BY CHUCK

NO. 71 SQUADRON PILOT HANDBOOK

TABLE OF CONTENT • PART 1: AIRCRAFT OPERATION & ENGINE MANAGEMENT • PART 2: COMMUNICATIONS • PART 3: NAVIGATION • PART 4: AIR COMBAT – GUNNERY • PART 5: AIR COMBAT – BFM & ACM • PART 6: SQUADRON OPERATIONS

p3 p 10 p 19 p 30 p 41 p 47

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PART 1: AIRCRAFT OPERATION & ENGINE MANAGEMENT • The first rule in air combat is to master your machine before you even think about entering combat. Unlike today’s modern fighter jets, WWII piston engines required pilot input in order to operate within safe parameters and did not have automated systems to prevent engine failure. Failure to respect engine limits can result in catastrophic engine failure (also known as “engine seizure” or “cooking the engine”). • Complex Engine Management is commonly referred to as “CEM”. • To know more about the CEM for each aircraft, consult the Team Fusion wiki available here: http://www.theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/wiki/doku.php?id=start • For the Spitfire and Hurricane (our main RAF fighters), your engine settings are controlled by three parameters: 1. Propeller pitch (also known as “Prop pitch” or “RPM controller”) 2. Manifold pressure (also known as “boost pressure”), linked to your throttle 3. Radiator setting (also known as “rad setting” or “water rad”) 3

PART 1: AIRCRAFT OPERATION & ENGINE MANAGEMENT 1

• During a mission, the flight lead usually calls out his engine settings once in a while for the pilots to know what settings they should use. • You can read your engine settings from the gauges in the cockpit or from an info window. • The RPM indicator (1) shows 2700 RPM. The boost (2) reads +6 lbs/in2 (psi). The radiators can be approximated from the lever position or read from the info window in % (100 % = fully open). • The resulting RPM is affected by both boost pressure and prop pitch (5). • Oil temperature (3) should not exceed 95 deg C. Water coolant temperature (4) should not exceed 110 deg C. 5

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PART 1: AIRCRAFT OPERATION & ENGINE MANAGEMENT • If you want to remove an info window, hold left_alt and left click on the window to select it. Then right click on it and choose “close Window Info Window”. This will remove any unwanted window. • If you want to add an engine setting window, do the following: 1. Create a window by right clicking and choosing “New Info Window” 2. Select the window by holding left_alt and left clicking on the window. Once you see the window title in blue, right click on it and choose “Customize Info Window”. 3. In the “Items All” column, select “Engine Info” and click on the arrow pointing to the left to add it into your “Items” column. 4. Click on “Engine Info” in the Items column and choose “Digital” Layout in the “Property / Value” column. You can pick the font and text color you want as well. Make sure you pick something visible that contrasts well with other colors. Click “Save”.

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PART 1: AIRCRAFT OPERATION & ENGINE MANAGEMENT 5

• Next: 5. If you only see “THTL”, it’s normal. Just change your prop pitch and you will see the other numbers appear. You can now resize your window by selecting it as shown in step 2. You can resize it by putting your cursor on the lower right corner and you can move it by leftclicking and dragging the blue bar. 6. Once you are satisfied with the size and location of the window, select it again as shown in step 2, right click on it and choose “Customize Info Window”. 7. In the “Items” column, select “Window” and change the following items in the “Value” column. - Title: Hidden - Border: Hidden - Active Alpha BG: 0 - Inactive Alpha BG: 0 8. Click “Save” and you’re done!

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PART 1: AIRCRAFT OPERATION & ENGINE MANAGEMENT • A fighter pilot should always know what is the status of his aircraft. A quick read of cockpit instruments every 30 sec or every minute is a recommended practice for those who are not yet familiar with CEM. • The airspeed indicator (1) in mph x10, the altimeter (2) in thousands of feet, the climb rate indicator (3) in thousand feet per minute and the side slip indicator (4) are used to help the pilot know his aircraft status • Climb rate and radiator setting have a definite incidence on engine performance as both factors influence the quantity of airflow available to cool down the engine. • TRICK: A quick scan of the cockpit will help you know whether you are in good condition or not: Check airspeed, altitude, climb rate, RPM, oil temp and water rad temp.

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PART 1: AIRCRAFT OPERATION & ENGINE TRIM MANAGEMENT WHEELS • Trim tabs have a direct influence on whether you generate excess drag or not. Drag forces slow you down. In order to optimize your airspeed, check the following: 1. Your elevator is trimmed so you can maintain desired trajectory without having to touch the stick 2. Your rudder is trimmed as well. You can check that with the side slip indicator. As you can see, I have an increase of almost 10-15 mph with a trimmed rudder (left picture) in comparison to a non-trimmed one in a side-slip configuration (right picture). The left picture shows an airspeed of 245 mph while the one on the right shows an airspeed of 230 mph.

