Flying the F4U Corsair

By Fletchman, 9/12/1995

Foreword by Will “Reschke” Nichols

While this was originally written many years ago it still holds true for just
about every flight simulation game on the market that has the different
variants of the F4U Corsair in them. I recently took it upon myself to update
and edit this document to make it a little clearer in presenting the ideas,
correcting the grammar and spelling in some areas. I did add in some of my
thoughts but in no way am I neither attempting to nor claiming that I wrote
or produced any part of this original document. So without further
ado…..here’s Fletchman!

Here is "Sensei" Fletchman’s comprehensive tour de force about flight and

combat operations in the F4U Corsair. Variously known as the “Hog”or
“Hawg”, or “Big Blue”, the Corsair was one the most widely used (and
misused) aircraft in Air Warrior, and presumably in other air combat games.
As with all our training articles, the basic concepts and physics involved in
operating the aircraft should bear out across most well-developed and
physics-realistic air combat games. This master level article covers the
plane in flight and combat situations.

However, a cautionary note: as Sensei Fletchman points out, the flight

modeling of the aircraft discussed in this lecture may be different than that
of the games the reader currently plays. Please take these differences into
account and modify your tactics accordingly.

All that said, though, the serious combat pilot will find this lecture by
Fletchman to possibly be the finest study of the Air Warrior F4U around.
Bravo, Fletchman!

3/25/2010

***Recently edited for grammar, spelling and updated with current

thoughts and ideas by Will “Reschke” Nichols…long time Corsair
pilot in VF-17 “The Jolly Rogers”***
Flying the F4U Corsair v.2a: Revenge of the Hog!

By Fletchman, 9/12/1995

Preface to this Second Edition

This second edition contains clarifications and

updates as well as ideas that I just plain forgot
to put in the first edition! There is a new
section on dealing with the N1K1 "George" and
Version 2a resulted from actually carefully
proof reading the document.

Several people mentioned to me that they wanted to learn how to fly the F4U
effectively in Air Warrior. For reasons that remain unclear, several have
asked me for advice on this matter. While not an Air Warrior Old Timer by
any means, I have flown the Corsair for some time and gained considerable
experience flying the Big Hog. For this reason I thought I would share some
of my thoughts on how to exploit the F4U’s many outstanding qualities on-
line. Also, it is perhaps the most mishandled plane in the PTO. Beginners in
particular take the plane up, do terrible in it, and the immediately cast it
aside for planes like the Hellcat and KI-84. The F4U is a plane with many
subtle nuances. As with most fighters which rely mostly on energy tactics, it
takes quite a bit of tactical acumen and heads-up situational awareness in
order to get the most out of the plane.

Flight and Combat Operations

For the benefits of all I will start at the beginning and work up. The
experienced pilot is requested to bear with me. Since the F4U is an Energy
(E) Fighter, my thoughts on that realm of endeavor is also heavily covered.

With a couple notable exceptions all the Air Warrior fighters can be flown
successfully, provided the pilot learns to exploit the strong points and avoid
the weak points of any plane which he chooses to fly. The key to success is
to be true to the planes characteristics. Don’t push the plane into a situation
which it is ill suited. The F4U has many outstanding traits that can be
exploited by the schooled pilot, and these can be used to fly it with great
success for many victory.
Important Note: This text is written considering the AW planes and gunnery
as they are currently (July 1995) modeled. Future changes in the Kesmai
software might result in subtle or even dramatic changes in some of the
planes mentioned. These changes should be considered when reading this
guide in the future. However, the general doctrine should apply to almost
any flight simulation where the F4U is reasonably modeled.

Also, I have tried to avoid Air Combat Maneuver techno- babble whenever
possible. One, I hardly understand it myself, and second, dropping fancy
phrases is more likely to confuse than teach. An understanding of the bare
bones basics of ACM is assumed however. Undoubtedly some of the
maneuvers I describe go by fancier names in some other source. I prefer to
coin my own (sometimes colorful) descriptions, and keep them simple.

The F4U Corsair is without question the outstanding Energy Fighter in the
Pacific theater. Indeed, among those who have flown it extensively, many
believe it is the finest overall prop plane available in the Air Warrior W.W.II
Arena. The more I fly the plane and begin to understand its subtleties, the
more I agree with that assessment. While I fly almost all the Air Warrior
Fighters, I return again and again to the F4U.

Fly to the airplanes strengths to succeed!

1. Speed: The F4U is fast. It is the third fastest plane in the pacific theater.

2. Climb Rate: The F4U climbs quickly. Only the P-38, George and Hellcat
approach the F4U excellent climb rate in the PTO. Equally importantly, the
F4U can out climb both the PTO planes which can catch it in level flight - the
P-51 and KI-84.

3. Retains Energy: The F4U keeps its energy very well. The ability of a
plane to retain energy factors very heavily into making it an acceptable
candidate for energy fighting. The F4U shines in this department.

4. Ammo Load: The F4U’s ammo load is the stuff of legend. The F4U pilot
hardly ever has to look down with apprehension on his Ammo Load indicator
needle on the Air Warrior Dash. A stingy and patient Hog pilot can easily land
multiple kill missions on a consistent basis.

5. Durability: The Hog can take some heavy hits and keep flying. It is the
second most durable fighter in Air Warrior. With the sometimes bizarre
nature of the Air Warrior gunnery model, the F4U’s durability adds a bit of a
"comfort zone".
6. High Altitude Capability: The Hog’s performance holds up well at high
altitude. The higher the fight the more the F4U likes it. In fact in the 20K plus
arena where angle fighting begins to lose its relevance, the F4U energy
fighting skills are enhanced, and the Hog becomes doubly deadly.

7. Dive: The F4U dives like an aerodynamic brick. The dreaded effects of
compression set in slowly, and the Hog accelerates well in a dive, enabling it
to overhaul almost any plane in a power dive.

8. Roll Rate: The F4U has a decent roll rate. Although this is not a godsend
it allows the F4U to flip around quickly. Like its distant energy fighting cousin
the FW-190 (which has the best roll rate of all), the F4U can use its roll rate
to keep its more maneuverable foes at bay for short periods of time,
especially at high speed. Mostly I try to exploit the roll rate when caught in a
defensive situation, and hopefully confuse my opponent enough with a few
quick rolls to either turn the tables, or gain enough separation to extend out
of range. The good roll rate can also be exploited in a dog fighting situation
against the few planes that the F4U can compete with in that department.

9. High Speed Handling: The F4U handles well at high speed. Also, since
the F4U retains energy better than almost all PTO fighters, as long as the
Hog keeps the fight fast, the F4U can hang in there even with planes that are
more maneuverable at slow speeds.

10. The “Zoom Climb”: Because of its powerful engine, the Hog can "go
ballistic" with the best of them. In the vertical the hog will usually leave
others hanging on their prop well before it has to level its wings.

11. Its Big and Blue and its "gull-wings" look really cool: While these
factors add few features to the plane’s flight characteristics, man does not
live by bread alone.

The F4U’s weak points

1. It’s not a stall fighter: The F4U is a poor "turn and burn" dogfighter.
Frankly, once its airspeed drops much below 200 knots, it handles terribly. In
a stall fight 150 knots IAS is usually the kiss of death for the big plane. Its
sustained turn rate at low speed is terrible, and it has a tendency to stall
itself into a vicious spin given even the slightest excuse.

The only fighters that it can try to outfly in a stall fight are the P-51, P-47,
and N1K2, and that’s not saying much. If you want to mix it up low in the
eternal furball over the PTO central Atoll, take another fighter. A sustained
flat energy bleeding turn in the horizontal plane is about the last maneuver
you want to do in an F4U. Indeed, such turns will probably be the last thing
you do, quite literally, before you are shot down.
2. Lethality: The F4U has no cannon, so its lethality is only average. Luckily
this is offset by a couple of factors in the F4U’s favor. The F4U’s massive
ammo load does a lot to make up for this, and many of the planes in the
PTO, specifically the numerous KI-84’s and Zero’s are not particularly
durable. However when facing F6F’s or other Corsairs the F4U pilot needs to
be mindful that he’s going to have to dish out a lot of punishment on those
fighters to down them. . The P-38 is still a pretty big target, but it can soak
up the hits so it still takes many "pings" to down it.

