This also allows the Hog to pull out of the dive and use its excellent zoom climb to regain altitude.
There are several moves the F4U can perform to exploit the strengths granted to it by God and Change-Vought. Some would call these ACM - some would call them Tricks.
"The Oldest Trick in the Book": The Hog might have the best pure zoom climb of any prop fighter. If the target is comfortably out of run range on your six, and you have an energy advantage you have the opportunity to prove P.T. Barnum correct. Engage the WEP and gently go into a pure vertical zoom climb. Pull as few G's as possible to conserve as much energy as possible as you transition into the vertical. If the target tries to follow you up, you have him just where you want him. As the target follows you up he will soon be hanging on his prop well before you. That's the time to drop on him like a big blue brick.
A variation on this theme is the climbing turn, or the climbing spiral. This probably the "Second Oldest Trick in the Book". Stay just out of gun range in a climbing turn. The target will try to follow you round and round. The target will realize too late that the F4U which was just a bit above him is now WELL above him and turning for a bounce against his own plane which is at very low airspeed in a slow climb. The climbing spiral is a real "bread and butter" producer of kills for the Hog. Inexperienced pilots in particular, unaware that they are being "taken for a ride" tend to fall for it again and again.
The "Flip": The F4U with its good roll rate and dive can reverse course unbelievably fast with a wingover when it is slightly nose high and at intermediate speeds. A quick kick of rudder and quick downward rolling turn and the F4U is magically headed in the opposite direction.
Stall fighting: When writing this text, I considered excluding a section a stall fighting altogether! Firstly, my own skills in that department are only average, and secondly, there are many other sources that handle the intricate details of stall fighting much better than I possibly could.
Besides, the first rule of stall fighting in a F4U is - don't. Even in one-on-one fights using energy tactics is usually far more successful. Stall fighting is a bit of a misleading term with the F4U. I would prefer the term dog fighting, since stall speed is something you just don't want to experience in a Hog if at all possible. Flying a one-on-one dogfight in a F4U it is best to pretend that your opponent is simply a furball consisting of only one plane! With that mindset, you will find much more success. Yanking the stick around, especially in the horizontal is just something I find basically abhorrent when flying the F4U.
There are a couple of basic F4U flight characteristics that should be mentioned when applied to a stall fight scenario. It is well known, but bears repeating, that by applying a click of flaps when under about 250 knots the Hog can increase its turn rate somewhat. The experienced Hog driver can also milk the multiple flap positions and the dive brake to enhance the hogs turning ability in a tight fight. This is certainly no gift from Heaven. Most other planes will still turn circles around your F4U given half a chance. Also the flaps can be applied to helping you get over the top of a loops. The dive brake can be used to tighten the turning radius, especially in a nose down position. The Hog's good roll rate can be used very effectively at times. The Hog can flip itself around like a top when required. This move his can be used to change the attitude of the fight. When stall fighting a better turning plane, the F4U pilot has to pull out all the stops and use all the tricks. Use the vertical and the Hogs roll rate whenever possible. If the contest is boiling down to a flat turn rate contest, jettison that immediately for almost anything else! It may sound simplistic, but it bears repeating that staying in a horizontal turn with a faster turning plane is among the fastest ways to die in a Corsair.
Flying the Hog in a stall fight versus a better turning plane is possibly the single toughest job that the prospective Hog pilot will face. I for one, still have much room for improvement in this area. However, some of these tricks and nuances of the Hog can be exploited against a lesser skilled opponent in a faster turning plane to win the day. I have only seen two AW pilots who could perform these tricks with any degree of consistency. I do not number among them, but then again I'm still learning the plane!
Unless you are one of the aforementioned Air Warrior Gods, I would recommend attempting to disengage from such an unfavorable matchup.
The following covers plane vs. plane tactics. Planes that present the largest threats qualitatively and quantitatively will be discussed at length.
The KI-84 is the most numerous, and certainly among the most dangerous of the F4U's potential opponents in the Air Warrior Pacific Arena. Because of its excellent speed, maneuverability and (initially at least) firepower, the KI-84 is currently the most popular plane in the Pacific.
Many people point at the KI-84's list of attributes, and for these reason avoid the F4U because of its lower maneuverability and speed in level flight. To defeat a foe, it is essential to know his strengths and weaknesses, as well as your own.