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PART 1: AIRCRAFT OPERATION & ENGINE MANAGEMENT Some tips regarding engine management: • Spitfire (I, Ia and Ia 100 oct) & Hurricane Merlin engine safety limits are: 2800 RPM, 95 deg C oil temp, 110 deg C water rad temp. You should always be checking your engine RPM, not your prop pitch. • Airspeed is critical in order to keep the engine cool. Keep a continuous climb rate around 2000-2500 ft/min max. You can also use the airspeed indicator as a reference instead (try to maintain an airspeed of 140-160 mph or more). It depends of how quickly you need to reach a certain altitude. • You can close your radiator gradually to increase airspeed. It can help you gain an extra 5-10 mph. At ground level, 70 % radiator is recommended. At higher altitudes (20000 ft or more), you can close it up to 40-50 %. • At high altitudes, your true airspeed (TAS) is much faster than what you read on your airspeed indicator (IAS – indicated airspeed). This is due to the difference in air density: there is less and less air the higher you go. For instance, if you are flying at 20,000 ft and read 200 mph on your airspeed gauge, you will actually be going at around 270 mph. Keep that in mind when doing high-G turns at high altitudes: you can black out much more easily than you would initially expect. • When you are about to engage an enemy fighter, ALWAYS remember to open up your radiator to 70 % or more. No matter the altitude. Turning and climbing disrupt the airflow coming through your radiator to cool down your engine. You will be operating your engine at combat ratings; combine that to less airflow for cooling since you will be manoeuvering and a closed radiator and you have a recipe for disaster. 9

PART 2: COMMUNICATIONS • Communication is an essential part of a successful squadron. • Teamspeak is the software of choice: it’s great and it’s free. • Communication is not about the amount of information you transmit to your fellow squad members. Proper communication is about transmitting information that is relevant and meaningful. • If you hear someone call for “Brevity, please”, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t like you. Even the most experienced pilots get that call once in a while. “Brevity” means that you are in a situation that requires people to remain silent unless someone has something to say about an immediate threat. 10

PART 2: COMMUNICATIONS • If you are in a Teamspeak channel that has over 20 people in it, you will immediately notice that people who are not familiar with using brevity will ruin your day. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information. It is even worse if there is irrelevant information thrown in the mix. A good exercise is to ask yourself: “If I was flying in another plane, would I want to hear that? Would I find it useful?” The answer is generally self-explanatory. • Relevant information is: • • • • •

Location, altitude and heading of contacts spotted Engine troubles Request for mission (“trade”) or objectives Request for assistance Request for target or contact identification

• Irrelevant information is: • • • • •

Where you are (unless you are in need of assistance) Where you are going (unless you are asked) What you “think” you see (you either see something or you don’t) Your engine settings (unless you are leading a flight) Your personal feelings (things like “I think I got him” or “I’m gonna shoot him down” or “Come on you Jerry bastard, die! Die! Die!” or “I see you… I see something… I see a house… I see a butterfly… I see a unicorn… ”)

• Of course, you can’t always maintain strict radio discipline at all times. It’s a game, and we’re here to have fun. But some efforts to keep comms clear are to be expected during squadron events like “Storm of War” or big wing nights. 11

PART 2: COMMUNICATIONS • Brevity talk is basically what you’d call “fighter pilot slang”. Some specific terms are used to transmit as much information as possible in as few words as possible. Here are words we typically use: • 10-4: Means “Message received” or “I understand” or “OK” or “All right”. This term is NOT used by fighter pilots, but some people use it anyway. • 20 mil’ / 20 mike-mike: Refers to 20 mm cannon • 303: Refers to .303 in caliber Browning machine-guns • AAA / AA / Ack-Ack / Flak / Triple-A: Refers to anti-aircraft fire or batteries • Affirm/Affirmative: Yes • Angels: Altitude in thousand feet (Angels 21 = 21,000 ft) • Bearing: Gives you the direction of a moving object. Can be in relationship to you or an object, or can be in absolute (in relationship to either magnetic or geographic North). • Bandit: You see an aircraft, and you confirm that he is hostile. • Bingo Fuel: You have just enough fuel to make it back to base. • Break: Marks a pause during a long transmission. Can also be used to tell a wingman to break away from an incoming bandit in a given direction (like “Break right!”) • Chain Home / VENTNOR: Refers to RAF radar station. • Check six: Means “Look behind you” (at your six o’ clock) • Contact: You see an aircraft, but are unable to tell whether he is friendly or hostile. • Copy: Means “I heard what you said”, or “OK” or “All right”. • Come in: Means “You may begin speaking now.” • Deck: Means “The Ground”. “Hit the deck” would mean to fly as close to the ground as possible. • Feet Wet / Dry: Over water/ land. 12 • Go ahead / Send Traffic: Means “Send your transmission.”

PART 2: COMMUNICATIONS • Brevity talk is basically what you’d call “fighter pilot slang”. Some specific terms are used to transmit as much information as possible in as few words as possible. Here are words we typically use: • Heading: Direction of a moving object in relationship to magnetic North. • Jerry / Hun: Refers to Germans • Negative: No • Out: Means “I have finished talking to you and do not expect a response.” Often used mistakenly with “Over” as in “Over and Out.” Make up your mind already  • Over: Means “I have finished talking and expect a response from you.” Short for “Over to you.” • Pancake: Means “To Land”. • PK: Means “Pilot Killed” • Repeat: Often mistakenly used instead of “Say Again”. “Repeat” is used for requesting artillery fire at last fire mission coordinates. • Residuals: Someone is on “residuals” when he is almost out of ammo (ammo belts have special tracer rounds in the last 25-50 cartridges). • Roger: Means “I have received all of your last transmission.” • RTB: Means “Return to Base” • Say Again: You are asking your interlocutor to repeat his last transmission. • Snappers: Means “Enemy Fighters”. Typically used by the British. • TOPHAT / Top Hat: Refers to the ground controller • Spittie/Hurrie/Blennie/Wimpy: Nicknames for the Spitfire & Hurricane fighters, and the Blenheim and Wellington bombers. • Wilco: Means “I have received all of your last transmission and will comply (with the order given)”. Implies “Roger”, so there is no need to say “Roger Wilco”. • Winchester: You are out of ammo. 13 • Yellow Nose: Refers to a Bf.109, usually because of the paint job on engine cowlings.

