How to best transition from high-altitude spotting to low-alt attack?

[enyak]

This is likely a broad topic bit I would like a bit of advice on how to transition into a good attack position once you actually spot a Target down below. I typically run into this situation:

 

- patrolling friendly defense objective (ie. in 109F4@5000m) and spot a target straight down  below with fighter escort (~1000m)

- straight dive results in overspeed and lack of attack maneuverability

- extending and slow descent risks loss of target acquisition and leaves objective exposed

- spiraling down I almost always get detected and the target assumes defensive posture.

 

How do you best make use of the altitude and turn it into an energy advantage against your spotted (and possibly defensive) target? Some best practice tips would be appreciated.

[ITAF_Airone1989]

Just my opinion:

In this case your energy advantage is too big, so will be not so easy.

Let's say that ideally if you are at 5K your best target is the guy that fly at 3/4k.

So, firstly you should consider to don't attack.

 

But if, you want to avoid to arrive too fast close to the target (not just for the overshooting problem, but also cause it's much more difficult to aim correctly).

 

Assuming that you just scanned the sky so you are pretty sure nobody is at your altitude of higher, cut the throttle immediately and turn to take their six.

Cause you still have much more energy you can consider to put the sun behind your back, so they will not be able to see you coming.

Start to trade altitude for speed but don't point directly to his tail -> dive a little bit more, in this way you will arrive super fast but lower than your target: now you have to climb to put him in your gunsight, so your speed will decrease and will be easier to aim.

Plus: remember you are still in idle, so if you miscalculated the distance you can increase the throttle keeping a really high speed.

Others fighters will not be a problem for you cause now you are close to be a 262... If the guy in front of you it's really smart or lucky and he will do an hard break, you are still in advantage and can choose if run away and climb to be safe (95% of the time) or take some risk and engage him (5% of the time, just when you are tired to fly without press the trigger).

Otherwise you will score a "safe" victory.

[Guest deleted@210880]

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Edited January 16, 2021 by deleted@210880

[peregrine7]

Airone covered it well. 

One note, if I'm up at 5k and see someone on the deck (and am pretty sure I'm clear) I'll dive down in successive split-S's. When I level out at the bottom of each one I'll scan again. It's easiest to spot contact at the same alt as you or directly below you. So often I end up level with a bandit I hadn't seen, but the energy I have from diving means I can win that fight easily.