Hunted down like a fox

[Olham 164]

I have had a non ending fight against Pups again (there seems to be a Merlin wizzard with

the British, who creates two new craft for each you shot down).

When all ammo was fired (and five Pups destroyed), they came for my skin, and I could only run!

This time I managed to escape through the woods, flying like a stunt pilot. I literally followed

down all the gaps, forrest ways and brooks to prevent coming above tree top level, cause those

Pups where like mad hornets now, and as fast as my Albatros!

When I came out of the forrest, there was an army camp nearby, where I circled, while the

ground crews fired at the Pups from all their guns, until one was finished off, and the other flew

off home. How do you escape such situations?

Please note, what craft YOU fly, and against WHICH enemy craft your tactics help.

[Hasse Wind 46]

It always helps to have enough altitude, not matter what plane you are piloting. In strong and fast planes the best way to escape is to just dive and fly home. The SE5a and Spad are great at this. The Pfalz is not nearly as fast as these two, but diving like the wind is still the best way to run away from a fight when flying that Bavarian Brick. But at low altitudes, you're in trouble with the Pfalz. Then you'll sorely miss the turning ability of a Nupe or a Camel...

 

Nupe campaigns against the Eindeckers are great fun, because you almost never have to run away. And if you do, you can do so almost with half throttle, because the clumsy monoplanes will never catch you! :yes:

[Hauksbee 103]

I literally followed down all the gaps, forrest ways and brooks to prevent coming above tree top level....

Sounds like an exciting mission! One that should have been caught on FRAPS. I hope there was a cold beer at the end of it.

[zoomzoom 2]

Olham, I think you have it nailed as far as what to do in a German machine against Noops and Spads, I add a bit of rudder jinking as well to keep thier shots off. So when they start firing, hit as much left or right rudder as possible and still not spin in. It makes them re-calculate thier lead, as well as usually miss thier intended first firing point. Many is the time on a long escape run home, being harried by 4 or 5 enemy machines, that bullets intended for the backof my head, ended up in my wings instead, and I made it home ok. The terrain hopping you mentioned is excellent as well.

 

ZZ.

[Olham 164]

Hauksbee, with a new rig (hopefully this year) I could and would make FRAPS movies,

but my old system is just running fine between 25 - 35 frps, as long as I don't start FRAPS.

That makes the frps shrink to stutters.

Zoomzoom, good idea with the rudder. Simple but should be effective. Never tried that.

My method won't work always though - what can you do, when there is no such forrest?

Edited August 6, 2009 by Olham

[zoomzoom 2]

Pray.

 

Haha....that and just keep your wheels kissing the ground, and keep jinking. As well as trying to fly towards and over any friendly balloon, ground, or airfield sites. This will often pull thier attentions away from you and back to dodging for thier own safety, and allow you to escape.

 

ZZ.

[Bullethead 12]

The planes I fly most, Fees and Pups, are usually slower than the enemy's (mostly Alb D.IIIs), so there's often no escape for me by diving or just out-running them. On the plus side, however, my rides are generally able to turn better. Thus, my tactics will probably work in any similar match-up.

 

This all assumes there's only 1 of me and several enemies, and that this situation begins at medium or high altitude.

 

First, I try to sting as many of the badguys as possible, hoping they'll take the better part of valor and go away. To do this, I totally sell my speed for angles. I'm talking flying at 40-60 knots, ruddering around like mad. This helps me dodge bullets and I often find myself behind badguys at fairly long range. I take potshots at them and often get a few hits. Periodically, this causes a badguy to leave me alone. As this is happening, I'm losing altitude fast, and the enemy are losing speed fast. This makes it easier for me because they can't make as many passes at me, and they're easier to dodge, plus I can get behind them easier at shorter ranges.

 

Eventually, I get down amongst the weeds. Hedgehopping per se really isn't a good move because I'm not fast enough to get away. So I just continue what I've been doing, although of course not so aggressively because I can't lose any more altitude. However, the proximity of the ground tends to make the enemy much less aggressive, so they tend to draw off a lot and circling around working up courage to rush me again. This gives me a chance to work in the direction I want to go. Sometimes they all fly away, but usually 1 or 2 will keep hanging around making occasional passes at me, which I keep trying to dodge and riposte.

 

If I'm over friendly territory, which fortunately is rather often, I try to work into the vicinity of ground installations and their flak. If I'm over enemy territory, I try hard to avoid such places. This is something you have think about early in the fight, while you're still coming down from above. As I flop around up there, I attempt to work the fight over terrain favorable for me, because I expect to be down at treetop level eventually.

 

That's pretty much it. The last resort is just land and end the flight, but of course that requires being over friendly territory. Still, you'll get a chance to do it at some point when the enemies are taking one of their periodic breaks from harrying you. So while you're playing dodgeball, if you're considering this option (which is often, because by now you're all shot up), you also need to work the fight over a place fit to land on. If I'm over enemy territory, I fight to the death. The Huns will NEVER take me alive!!!

[Dej 17]

Hauksbee, with a new rig (hopefully this year) I could and would make FRAPS movies,

but my old system is just running fine between 25 - 35 frps, as long as I don't start FRAPS.

That makes the frps shrink to stutters.

Zoomzoom, good idea with the rudder. Simple but should be effective. Never tried that.

My method won't work always though - what can you do, when there is no such forrest?

