"Safe Zones": Flying Soviet Aircraft?

[Libel]

I've had a muck about flying the LaGG-3 and the Yak-1 recently, though I can't get my head around how to dogfight in the russian fighters. Since the BF109 climbs so easily, it's easy to escape to safety above the enemy in most situations, unless your energy is too low. The Russian fighters don't have that advantage though; how can one fly defensively in the Russian planes long enough to line up on a target?

 

[216th_Lucas_From_Hell]

Don't fly defensively unless you e already been bounced (ie already made a mistake), that's the thing about them.

 

Keep your altitude unless impossible, manage your energy well and above all make the enemy react to your actions instead of defending against his moves.

 

One emergency trick that works at least in 1946 is, when a 109 is coming at you from above and you're already in their sights, start a turn to force them to follow and then right before you're in range reverse with ailerons and rudders and pull the other way. The 109's roll rate and bad high-speed maneuverability will make him pass straight by. Now that he dived past you, gain speed and try to catch him while he's climbing or at least secure a decent altitude advantage so you can force him to slow down and climb.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Lucas_From_Hell

[ACG_pezman]

Don't fly defensively unless you e already been bounced (ie already made a mistake), that's the thing about them.

 

Keep your altitude unless impossible, manage your energy well and above all make the enemy react to your actions instead of defending against his moves.

 

...

+1

 

Flying allies ain't easy, but I think that's why we all choose to fly them