3. Stall: The F4U’s spin is vicious, and quick recover (which isn’t easy) is
required in order to save the engine from oil deprivation (i.e. "porked").
Standard stall recover will usually bring the big bird back, but it might also
be necessary to throttle down to cut engine torque. AW also allows you to
cut the engine completely, this being a handy trick to keep the engine from
becoming "porked". Stalling below 1000 feet is generally fatal, although a
hard punch on the rudder might pop the Hog out of the spin provided that
the spin isn’t too severe. If you manage to survive the spin without punching
a hole in the virtual dirt in there is another worry. Once that oil gauge drops
below 50, you’re flying a wounded bird for the rest of your flight. If you see
the oil gauge dropping towards 50% - cut the engine. Also the Hog isn’t
particularly polite in regard to giving you warnings of an impending stall.

One of the less complementary nick-names the F4U assumed historically was
"The Ensign Eliminator" due to its unforgiving flight characteristics. The F4U
needed an experienced hand at the stick. In that at least, AW models history
pretty well. The current version of AW does not model torque, which is just
as well since that would make it even harder to handle at low speed. If AW
ever does model torque it will be necessary to apply firm rudder on takeoff,
as well as being gentle with the throttle on takeoff. Suddenly fire walling the
throttle would cause the big bird to flip because of the massive torque of the
engine. This was the fatal mistake that many trainees made and gained the
Hog the aforementioned nick-name.

Maneuvering: The F4U in flight

Take off: A carrier take off can be tricky if you’re packing bombs and a big
load of gas. Generally, using full flaps and keeps the wheel brakes engaged
until the bird starts to roll. If you’re especially heavily loaded using WEP for
the takeoff run might also be wise. If the nose drops a bit after takeoff, hit
the WEP and pull in the landing gear ASAP. Prayer might also be in order.
Practice this off line until you can do it without a hitch. If this causes fear to
run up your spine, take off from a land based field.

Landings - Land based fields: Cut throttle to near zero. Do not engage
flaps. Float down to the end of the runway. Make sure you are under 150
knots - although 100 knots is preferred. Don’t bring down the gear until you
are under 250 or you may suddenly nose yourself right into terra firma. Keep
the nose slightly high and let the plane land itself. Don’t try to force it into
the ground.

Landings - Carriers: Patience is the key here. Do a low "flyby" to starboard

throttle down and go to full flaps. When you have brought yourself to about
100 knots or less turn into your final approach; you want to be slightly above
100 feet as you reach the carrier, then cut throttle and engage the tail hook.
You can cheat by nosing down slightly at the very end. (The key word is
slightly.) If you miss the arresting wire located on the white strip pour on
the coal and take off for another pass. Carrier landings with enemy around
anywhere in the area are not recommended. Carrier landings take
concentration and patience. If there are any baddies in the sector go to a
land based field.

Dive brakes: The Hog can use its landing gear as an impromptu dive brake.
I hardly ever use it however because using it often simply noses you into a
negative G red-out and results in a less than friendly contact with mother
earth. Also it’s usually anathema for me to surrender even an ounce of
energy in most situations. However using the landing gear as an impromptu
"air anchor" can be used as a last ditch defensive move. If you have been
completely outmaneuvered or are hopelessly "blacked out" in the "dead
zone" of a flat turn, popping the gear might just make the guy on your six
overshoot. This can’t be recommended, but if you are a flying dead man
almost anything is worth a try to give you a new lease on life.

The Hog also had more useful dive brakes which can be accessed via the
spacebar or programmed onto a control button. These are much more useful
that the landing gear method. It doesn’t dump energy radically, but is useful
in a stall fight, or to put out the anchors during a dive and to overcome
compression. They are also very useful for pulling those couple extra
degrees of lead during a pass where you have a high closure rate and might
be required to shoot with a lot of deflection. Leaning on the drive brake
naturally cuts your energy level, so don’ rely on them simply to make a
difference in a pass that is already a lost cause. [Ed. Note: Dive Brakes are
no longer modeled in the 1998/1999 versions of AWIII.]

Spins: Avoid them. The Hog doesn’t like maneuvering at less than 150
knots. As stated before this speed is the kiss of death in many situations. If
you find your IAS around that area and you start horsing the stick around a
spin is very likely. Gently correct your attitude to get your air speed back up.

Also, if your angle of attack is steep you can get hit by an accelerated stall at
even more than 150 knots. If you’re starting a loop or an Immelman, punch
at least 1 notch of flaps. If your airspeed is dropping like a rock got to full
flaps. The hog can "make it over the top" at surprisingly slow speed if the
wings are kept very level, but it’s risky.

Compression: The Corsair is pretty forgiving in this area fortunately. The

big blue bird will usually give you plenty of warning as compression sets in
due to extreme speeds. Not being Techno-Guru, I wouldn’t want to even try
to go into the flight dynamics of compression. However, the AW flight model
tends to place a higher emphasis on angle of attack than altitude to calculate
how much concrete gets poured into the base of your joystick. Generally
angles of 45 degrees down and worse are very dangerous. However, the Hog
can hang in even at ultra- high speeds with a shallow nose down attitude. If a
high speed embrace with Mother Earth appears likely, at least in a shallow
dive the Corsair driver has plenty to time to chop throttle to zero, hit the dive
brake, and horse the stick back to maximum deflection. Blacking out is the
least of your worries in such a situation. The Corsairs airframe can withstand
tremendous G loads, so the plane coming apart is a not a worry. However,
even the best built Corsair will come apart when hitting the ground at 400
knots.

Terra Firma: Like most planes the F4U doesn’t like striking the earth at high
speeds; that’s just bad for the airframe; regardless of how good you think
you are. When pulling out of a dive don’t forget that your nose attitude
doesn’t always indicate what direction you are flying. When pulling out of a
dive remember the plane will continue to "flatten out" the bottom of the dive
curve even if the nose attitude tell you should be pulling out of the dive.
Translated, that means that you are still going down, even though you seem
to be pulling out of the dive. This could lead to a quick end of your flying
adventure.

The F4U as Energy Fighter

Fighters are offensive weapons, and offensive weapons work best when they
fight from positions where they, not the enemy have the initiative. Being in a
defensive position is inherently bad for fighter aircraft. The pilot, to be
successful, needs to maneuver throughout the fight to assure that he and
not his opponent dictates the pace of combat, starts with the initiative, and
keeps it throughout the fight. For the F4U, this means using energy and
position in a deadly combination of maneuver and fire.

When flying the F4U as an energy fighter, energy is more important than
position. Position is transitory for the F4U. This point and several others will
be repeated many times over in the text to follow. And for good reason -
they are important if not vital points!

While the stall fighter lives to obtain position, the F4U with its slower turn
rate and (it is too be hoped) higher speed cannot hope to turn with its target
on a majority of occasions. But it doesn’t have to! By using energy wisely,
the F4U can almost always regain position for that "moment of truth" shot.

The Energy fighter fights from a position of advantage only. The advantage
we are discussing here is the big "E" - Energy. The F4U is a pretty simple
plane to fly. If you maintain a superior energy state to all your nearby
potential opponents you are pretty much untouchable. You on the other
hand will be able to reach out touch them quite effectively - with the six 50
cal. machine guns that Chance-Vought was thoughtful enough to provide.
Why is this? The F4U is slower than both the P-51 and KI-84 in the Pacific;
however it can out climb both to keep out of harm’s way provided things get
ugly. The F4U can simply show its heels to all other PTO fighters.

Many simply point to the fact that the KI-84 is faster and are therefore
reluctant to fly the F4U in the Pacific, afraid some KI-84 will overhaul them
and stomp on them in a stall fight. The F4U which gets embroiled in a stall
fight with a KI-84 is at a marked disadvantage it is true. However, the Hogs
great climb rate can leave the more maneuverable KI-84 eating dust if
properly applied.

The Mustang on the other hand, is at a disadvantage against the F4U in a

stall fight. So the Hog pilot doesn’t have to worry about being overmatched
in a knife-fight. In many respects these are the keys to the F4U’s success in
the Pacific. With correct tactics the F4U pilot can usually dictate the fight.
And dictating the fight on your terms rather than that of the enemy is the
key to victory.

Tactics: The key to successfully using energy tactics is about 80%

successfully assessing which fight to fight and which fight to "flight". There
are numerous factors that affect tactical assessment.

The Numbers Game: Even if we don’t want to admit it, numbers, not skill,
usually determine success or failure in the Air Warrior Arenas. The Energy
Fighter can cheat fate to some degree by virtue of being to choose when to
engage and when not to engage. The Angle Fighter however, once
committed to the "low and slow" fight is basically locked in to a "win or die"
situation. Egress from a Dogfight, especially one where the numbers are
against you is fraught with difficulties. This is why most in historical air
combat most pilots avoided the dogfight.

