New Film Posted ==Defensive roll and reversal ==

[Simaril]

I've just posted a film of a sortie I just flew, ending in a tail chase by a Tempest. The enemy plane (fortunately not flown by an ace) came after me with alt and speed advantages, so there weren't many options for me so near an enemy base.

There was a freindly carrier group to the north east, so I made sure that when I had a chance to extend I headed that way. I'd wait till the tempy was getting close to shooting range, then I'd make a hard break with a little upward component -- that both slowed me into a tighter turn, and forced him to adjust both horizontal and vertical leads to shoot. I also popped flaps to tighten the turns, and rode the balckout to the point that I began to worry that I'd push into the permadark zone. On the second break I didn't tighten quite enough, and took an oil hit as a reminder. Each time I came out of the turn, I made a point of grabbing distance to get me closer to the carrier and safety.

The idea was to keep the turn tight until he passed the 3-6 wing line, then roll to the outside and drop behind him. I am not too good at this, and I never got a good shot. However, i did frustrate him to the point that he slowed down into a tight flat turn, and I SHOULD have been able to kill him after I rolled behind him that time.

I ended up ditching with no kills, after a friendly cleared me on the way in to the base -- from the carrier I flew towards. Shows how part of SA -- knowing where the danger and safe zones are - -can make a difference in flying home.

Comments welcome -- always ready to learn, and I know Outlaw and some others are accomplished pony sticks. The main reason I'm posting the film is to show one way of staying alive in a dangerous situation.

Film is http://332nd.org/dogs/simaril/defensive%20roll%20and%20reversal.ahf

[outlaw]

first off not bad flying Sim. couple of things to help ya take it to the next lvl. FLAPS FLAPS FLAPS i noticed when u was hard turning u used them when u was in combat flight u didn't.. anytime and i mean anytime u are turning a pony below 400ias one notch flaps 2 to 3 notches for short duration quick turns where u don't mind some E loss but one notch should always be used when turning a pony. i have gotten where i will drop a notch of flaps to turn the pony even in non combat turns it just a habit that is better developed then not. the difference in a pony turns with one notch and none is so great that not using it is almost like giving your opponent a advantage. some thing that will help on those type of defensive postions is what murdr first called the why merge tactic but is labeled as barrel roll defensive package that can be got here.. http://trainers.hitechcreations.com/files/murdr/evarevall.zip     it will help big time once u get to where u are use to doing it.



edit:just watched a film of mine noticed u can not always tell when that first notch is out if u was using sorry to think u was not.

[Murdr]

The idea was to keep the turn tight until he passed the 3-6 wing line, then roll to the outside and drop behind him. I am not too good at this, and I never got a good shot. However, i did frustrate him to the point that he slowed down into a tight flat turn, and I SHOULD have been able to kill him after I rolled behind him that time.

The idea in that link outlaw posted is to create and identify an imminent flight path overshoot.  If they are nearly nose on and in your up view, that means they will cross your flight path.  Their direction of travel is like 60-90 degrees of off yours, they will cross outside your flight path.  That is when you roll 90 degrees and reverse till you watch them cross your 6, then roll your lift vector, and maneuver to drop in trail (in the end that's a barrel roll).  What happens is that you actually swing your 3-9 line through them and you convert a flight path overshoot into a 3-9 overshoot.  You don't wait for it to happen, you make it happen.

By the way, I changed the link to that file to "barrel roll defense lesson package" so that there is no confusion that Badboy, Mace, and I are talking about the same thing.  I'll just have to stress harder that it's not about doing a "barrel roll", it's about hitting the marks I outlined in it, and what you end up with is a barrel roll.