The F4U's strengths as compared to the KI-84:
Climb rate. It bears repeating - the F4U climbs better than the KI-84. On average the F4U climbs about 700ft/min better, and the higher the altitude the bigger the disparity becomes. An F4U can elude a KI-84 with its patented 3k/m climb provided that the initial energy state is roughly equal at the beginning of the maneuver. The faster the F4U's initial speed, of course, the better the chance to evade. Also a gentle turn while climbing will cause the KI-84 to lose energy faster than F4U.
High Altitude performance: KI-84's performance drops off pretty fast above 20k, and its gets down right terrible over 30k. The F4U keeps its performance up to decent specs up till around 35k. The KI-84's level speed advantage disappears at around 24k if the Air Warrior plane statistics are to be believed. Indeed, once the Hog's high altitude supercharger kicks in (19k), I'm usually confident I can meet virtually any KI-84 threat. The high altitude arena is definitely the Hog's stomping ground, and any KI-84 that ventures to those altitudes pursuing a "slow" and "unmaneuverable" Hog is playing with fire. The first law of fighting KI-84's in an F4U is: stay high! The second is: Stay fast!
Diving performance: The F4U dives much better that the KI-84 and doesn't compress as quickly. Often the F4U can simply out dive the KI-84 by nosing down into an ultra high speed dive and cranking the IAS well over 400 knots. At that speed the KI-84 can do little more than fly straight and pray to keep the wings on. Once the KI-84's airspeed has gotten up to that speed the F4U uses its high speed capability to simply turn gently away, and the KI-84 will be unable to follow because its controls are almost frozen.
If the KI-84 is near gun range a descending curving dive is a good tactic. First the KI-84 will bleed energy faster, and also the turning F4U will present only a long range deflection shot. Its easy to line up on a target flying straight even at extreme range. A deflection shot will at least make the KI-84 pilot work for his kill, and with the KI-84's sluggish response at high speed it unlikely that the KI-84 will be able to get a gun solution.
High Speed Maneuver: The F4U handles well at high speed and bleeds energy slowly. The KI-84 can shed its wings rather abruptly at high speed, if it pulls too many G's. Also, the faster it gets, the faster it bleeds energy, especially when pulling some sort of G load. The F4U can use these factors both offensively, and defensively. These factors are very important in a defensive situation. Even if the KI-84 get the "drop" on the F4U, the F4U, if he has some sort of altitude to play with, should have good chance of giving the KI-84 the slip before getting pulled into a stall fight where the KI-84 has a big edge.
Roll Rate: The F4U rolls better than the KI-84, and the faster airspeed the bigger the disparity becomes. When in a defensive situation with the KI-84 in gun range a descending "corkscrew" is an excellent tactic to shake the KI-84. A continual broad series of descending barrel rolls. These should not be so tight as to present the KI-84 with a small target area, or too wide as to give the KI-84 a reasonable chance at a deflection shot. Also a descending set of scissors moves also does the trick at times. Almost any move which involves a roll will leave the KI-84 gasping for breath at high speed.
When to engage the KI-84?: When judging your initial "advantage" over a targeted KI-84, it is usually good to be cautious. Despite what I have stated in the previous paragraphs, the KI-84 is not to be taken lightly. If the energy state looks pretty equal I usually avoid KI-84's with a climbing extension, hoping to re-engage on more favorable terms. An F4U can attack from the position of advantage, forcing engagements from an equal or inferior energy state is folly.
When dueling a KI-84 the F4U should be very mindful of the vertical. Climb, climb always climb! The more experience I get with the F4U, the more I use of the vertical. After making a gun pass use a climbing turn (chandelle) to stay above the KI- 84. These should be gentle energy conserving turns which hoard energy. The key to beating a KI-84 is to make him squander energy in high G evasive maneuvers while the F4U makes gun passes from above at high speed.
This is easier said than done of course, but the general concept should always hold true. When fighting a KI-84 one on one separation is one of the last factors I consider. The long sweeping maneuvers need to milk the F4U's trumps over the KI-84 will generally lead to a good deal of separation between you and your target, and give you more time to stay above the KI-84. For this reason I leave the KI-84 on a very long tether. I prefer a vertical tether, but I will take a horizontal one if I have to. If the target decides to disengage with a dive, the hog can out dive it easily. Generally the KI-84 wants to keep the fight close and tight, while the F4U wants a high speed long sweeping battle.