Even in W.W.I, a dogfighter’s heaven by any standard, most of the top Aces
avoided the huge multi-plane furballs. They were content to float above the
conflagration, their protective wingmen in tow and pick off an occasional
straggler. Furball’s were often deemed just too risky for those who lived in
the ultimate "One Life" arena. No matter how good you are at angle fighting,
the odds catch up all too soon. Numbers are the ultimate arbiter of the
successful angle fight.

The Second major factor in the successful Energy Fighter is patience.

Develop it into a fine art. Practice deep breathing techniques! Do Yoga!
Whatever! Don’t "lose your head" and just jump right into the nearest
furball! Especially with a Hog! I often work a "mark" for an extended period
of time. Once all the cards are in your favor apply the Coup de Grace. It’s not
fair, but well that’s war. The Energy Fighter may lead a boring life, but he has
a better chance of seeing the friendly runway rising up to meet him at the
end of a tough mission.

The Engagement Checklist

To engage or not to engage, that is the question!

Judge your energy state as compared to that of the enemy. This involves two
factors… Altitude and Speed.

Assessing altitude discrepancy is easy to assess of course unless you are

very much higher or lower than the enemy. If you are well above the enemy
it is a fairly safe assumption that you have a superior energy state. When
altitude is fairly equal, assessing the energy state of your opposition is
sometimes more art than science. There are several clues that will allow you
assess what the speed of your opposition is. It is more difficult to judge the
energy state of a target moving towards you than going away. If your plane
to the rear of the enemy it is a relatively easy matter to assess his speed by
comparing your speed to the rate of closure. That is, how fast you are
overhauling him, if he is slow, or how fast he is pulling away if he is faster. If
the distance counter on the dash is spinning like a top you it’s pretty safe to
assume your target is not tooling along, if you are heading towards each
other.

On the other hand, if you are closing on the enemy from the rear, the rate of
closure is a reasonably good indicator of his speed. Also, it is more difficult to
judge an enemies speed that is flying at an angle to you rather than flying
straight at or away from you. Unless you can do trigonometry in your head,
this often involves a lot of guesswork.

Your targets recent activities can give you a clue as to his energy state.
What’s he doing now, or what has he done recently? A target near takeoff or
landing is lucky to be doing 200 knots IAS. A gentle climb is usually an
indication of fairly low speed. A plane in zoom climb usually means that the
pilot has energy to burn. He is reconverting his speed to altitude. There is
nothing like experience however to make a snap judgment on enemy energy
state. And even the most experienced pilots "guess wrong" now and again,
and end up not having to worry about spending tedious on-line dollars
landing those "Kills". The Air Warrior Host is thoughtful enough to provide
quick and free transportation to headquarters for pilots who have been shot
down.

As a general rule it is very unwise to commit to an attack when there are

known enemies above you. This violates the rule of engaging from
advantage. Although there are exceptions to virtually all "rules of
engagement", this is one that the hog driver in particular must commit to
memory.

There is an exception to this. If you are at 20k and there is a nose-bleeder at

30k eyeing you over, by all means drop down to troll the furball at 10k. The
much higher fighter is more likely to pass you up as a target if he has to
"spend" his horde of energy chasing you down 4 miles! Even if he does, by
the time you both get to the furball at 10k, much of his energy advantage
will have eroded.

Numbers: Numbers are a "force multiplier". If your side has numbers it is

easy to engage; however as the numbers stack against you the threat
increases geometrically as numbers move up numerically. Engaging
numbers is always risky. Diving into a furball and getting dragged into a
"turn and burn" scenario is generally folly with an F4U anyway. Doing so
when you are outnumbered is a sure way to pad some other guys kill total.
Also remember if you’re diving through a host of enemies on a gun pass you
only have to misjudge the energy state of one of the enemy gaggle to end
up floating home.

So as a general rule, the bigger the numbers are stacked against you the
bigger the initial energy advantage should be. Caution should be redoubled
and patience stretched to near infinity in such situations. Be a hunter, work
the "mark", and wait for a straggler to disengage. Don’t ever just dive in and
start turning with the horde, unless living is something you have no interest
in. The F4U can roar through a pack, administer a kill and climb away
regardless of the numbers and live to bounce again given the right set of
conditions. No matter how many give chase, the bad guys will never catch
you provided you simply stay in a gentle high speed climb. If some KI-84
wants to follow you up to 30k - so much the better. At 30k the KI-84 is just
another kill decal on the fuselage of your F4U anyway, but more on that
later.

Situational assessment: After assessing the energy state of his potential

target(s), and the numbers involved, there are other tactical assessments
that need to be made. The key to success to keep control of the tactical
situation; that is make sure no "loose ends" end up getting you killed.
Recheck the radar: After having assessed the tactical situation as
favorable, it is very important to periodically reassess the big tactical picture.
This is one of the biggest mistakes pilots make. It is all too easy to get
caught up in the fight and lose control of the situation. Even the most
experienced pilots often make this mistake. If landing your missions is
something that is important to you, it is very important to know when to
disengage!

Has an enemy flight appeared on radar: Furball’s tend to draw a crowd,

so it’s always best being the last guy to show up! Keep an eye out for the
"tail end charlies" flying in to join the fun. A radar icon appearing and moving
towards the fight is almost always going to be at higher altitudes, and thus
present a bigger threat, than any number of slow moving whirling dervishes
within a furball.

Is the number equation turning dramatically against you: If you check

the radar icons and there are way too many of the "wrong" colors, and your
buddies, who were recently at your side have done you discourtesy of being
shot down, you have probably already waited too long to disengage and
extend towards friendly airspace. Keep track of the ongoing combat as it
develops, recheck the radar, and check for new threats. If the numbers start
to slip away, use that energy you have been hoarding and zoom away to
fight again.

Beware of defensive tricks: The radio is often the most powerful weapon
of war. Know when to use it, and know when it may be used against you.
Watch out for "drag and bag" and "bait and switch" defenses. If you are
pursuing an enemy plane, especially if he is heading towards home, it’s fairly
likely he’s alerting his buddies as to your altitude and heading. If you are low
you are going to be vulnerable to counter attack.

Out of the Sun: The element of surprise: Historically much of air combat
revolved around gaining surprise. With the notoriously poor rear visibility of
most W.W.II fighters (who designed these planes anyway - certainly not
pilots!) tactics often revolved around maneuvering for a rear quarter
"bounce", ideally versus an enemy who for any number of reasons had not
spotted his attacker. Historically, spotting the enemy and identifying him first
was THE biggest factor in air combat success. Air Warrior does not address
this factor, except perhaps indirectly, in its simulation.

Air Warrior has several aides which help visibility conspicuously, particularly
the ubiquitous plane "icon" which appears both on radar as well as both
sides of the dash. Provided the pilot is viewing the correct view key at the
time, he is immediately clued in to the identity and range of his attacker.
This means of course that no one is ever blown of the sky by an unseen
attacker right? Wrong!
Surprise, both total and partial are a big factors in a successful Boom and
Zoom kill in the Air Warrior Arena. The astute Hog Driver needs to keep a
keen eye for situations linked to human frailties and psychology that can be
exploited to gain surprise on the opponent.

Scenario One: You snooze, you lose!

Total surprise is that thing most devoutly to be hoped for. The Pilots killer
instinct is usually gratified to the extreme after executing a "one- pass kill"
on a target whose wings never wavered in response. While the "swivel-
headed" Ace checks his view key every ten seconds for bogies, the less
vigilant Dweeb tends to be lazy or become inattentive in his duties.

It takes about 20-30 seconds of inattention to die unawares in an Air Warrior,

and that is probably a generous assessment, even with a seemingly empty
friendly sky all around. The relatively benign blue of the sky can suddenly
become littered with enemy icons in the blink of an eye. Meaning that unless
you are constantly scanning you will see a kill message with someone else
saying you got shot down in a shockingly short period of time. The F4U in a
full power dive can keep control at almost 400 knots at most engagement
altitudes. This means that the defender has to react pretty fast to stay with
the living.

Usually I try to keep the pass at speeds of less than 350 knots because
compression can spoil your run, making last minute targeting adjustments
impossible. However, when a plane has given no sign of sighting me as I
close in, I usually just push it to the max and touch the dive brake or throttle
back if needed at the last possible moment to regain control to get the gun
sight on target. Getting that "one pass" kill often revolves around diagnosing
an inattentive pilot.

