[Natty]

What is the best way to defend against an attacker circling above you? I know he is going to swoop down but there has to be a tactic that will cause him to overshoot or allow me to extend and get away? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Natty

[FlyingShark]

Climb and turn towards him and meet him in his attack, then turn away at the right moment.

~S~

[ACE-OF-ACES]

What is the best way to defend against an attacker circling above you?

The best D is a good O

[Sakai07]

This happened to me with two 109s vs my P40E. Online mind you, when they would dive to attack me I wait until they are just about to open fire (or I think is where they would) and break heard into their attack. Never break away from an attack, always into. This allows my slower plane to get way inside their turn radius. If they persist with the turn and come after you, you have them and they don't even know yet. If you see him commit to following you break, reverse direction (like a siccors) and give him some as you pass. He will probably try to run away now, if not its easy meat, either way you still breathe.

[caldrail]

Climb and turn towards him and meet him in his attack, then turn away at the right moment.

~S~

Well you could do that, but you might end up flying very slowly and unable to avoid his attacks effectively. I would concentrate on keeping him at right angles for maximum deflection (making his shot the most difficult of all) and choose your moment. Be patient. At first he'll have way more energy than you but sooner or later he'll run out of shells. Keep your speed up and wait for him to fly lower than you. If you time it right you've swopped initiative.

Better still, press button 7 on your radio menu and wait for someone to come and help you. You did bring a few wingmen, didn't you?

[Cuccos19]

See mentioned ones above, should work, yes. But keep in mind, you will have better chance in a plane which can take some punishment. Eg. a Wildcat will fly away as an Emmental rather than a Zero...

You also have better chance over your airfield/troops than over the enemy's one. Your AAA will help you, take the enemies out from your tail. I experienced that over Midway, when only my wingman an I took off to say hello to the Zeros. They were about 18 or 21, hell knows that. Tight turns over my airfield, and when a Zero get too close to my tail, I slowed down, let him fly pass by me, and I gave a short burst him. Sometimes hit, sometimes missed. F4F-3 was better for that than the F4F-4, because it has more rounds per gun. Rarely I could make a precise shot, rather relied on my luck.

[bohr-r]

Either Guenther Rall, or Gerhard Barkhorn answered a similar question with "Just shoot him down." :wink:

S!

RB

[HH_Cipher]

One thing I find is they will dive on your (obviously) and there is one way to evade their fire.

Push your nose down, Make them push their nose down aswell. Its hard to explain with out a video or pictures. But say if they are level, always make them push down, they will be alot less likely to hit you. Its some thing I've taken on now, and I'll survive 90% of BnZ attacks.

[Sakai07]

One thing I find is they will dive on your (obviously) and there is one way to evade their fire.

Push your nose down, Make them push their nose down aswell. Its hard to explain with out a video or pictures. But say if they are level, always make them push down, they will be alot less likely to hit you. Its some thing I've taken on now, and I'll survive 90% of BnZ attacks.

This is a great tactic as well. I read somewhere that one tactic used against 190's by spits when the 190 got on their six is a negative G pushover with a break to get under their nose and out of sight and out of their plane of travel. I will never try to climb to an adversary with alt on me. That means that they have speed and alt which can be turned to speed. I will break in the level, make them commit to my fight. In the same aspect, I try to never get into a turn fight when I want to BnZ.

[European Snake]

I like having them drop in, but as soon as they pull up, GET THE HELL OUT, BALLS TO THE WALLS HIT THE DECK AND RUN!!!!