PART 2: COMMUNICATIONS • When you transmit information to your squad mates, make sure you give them enough information. Here are 2 examples. 1. “Hullo Rob, this is Chuck. I think I see something under us. He’s turning.”

• The problem with this callout is that in that situation, Rob will not know where to look, what he will be looking for and what the contact is doing. You can only wonder the number of questions popping in his head. Is the contact friendly or enemy? What kind of aircraft is it? Where is he, and where is he going? Is he alone?

2. “Hullo Rob, this is Chuck. I see a single bandit, twin-engine, your right three o’ clock low, feet wet, heading North, at angels 10.”

• This callout is brief and tells Rob exactly what he needs to know. With this, we know that the contact is a “bandit” (so I know that he is hostile), we know that he is most likely going to be a bomber or a heavy fighter (which poses less a threat than, say, another fighter), we know that he is to our right, under us, at a lower altitude of 10,000 ft (so we know directly where to look both horizontally and vertically). We also know that he is flying over water and he is heading straight North (most likely heading towards England, which makes it a priority target).

• Note: A pilot can confuse his 3 and 9 o’clock, but he’ll never confuse his left or right.

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PART 2: COMMUNICATIONS • How to set up Teamspeak bookmarks 1.

Install Teamspeak from here http://www.teamspeak.com/?page=downloads I have Windows 7 and a 64 bit version, so make sure you select the appropriate version for your operating system.

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Once Teamspeak is installed, open it and check the upper menu tabs. You should find a tab called "Bookmarks" right next to the "Connections" tab. Click on "Manage Bookmarks" in the scrolldown menu.

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You should see a small window that pops up called "Bookmarks". Click on the "Add Bookmark" button on the upper-left section of the blue bar.

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Enter "ATAG SERVER" in the label textbox, enter "216.52.148.29:9987" in the "Address" textbox (this is the IP address of the ATAG teamspeak server) and enter the nickname you want to appear in the Teamspeak in the "Nickname" textbox.

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Click "Apply" and "OK" and you will be brought back to the main Teamspeak window.

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If you want to join the teamspeak server now using the Bookmark you just set up, you just have to click on "Bookmarks" in the upper tabs.

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You should appear in the main lobby. Just click OK on the "Host Message" window that pops up. You should appear in the "Ready Room" channel.

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In order to move to other channels, just double-click with the left mouse button on the channel you want to go to. You will see different users marked as blue circles and different channels marked as grey or yellow rectangles.

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PART 2: COMMUNICATIONS • Using “Whisper” lists is very useful when you have many people flying together. A flight leader should have one mapped to other flights so they can communicate with each other. • For squadron operations like “Storm of War”, each flight is in his own Teamspeak Channel. A Flight can only talk with people in the “A Flight” Channel and same goes for other flights. However, flights need to be able to communicate with one another. This is why the “Whisper List” functionality is useful. Flight leaders can use a whisper list to communicate with all aircraft from other flights. This way, everyone hears what the flight leads are saying (which is good for situational awareness) while keeping the comms manageable and relatively clear.

C FLIGHT B FLIGHT A FLIGHT 16

PART 2: COMMUNICATIONS

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• How to set up a Whisper List 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Join the Teamspeak Server you want to set up your list for Go into “Settings” and “Options”. Select the “Whisper” tab and click on “Whisper Lists”. You will be asked to map a key. This key is used the same way as a “push to talk” key is used. You can have multiple whisper channels set; you just need to have keys mapped to use them. Once you have mapped your key, you will have access to the Teamspeak Channel viewer. You can add whole channels at once (which means you will transmit to everyone in a certain channel) or you can add individuals. Click and drag the items (channels / people) you want to add to your whisper list in the “Whisper To” box. You can look for multiple people using their squadron tags like “71” or “ATAG” as a reference. Click “OK”. You can set up other whisper lists as well by clicking the “New” button in the “Whisper Lists” menu.