How to spot the inattentive pilot

"It’s Miller Time": The Pilot tooling back to base at cruising speed after a
tough mission may be less attentive than regulations require. Assessing the
targets energy state is much easier when there is only one enemy in range,
and the F4U can attack with impunity with a superior energy state. The
"Miller Time" pilot keeps flying straight and level even as you begin your
bounce. The ideal "Miller Time” pilot is a pilot flying alone. As a straggler he
is an ideal target. (See below)

"Smoke Break": Players tend to be less attentive during, or right after they
execute a kill. They are either concentrating on getting the enemy plane in
their sights, or gloating over their kill. Chances are they are not flipping
through their available views. This is a good time to attempt a pass. Also
planes that are right in the middle of killing a plane are usually flying fairly
straight, making them pretty easy targets.

The Pack Rat: The guy in a middle of a squadron of his buddies may ease
off of the view keys because his buddies will warn him if about to be
bounced. Like the "Miller Time" pilot the "Pack Rat" keeps tooling along
straight and level as you approach the formation, making him easy to spot.
One note of caution however: Attacking the "Pack Rat" target is inherently
risky. If the whole formation breaks back into your attack, head for the
stratosphere with WEP engaged. Also, as I have mentioned, with so many
enemy to assess, you only have to misjudge the e-state of one of the planes
in the group to end up being the one floating home. This is especially true if
there are no other enemy counters on their radar for them to chew on. If you
have doubts about the energy state of the pack, you are rolling the dice
making a pass on your intended victim.

Sensory Overload: This guy is checking out multiple bandits at once. He’s
got too many to watch and too little time to decide which is the most
threatening. With a stealthy approach angle and a little luck he might never
see you. The first indications of an attack might be a couple of loud noises, a
red screen, and a "you have been shot down" notification.

The Speed Demon: This Pilot is confident that his six is clear because he
roaring along at high speed. Math says otherwise. A F4U at 400 knots closes
on planes doing 300 knots. This often leads to the ultimate "Q.E.D." - another
kill painted on your fuselage. (See "Foxhound" below)

The Straggler: The plane is well below your patrolling F4U. He is fair
distance from any friendly airfield and none of his buddies are close. You
hold all the Aces even if he spots you. ATTACK.

The Wounded Bird: This plane is trying to leave a furball, maybe even
smoking. He is making a beeline for the nearest friendly airfield, perhaps at
very low altitude for no apparent reason. These are indicators that he is hurt
or low on ammo or gas. Since mercy is not the vocabulary of the Air Warrior
Pilot, an immediate dusting is called for.

The "Low and slow and out of Ideas": The typical "vulch" victim;
generally speaking the lower the airspeed the easier the target.

The "Vulch": Killing a guy just into his take off is the easiest kill of all. This is
rather a sore point with many pilots, who think that hovering above an
enemy airfield waiting for some poor unsuspecting enemy to pop up is
unsporting. Of course everybody in Air Warrior vulches, but most claims
those others do it to the exclusion of all other types of air combat activity.
My philosophy on this is: Expect no quarter and give none. If the plane is not
the same color as the country you are flying for - its fair game at any and all
times. War is hell, and it’s not particularly fair either. If the guy doesn’t check
his views before starting his engine or deliberately takes off knowing his field
is under low level attack, he deserves what he gets, good or bad.

In their current incarnation Air Warrior airfields are very weakly defended,
perhaps in the future airfields might gain their historical reputation of tough
nuts to crack.

In any event, the F4U is not the ideal "vulching" platform despite its huge
ammo load. Staying low for extended periods of time is generally not healthy
with any plane, and is especially bad with a plane that maneuvers as poorly
as the F4U. If "vulching" is your aim, the F6F comes highly recommended. It
is probably the best plane in AW to perform the odious task of "vulching".

The Social Climber: This guy makes the mistake of climbing too steeply at
very low speed to try to gain your altitude. He’s a sitting duck there going
along at under 150 knots.

The Fox Hound: The Foxhound is a plane in high speed pursuit of an enemy
plane. The Foxhound usually is afflicted with a bad case of tunnel vision. He
wants that sure kill so badly that he is neglecting his views. The same math
used with the "Speed Demon" (see above) applies, however the "Foxhound"
is even less likely to check his six, and even if he does he may ignore your
attack and keep pursuing that "easy kill" just out of gun range. With luck you
can pick off two or three "Foxhounds" in one very high speed pass in quick
succession. Do a "Side Swoop" (see below) and chances are he will be flying
Swiss cheese when he finally figures out he is under attack.

Scenario Two: Misdirection and Angles

The Parlor Magician is an expert at making the target audience miss what’s
really going on. The successful B&Z pilot also knows that a distracted
unaware target is a dead target.

"Now you see me now you don’t": The rear and down views are the
hardest to access via the keyboard, so are less likely to be checked. For this
reason attacks from those quadrants are less likely to be spotted in time.
Attacks from 6 o’clock high are the most likely to be spotted because those
are the views most often checked by Air Warrior Pilots. To avoid being
spotted it is better to attack from different rear-quarter directions if possible.

The Low Bounce: Dip under your targets "rear" view before you enter Icon
range (5000 yards). This generally requires a big edge in speed since you
have to climb back up slightly to shoot. If your closure rate is suspect, boring
right in might be a better bet.

This is without question the best surprise attack of all, and the most difficult
to achieve. Often the situation appears suddenly by chance, and the ability
to see the tactical opportunity is fleeting. Also since surprise is almost always
total in this kind of attack; it is permitted to bend the rules a bit in regards to
the rules of engagement. If the target is unaware of your presence, all which
is required is a gun solution for an almost guaranteed kill. Also, if he does
spot at the last moment he will probably immediately go to a radical evasive
maneuver, more intent on escaping from his brush with death than of getting
on your six. In other words, even if the energy state is pretty equal you will
still have the initiative psychologically. Total surprise triggers the "flight"
instinct to escape. Only the coolest and most experienced pilots will try to
turn the tables immediately from that kind of situation.

The Side Swoop: You are in a 3 or 9 o’clock high position. Swoop down into
a 5 or 7 o’clock low position to take your shot. I’ve considered applying for a
patent for this move, but unfortunately there isn’t much in Air Combat that
hasn’t been done better by someone else. However this is the basic bread
and butter kind of move that has the target muttering; "Where did that guy
come from?" upon his return to HQ.

The Gun Pass: Gun passes of 300-350 knots are an acceptable standard.
Speeds less than that are risky, and approach folly as you approach 200
knots IAS. Remember that it is the speed at time of engagement, not initial
speed that matters.

Attack angle: Generally it’s a bad idea to have too steep an attack angle
when making a gun pass. There are several good reasons for this. Steep
attack angle means your airspeed is going to very high, and your rate of
closure high. If the deflection angle of your shot is high getting a hit will be
difficult. Also, an extremely high rate of closure will make it more difficult to
"one pass" the target. This is especially true if the target is a lumbering
bomber. If you are well above your target it is a good idea to go low first and
flatten your attack angle as you approach your target, rather than just bore
straight in.

Overshooting your target and having to squander energy pulling out of your
power dive is a big threat if you just head straight for the target from well
above.

This is probably the biggest "Dweeb" mistake that spoils many attack passes
for beginning energy fighters. Even experienced pilots lost in the excitement
of the hunt will commit this cardinal error. Indeed, this is probably the
mistake I commit the most often. I kick myself for it afterwards for being a
stupid Dweeb of course, but that doesn’t keep me from doing it again when
iron discipline fails.

If you do make this mistake do not pull mega G’s trying to "correct" your
mistake with a quick pullout! That’s the second cardinal error! You will bleed
energy like a stuck pig, your enemy will most likely now be well above you
and you will have blown all your advantage. It is best to just to disengage
with a gentle pull back on the stick and extend away with the realization that
you make a mistake. It’s not great of course, but it beats being shot down by
the guy who seconds ago was pretty much at your mercy. That is really
embarrassing when it happens! I know, because it has happened to me!

A high attack angle means that if you don’t dust the guy on the first pass,
the loss of energy involved in recovering from the overshoot could cause you
to lose much if not all of your energy advantage. As you get closer to the
target you want to have less of an angle for your shot. Thirty degrees should
be the absolute steepest attack angle at the time you take your shot. I
usually like to see much less. Actually I want to be starting my zoom out with
nose up as I enter into gun range, but this is not always possible.