KI-84 pilots usually obsess about pursing the "slow" and "unmaneuverable" Hogs. This obsession can be used against them. A good ploy when being pursued by a KI-84 is to drag him higher and higher. When a reasonable altitude is gained, the F4U can consider going on the offensive once the KI-84 is well below, struggling to match the F4U's climb rate. Suckering the KI-84 into cutting his airspeed to nothing while pursuing a turning climb towards him and then pouncing is a standard tactic.
On many occasions I have had KI-84's pursue my climbing Hog two or more sectors. KI-84 pilots are probably imprinted at birth with the desire to pursue Corsairs forever! The higher you get the more the KI-84's advantages erode. As you approach 30k you can safely turn the tables and trounce the KI-84, which is now sluggish and slow. If I am feeling particularly grouchy that day I might go on the offensive again quite a bit earlier.
Very high altitude engagements is an area where many Air Warrior pilots have little experience. Generally, trying to stall fight at those altitudes only get you killed, since planes just can't turn on a dime at those altitudes. The fight will almost always revolve around who uses his energy better. The F4U's great energy management ability and good climb rate make it very dangerous in the sweeping combats which predominate at high altitudes. The F4U is virtually tailor made for this environment.
When to disengage? When the energy level is assessed as equal its time to consider disengaging. The KI-84 is too dangerous to press an attack on equal or inferior terms in most cases. Climb away and fight again another day. Being pulled slowly into a stall fight is not what you had in mind, and you don't want to have to pull out the various defensive maneuvers out of your bag of tricks unless absolutely necessary!
Historically, the F4U was designed with one major purpose. It was designed to shoot down the Japanese Zero. The designers at Chance-Vought succeeded beyond their expectations. The F4U is the deadliest Zeke killer in the Pacific, so much so in fact that a major mistake is required on the part of the Hog driver for the Zeke to have half a chance of shooting him down. One-on-one, this is very one sided match up in favor of the F4U. The F4U can use its advantages in speed and climb rate to literally Boom and Zoom the Zeke to death. The quick turning Zeke may be able avoid many passes, but will eventually be worn down a steady barrage of high speed passes. The virtually limitless ammo load of the Corsair makes it very unlikely that the Zeke will run the attacker out of ammo.
The Zeke of course is the king of the "Lead Turners" in the Pacific, and the F4U driver must be mindful of them, as being the only practical change that the Zeke pilot has of getting a reasonable shot. A head-on "jousting" contest is certainly bad for the Zeke since his ammo load and durability are both well below that of the Corsair. Hoping for a lucky randomized critical hit on a head on pass not the percentage play on the part of the Zeke driver, but one that many Zeke drivers take because they realize that no other shot may present itself. There are three major ways of dealing with a lead turning Zeke.
The first of course is to just be going fast enough that any lead turn is virtually meaningless because you will be out of range by the time the Zeke completes his lead turn.
Secondly, it is often wise to turn slightly to either side either side after the merge, since the Zeke pilot will have to then have to complete his Immelmann and also then adjust for your change in course. During the Immelmann the Zeke pilot will lose sight of you ever so briefly as he switches views, and that is all the disorientation you need. Once the Zeke has completed his lead turn the follow on adjustment is usually all the time a Corsair needs to be safely out of range.
If the Zeke pilot starts his lead turn too early, the F4U can simply try to follow up the lead turn for an immediate kill. If no gun shot presents itself, the F4U will simply continue going straight up knowing that the Zeke is going to have to come out of the vertical well before the F4U because of its lower speed and poor zoom climb ability. Then the F4U can again "repeat as necessary" another bounce from on-high.
I would judge the F6F Hellcat as much, and in some cases more of a threat to the F4U than the KI-84. I generally am less thrilled to see an enemy F6F above me than an enemy KI- 84. Some may find that assessment surprising, but let me explain my reasoning. The Hellcats versatile set of flight characteristics, in addition to its good maneuverability make it tough opponent for the F4U provided it gets above the F4U. The F4U's clearly superior speed however leaves the F6F seeing nothing but tail lights and dust on most other occasions. The Hellcat's climb rate, roll rate and high speed handling allow it to match the F4U fairly closely in most of those areas. It bleeds energy at a higher rate then the F4U, but its initial dive is fast and stable. The F6F will max out its dive speed faster than the F4U however.
These comparisons make it clear that the F6F is a threat to the Corsair, but only if it starts with an energy advantage. Most of the patented moves that the Hog can perform to outmaneuver planes like the KI-84 at high speed will not work on the Hellcat. Sheer brute speed is the best defense sometimes. Going into a gentle turning power dive when the time opportunity presents itself may be only way that the F4U can elude the Hellcat. The gentle turn provides the Hellcat plenty of opportunity to bleed energy as well as making a gun solution more difficult. It may not be a pretty or aesthetically pleasing, but it works.
