Newbie guide to getting the most out of planes

[PatrickAWlson]

Looking for tips.  This is an admission of not knowing how to fly and not an FM rant.  I am in a Me109 F2 flying against MiG 3s and Yak-1 Ser 69.  The fight is pretty low.  I am unable to close distance.  What am I doing wrong?  Water radiator?  Trim?  Remember that I am more of a WWI pilot and don't deal all that well with this fancy equipment

 

Hoping others (especially better pilots) will pitch in in a positive way to describe how they get the best out of their plane of choice.

 

And for the sake of all that is good, right, and proper, please do not turn this into a FM battle or (worse) a bias whine. The subject is really simple: how do you get the best out of a plane.  

 

 

[Ehret]

It takes some time to accelerate to the maximum level speed, even in the 109. Coordination and optimally set radiators can help tremendously. That's it - reduce your drag to minimum and run engine on maximum permissible settings.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

Proper trim is important. Trim the nose properly and step on that ball (if the F2 has it. I’m a G2 and 190 junkie). The 109 has different pedal position (trim) throughout the speed envelope and is only neutral at cruise. While the 109 isn’t as draggy as my 190, keeping the ball centered does have an effect on speed. I’m on my phone ATM but I’ll do a panel check when I get home.

[Dakpilot]

The Yak 1 - 69 is a later production (BoS era) aircraft than the 109 F2 (BoM) try the F4 or G2 which are more the correct contemporaries (i know only sort of relevant  ) 

 

(an earlier series Yak and LaGG would be of great benefit, but probably would not be popular or very profitable as full aircraft sales, it would be great to have them even as a 'mod' like La-5 'F' engine mod)

 

and as said above all trim and co-ordinated flight is important for maximum performance, extra drag from 'fighting against' horizontal stabilizer and rudder (sideslip) can slow you down more than you realise 

 

not sure about cooling on F2 (not flown for a while) but I vaguely remember there were differences from other 109's? maybe worth investigating getting the best out of it if there are quirks, otherwise I usually leave in (historic) Auto (from memory)

 

Cheers, Dakpilot

[Ehret]

Macchi 202 will stay coordinated when IAS is 500-400km/h - a nice perk arising from the asymmetrical wings, I guess. Boost mode (a higher RPM in 202 basically) will work for much longer than 5m if you keep throttle at 69%.

[SCG_OpticFlow]

Looking for tips.  This is an admission of not knowing how to fly and not an FM rant.  I am in a Me109 F2 flying against MiG 3s and Yak-1 Ser 69.  The fight is pretty low.  I am unable to close distance.  What am I doing wrong?  Water radiator?  Trim?  Remember that I am more of a WWI pilot and don't deal all that well with this fancy equipment

 

Hoping others (especially better pilots) will pitch in in a positive way to describe how they get the best out of their plane of choice.

 

And for the sake of all that is good, right, and proper, please do not turn this into a FM battle or (worse) a bias whine. The subject is really simple: how do you get the best out of a plane.  

 

Tricks to fly fast:

 

- Gentle turns to conserve speed

- Fly above target for less dense and colder air (matters mostly on deck)

- Neutral elev. trim (around -90% at 500 km/h clean)

 

Some extra (desperate) measures:

 

- Manual water radiator and keeping temp just below the marker.

- Manual prop to raise the engine RPM up to the maximum within the tier (combat / emergency / boosted)

 

Pro / IRL measure:

 

- Have a wingman drag the target-fixated enemy fighter into your sights. Don't fly alone.

[=SqSq=switch201]

Not sure if this is obvious or not, but is your slip ball centered (using the rudder pedals? If not then you won't be able to go max speed.

[Ehret]

In a 'dog fight' (twisting turning situation) you will probably lose.  Certainly in any sort of one-on-one co-energy fight you will almost certainly lose, assuming roughly equal piloting skills.

 

You shouldn't dogfight at all - one bounce and extend. It takes a lot of time? Well, better to be patient than dead, at least it was so IRL.

[312_Lazy]

I finished Ten Days in Autumn (https://il2sturmovik.com/store/campaigns/) flying F2 and my messer significantly outclassed everything russian I met there with the exception of MiG-3. Migs seemed to be somewhat comparable in performance to F2. However, I could still outclimb them and also outrun them in level flight when using full boost (limited to 1 minute). Migs having more altitude than you can be quite deadly - because you cannot simply run from them when things go wrong. If you are the one with more altitude, you will have very clear advantage.

Dogfighting in F2 is certainly possible - if you start with advantage and you are absolutely sure they don't have friends nearby, which they probably have.

I never bothered with manual settings on F2, the plane works well in full automatic mode for me.

I was also pleasantly surprised by reasonable effectiveness of 15mm cannon.

Edited February 8, 2018 by 312_Lazy

[US63_SpadLivesMatter]

As I understand it from my readings, the success of the German aviators against the Soviets was largely a matter of tactics and doctrine as opposed to sheer technological superiority as people usually assume.

Edited February 8, 2018 by hrafnkolbrandr

[Finkeren]

A very simple rule-of-thumb that doesn't require you to look at the dashboard all the time: If you can hear the airflow over the engine and you're not pulling very sharp angles on purpose, you are not flying coordinated and thus wasting energy. Check your control input and then your trim (I constantly find myself putting unnecessary pressure on the rudder, especially after a turn finght - I don't even notice that I haven't released pressure)  

 

You should always aim for your flying to feel smooth and not like you're struggling against the aircraft.

[Finkeren]

I finished Ten Days in Autumn (https://il2sturmovik.com/store/campaigns/) flying F2 and my messer significantly outclassed everything russian I met there with the exception of MiG-3. Migs seemed to be somewhat comparable in performance to F2. However, I could still outclimb them and also outrun them in level flight when using full boost (limited to 1 minute). Migs having more altitude than you can be quite deadly - because you cannot simply run from them when things go wrong. If you are the one with more altitude, you will have very clear advantage.