As you gain more experience with the F4U (or any energy fighter for that
matter), you will begin to take more liberties with the "rule of attack angle".
That is because the difference speed between you and the target are closely
intertwined with attack angle in determining the success or failure of the
bounce. Miscalculation can lead to either a disastrous overshoot, and or just
plain blowing the pass. The general rule being: the higher the attack angle,
the lesser the speed difference must be for a successful bounce to be
executed. This particular phenomenon lead logically to the maneuver to be
discussed next - the Drop.

The Drop: Maneuver into a position directly above your target. If you insist
on dropping on somebody with a very steep dive angle, there is a correct
way to do it. Hovering like a Hawk above the target will hopefully panic the
target. He may stand on his prop, cutting his airspeed, or try to dive away.

It is very hard to judge a plane’s attitude and intent when it is directly above
you. Oddly enough you don’t want too much difference in airspeed when you
conduct a drop. Often go into a very high Immelman, and then just hang
inverted at speeds as low as 100 knots IAS above your target. This will
usually provoke a panic as the target tries to either dive away or climb into
you.

If the target has enough energy to start pulling his nose up into your attack
when you drop on him, your attack will probably not succeed. What you want
to do is wait on the target to declare its intent, and then execute the bounce.
The key to success in this maneuver is to drop into a rear quarter shot, not a
head-on shot. By using the targets plane attitude as a guide it’s possible to
roll into a rear quarter firing position. Also, with an initial low airspeed, it’s
easier to follow the target planes break and get a rear quarter shot. A patient
target will not panic and keep his airspeed up and await your move! A faulty
drop will result in you overshooting the target at very high speed with a very
steep dive angle results in a substantial loss of the energy advantage you
have worked to gain, since you have to pull out at high G’s shedding energy
at a prodigious rate. Also a slower initial attack speed allows you to track the
break for a longer period of time that would be possible if your airspeed is
much higher.

The Drop is most effective against a target that loses its head and tries to
climb at low air speed or panics into a dive. A slow target is a sitting duck
even for a head on or deflection shot. Once the target presents his tail in a
dive the Corsairs excellent dive characteristics come into play. The Hog
should overhaul the target easily and administer a quick kill.

The Drop transitioning to the "Anchor": If you drop on a foe without a huge
advantage in energy it is possible to for the F4U to drop the anchors by
cutting throttle and smashing the drive brake to cut airspeed suddenly and
dramatically as you close for the shot. This means the instantaneous turn
performance of the F4U will suddenly jump allowing you to follow a break
turn for longer and farther than the target would assume possible. Doing this
takes a big investment in energy, and is not recommended when there are
multiple foes in the area.

The Drop can be a double edged sword versus an experienced pilot however;
who by keeping his airspeed high, dodging your pass, and waiting for the
overshoot can try to turn the tables quickly. I have found that using this
maneuver to settle into a "saddle up" position by dropping "anchor" and
settling up the breaking targets six at near equal airspeed is the best thing
you can hope for against a good pilot. This maneuver is inherently tricky, and
is not recommended for inexperienced pilots. A small mistake is all is
required to die.

Breaker, breaker! Tracking that initial break

Once you have been spotted your chances for a quick kill dramatically
decrease; however this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t continue to
prosecute the attack. Once the targets begins to "break" the Hog Driver has
to make several decisions. There are a limited number of defenses to that
initial "bounce". Each of these calls for somewhat different tactics.

If the target begins to break outside of gun range; all you can do is to set
yourself for the best deflection shot possible. With luck and a bit of skill you
can still finish him in the first pass. The good news is that in order to get the
LCOS on target you don’t have to pull mega-G as your target as you come
into gun range.

The Lateral Flat Turn (Break): If the target begins his break close to gun
range, as a general rule I track the target for about 45 degrees of break if it
is lateral. This is about as far as you want to follow the break and allows the
F4U to keep its energy level. Only do this if there is a reasonable hope of
getting your guns on target. Don’t yank on that stick pursuing a break that
you can’t possibly track with your guns! I generally go into a lazy turning
climb. This move could be interpreted as a super High Yo-Yo.

A climbing break (possibly into a loop or an Immelman), is generally easier to

track than a Split-S, since the F4U doesn’t have to pull negative G’s to
maintain his gun "solution". Also, while it is a good idea to "turn into" the
attacker, this can present problems for the defender. A direct break back
towards the attacker will mean that while the defender is in the process of
doing his Immelman, the deflection angle for the shot is not going to vary a
great deal until a full head on shot is all that remains.

Also the defenders maneuver cuts airspeed. This might give the Hog just
enough range to start firing. Also because of the "Doppler shift" in Air
warrior, it is often difficult for the defender to gauge exactly when to break
since the exact distance of the attacker is not known. If the defender insists
on breaking into the vertical, it is usually wise to do so at some kind of angle
horizontally. At least then the attacker will have to pull more G’s and shoot
with a bigger deflection angle. The defender breaking straight back into the
attacker can present the attacker with a killing "canopy" shot as the plane
loops back, and generally presents the attacker with an easier shot. The
current gunnery model tends to make canopy shots quite deadly,
considering the inherent "head-on" aspect of the shot. This is something to
be mindful of, on the attack as well as defense. Having had my beloved Hog
"no-pinged" by such a shot, I can attest to its inherent effectiveness!

If you miss or only damage the target after the first tangle with them do not
despair, and do not start turning with the target. Trying to turn with the
target is actually riskier if you have a big speed advantage because your turn
radius is now much bigger. Don’t give the slower target the opportunity to
turn inside you using his lower airspeed! Zoom away.

If airspeed is reasonably close and you have a good "saddle up" position, and
there aren’t any serious threats in the area, and the guy is in a relatively
slow turner, you might be considering dropping into a stall fight. Be warned
however, once you make that decision you have traded your E-advantage
B&Z edge for a big edge in position in a stall fight situation there is usually
no going back. That may not necessarily be bad of course, but once you
have made that decision you are banking on your stall fighting skills and
your initial position advantage to win the day.

Giving up on a failed gun pass is another bit of iron discipline that the F4U
pilot must learn and drill into his mind as an automatic response. The hard
break means your foe is bleeding energy badly. You can zoom away going
into the vertical - banking energy like JP Morgan banked cash, and "repeat as
necessary" all the bounces necessary to get the job done. I have had to
apply a dozen or more passes on stubborn Zeke pilots on many occasions,
but the key was, I knew, and HE knew that the outcome was never in doubt.
(More on Plane-vs.-Plane encounters later).

Beginners often use the dive brake too much trying to follow breaks. This is a
bad habit to form. As a general rule, never use it when engaging multiple
enemies. The energy you surrender leaning on the dive brake chasing that
break move, is the energy you wish you had when the enemy turns to
engage your dangerously slow Corsair.

If the enemy uses the tried and true split-s maneuver, generally you will lose
your opportunity for a realistic gun solution once he has completed his roll
into the inverted position. Pulling negative G’s results in a red-out very
quickly, so chances are you will not get your guns lined up once he begins
his downward trek. Instead, talk about the "big one that got away" at the
crash and burn cafe later, and go into an energy conserving vertical
maneuver. A high Immelman or lazy chandelles (climbing turn) are both
good. Generally it’s bad to try to follow the Split-S down, going vertical is
usually much better since you energy advantage over your opponent will
actually increase. Trying to follow the Split-S is tempting, but will usually
result in the loss much of your advantage, since with your higher airspeed
you will actually end below your opponent because of your bigger turn radius
at high speed. If you are trying to correct this by yanking the stick back it
only results in the inevitable loss of energy. As the defender continues to
turn inside your high speed loop you are in the process of being "suckered".
Continuing to follow this move will result in a stall fight starting in a series of
loops. If the target is in a better turning plane you are already in the process
of letting him turns the tables on you in a big way.

The rule of not following a Split-S is not set in stone of course. It can be
tolerated if airspeeds are reasonably similar, and the target turn
performance is reasonably similar. Never follow a Split-S if your airspeed is
much higher than the targets. That is almost always wrong.

This brings up another general principle. If you are going to follow one break
move, follow the first break move and no more. If no gun solution presents
itself it’s time to zoom. This tactic was recommended by several W.W.II Aces,
and its wisdom becomes self-evident after a time.
Separation: Don’t worry about separation too much. In an energy fight I
generally don’t get worried about separation until the target gets over 3500
yards away. While allowing the target a large amount of breathing space
allows him to recover his energy level, obsessing about keeping separation
small will generally cause the energy fighter to bleed off energy with too
many high G maneuvers trying to keep close to the target. Naturally, lateral
separation is the only factor to really worry about. Vertical separation is not
usually a problem provided you are the guy with the advantage in altitude!