 

I've had some success with the technique of continuing to attack as if I did have ammunition, forcing the enemy to go evasive, whilst calling in my wing and lining them up for the shot. I've not had it work againstt as many as five but it did work against three.

 

Otherwise, if you're over your side of the lines, just land and ESC out. It may not be as immersive, but it always works as long as you land without breaking anything.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Olham, I had to use the same tactics you described myself this early AM. February of 1915, and I was flying patrol along the Alsace front with Esc.48 in my N11 when I became separated from my flight over the Argonne Woods. As I was scanning the skies for my wingmates I was suddenly bounced by five EIII's from on high. I managed to twist out of the first volley of fire and affected some damage on a brace of them before I took hits to my lower port wing. Deciding that discretion was indeed the better part of valour at that moment, I dove out of the fight and took a heading back across the mud just as fast as my damaged Nieup would go. But the Einies were on me in a flash and I resorted to flying NOE for the next several miles. Twisting, side-slipping, and jinxing along throught the trees and ravines I made my way to a nearby friendly aerodrome, just as you did, and proceeded to fly about to get a few more shots into my attackers, as did the ground troops. I finally had to bow out and set down in the shelter of the hangers as my craft had become nearly unmanageable in the air. I then sat in relative safety on the field whilst the MG'ers did their best to fend off the rest of the EA's. Quite exciting really, and I lived to tell the tale, plus I got to turn in a claim for one of the Einies I had initially engaged.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Olham 164]

Bullethead: If I'm over enemy territory, I fight to the death. The Huns will NEVER take me alive!!!

 

Bullet, you don't know what you're missing.

Firstly, there are no HUNS on the other side - at least I have never seen any.

We are a bunch of nice chaps who like to sit together over a good cold German beer or twelve.

Also, we much prefer to bring down our opponents alive (read "Das Kriegstagebuch der Jasta 12" - they

did it a lot), so we can talk about the fight, King and Kaiser, women, and our crates.

 

Dej, that's clever - pretend to have ammo still. Seems the AI don't know? Will use that!

 

Lou, I never knew the Einis where so good? Makes me appetite to start my first French campaign in a

Nupe, to fight them. But they may be hard to hit - so flat and small?

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Olham, if the AI Einie drivers catch you low they can really give you a run for your money. And even when they drop below you they can manage some impressive tail-stand shots that will catch you if you are not ready for them. If your Nieup isn't damaged you can dive away and steadily out-distance them, then climb and re-engage with alt. But if your little N11 has taken much of any damage at all you will have your hands full trying to evade a gaggle of EIII's bent on doing you harm.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Bullethead 12]

Bullet, you don't know what you're missing.

 

That all may be, but I don't want to be put in the position of having to repay your hospitality by escaping. And, assuming you all really are a bunch of affable drinkers that I might come to like, I wouldn't want to put you all in the situation of having to explain how I got away. Duty and honor and all that crap, eh what?

 

Damn the war! But if was peacetime, I wouldn't have a job. Oh well

[Duce Lewis 3]

I've had some success with the technique of continuing to attack as if I did have ammunition, forcing the enemy to go evasive, whilst calling in my wing and lining them up for the shot. I've not had it work againstt as many as five but it did work against three.

Olham, I ran outta ammo in my D7 fighting Spads and Camels

We were just over the lines, down on the deck

Found and opportune time and started a steep climb "Fly Dalla Fly"

 

There were 3 Spads left and 1 followed me

He chased me up to 12k ft nearly right over the spot of the scrap

Kept turning over him and climbing opposite his direction

 

Finally decided this wasn't getting me anywhere and the flak will eventually get me

I started managing my turns better

Since I could turn tighter, I kept on my course home longer as he tried to angle in

Holding on to the last minute then executed a tight turn as he tried to make his pass

Kept the tight turn up till pointed homeward then climbed behind him

 

Eventually this allowed me to slowly edge towards my lines and over

During one of the passes, I tried Dej's fake attacks and that made him dive to escape

But he kept coming and could outclimb and speed me

 

He chased me to 15k ft and 10 miles behind our lines before he gave up and dove away

15k seemed the height limit as the tight turns/mini stalls lost it it as fast as I could climb

Some of the passes were quite close as I'd have to nose down as he passed right over my top plane

 

Der Weilenstephaner Heffeweissbier was quite gute that nacht

Next time I'll bring a pistol!

[Olham 164]

Haha, a Weissbier expert - didn't know there was such supply to the front; we never got it here.

I will write a complaint to HQ.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Olham

[Creaghorn 10]

Haha, a Weissbier expert - didn't know there was such supply to the front; we never got it here.

I will write a complaint to HQ.

 

 

they also produce beer???

and i was always only drinking milk of weihenstephan .

 

 

[Duce Lewis 3]

Haha, a Weissbier expert - didn't know there was such supply to the front; we never got it here.

I will write a complaint to HQ.

But Herr Olham, we have an oustanding quartermaster sargeant here at Jasta 35

Strangely it seems he accepts all his deliveries after midnacht

This Hefeweissebier was a special gift from the Kaiser

Ah here the note saaays "To my favorite Albatross Ace in Jasta... hymph,cough, eh, eh, eh"

Sorry something caught in my throat

...So what was that question you have about my evasion technique?

 

You must stop over to our little canteen

We have a special order of Hefeweissebier Dunkel that I'm sure will please you