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PART 2: COMMUNICATIONS • Some tips:

• Flight leaders should set whisper lists to their own flight and other relevant flight channels instead of individual pilots. Sometimes, people come and go and having the list use channels rather than users allows you not to have to set up your whisper list all the time to include newcomers. • Flight leaders have a greater workload than the rest of his wingmen. He must manage his aircraft, take care of his flight, look for enemy targets, coordinate with other flights and Ground Control if need be. Make his life easier by not overwhelming him with superfluous information. • Do not be afraid to call for brevity if need be. Everyone here has a tough skin and a good sense of humor. “Brevity please.” sounds much nicer than “Shut the f*** up everyone” . • Be concise and to the point. It is always a good idea to wait a few seconds and make sure what you say is brief and meaningful. With a little practice, it will become second nature. • A flight leader should always know what the other flights are doing. If you don’t know, it never hurts to ask. The only dumb question is the one you should’ve asked and didn’t. • When you speak, it is common practice to name the person you are speaking to and identify yourself. It really helps when there are multiple users on a single teamspeak channel, which works just like a radio frequency in real life. If I want to speak to Rob, I would say: “Rob, this is Chuck.” If I want to address myself to the air traffic near Hawkinge airfield, I would say: “Hawkinge Traffic, this is Chuck.” 18

PART 3: NAVIGATION • Navigation is yet another crucial aspect of being a pilot. • Always know where you are and where you are going. • If you are lost, do not panic. There is always a way to go home. You just need to know the basics of old school 1940’s navigation. • You will hear many terms commonly used in Teamspeak. Terms like “White Cliffs”, “The Tripods”, “Calais-Marck”, “English Point” or “French Point” are used all the time. They refer to landmarks used as navigation aids. • When you call out targets or contacts, try to be as precise as possible. It is recommended to give the following information: 1. 2. 3. 4.

What do you see? (aircraft type, friendly or hostile, is it contrailing?) Where do you see it? (altitude, bearing in relationship to you or other landmarks) Where is it going? (its heading) What is it doing? (is he fighting someone? Is he running away?) 19

Note: Dash-lined circles have a radius of 10 miles (15 km approx.) This is very useful to have a general idea of the distance you are in relationship to certain landmarks.

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PART 3: NAVIGATION • Your best navigation tool is your map and compass. You can show the map by right clicking and clicking on “Map” in the contextual menu. • The Protractor is a useful tool to help you get a heading. In the 1940’s, setting a course to a destination required you to have a map, a pencil and a ruler. Thankfully, you don’t need that as the protractor tool does that for you. Here is a quick tutorial how to use it.

While map is selected, open up your “Tools” menu and use your protractor to find the correct heading.

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Left-Click on the protractor icon.

To use the protractor: 1) Decide where you want to go. In this example (adapted from a bomber tutorial) we will go from Shoreham to Le Havre. 2) Click and hold left mouse button on RAF Shoreham and drag a vertical line. Once line is parallel with the North, release mouse button.

Step 2 Heading

Step 3

3) Click and hold left mouse button on Shoreham and drag a line to Le Havre Airfield. Once line is crossing the center of the airfield icon, release mouse button.

4) A heading number should pop next to Shoreham. Remember this number. In our case, we get 169 degrees. 5) In case your target is West (to the left) to your home base, the number that pops up will not be your heading. The proper heading will be 360 minus the number that popped up. 6) In order to take into account magnetic declination (more on that later on), we have to add 10 degrees. In our case, the proper heading we will want to follow on our magnetic compass is (169 + 10) degrees, so 179 degrees. 24

PART 3: NAVIGATION

Home Base

Target

Select your map by right-clicking and choosing “Map”.

Read bomber objectives to get a good idea of where fights are most likely to take place (target-rich environment) and pick your targets. For instance: Le Havre is located in grid AO05.9, which means it is located in the upper-right corner of the Alpha-Oscar 05 grid square. .9 is the location in the square based on the referential of a numpad for the designated grid square (1 is lower left, 5 is center, 9 is upper right).

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PART 3: NAVIGATION • Using the magnetic compass and the gyro is quite useful to know where you are going. • The gyro indicator itself does not indicate your heading. You need to set it manually in order to translate what the magnetic compass is telling you. You must set up your magnetic compass first by adjusting the “course setter” instrument on top of it, and once you can read your heading from your compass, THEN you set your gyro to the same reflect the compass’ reading. Sounds complicated? It’s not. We will see why in the next slide. • Typically, you set your compass and gyro on the ground. It is not the kind of stuff you want to do when you are flying 20,000 ft over France. • High-G manoeuvers can decalibrate your gyro and give you a wrong reading. Be aware that once you start a dogfight, your gyro can give you readings that don’t make sense. It’s normal: it is one of the real-life drawbacks of this navigation system. The same issue is also recurrent in today’s civilian acrobatic prop planes. 26

• HOW TO SET UP YOUR GYRO & COMPASS

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The white T on your P-8 magnetic compass indicates true North. You always use that as a reference. It is hard to see because of the control column hiding part of it.

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Align the red N on the white T by clicking on the course setter until both yellow-ish bars are parallel with it the white T. You will obtain a resulting “course” from the course setter (which is the blue text that pops up on your screen). Keep that number in mind. In our case, the number is a heading of 71. However, in order to take into account the effects of magnetic declination, you need to add 10 degrees to get the geographic north. For now, consider that your current heading is 81 degrees.

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Set your directional gyro compass by clicking on the rotary knob to reflect the corrected heading obtained on your magnetic compass. In our case, set the gyro to 081. You will see the blue numbers pop again. You can White T facing use them as a way to fine tune the Red N your gyro.

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And that’s it! You will now be able to use your gyro compass to orient yourself. If your gyro accumulates error after high-G manoeuvers, you can try to re-set it using steps 1 to 3.