As long as your Hog stays well above the target the Hog’s diving ability will
gobble up the intervening ground quickly even if the target goes into a dive
to evade. Judgment has to be used of course. Consider the diving ability the
target plane when considering these calculations. For example, if the target
is a Mustang, I will try to keep him on a shorter tether than a Zeke. A
Mustang with 3000 separation is a serious threat to disengage even if well
below you, while with a Zeke, as long as I can still see it, I’m not worried.

De-clawing the Furball

Something that takes everything you need to be a decent player is to learn

how to get into tracking bogies while engaged in a furball. In the old days
this was an art which many beginner energy fighting pilots found very
frustrating and difficult to even think about trying to do during a fight. Now
with the advent of many forms of head tracking devices on the market for
sim gamers; even the lowliest first time flight simulation gamer can achieve
a level that took many, many months of playing, tweaking joystick controls
and learning while getting whacked by the experts. Actually doing it was
another aspect that came only after many unsuccessful fights and learning
experiences and learning how to arrive at the right time to get a shot is an
art form that requires experience and luck. Luck is also a useful commodity.
However there are several ways to anticipate the movement of planes in a
furball, and to use this knowledge administer a kill on a slow, fast turning
whirling dervish.

The simplest expedient is to be flexible. Don’t concentrate on just one target.

Look at all enemy planes as potential targets, and pick out the enemy plane
that will give you a reasonable shot. Timing the approach is often tricky.
Planes are usually more vulnerable at the top of a loop or turning at
intermediate speeds. Slow target airspeed doesn’t necessarily mean an easy
kill. If the target is in a very tight radius turn with low airspeed, getting a
shot is largely a matter of trying to set up a good deflection shot, unless the
target does you a favor and starts flying straight.

When estimating the point of intercept trying to get a rear quarter shot, it is
often necessary to "mark time" while the target moves into a position in his
tight turn where you will be able to shoot. There are a couple of ways to do
this that does not involved loss of airspeed. The simplest way is to use the
"snake" approach as you are sizing up the furball for targets. Very gentle
scissors back and forth (like a snake) will delay your time of arrival without a
large loss of energy. For the supercool stick- jock a barrel roll or two will also
do this, but makes target assessment much more difficult.

Besides the "turn and burn" planes congesting the center of the furball there
are often other E-fighters working the furball. These are also legitimate
targets of course. The B&Z plane is pretty easy to spot. As I have stated, the
good B&Z’er makes sure he is the last B&Z’er to join the fun. A B&Z’er who
has made a couple of passes on the furball is in many respects an easier
target than the stall fighter in a low speed 6G turn. Since the B&Z will be
assessing the furball as he makes his passes just like you are, using a
stealthy approach angle is very important. A cute trick is to slip under the
extending plane from the flank and underneath and then use your higher
airspeed to catch the target just as he is reaching the top of his extension
and beginning his loop over for his next gun pass.

Silly "Hog" Tricks

There are several moves the F4U can perform to exploit the strengths
granted to it by God and Chance-Vought. Some would call these ACM - some
would call them Tricks.

"The Oldest Trick in the Book": The Hog might have the best pure zoom
climb of any prop fighter. If the target is comfortably out of run range on
your six, and you have an energy advantage you have the opportunity to
prove P.T. Barnum correct. Engage the WEP and gently go into a pure
vertical zoom climb. Pull as few G’s as possible to conserve as much energy
as possible as you transition into the vertical. If the target tries to follow you
up, you have him just where you want him. As the target follows you up he
will soon be hanging on his prop well before you. That’s the time to drop on
him like a big blue brick.

A variation on this theme is the climbing turn, or the climbing spiral. This
probably the "Second Oldest Trick in the Book". Stay just out of gun range in
a climbing turn. The target will try to follow you round and round. The target
will realize too late that the F4U which was just a bit above him is now WELL
above him and turning for a bounce against his own plane which is at very
low airspeed in a slow climb. The climbing spiral is a real "bread and butter"
producer of kills for the Hog. Inexperienced pilots in particular, unaware that
they are being "taken for a ride" tend to fall for it again and again.

The Flip: The F4U with its good roll rate and dive can reverse course
unbelievably fast with a wingover when it is slightly nose high and at
intermediate speeds. A quick kick of rudder and quick downward rolling turn
and the F4U is magically headed in the opposite direction.

Stall fighting: When writing this text, I considered excluding a section a

stall fighting altogether! Firstly, my own skills in that department are only
average, and secondly, there are many other sources that handle the
intricate details of stall fighting much better than I possibly could.

Besides, the first rule of stall fighting in a F4U is - don’t. Even in one-on-one
fights using energy tactics is usually far more successful. Stall fighting is a
bit of a misleading term with the F4U. I would prefer the term dog fighting,
since stall speed is something you just don’t want to experience in a Hog if at
all possible. Flying a one-on-one dogfight in a F4U it is best to pretend that
your opponent is simply a furball consisting of only one plane! With that
mindset, you will find much more success. Yanking the stick around,
especially in the horizontal is just something I find basically abhorrent when
flying the F4U.

There is a couple of basic F4U flight characteristics that should be mentioned

when applied to a stall fight scenario. It is well known, but bears repeating,
that by applying a click of flaps when under about 250 knots the Hog can
increase its turn rate somewhat. The experienced Hog driver can also milk
the multiple flap positions and the dive brake to enhance the hogs turning
ability in a tight fight. This is certainly no gift from Heaven. Most other planes
will still turn circles around your F4U given half a chance; however if you
drop the flaps you can and will out turn almost any plane in the game. Also
the flaps can be applied to helping you get over the top of a loop. The dive
brake can be used to tighten the turning radius, especially in a nose down
position. (**No dive brake on the F4U in Ace’s High**) The Hog’s good
roll rate can be used very effectively at times. The Hog can flip itself around
like a top when required. This move his can be used to change the attitude of
the fight. When stall fighting a better turning plane, the F4U pilot has to pull
out all the stops and use all the tricks. Use the vertical and the Hogs roll rate
whenever possible. If the contest is boiling down to a flat turn rate contest,
jettison that immediately for almost anything else! It may sound simplistic,
but it bears repeating that staying in a horizontal turn with a faster turning
plane is among the fastest ways to die in a Corsair.

Flying the Hog in a stall fight versus a better turning plane is possibly the
single toughest job that the prospective Hog pilot will face. I for one, still
have much room for improvement in this area. However, some of these
tricks and nuances of the Hog can be exploited against a lesser skilled
opponent in a faster turning plane to win the day. I have only seen two AW
pilots who could perform these tricks with any degree of consistency. I do not
number among them, but then again I’m still learning the plane!
Unless you are one of the aforementioned Air Warrior gods, I would
recommend attempting to disengage from such an unfavorable matchup.

SECTION II: Mano a Mano, 1 vs. 1 Match-ups

The following covers plane vs. plane tactics. Planes that present the largest
threats qualitatively and quantitatively will be discussed at length.

F4U vs. KI-84 "Frank"

The KI-84 was the most numerous, and certainly among the most dangerous
of the F4U’s potential opponents in the Air Warrior Pacific Arena. Because of
its excellent speed, maneuverability and (initially at least) firepower, the KI-
84 is currently the most popular plane in the Pacific.

Many people point at the KI-84’s list of attributes and for these reasons avoid
the F4U because of its lower maneuverability and speed in level flight. To
defeat a foe, it is essential to know his strengths and weaknesses, as well as
your own.

The F4U’s strengths as compared to the KI-84:

Climb rate: It bears repeating - the F4U climbs better than the KI-84. On
average the F4U climbs about 700ft/min better, and the higher the altitude
the bigger the disparity becomes. An F4U can elude a KI-84 with its patented
3k/m climb provided that the initial energy state is roughly equal at the
beginning of the maneuver. The faster the F4U’s initial speed, of course, the
better the chance to evade. Also a gentle turn while climbing will cause the
KI-84 to lose energy faster than F4U.

High Altitude performance: KI-84’s performance drops off pretty fast

above 20k, and its gets down right terrible over 30k. The F4U keeps its
performance up to decent specs up till around 35k. The KI-84’s level speed
advantage disappears at around 24k if the Air Warrior plane statistics are to
be believed. Indeed, once the Hog’s high altitude supercharger kicks in
(19k), I’m usually confident I can meet virtually any KI-84 threat. The high
altitude arena is definitely the Hog’s stomping ground and any KI-84 that
ventures to those altitudes pursuing a "slow" and "un-maneuverable" Hog is
playing with fire. The first law of fighting KI-84’s in an F4U is: stay high! The
second is: Stay fast!

