How to intercept Bombers?

[Abhi]

I have been playing sf2 NA and one thing that irritates me is BOMBERS, yeah f***ing bombers !! I shoot down around 7-8 of them with missiles but a gun kill is nearly impossible with the protective gun emplacements around them, also they tend to stick together making the gun fire more dense, please suggest what to do?

[Sheriff001]

The only way I've found that works with guns is to make a very fast pass. Try to line up first, shoot then run. Don't linger trying to aim precisely. If you can get the shot, speed up and come around again. Don't let the speed fall, or they will get you.

 

Another suggestion is use your wingmen. Order them to attack.

 

Finally, F-101B Voodoo, with two Genies and two Nuclear Falcons. No gun, no need for gun.

Edited September 12, 2012 by Sheriff001

[Abhi]

hmm high speed pass i will try, dont have nuke falcons as i am using stock weapons.

[Wrench]

best to study RAF, Luftwaffe, IJN/IJAAF tactics for engaging bombers from WW2 (and add missles). Principles still hold

Edited September 12, 2012 by Wrench

[Slartibartfast]

One trick I use is to go for head on attacks with guns... and if you have all aspect heat seakers they help... If against the IL-28 Ironbird okay any Bomber really then head on passes or from the front quarter as coming in from the tail is a bad idea all round... also learn to Yo Yo when attacking changing your height from below to above and hose the jet when it goes through your gun sight... oh and never let your wingmen take on Bombers without missile's as they will be taking theNylon let down...

[+daddyairplanes]

to paraphrase Red Storm Rising, you don't think they're really saying " here i am kill me do ya?" both sides play for virtuall keeps and agreed with wrench study WWII tactics for guns. for the 50s and beyond kill off as many as possible with missles at distance breaking up their mutual support.

[JediMaster]

I prefer the forward quarter attacks, but not true head on. In other words, hit them forward of their 3-9 line, either between 10-11 or 1-2. It presents a larger profile than a head-on, less movement across your FOV than a true attack on the 3-9 line, and relative safety from the tail guns.

[MigBuster]

Anything as long as you don't fly behind them in a straight line - Track IR is a real bonus to help with this - you can fly across the formation or up and down in the vertical - take practice though.

[PraetorH]

I would love to play a sim with detailed Ground controlled interception-model so that one can have the full SAGE experience over the wide spaces of Northern America e.g. (or the Sov counterpart). That would be cool, but I don't think it would sell...

 

 

to paraphrase Red Storm Rising, you don't think they're really saying " here i am kill me do ya?" both sides play for virtuall keeps and agreed with wrench study WWII tactics for guns. for the 50s and beyond kill off as many as possible with missles at distance breaking up their mutual support.

 

This seems to be a good tactic, but it might prove difficult if you only have Sidewinder missiles. Their warhead seems to be too weak to severly hurt heavy bombers. Since none of my favorite rides has anything bigger than that, I have seen bombers soaking them up like nothing and I had to close in anyway.

Occassionally I fly MiG 21 vs B-52... if it was that hard irl those MiG-jockeys really had guts.

Edited September 12, 2012 by PraetorH

[macelena]

 

 

Problem Solved

Edited September 12, 2012 by macelena

[Do335]

being new to sf the best trick i learnt so far is not to use time jump. there's still 8x time acceleration. cruising at mil i can pretty much arrive early and get plenty of time to work the area, or get off a few gun passes at the bombers before they launch stuff... if i end up on his six i just pull off climb with burners and make another pass

 

another plus is fuel becomes more important, time jump doesn't use fuel miraculously!

 

also it's funny many fighter sweeps turn into bomber intercepts before they reach friendly armor that is..

[Lt. James Cater]

Getting gun kills on the Iron Beagles is trick but doable.

 

For starters you have to think of which one of a flight you will be going after in a formation. The inner two are not worth it due to incoming fire from the rest is you come in from dead 6. The best way to go about it is to go for the wingmen. Don't just think you'll fly right in and blast away, you'll have to dodge some damn persistant enemy fire as you are going to work.

Myfavorite two methods are... 1- come in manuvering wildly from 6 low to level and time and time the rear gunner's bursts. At the moment of truth you can slide right behind the bomber and blast away., and 2-If the bombers are high enough yuo can come in for a classic attack von unten hilten. If your timing is right you can get below a bomber, chop the throttle, and pull the nose up while spraying the bomber from nose to tail.