[StarGazer]

About AI doing head-on attacks. I remember Oleg once said that AI won't do head-on attacks below certain skill level. Set it on ACE and it will do head-ons.

I had a question about that, does anyone know if headon bomber attacks were mainly done by the luftwaffe, or was it a widespread tactic?

Hi Certificate,
My understanding from reading historical books was that the initial head-on between fighters and bombers was a standard tactic. Best chance of doing a lot of damage for the least chance of being hit oneself. Note: it was the initial intercept that was set up as a head on if possible as it required manoeuvering into that position or unless you were on a direct intercept course. After that, high side running parallel just out of defensive fire range and diving across the flank while firing and then out the other side climbing high and parallel then repeating crossing back again to the other. High stern attacks were more dangerous but usually involved a half roll just before shooting and firing inverted so you could pull G's and break away in a semi split S and repeat. The split S was to prevent passing under the bomber and coming into gun range of the other bombers in the box as you passed under.

Re: your question about my report on midair collisions previously - the skill level was set at Veteran.

While on the subject of intercepts I thought I would pass on a thought on figher vs fighter. In general terms, it is desireable for a TnB aircraft to try and open up the separation between a BnZ aircraft on the head on. For example, if in a Spit vs a FW it is better for the Spit pilot to not go nose to nose through the entire merge but rather shortly after the nose to nose angle off to the side about 40 degrees or so giving the FW a bit of your flank. Then with the right timing and pending what the FW will do - break into the FW. This puts the Spit at a huge advantage for getting on the FW tail very fast - not to mention getting out of the way of those big FW cannons on the head on.

If on the other hand if you are in the FW - it is best to keep the Spit on your nose to prevent it from turning onto your flank and tail. If the TnB fighter opens up the separation by moving about 40 degrees off nose, the BnZ fighter must try to keep nose on thus preventing the Spit from gaining the separation necessary for the turn.

So to summarize - TnB open separation just prior to the merge. BnZ maintain nose on at the merge.

Without getting too specific and hopefully not getting into a long thread of tactics debate 8) - as there are many more tactics - in general terms these are fundamental approaches to dissimilar aircraft at a merge.

S!