Diving performance: The F4U dives much better that the KI-84 and doesn’t
compress as quickly. Often the F4U can simply out dive the KI-84 by nosing
down into an ultra-high speed dive and cranking the IAS well over 400 knots.
At that speed the KI-84 can do little more than fly straight and pray to keep
the wings on. Once the KI-84’s airspeed has gotten up to that speed the F4U
uses its high speed capability to simply turn gently away, and the KI-84 will
be unable to follow because its controls are almost frozen.

If the KI-84 is near gun range a descending curving dive is a good tactic. First
the KI-84 will bleed energy faster, and also the turning F4U will present only
a long range deflection shot. It’s easy to line up on a target flying straight
even at extreme range. A deflection shot will at least make the KI-84 pilot
work for his kill, and with the KI-84’s sluggish response at high speed it
unlikely that the KI-84 will be able to get a gun solution.

High Speed Maneuver: The F4U handles well at high speed and bleeds
energy slowly. The KI-84 can shed its wings rather abruptly at high speed, if
it pulls too many G’s. Also, the faster it gets, the faster it bleeds energy,
especially when pulling some sort of G load. The F4U can use these factors
both offensively, and defensively. These factors are very important in a
defensive situation. Even if the KI-84 get the "drop" on the F4U, the F4U, if
he has some sort of altitude to play with, should have good chance of giving
the KI-84 the slip before getting pulled into a stall fight where the KI-84 has a
big edge.

Roll Rate: The F4U will roll much easier and better than the KI-84 and the
faster airspeed the bigger the disparity becomes. When in a defensive
situation with the KI-84 in gun range a descending "corkscrew" is an
excellent tactic to shake the KI-84. A continual broad series of descending
barrel rolls to give yourself some distance and present different escape
vectors for him to cover is preferable to just outright diving away. These
should not be so tight as to present the KI-84 with a small target area, or too
wide as to give the KI-84 a reasonable chance at a deflection shot. Also a
descending set of scissors moves also does the trick at times. Almost any
move which involves a roll will leave the KI-84 gasping for breath at high
speed.

When to engage the KI-84: When judging your initial "advantage" over a
targeted KI-84, it is usually good to be cautious. Despite what I have stated
in the previous paragraphs, the KI-84 is not to be taken lightly. If the energy
state looks pretty equal I usually avoid KI-84’s with a climbing extension,
hoping to re-engage on more favorable terms. An F4U can attack from the
position of advantage, forcing engagements from an equal or inferior energy
state is folly.

When you go head to head against a KI-84 the F4U should be very mindful of
the vertical. Climb, climb, and always climb! The more experience I get with
the F4U, the more I use of the vertical. After making a gun pass use a
climbing turn (chandelle) to stay above the KI- 84. These should be gentle
energy conserving turns which hoard energy. The key to beating a KI-84 is to
make him squander energy in high G evasive maneuvers while the F4U
makes gun passes from above at high speed.

This is easier said than done of course, but the general concept should
always hold true. When fighting a KI-84 one on one separation is one of the
last factors I consider. The long sweeping maneuvers need to milk the F4U’s
trumps over the KI-84 will generally lead to a good deal of separation
between you and your target, and give you more time to stay above the KI-
84. For this reason I leave the KI-84 on a very long tether. I prefer a vertical
tether, but I will take a horizontal one if I have to. If the target decides to
disengage with a dive, the hog can out dive it easily. Generally the KI-84
wants to keep the fight close and tight, while the F4U wants a high speed
long sweeping battle.

KI-84 pilots usually obsess about pursing the "slow" and "un-maneuverable"
Hogs. This obsession can be used against them. A good ploy when being
pursued by a KI-84 is to drag him higher and higher. When a reasonable
altitude is gained, the F4U can consider going on the offensive once the KI-
84 is well below, struggling to match the F4U’s climb rate. Suckering the KI-
84 into cutting his airspeed to nothing while pursuing a turning climb
towards him and then pouncing is a standard tactic.

On many occasions I have had KI-84’s pursue my climbing Hog two or more
sectors. KI-84 pilots are probably imprinted at birth with the desire to pursue
Corsairs forever! The higher you get the more the KI-84’s advantages erode.
As you approach 30k you can safely turn the tables and trounce the KI-84,
which is now sluggish and slow. If I am feeling particularly grouchy that day I
might go on the offensive again quite a bit earlier.

Very high altitude engagements are an area where many Air Warrior pilots
have little experience. Generally, trying to stall fight at those altitudes only
get you killed, since planes just can’t turn on a dime at those altitudes. The
fight will almost always revolve around who uses his energy better. The
F4U’s great energy management ability and good climb rate make it very
dangerous in the sweeping combats which predominate at high altitudes.
The F4U is virtually tailor made for this environment.

When to disengage? When the energy level is assessed as equal it’s time
to consider disengaging to be able to come back and fight again from a
better position than your opponent. The KI-84 is too dangerous to press an
attack on equal or inferior terms in most cases. Climb away and fight again
another day. Being pulled slowly into a stall fight is not what you had in
mind, and you don’t want to have to pull out the various defensive
maneuvers out of your bag of tricks unless absolutely necessary!
F4U vs. Zero

Historically, the F4U was designed with one major purpose. It was designed
to shoot down the Japanese Zero. The designers at Chance-Vought
succeeded beyond their expectations. The F4U is the deadliest Zeke killer in
the Pacific, so much so in fact that a major mistake is required on the part of
the Hog driver for the Zeke to have half a chance of shooting him down. In a
1 vs. 1 situation, this is very one sided match up in favor of the F4U. The F4U
can use its advantages in speed and climb rate to literally Boom and Zoom
the Zeke to death. The quick turnings Zeke may be able to avoid many
passes, but will eventually be worn down a steady barrage of high speed
passes. The virtually limitless ammo load of the Corsair makes it very
unlikely that the Zeke will run the attacker out of ammo.

The Zeke of course is the king of the "Lead Turners" in the Pacific, and the
F4U driver must be mindful of them, as being the only practical chance that
the Zeke pilot has of getting a reasonable shot. A head-on "jousting" contest
is certainly bad for the Zeke since his ammo load and durability are both well
below that of the Corsair. Hoping for a lucky randomized critical hit on a
head on pass not the percentage play on the part of the Zeke driver, but one
that many Zeke drivers take because they realize that no other shot may
present itself. There are three major ways of dealing with a lead turning
Zeke.

The first of course is to just be going fast enough that any lead turn is
virtually meaningless because you will be out of range by the time the Zeke
completes his lead turn.

Secondly, it is often wise to turn slightly to one side or the other after the
merge, since the Zeke pilot will have to then have to complete his Immelman
and also then adjust for your change in course. During the Immelman the
Zeke pilot will lose sight of you ever so briefly as he switches views, and that
is all the disorientation you need. Once the Zeke has completed his lead turn
the follow on adjustment is usually all the time a Corsair needs to be safely
out of range.

If the Zeke pilot starts his lead turn too early, the F4U can simply try to
follow up the lead turn for an immediate kill. If no gun shot presents itself,
the F4U will simply continue going straight up knowing that the Zeke is going
to have to come out of the vertical well before the F4U because of its lower
speed and poor zoom climb ability. Then the F4U can again "repeat as
necessary" another bounce from on-high.
F4U vs. F6F Hellcat

I would judge the F6F Hellcat as much, and in some cases more of a threat to
the F4U than the KI-84. I generally am less thrilled to see an enemy F6F
above me than an enemy KI- 84. Some may find that assessment surprising,
but let me explain my reasoning. The Hellcats versatile set of flight
characteristics, in addition to its good maneuverability make it tough
opponent for the F4U provided it gets above the F4U. The F4U’s clearly
superior speed however leaves the F6F seeing nothing but tail lights and
dust on most other occasions. The Hellcat’s climb rate, roll rate and high
speed handling allow it to match the F4U fairly closely in most of those
areas. It bleeds energy at a higher rate than the F4U, but its initial dive is
fast and stable. The F6F will max out its dive speed faster than the F4U
however.

These comparisons make it clear that the F6F is a threat to the Corsair, but
only if it starts with an energy advantage. Most of the patented moves that
the Hog can perform to outmaneuver planes like the KI-84 at high speed will
not work on the Hellcat. Sheer brute speed is the best defense sometimes.
Going into a gentle turning power dive when the time opportunity presents
itself may be only way that the F4U can elude the Hellcat. The gentle turn
provides the Hellcat plenty of opportunity to bleed energy as well as making
a gun solution more difficult. It may not be a pretty or aesthetically pleasing,
but it works.