Fighting the Hellcat from the position of advantage presents its own set of problems. The Hellcat is a tough plane to bring down, being very durable, and the F4U pilot is going to have to apply a lot of "pings" to finish it off. Also the Hellcats good climb rate and excellent turn rate over 200 knots make it rough for F4U to stay well above the F6F and get into position for rear quarter shot if the Hellcat pilot knows what he is doing. Often these kind of fights can be reduced in head-on and deflection shot grudge matches, in which its a toss-up who will win in the end. The Hellcat and Corsair carry the same ammo load, and the sturdy Grumman design can take just as many hits as the Hog. The percentage play is to disengage in such cases of course, but that is not always an option when the fighting blood is full up.
This non historical match-up is usually pretty comfortable for the F4U. The P51, while judged by many to be the best prop fighter of all time, has only two clear advantages over the F4U. (I would disagree, I would state it was the greatest high altitude escort fighter of all time.) The P51's is faster, and its has a higher top diving speed. In almost all other areas the F4U is superior to the Mustang. Even in the high altitude arena, where the Mustang shines, the F4U has little to fear with its equally excellent energy retention, superior climb rate and good high altitude performance.
Against the Mustang the Corsair has the unusual luxury of being a better stall fighter. This allows the F4U a choice of engagement tactics when confronting the P51. This is one fight, paradoxically, that the F4U wouldn't mind slowing down. The P51 is a dangerous critter in a turning fight only at very high speed, and the F4U driver should be aware of this. The Stang can pull some amazing instantaneous turns at very high speeds. The Stang is particularly vulnerable at the 15-18K range where its vaunted performance falls off distinctly. Also, provoking vertical moves, where the F4U clearly outshines the Stang, is good. As stated earlier, the F4U must be mindful of separation when fighting a P51. Because of its high speed and the Mustang driver's natural tendency to run away from any fight where he doesn't have a clear advantage, the F4U pilot needs to keep the Mustang within 2000 yards if at all possible.
Recent changes in the P38 have witnessed an attempt by Kesmai to bring it out from under the cloud where it had ingloriously resided for several software "versions". Once (remember version 1 .06?) the most numerous plane in Air Warrior Pacific Arena, the recent "modeling" gave the P38 a target size roughly equivalent to the Goodyear Blimp. This had severely limited its use in the Air Warrior Arena's which was a shame. In the old days, the P38 could be a deadly plane in the hands of a pilot with enough experience to ferret out its secrets. Hopefully with the introduction of 1.20 the P38 will enjoy a bit of a revival.
Its good climb rate, large ammo load, durability, and maneuverability make it, along with the F6F Hellcat, one of the most versatile fighters.
The F4U has a consistent small edge in speed over the P38 and a somewhat better climb rate. For this reason the F4U can usually dictate when and if it wishes to engage. However, being that everybody gets caught "low and slow" sometimes, some defensive tactics are necessary. Evading a P38 in an F4U often revolves around exploiting the P38's poor roll rate to advantage. The prescription is usually "roll and dive - repeat as necessary". The F4U also dives better than the P38, but the Lightning is certainly no slouch in that department either, so don't count on a dive to get you out of trouble automatically. At ultra high speed the F4U can keep control longer than the P38. While the smart P38 driver can keep control at surprisingly high speeds, he will probably have to apply the divebrake more often, so the F4U should be able to break away.
The P38 has several fine points that the F4U pilot need to be aware of. Firstly, don't assume that a P38 can't dive at high speed effectively. It can and does. Its famous compression problem, which starts to manifest itself at 350 knots IAS can be effectively controlled by a pilot who knows how to handle the P38's dive brake well. Indeed, flying P38's I have often managed to overhaul Mustangs in a very high speed dive. The P38 accelerates quickly in a dive because it is so heavy. It also is has probably the best low Yo-Yo of any AW fighter. Its good high altitude performance make it quite dangerous at high altitude. It is no pushover over 25k, like many other planes.