Parallel lines (must be aligned with T)

Gyro heading (081)

Magnetic Compass Heading (071)

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PART 3: NAVIGATION • About Magnetic Declination

• The direction in which a compass needle points is known as magnetic north. In general, this is not exactly the direction of the North Magnetic Pole (or of any other consistent location). Instead, the compass aligns itself to the local geomagnetic field, which varies in a complex manner over the Earth's surface, as well as over time. The local angular difference between magnetic north and true north is called the magnetic declination. Most map coordinate systems are based on true north, and magnetic declination is often shown on map legends so that the direction of true north can be determined from north as indicated by a compass. • This is the reason why in Cliffs of Dover, the magnetic compass needs to be “adjusted” to take into account this magnetic declination of the magnetic North pole (which is actually modelled in the sim, which is pretty neat). • In 1940, the magnetic declination required an adjustment of 10 degrees and 8 minutes. We round that to 10 deg.

The movement of Earth's north magnetic pole across the Canadian arctic, 1831–2007. 28

PART 3: NAVIGATION •

Some tips on navigation

• Navigation is difficult if you don’t know what to look for. Use trees, forests, rivers and towns to locate yourself. • Always know where you are taking off from and where you are going. • Plan your mission route in advance and make mental notes on what you should expect to see in order to know where you are at all times. • If you don’t know where you are, you can ask a buddy of yours. But his first question will be: “What do you see?” Know what to look for and what could give you hints. • Forget about left and right . Learn to know instinctively where North, South, East and West are. Know where your 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock are (your front, right, rear and left). It is like checking your watch. • People who want to give you directions will generally use bearings (like 090, which is 90 degrees, or straight East). Learn how to use a compass and learn associate bearings with their respective directions. • North = 0, or 360 • South = 180 • East = 090 • West = 270 29 • Here is a link to a HD map of the Battle of Britain: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-uSpZROuEd3cE5abWdqWUc3UGc&authuser=0

PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM • BFM (Basic Fighter Manoeuvres) and ACM (Air Combat Manoeuvering) are what people usually call “Dogfighting”. • Before he even thinks of shooting down Jerries, it is important for a fighter pilot to understand the fundamental principles of Energy. • Kinetic Energy is associated with your speed • Potential Energy is associated with your altitude • Maintaining a high energy state is critical if you want to be successful. In other words: STAY FAST AND STAY HIGH. • The main idea between kinetic and potential energy is that you can transform them into one another. For example, altitude can be transformed into speed by diving down (you lose altitude but gain airspeed). Speed can be transformed into altitude as well by climbing up (you gain altitude but lose airspeed in the process). • The whole point of energy management is that a pilot should always maintain a high energy state and trade one form of energy for the other. Sacrificing speed without gaining altitude in return or vice-versa is called “wasting” or “bleeding” energy. 30

PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM • The main rules of Air Combat are summed up in the Dicta Boelcke, developed by german WWI ace Oswald Boelcke. These principles are still relevant today. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Try to secure the upper hand before attacking. If possible, keep the sun behind you Always continue with an attack you have begun Open fire only at close range, and then only when the opponent is squarely in your sights You should always try to keep your eye on your opponent, and never let yourself be deceived by ruses In any type of attack, it is essential to assail your opponent from behind If your opponent dives on you, do not try to get around his attack, but fly to meet it When over the enemy's lines, always remember your own line of retreat In principle, it is better to attack in groups of four or six. Avoid two aircraft attacking the same opponent

• HOWEVER: there is another golden rule:

ALWAYS fly with a wingman whenever possible.

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PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM • Most fighter pilots who were shot down never even saw the enemy pilot. This is called “getting bounced”. • The saying “Lose sight, lose the fight” sums up the importance of seeing the enemy before he sees you. You never want to give your opponent a fair fight. • The most dangerous enemy is not the one in front of you: it is the one you haven’t seen yet. During flights, you should spend almost more time checking behind you than checking in front of you. One moment of distraction is all it takes. • Be aware of the blind spots in your aircraft. Never fly in a straight line for more than 30 seconds: you are just begging to get bounced. • Weaving with a wingman is the best way to keep each other’s six o’ clock (rear) clear. He checks your six and you check his. 32

PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM • Aircraft design is all about trade-offs. No aircraft is better than another one in every aspect. • The main two design philosophies between the Spitfire and the Bf.109 are apparent when you compare their performance. • The Spitfire turns tighter • The Bf.109 has a superior climb rate • The Bf.109 has a superior diving speed

• These philosophies are referred to as “Turn and Burn” and “Boom and Zoom”. • “Turn and Burn” means that you try to out-turn your opponent and force him to lose his speed by using manoeuvers in the horizontal plane, bleeding speed yourself in the process. This was the standard RAF air combat doctrine in early 1939. • “Boom and Zoom” means that you use manoeuvres in the vertical plane, using your superior altitude to dive down on your opponent, take shots at him and use this speed to climb back up to regain a tactical advantage over him. This was the standard Luftwaffe air combat doctrine from the beginning to the end of the war. • Booming and Zooming is a superior philosophy in the sense that it allows you to maintain complete dominance over your opponent, which has no choice but to try to avoid your attacks. You fight on your own terms and your prey is on the defensive. This is where the Bf.109 excels and explains why many Spitfire pilots don’t understand why they can never catch a Bf.109. 33

PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM • A Bf.109 that will try to turn with a Spitfire is as good as dead. Experienced Luftwaffe pilots avoid these kind of fights like the plague. • Typically, the Bf.109 will often dictate the fight. With a superior climb rate and diving speed, it is easy for a 109 to run away if he feels he is losing the advantage. • The only way to beat the 109 at his own game is to gain superior altitude. A Spitfire with superior speed and altitude is a 109’s worst nightmare. The Spitfire’s turning rate at high speeds makes him very hard to escape from. • Mixing up manoeuvres in both horizontal and vertical planes is an excellent way for the Spitfire to out-manoeuver a 109. Always think in 3 dimensions. • Even if the Spitfire has a better turn rate than the 109, keep in mind that the Spitfire should always maintain high speed. At low speeds, the 109 can out-turn the Spit in certain conditions. • If you have the initiative in a fight, you have already won half the fight. The aircraft with the superior energy state will have the initiative. You know the drill: stay high and stay fast. • When you are dogfighting, make sure that you maintain your aircraft’s nose pointed towards the direction of your opponent if you can. Failure to do so will often result in you being flanked or attacked from behind. • Extending is often preferable to pressing on a bad attack run. 34

PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM • If you see a 109 on your tail, do not think: ACT. If you think, you’re dead. This is why you need to know instinctively what to do if you have been unlucky enough to be put in that situation. • Evasive manoeuvers when you have a 109 on your tail are only limited by your imagination. As long as it is unexpected, anything can work. • Typically, pilots do a half-roll to the right or left and dive down by doing a Split-S. • The reason for using the Split-S is that it is a positive-G manoeuver. Negative-G manoeuvers are usually avoided by Spitfire pilots (or any pilots flying an aircraft with an early Merlin engine) because the engine tends to cut-out. • This peculiarity of the Merlin is attributed to the carburetor being starved of fuel during negative Gs (when you push the nose down). You can figure out why by shaking up and down a bottle of water that is half-full. This issue was eventually temporarily addressed in later Merlin variants with “Miss Shilling’s Orifice”, and later on fixed altogether with fully pressurized carburetors in 1943 . • Bf.109s did not have this issue since they used direct fuel injection in the Daimler-Benz engines. Therefore power dives were frequently used to escape from Spitfires.

SPLIT-S

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PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM • The following slides will show you typical manoeuvers used in combat. Most of the time, you will do them without even knowing.

LOOSE DEUCE

THACH WEAVE

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PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM

FLYING SCISSORS

IMMELMAN LOOP/TURN

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PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM

HIGH YO-YO

LOW YO-YO

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PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM • There are many, MANY more aspects to BFM & ACM than simple manoeuvers. I highly recommend you check Requiem’s Air Combat Library BFM playlist on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnyigzFtHeNr9zTkpxyD0ksFD3CwLa2UE • I also recommend checking his playlist on Flight & Air Combat Concepts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnyigzFtHeNrhK2RjtLNkRyhu9oDWJlAt • The Drag and Bag is one of the 71st Squadron’s favourite tactics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYS3TJ5BWs8

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PART 4: AIR COMBAT - BFM & ACM • Some tips on Air Combat: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Always fly with a wingman Always have a contingency plan if everything goes FUBAR Stay high, stay fast Communication with your wingman is key Having a wingman forces your opponent to make a choice. The more information and thinking your opponent has to do, the easier your job becomes. If someone tells you to break, DO IT! You won’t have time to ask what, when or why. Always stick with your wingman. You should be able to make out his designation letters on his fuselage. That is how close you should be. Teamwork increases your effectiveness as a fighter pilot tenfold. Being unpredictable can fool even the most experienced pilots. Use that to your advantage. Running away is simply attacking in another direction. There is no shame in disengaging. Better to live to fight another day then fight a battle you can’t win. FURBALLS: avoid them whenever you can unless you have a significant advantage in speed or altitude. A furball is a large battle taking place between several groups of fighter aircraft. They are like bear traps. Avoid target fixation like the plague. If you think a fight is getting too easy, it probably is. If you feel your spidey senses tingling, your gut feeling is probably right. Always check your six every 20 seconds or so. 40

PART 5: AIR COMBAT - GUNNERY • One could write a whole encyclopedia in 26 volumes on the art of gunnery and still it wouldn’t be enough to cover all the aspects of it. It is truly an art form that is learned through experience alone. • The best way to learn how to shoot is to do like all WWII aces learned: by trial and error. The greatest aerial marksmen like Hans-Joachim Marseille practiced hours and hours with their wingmen until they mastered the art of deflection shooting. No amount of reading or tutorials will ever make you an expert marksman overnight. Practice, practice, practice! • The Spitfire and Hurricane are armed with .303 in caliber machine-guns. Do not expect to rip wings apart and see Bf.109s exploding under your guns. • You have about 11-12 seconds worth of fire, so it is very important to make every shot count. Make sure your target fills your whole gunsight (correct range for your gun convergence, more on that in the following slides) before firing at point-blank range. • The best way to put a 109 pilot out of combat is to force him to bail out. To do so, you need to aim specific parts of a 109. Aim for the engine and two big radiators under its wings. You can’t miss them. The minute you see a 109 “venting” (leaking a trail of glycol coolant), you know he has about 3 or 4 minutes of autonomy before his engine overheats and fails. • Generally, if the fight takes place over England, it is recommended to let the venting 109 limp home. In almost every case, he is bound to crash somewhere in the English Channel. Shooting at a 109s that are doomed to crash somewhere in the water is a waste of ammunition and puts you needlessly at risk. • If you are pursuing a venting 109 mid-Channel in a prolonged pursuit, you can be 99 % sure that he is calling his little 109 friends, who are just waiting for you to make this mistake and get a free kill while you are target-fixated. • Before takeoff, it is recommended that you set your gunsight convergence and range based on your gun convergence. If you have a target at the right range in your gunsight, you can dramatically increase the efficiency of your firepower. • There are literally dozens of “wonder profiles” for convergence settings. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. 41