Fighting the Hellcat from the position of advantage presents its own set of
problems. The Hellcat is a tough plane to bring down, being very durable,
and the F4U pilot is going to have to apply a lot of "pings" to finish it off. Also
the Hellcats good climb rate and excellent turn rate over 200 knots make it
rough for F4U to stay well above the F6F and get into position for rear
quarter shot if the Hellcat pilot knows what he is doing. Often these kind of
fights can be reduced in head-on and deflection shot grudge matches, in
which it’s a toss-up who will win in the end. The Hellcat and Corsair carry the
same ammo load, and the sturdy Grumman design can take just as many
hits as the Hog. The percentage play is to disengage in such cases of course,
but that is not always an option when the fighting blood is full up.

F4U vs. P-51 Mustang

This non-historical match-up is usually pretty comfortable for the F4U. The P-
51, while judged by many to be the best prop fighter of all time, has only two
clear advantages over the F4U. (I would disagree; I would state it was the
greatest high altitude escort fighter of all time.) The P-51 is faster, and it has
a higher top diving speed. In almost all other areas the F4U is superior to the
Mustang. Even in the high altitude arena, where the Mustang shines, the F4U
has little to fear with its equally excellent energy retention, superior climb
rate and good high altitude performance.

Against the Mustang the Corsair has the unusual luxury of being a better
stall fighter. This allows the F4U a choice of engagement tactics when
confronting the P-51. This is one fight, paradoxically, that the F4U wouldn’t
mind slowing down. The P-51 is a dangerous critter in a turning fight only at
very high speed, and the F4U driver should be aware of this. The Mustang
can pull some amazing instantaneous turns at very high speeds. The
Mustang is particularly vulnerable at the 15-18K range where its vaunted
performance falls off distinctly. Also, provoking vertical moves, where the
F4U clearly outshines the Mustang, is good. As stated earlier, the F4U must
be mindful of separation when fighting a P-51. Because of its high speed and
the Mustang driver’s natural tendency to run away from any fight where he
doesn’t have a clear advantage, the F4U pilot needs to keep the Mustang
within 2000 yards if at all possible.

F4U vs. P-38 Lightning

Recent changes in the P-38 have witnessed an attempt by Kesmai to bring it

out from under the cloud where it had ingloriously resided for several
software versions. Once (remember version 1 .06?) the most numerous
plane in Air Warrior Pacific Arena, the recent "modeling" gave the P-38 a
target size roughly equivalent to the Goodyear Blimp. This had severely
limited its use in the Air Warrior Arena’s which was a shame. In the old days,
the P-38 could be a deadly plane in the hands of a pilot with enough
experience to ferret out its secrets. Hopefully with the introduction of 1.20
the P-38 will enjoy a bit of a revival.

Its good climb rate, large ammo load, durability, and maneuverability make
it, along with the F6F Hellcat, one of the most versatile fighters.

The F4U has a consistent small edge in speed over the P-38 and a somewhat
better climb rate. For this reason the F4U can usually dictate when and if it
wishes to engage. However, being that everybody gets caught "low and
slow" sometimes, some defensive tactics are necessary. Evading a P-38 in an
F4U often revolves around exploiting the P-38’s poor roll rate to advantage.
The prescription is usually "roll and dive - repeat as necessary". The F4U also
dives better than the P-38, but the Lightning is certainly no slouch in that
department either, so don’t count on a dive to get you out of trouble
automatically. At ultra-high speed the F4U can keep control longer than the
P-38. While the smart P-38 driver can keep control at surprisingly high
speeds, he will probably have to apply the dive brake more often, so the F4U
should be able to break away.
The P-38 has several fine points that the F4U pilot need to be aware of.
Firstly, don’t assume that a P-38 can’t dive at high speed effectively. It can
and does. Its famous compression problem, which starts to manifest itself at
350 knots IAS can be effectively controlled by a pilot who knows how to
handle the P-38’s dive brake well. Indeed, flying P-38’s I have often managed
to overhaul Mustangs in a very high speed dive. The P-38 accelerates quickly
in a dive because it is so heavy. It also is has probably the best low Yo-Yo of
any AW fighter. Its good high altitude performance makes it quite dangerous
at high altitude. It is no pushover over 25k, like many other planes.

Also, never assume that the P-38 can’t get its nose up regardless of how
slow it seems to be moving. The P-38 can make it over the top of a loop even
when its initial airspeed is less than 100 knots. The P-38 is the past master of
a move that some W.W.I flyers used to call the "snap stall". This move
involves nosing up into the vertical and trying to catch the opponent at the
top of his loop. This move can be accomplished at virtually zero airspeed
with the P-38. The P-38 is very adept at this because by popping flaps it can
virtually hang on its props. So when flying against a P-38 be aware of this
capability when trying to loop over the top of one. In other respects the F4U
pilot should apply the usual formulas when facing the Lightning. Its turning
ability is better than the F4U so the F4U needs to keep the fight fast and
furious. The P-38 is quite good in the vertical, so the F4U can’t count on
being able to get a big edge in that department. The P-38 can also dump
energy almost at will, so it can transition from a high speed approach to a "in
the saddle" stall fight position better than probably any other AW fighter,
except perhaps the Hellcat.

F4U vs. P-47 Thunderbolt

The P-47 Thunderbolt ( the "Jug"), much maligned by many except for a few
"true believers" , does not translate its good points well into Air Warrior
Arena. The plane is totally hopeless as a low altitude dogfighter in AW, and
its legendary ground attack capability is not factored into the simulation
adequately. Because its top speed at low altitudes does not allow it to
outdistance several much more nimble opponents (even the Hog can turn
circles around it), the Jug is usually easy meat below 15k.

However, the Thunderbolt’s high altitude capability, especially above 30,000

feet, should not be treated lightly. Its speed at high altitude is exceptional,
and at altitudes where turning fights are rare, the Jug’s poor turn rate is not
a major factor. Its fast initial dive rate and overall speed should be factored
into the F4U drivers thinking. All this aside, the F4U driver should be able to
handle the plane with relative ease except perhaps at extreme altitudes.
Underestimating the Jug, especially at high altitude, could cause any pilot to
reassess the Jug’s capability after he has been raked by its formidable
armament.
F4U vs. N1K1 "George"

The N1K1 George is that latest addition to the AW stable of planes. Many
doubted the wisdom of adding such a limited production late war design to
Air Warrior. However, the rumors of a new "super plane" appear to be
somewhat exaggerated. [Ed. Note: The George was the last plane to be
added prior to the release of AWII. Many new planes have been added since
the release of AWII/ AWIII. However, the George is one of the most lethal
planes in Air Warrior]

The George fills the unusual niche of being a low to middle altitude Energy
Fighter. It possesses a very good climb rate, descent speed, and the biggest
set of guns in the Pacific Theater. It retains its energy state well provided it
stays in a strict Boom and Zoom posture. However it is not particularly adept
at stall fighting - an unusual trait for a Japanese design. The planes high
speed handling is poor. The George compresses easily. The plane is also very
brittle, unable to withstand high G loads at speed, or take damage. Also, like
most Japanese planes it lacks good high altitude performance. Lacking the
Double- Wasp’s Turbo-Supercharger, the planes performance really starts to
suffer at higher altitudes. The planes begins to suffer performance
degradation above 15k, really starts to suffer above 20k. Climbing to 30k is a
real adventure in the George. This of course is music to the ears of the
Corsair pilot.

The George and the F4U possess comparable low altitude speed and climb
rate, and the Hog can hold its own against the George in a stall fight. The
Hog’s good roll rate, more useful flaps and dive brake give it useful tools
versus the George in a stall fight situation.

The George is of course quite a danger with an altitude advantage, because

of its good climb rate, E retention and immense firepower. In this situation
the Hog pilot is advised to take standard evasive actions, while keeping his
speed has high as possible in order to exploit the Corsairs superior
maneuverability at speed. The Corsairs roll rate will come in real handy in
this situation. However a well flown George should be able to retain its
energy advantage for some time if flown well. The Hog might have to ride
out the storm for several passes.

Of course to avoid this scenario the Corsair simply has to start all his war
patrols over 20k. In this rarefied arena the George will find itself completely
out of place and out of luck. This expedient is certain to be a poison pill for
prospective George pilots - exposing the planes Achilles Heel - poor high
altitude performance.