WWII training regime

[guitarxe]

Hi All,

I am looking for tips, advice, guidance, or maybe links towards materials that can help me train better to fly WWII planes. I've so far gotten pretty decent at take offs and landings and after some practice with guns and munitions by following the "challenge campaign" I thought I was ready, but after playing just the first mission of "Blue Nosed Bastards" campaign for P-51D, I understand that I am not ready at all.

I need to learn and practice a lot more very basics. But I am having trouble to understand _what_ I need to learn. The tutorials and the manuals cover basics about the craft itself, but do not touch much at all on flying in general, and that is what I am missing.

So far I figured this is the least that I need to learn and practice:

• Start ups
• Taxi
• Take offs
• Landings (<-- I'm pretty good up to this point)
• Coordinated flight
• Navigation without instruments
• Basic maneuvers (which ones?)
• Chandelles
• Loops (do these actually have a practical application?)
• Barrel rolls? (Same question as above?)
• Formation Flying
• Situational awareness and spotting.
• More advanced maneuvers ("boom and zoom", "turn fighting", "scissors", I don't know what else?)

Lacking a flight instructor, I have to figure out on my own what it is that I even lack, so I appreciate any guidance!

[SharpeXB]

Check out stuff like this. They’re fantastic! The Robert Taylor films are so good because he explains this stuff in a way meant for people who have no experience with airplanes at all. Like us 

 

Edited May 6, 2023 by SharpeXB

[kgb035]

Have you taken a look at Air Combat Tutorial Library on YouTube.

www.youtube.com/@RequiemsACTL 

null

 

[draconus]

• Coordinated flight

It's normal flight with special consideration to sideslip indicator - keep the ball centered with rudder, that's it.

• Navigation without instruments

You should never fly without instruments, that's just dangerous, but if you do, it's just VFR flight - you basically look outside and see where you are. If you mean dead reckoning though it still needs some instruments.

• Basic maneuvers (which ones?)
• Chandelles
• Loops (do these actually have a practical application?)
• Barrel rolls? (Same question as above?)

You probably already know and do them, it's just basic BFM. When you run after a bandit you will do all of them not even thinking about it.

• Formation Flying

Find a level flying bomber and stay with it as close and steady as possible. Then try with a lead aircraft. AI can do crazy and unrealistic maneuvers but is still good for training.

• Situational awareness and spotting.

That one comes with experience - it's much easier when flying part is a no brainer and you know where to look and expect where target can be. Of course hardware make a difference - VR is just natural, headtracking helps much, mouse or hat is the worst but still better than fixed forward view.

• More advanced maneuvers ("boom and zoom", "turn fighting", "scissors", I don't know what else?)

Just read what it is and practice, practice, practice.