Fighter tactics against 2 seaters

[Ironhat 0]

It seems my ac always take a lot of damage from the rear gunners in those Hun bombers. I've only attacked 3 or 4 bomber formations so far in my limited OFF time but the gunners sure can shoot ! I keep my gun accuracy set to normal by the way.

An attack from below in a steep climb seems to help keep the gunners off but the problem is these old crates ive flown so far don't climb very long standing on the prop.

High speed attack from above might work ? Just keep the wings on the crate lol.

How do you guys go about this with some chance of not getting shredded every time?

[carrick58 23]

It seems my ac always take a lot of damage from the rear gunners in those Hun bombers. I've only attacked 3 or 4 bomber formations so far in my limited OFF time but the gunners sure can shoot ! I keep my gun accuracy set to normal by the way.

An attack from below in a steep climb seems to help keep the gunners off but the problem is these old crates ive flown so far don't climb very long standing on the prop.

High speed attack from above might work ? Just keep the wings on the crate lol.

How do you guys go about this with some chance of not getting shredded every time?

 

 

Althought not very effective, Stay at long range from the 2 seater. On the up side U get a few hits, On the down side U use all your ammo an only on few occassions do you get a kill.

[Waldemar Kurtz 1]

Werner Voss advised that pilots attack the FE2b head-on. the pilot and observer had absolutely no protection against a head-on attack. the pusher types had that engine in the back, which meant that they could sometimes take hundreds of rounds and keep on going.

 

I've never tried that in OFF. however, given that Voss managed to a fair number of Fees, I'd be willing to try out his advice.

 

regarding all other types of two-seaters. the BE2c, as currently modelled, is pretty easy to destroy. just line-up on the tail and start hammering away at close range.

 

for the others, I've found a couple of different methods (I've used all 5 of these methods successfully since I first started playing Red Baron in the 1990s, RB3d after that, and they work in OFF about as well as they did in the older games). some can be used on all types (like 1 and 2) while others should be used with caution, taking into account how the enemy plane stacks up against yours.

 

1. attack from behind at long range. use dozens of small bursts at a range of some 500 to 700 ft. it's tricky, time-consuming, and means you won't be able to shoot down more than one two-seater during any given mission. the trade-off is that you're more likely to survive

 

2. fly about 500-1000 ft below the two seater. (ideally you'll want to be about 100 ft or so behind them as well). then zoom climb into their belly and aim for the engine. then when the two seater evades break hard in the opposite direction. gain some altitude and repeat this manuever until the enemy machine is destroyed

 

3. a high-speed overhead pass. this is VERY hard to do. you're not going to get a lot of victories this way. in fact, I mostly use this to force a machine out of formation so my flight can pick it off later. however, against most of the tractor-type two-seaters this method is very effective. by the time you're in danger from the observer's machine gun we're talking about closing speeds of hundreds of miles an hour. additionally, you won't stay in range of their machine guns very long. this technique obviously can't be used if you're trying to attack a two-seater that's faster than you. so I wouldn't advise using this method with a Nieuport 11 while trying to attack Roland C.IIs for a variety of reasons!

 

4. head-on pass. this is really only sensible if you've got more firepower. if you're flying a Camel and going up against a DFW C.V it's not such a crazy idea. if you're flying an Airco DH.2 against a Roland C.II I'm going to advise against this method!

 

5. beam attack: that is to say attacking them from 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock. most two-seaters can't shoot directly to the side. although the Roland C.II can shoot pretty much anywhere. if the enemy two-seater starts turning away from you to let the observer take a shot at you-- don't bother getting any closer. this sort of attack really only works when they're already involved in something else (like dropping bombs) or getting attacked from another direction and can't react to you quickly enough.

 

 

all of these suggestions, of course, are being made by a fellow that flies two-seaters more often than fighters. that's REALLY the best way to learn how to shoot down two-seaters. fly them in Quick Combat and in Campaigns and you'll remember how you got killed!

[Olham 164]

Attack from below is good, Ironhat.

You perform a "sawtooth move", never getting too high and into gunner's range.

Dive to gain energy, climb to fire into the belly.

Don't climb too steep; you'd bleed off energy too quick. A 45° - 50° angle should be fine.

 

The Bristol Fighter and the Roland 'Walfisch' are another cup of tea; they turnfight, and are very agile.

They are very hard to fight simply because they always change their position, and the pilot will fly

in a way, that gives the gunner the best field of fire.

 

Waldemar, did you mean the Bristol Fighter (F2b)? Cause the 'Fee' (FE2b) does have a gunner, who can fire forwards.

[Ironhat 0]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Hopefully the suggestions will help other newibes to get at these guys and live to come home.

[Kamikaze 0]

A combined attack has worked for me. IF . . you can keep your squad together and not race too far ahead of them attack together. Additionally try to get altitude on the enemy and be diving on your target (speed if your friend). So the combination of your speed, and the number of attackers causing the enemy gunners to spread their fire around can protect you.

 

The biggest mistake I have made is trying to do this and getting ahead of my flight (oooppss). Basically rushing into it. So when I do my high speed pass, I am the only aircraft and everyone can shoot at me.

 

No matter what . . you will take damage. The question is how much. The best thing is to damage one or two of the enemy and get them to break our of formation. Then finish them off (with your squad)!

[Bullethead 12]

No matter what . . you will take damage. The question is how much. The best thing is to damage one or two of the enemy and get them to break our of formation. Then finish them off (with your squad)!

 

By the latter part of 1917, most bomber/recon 2-seaters do an "Indian run" defense. The main mass continues forward weaving while the lead guy circles around to the rear of the formation. Once he gets there, the new lead guy does the circle. Such formations are difficult to attack, so what you want to do his hang back and nail one of the guys off by himself circling to the rear. You can usually get him from his low 10-8 and escape without damage. Then he's maimed and drops behind so you can have him to yourself while your buddies work on the rest of the formation.

[ConradB 0]

My favorite form of attack on scouts or 2 seaters is from the frontal areas between 11 and 1 oclock. On the level, or from a little above. The 2 seaters are better on the level. I don't like giving the observer a clean shot. The closing speeds are nothing like diving a 109 or a 190 through a formation of 17's or 24's. It really is the a good way to knock them down. The N-17s and Spads can be damaged quickly with these types of attacks too.

[Waldemar Kurtz 1]

Olham:

 

regarding Voss, I've read that he advocated attacking the FE2b from below and in front. he said that while they're flying in a defensive circle that the best way of breaking them out is to attack them from below and in front. I think... the idea being is that they're already in the middle of a turn. that attacking them from behind left you exposed to machine gun fire as you made your approach. attacking them head-on and from below while they were in a circle made it harder for them to aim, as they're already in the middle of a turn away from you as you make your approach.

 

so, if memory serves, that's what he meant.

 

I'll have to double-check my sources again later.

 

 

work has been nightmarishly busy, so sorry for not responding earlier.