PART 5: AIR COMBAT - GUNNERY • DeXaÏ created a great Excel tool to help you understand and study the effects of gun convergence and harmonization. • Tool and Tutorials available here: http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4758&p=95782&viewfull=1#post95782

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PART 5: AIR COMBAT - GUNNERY

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PART 5: AIR COMBAT - GUNNERY

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PART 5: AIR COMBAT - GUNNERY

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PART 5: AIR COMBAT - GUNNERY

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PART 6: SQUADRON OPERATIONS • Being part of a virtual squadron adds a whole new dimension to the world of flight sims. Instead of being one plane fighting in a swarm of other planes, you have a cohesive unit with a defined structure set on a specific and common goal. • Part of this new dimension is the operational aspect. Pilots become resources to be spent, and risk must be measured and compared to the reward/cost. • An objective should be defined by the squadron before takeoff. Missions can be simple patrols along a set of waypoints, fighter sweeps to clear air corridors of enemy activity, air superiority operations over certain areas, close air support, bomber escort… etc. There is no point in getting 10+ people in the air without having a clear picture of what you want to do and how you will do it. • Without a clear leadership structure, any concerted effort will be doomed to fail against an organized enemy force. 47

PART 6: SQUADRON OPERATIONS • Fighter pilots are grouped into “flights”. Each flight is made of two elements (which usually consists of a pair of fighters for each element). • The Finger Four formation is typically used as the Flying Vic is obsolete and outdated. This four-ship formation is practical and allows each pilot to keep an eye on his buddy while being covered by his other wingmen himself. 1. 2.

3.

4.

The Flight Leader (No. 1) is tasked with leading the flight (and the lead element). He is also looking for enemy contacts and communicates with his wingmen and the other flights. He is the eyes, mouth and ears of the whole flight. The Flight Wingman (No. 2) is tasked with protecting the Flight Lead. The Lead is the 1 hammer, he is the shield. He has to make sure his Lead’s six is clear and keep up with him during flight. 2 3 The Second Element Lead (No. 3) is tasked with leading the second element . Typically, he will assist the Flight Lead (No. 1) and act independently in case the Flight Lead needs his help. The Second Element Wingman (No. 4) is tasked with the same duties as No. 2, but for the Second Element Lead (No. 3). He is also what pilots called “Tail End Charlie”, which means that he is the furthest behind in the formation. His role is even more critical since he will spot any contact trying to bounce the formation. LEAD ELEMENT

SECOND ELEMENT 4

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PART 6: SQUADRON OPERATIONS • Typically, if we have 16 fighters available, we will split them into 4 flights of 4 pilots each. • The Finger Four formation is usually adopted (1). • Flights are usually staggered both horizontally (1) and vertically (2) in order to have each flight cover each other. • Flights are usually called “A”, “B”, “C”, or “D” flight. Red, Blue, Yellow or Green flights can also be used. • Each flight must be aware of what the other is doing. It helps everyone keep the big picture in mind and maintains a high situational awareness. Setting up Whisper Lists (see “Communications” section) is a big help in order to manage so many people at once.

2

2

1

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PART 6: SQUADRON OPERATIONS • Tactics used during squadron operations are left to the discretion of flight leaders. • Flying at high altitude (over 24,000 ft, which is where you start seeing vapour condensation trails called “contrails”) is highly recommended. • Flying at contrails height may seem like an impractical tactic as it reveals your position to the enemy. However, it has unexpected advantages: 1. It has a dissuasive psychological effect on 109 pilots at lower altitudes. 2. Any contact that wants to engage you will have to climb to you and expose himself when he starts contrailing. It negates any effect of surprise and gives you the initiative. 3. The contrails allow you to spot more easily friendly contacts. Enemy contacts are much easier to spot as well. 4. The Spitfire has better performance at these high altitudes than the 109. 50

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PART 6: SQUADRON OPERATIONS • About Bomber Escort Missions • Bomber escort missions require a guide on their own, but a recommended practice for the escorts is to keep a flight in front of the bombers co-altitude and keep a second flight about 3000-4000 ft over the bombers behind them. This allows the high escorts to easily intercept enemy fighters that might not have been engaged or spotted by the forward escorts. • Contrails-height is actually one of the few altitudes where the Blenheim bomber pilot will actually be safe, believe it or not. Bf.109 pilots usually do not expect to see medium bombers this high since the bombsight maximum altitude is 20,000 ft (under contrails height). • While bomber operations are another topic entirely (see the Blenheim High Altitude Bombing Guide available on the ATAG forums), the issue of the bombsight can easily be resolved by diving down a couple of miles before the bombers actually begin their bomb run. • Crossing the Channel at contrails height with Blenheim bombers will fool many 109 pilots into thinking that you are actually fighters, believe it or not. The psychological effect plays in your favour. It is an unorthodox method, but it works pretty well if bombers are escorted properly. • Bombers flying at contrail height make it much easier to track by their fighter escorts. • The whole idea behind the High Altitude sweep is to maintain an energy advantage (and the initiative) over the Bf.109s who are at a serious disadvantage at these heights. Another advantage is that you maintain safety in numbers (and local numerical superiority) as you will more often than not outnumber your opponents (unless you meet another organized squadron, which will pose a challenge) and outfly them. This is where the Spitfire shines and the 109 burns, burns, burns… like a Ring of Fire. *cue for Johnny Cash song* 52