Also, never assume that the P38 can't get its nose up regardless of how slow it seems to be moving. The P38 can make it over the top of a loop even when its initial airspeed is less than 100 knots. The P38 is the past master of a move that some W.W.I flyers used to call the "snap stall". This move involves nosing up into the vertical and trying to catch the opponent at the top of his loop. This move can be accomplished at virtually zero airspeed with the P38. The P38 is very adept at this because by popping flaps it can virtually hang on its props. So when flying against a P38 be aware of this capability when trying to loop over the top of one. In other respects the F4U pilot should apply the usual formulas when facing the Lightning. Its turning ability is better than the F4U so the F4U needs to keep the fight fast and furious. The P38 is quite good in the vertical, so the F4U can't count on being able to get a big edge in that department. The P38 can also dump energy almost at will, so it can transition from a high speed approach to a "in the saddle" stall fight position better than probably any other AW fighter, except perhaps the Hellcat.
The Jug, much maligned by many except for a few "true believers" , does not translate its good points well into Air Warrior Arena. The plane is totally hopeless as a low altitude dogfighter in AW, and its legendary ground attack capability is not factored into the simulation adequately. Because its top speed at low altitudes does not allow it to outdistance several much more nimble opponents (even the Hog can turn circles around it), the Jug is usually easy meat below 15k.
However, the Thunderbolt's high altitude capability, especially above 30,000 feet, should not be treated lightly. Its speed at high altitude is exceptional, and at altitudes where turning fights are rare, the Jug's poor turn rate is not a major factor. Its fast initial dive rate and overall speed should be factored into the F4U drivers thinking. All this aside, the F4U driver should be able to handle the plane with relative ease except perhaps at extreme altitudes. Underestimating the Jug, especially at high altitude, could cause any pilot to reassess the Jug's capability after he has been raked by its formidable armament.
The N1K2 George is that latest addition to the AW stable of planes. Many doubted the wisdom of adding such a limited production late war design to Air Warrior. However, the rumors of a new "super plane" appear to be somewhat exaggerated.
The George fills the unusual niche of being a low to middle altitude Energy Fighter. It possess a very good climb rate, descent speed, and the biggest set of guns in the Pacific Theater. It retains its energy state well provided it stays in a strict Boom and Zoom posture. However it is not particularly adept at stall fighting - an unusual trait for a Japanese design. The planes high speed handling is poor. The George compresses easily. The plane is also very brittle, unable to withstand high G loads at speed, or take damage. Also, like most Japanese planes it lacks good high altitude performance. Lacking the Double- Wasp's Turbo-Supercharger, the planes performance really starts to suffer at higher altitudes. The planes begins to suffer performance degradation above 15k, really starts to suffer above 20k. Climbing to 30k is a real adventure in the George. This of course is music to the ears of the Corsair pilot.
The George and the F4U possess comparable low altitude speed and climb rate, and the Hog can hold its own against the George in a stall fight. The Hog's good roll rate, more useful flaps and dive brake give it useful tools versus the George in a stall fight situation.
The George is of course quite a danger with an altitude advantage, because of its good climb rate, E retention and immense firepower. In this situation the Hog pilot is advised to take standard evasive actions, while keeping his speed has high as possible in order to exploit the Corsairs superior maneuverability at speed. The Corsairs roll rate will come in real handy in this situation. However a well flown George should be able to retain its energy advantage for some time if flown well. The Hog might have to ride out the storm for several passes.
Of course to avoid this scenario the Corsair simply has to start all his war patrols over 20k. In the this rarefied arena the George will find itself completely out muscled. This expedient is certain to be a poison pill for prospective George pilots - exposing the planes Achilles Heel - poor high altitude performance.
Tactical planning and evaluation: My strong suit, except when my SA decides to go south, which is often.
Energy Fighting Skills: Reasonable, even if essentially self- taught. On a good day Fletchman has a reasonably good understanding of the concepts of E fighting. On bad days he seems to forget everything he ever learned and dies like a Dweeb.
Stall Fighter: Average. Only when I have to, or am bored with nothing better to do. Stall fighting is the last refuge for those that have already made a mistake and have to try to get themselves out of trouble. Furballs are kind of like Crack Cocaine- very bad for your health, and addictive. Fletchman admits he occasionally "falls off the wagon", becoming a furballing fool when common sense eludes him.
Fletchman makes no other claims to ACM greatness. Needless to say, Fletchman thinks that he F4U is the greatest all around prop fighter of all time.
In real life Michael E. Fletcher is a Federal Employee living in a Baltimore suburb. An average family man, he holds a History degree from Indiana University. Among his other rather diverse accomplishments, he holds the title of National Master at Chess, and is a (currently inactive) Knight in the Society for Creative Anachronism.
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