 

It's hard to determine the capabilities of individual aircraft based on how the AI flies them. In the case of the MiG though, you're basically right. A MiG with an energy advantage is supremely deadly to anything German, provided the pilot knows what he's doing and doesn't simply dive too fast and ends up lawndarting. Once you drain the MiG of its energy (which is easy in a 109, less easy in a Fw 190) the MiG becomes a sitting duck.

[6./ZG26_Klaus_Mann]

To get the most or even all out of the Airplane the easiest Option is to just Bail Out. If you actually make Contact with the enemy and have your Leg taken off, that's less you are getting out already. 

And if you get killed, you aren't getting any out of it. So just Bail and get ALL of it out of the Cockpit undamaged. 

 

To get the most out of it on the Ground a Basic Set of Tools will allow you get as much stuff out of it as you like. 

Edited February 8, 2018 by 6./ZG26_Klaus_Mann

[NO_SQDeriku777]

To get the most or even all out of the Airplane the easiest Option is to just Bail Out. If you actually make Contact with the enemy and have your Leg taken off, that's less you are getting out already. 

And if you get killed, you aren't getting any out of it. So just Bail and get ALL of it out of the Cockpit undamaged. 

 

To get the most out of it on the Ground a Basic Set of Tools will allow you get as much stuff out of it as you like.

 

https://youtu.be/__6P2VK-Qao

[312_Lazy]

Finkeren, I may be wrong but I assume Patrick also started flying against AI. So my comments were made in that context.

 

BTW you are not alone who likes the mig. I absolutely love the way she flies and I can easily forgive her some little drawbacks like controls stiffening at high speeds..

Edited February 8, 2018 by 312_Lazy

[-SF-Disarray]

You shouldn't dogfight at all - one bounce and extend. It takes a lot of time? Well, better to be patient than dead, at least it was so IRL.

The 109's are very capable dog-fighters, especially in the vertical. You don't have to relay on this very basic understanding of the plane's capabilities to do well with it. Can it dive fast in a strait line? You bet it can! But it can also rapidly change directions utilizing vertical half rolls and slot in on a hard turning Yak and put the enemy down hard. Can it extend away in a shallow climb that most Soviet planes can't keep up with? Yes. But it can also make use of leading edge slats to give the plane very good low speed maneuverability to force an overshoot and punish an opponent. You can even throw your opponent into a rolling scissors and eat his lunch in a 109. Why so many of you are unwilling to do this I will never know or understand. Yes, if you engage in a protracted fight with an enemy you may lose, but it will be a damn sight more fun than diving once and then running for 40 km or more.

[LLv24_SukkaVR]

Why so many of you are unwilling to do this I will never know or understand. Yes, if you engage in a protracted fight with an enemy you may lose, but it will be a damn sight more fun than diving once and then running for 40 km or more.

 

Exactly. Its safer to zoom & boom, making slashing attacks rather than burn & turn which easily can kill you. Maybe im boring but i want to fly as efficiently and safely as i possibly can, not taking unnecessary risks.

[6./ZG26_Klaus_Mann]

Great Example here. They got it all all out of theirs. The Flight of the Phoenix is a Movie about getting all out of their Plane 

 

 

Edited February 9, 2018 by 6./ZG26_Klaus_Mann

[Warpig]

Engine management becomes easy when you realize that all you have to do is keep the gauges in the right places.

 

1. Realize your RPM limits and use Prop pitch/RPM controls to keep that gauge there.

2. Know your ATA/manifold pressure limits and use your throttle to control that.

3. Know your oil and water radiator temps, and use your cowls and shutters to control them.

4. Mixture can require more experimentation. I don't have much experience with mixture, but a good chart will solve that too.

 

Use these tables to learn your limits. https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/23922-bom-bos-aircraft-operation-tables/?p=371420

 

I used to be just like everyone else searching for guides at first, wondering how exactly to manage an engine. When in reality, it's all laid out right in front of you if you have the performance charts.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Warpig

[56RAF_Roblex]

I am a bit surprised that amongst all this advice about how to get more speed from the 109 nobody has pointed out that low down, which what the OP was asking about, the Yak-1 & the 109 F2 in nominal mode are pretty much neck & neck.  The 109 does not start to outperform the Yak until over 4000m.  His question was WTTE "Why can't I catch a Yak low down" and the actual answer is "You are not supposed to but if you are trimmed perfectly and have set your engine perfectly you should stay with him and possibly gain very slowly.   Emergency mode will give you about another 14kmh for a few minutes."   If he was trying to catch a Yak-1b on the deck then even Emergency power would not help.

Edited February 9, 2018 by 56RAF_Roblex

[CrazyDuck]

 

 

I can't outrun a Mig or a Yak 1b, at altitude, in a FW 190 A-3. 

 

Yeah, MiG-3 is a speed demon at altitude - as it should be. It was the fastest fighter in operational use in the world in 1941, capable of ~650 km/h at alt (compared to 600 - 620 of SpitV and 109F). At low alts tho you should have no probs outrunning it with Anton, MiG shouldn't even be able to hit and sustain 500 kph on the deck.

[Finkeren]

Yeah, MiG-3 is a speed demon at altitude - as it should be. It was the fastest fighter in operational use in the world in 1941, capable of ~650 km/h at alt (compared to 600 - 620 of SpitV and 109F). At low alts tho you should have no probs outrunning it with Anton, MiG shouldn't even be able to hit and sustain 500 kph on the deck.

 

The MiG can bare do 500 with rads open on the deck, but significantly more ~525 if you close rads and run a little hot.