PART 6: SQUADRON OPERATIONS • If you have the manpower, bomber escorts are typically divided in 4 flights. • The sweep escort flies 1000-2000 ft above the bombers in front of them to protect them against head-on passes. • Flank escort flights are positioned to the right and the left of the bomber formation (2000-3000 ft above them) and weave left and right into each other to cover each other while maintaining visibility on the bomber formation, your fellow escorts and any intercepting force. A zig-zag pattern makes you a much more potent threat to incoming 109s than flying in a straight line while flying at the bomber’s speed. The flank escort’s task is to intercept the interceptors. • Rear escort flight flies typically 30004000 ft over the bombers at their rear. Their job is to keep their high six clear and intercept any fighters the flank escorts or sweep escorts missed.

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PART 6: SQUADRON OPERATIONS • The Attitude of a Fighter Pilot is another important factor.

• You do not have to like the pilots on the other side, but you have to respect them. Failure to do so will more often than not get you shot down and possibly killed. Not because they are better than you, but because you got careless and underestimated their abilities. • Being aggressive is a typical characteristic of fighter pilots. But keep in mind that you are playing a video game. The war is over, and people are here to have a good time… not make each other miserable. • Lone wolves are one of the types of pilots who wander on their own and hunt alone. They are most likely to get killed first as experienced 109 pilots target the isolated fighters first and pick them off one by one. • Never give up unless it’s time to bail out. You would be surprised to see how quickly the tide can turn for those who hang on. • Never blame your squad mates for silly mistakes like unintentional shoulder-shooting or mid-air collision. Mistakes happen: live with it. In the majority of cases it was probably not intentional. We have all been there: it is all part of the learning process. • Humility is a personality trait that is far more appreciated and respected than boastfulness. Arrogance got more pilots killed than you’d think. • Nobody likes trash talk. Not even your wingmen. • Courtesy and politeness doesn’t cost you anything and goes a long way. Even among your adversaries. 54

PART 6: SQUADRON OPERATIONS • Tips for Leaders • No pilot is perfect. Try to find the strengths of the pilots under your command and put them to good use. People who are very talkative are useful in communication roles where social skills are a bonus. Putting someone who has good situational awareness as “Tail End Charlie” (back of the formation) is a good idea if you want to know what’s going on. Sending people with eagle eyes on a recon mission can be quite profitable. • A quick debrief after each flight is very useful to know what went great, what went wrong and how you can improve. Gathering feedback is the best way to improve yourself. • Some flight leads think of themselves as a single fighter escorted by 3 wingmen. This is the wrong way to see a flight. You should see each individual fighter as a resource that can be used to accomplish a certain task. A bit like a strategy game or a game of chess. • Never underestimate the enemy. Plan for the unexpected. • If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Taking a minute to think about what you want to do and how you want to do it will often pay off more than you’d think. • Maintain constant communication with other flights. Make sure you know where they are and what they’re doing. • If you don’t know, ask. Honesty will never be held against you. 55

PART 6: SQUADRON OPERATIONS • Tips about learning

• The learning curve is quite steep if you are trying flight sims for the first time. Don’t be discouraged and persevere. For some people, it can take weeks before they can actually shoot down anything. You will face a “psychological barrier” until you get your very first kill. Once you convinced yourself that you can shoot someone down, it suddenly becomes much, much easier. • Getting shot down is part of the game. It is more productive to try and figure out what you did wrong than try to find something or someone to blame. • If you got outflown and shot down, take it like a man (or woman). A little courtesy goes a long way in a tightly knit community like the flight sim community. • A mission is a team effort. If you lose, everybody loses. And if everybody loses, you certainly lose as well. • You can learn as much from other pilots (friends and foes) than they can learn from you. • Flying the enemy side once in a while and learning how they think and what their concerns during a fight are is one of the most efficient ways to know how to make their life a living hell. • Make sure you take care of your buddies and show them what you know. After all, they will be the ones watching your six and you will be watching theirs. Even the greatest aces like Aleksandr Pokryshkin and Erich Hartmann took great pride in teaching new pilots how to fly a fighter aircraft. • “Because we always did it that way” is NEVER a suitable answer to a question. It’s always better to know why you do certain things and the thought process behind it. Obviously, you can’t think of everything. People who think outside the box and innovate are the ones who make this sim interesting to fly and keep each side more competitive every time they have a go at each other. Don’t underestimate yourself: anyone can come up with great ideas. • The only rule in air combat is that there is no absolute rule that is true 100 % of the time. • If you have a question, ask your squad mates or anyone. The only dumb question is the one you should’ve asked and didn’t. 56