Awesome WWII Dogfight - Short Film

[The Big Pickle]

Of course, I'm very sad the german pilot didn't kill the crooked tooth limey in the end.

I wonder if the resident war historian from Mission Viejo and First Cav War hero has an opinion on this film.

[Diego in Seattle]

OTST

[The Big Pickle]

OTST

Are you mad because it wasn't a film about 8 year olds?

Off this Shit Pedo!

[mvscal]

My opinion is that you are a huge faggot, Stanley. I'm afraid that isn't likely to change. Did you have any other questions?

[Rooster]

My thoughts: First, you always caress the trigger like you're stroking a nipple, not mashing down like the guy does in the film. Second, he's very slow on the trigger. He picked a good line, had the Kraut in his sights and then inexplicably delayed the shot for a second which allowed the German to slip over out of the gun sight. From what I can tell, he works without a wingman which pretty much makes him easy prey for a pair of aircraft. Lead follows the target and the wingman watches Lead's six and keeps the target from maneuvering into a high/low yo-yo or split S. The wingman in essence locks out the alternative options of the chased bird.

Helicopter air-to-air is a different animal from fixed wing stuff, but the core principles remain the same. See the enemy first, go high, and try to come in from the sun and fix him in the "death dot" which is the corona around the target caused by you being directly in the path of the sun.

You approach your target out of the sun so he can't see you. The little dot made by your shadow is the pip that you lay on your target and when you get in whatever range of whatever weapon system you are using, gently feed him some lead. This is why back in the day air patrols were conducted in the very early morning as "Dawn Patrols." You'd set up a run on a suspected target so that just as the sun peeked over the horizon, you'd make your approach from the east with the sun directly in the enemy's eyes.

In a helicopter, a plane will never see you. If it has a sophisticated radar it might be able to pick up a blade count, but ground clutter can easily mask that. You then just wait until the plane enters the envelope of the Stinger or Sidewinder and shoot. If it's a helicopter on helicopter fight, the first to see the other wins. If you don't get the shot off, it becomes a draw because neither party can shoot through the rotor system to make the kill unless it is a tremendously more maneuverable aircraft. The exception to this rule was the Commanche, which could take 90* snapshots at full cruise power with both the cannon and the missile systems. Even laser guided rockets could be used in certain circumstances.

And yes, my combat patch is a horse blanket.

[The Big Pickle]

ROOSTER > Mvscal


Thanks Rooster!

[Python]

I was gonna' say fly upside down and give him the finger, but Rooster's idea sounds better.

[SunCoastSooner]

Rack Rooster, pretty well the same as it has been broken down to me before. My grandfather and his brother-in-law were both pilots in WWII. Grandpa in European theater (Flying fortress) and Uncle in a fighter in Pacific theater (I fail to recall his craft now and would need to ask my father or cousin).

My "God-sister" is one of the few female Apache pilots.

[The Big Pickle]

Uncle in a fighter in Pacific theater (I fail to recall his craft now and would need to ask my father or cousin).

Probably this beautiful aircraft. It's the plane that Americas greatest ace, Richard I Bong flew in WWII. The P-38 Lightning