!Mig!’s Lecture on the FWA4 and its Secrets…
-Introducing the FW-A4 and how to engage Furballs!
It took a long time for myself to find an ideal mixture of Speed - Guns - Handling - Toughness!
I think no other plane is so well balanced as the A4
Speed is well .. not like a Dora or P-51D but faster than a Spit or P-38 - ure main counterparts
+ the A4 has the best climb rate for a B&Z plane.
Guns ... yes these 4 x 20 mm cannons hurt! You are able to kill a Spit with one good burst and u can afford to spray around cuz ammo load is very good - cannon rounds held till 72% - unlike in a Spit where u have to think bout ammo load after every burst.
Handling ... very good ... hey i said handling - not flat turning :) .. nothing rolls like an A4 and compression sets in late bout 425 kts .. and even when driving 400 ure able to maneuver well ...
try this in a Spit :) + when u doin something wrong ure not as helpless as in a slow Dora or Tang.
Toughness ... with the quick roll rate plus good amor and speed the A4 is hard to kill... able to take 4 or more pings .. good when u have to run.
OK, but how to fly it successfully?
I often had a good run in a Spit with 3 or more kills in nice turn fights but wasn’t able to bring them home
cuz someone run me down or a 1-1 fights ends in a 1-4 fight.
So slow and low means often ure easy meat for your enemy no matter in which plane u are.
When I learned the A4 initially I decided not to slow down under 260 kts IAS and this works so well in a large furball that u can pick ure targets kill him with one burst and run away with high speed and get u in a saver zone where u can rebuilt alt and
In simple words....when I enter a furball I just look around ... is there any higher enm ?? ... which side is overwhelming ... in which condition is the airfield when furball is at ex. over B:Win (destroyed Hangars mean weaker planes and destroyed fuel mean less climbing ability…
After checking these things i pick my target (best when already involved in a fight) and try not to make a steep dive but to do some Split-S, building up my speed and alyways with an eye on my target.
Watch how the planes circle ... try to get the same rythm and .. u will know the right moment ... jump on the target ..dont forget WEP.. open fire at 600 and DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT turn with him when u miss him....ure speed is too high and ure not in a stal
and prepare for next attack when reachin +3K or so from highest opponent.
Then rebuilt speed and go back again until u cannot climbout save.
When this happens switch to horizontal moves as described below.
Its a funny thing when say there are 5Bz and only 2-3 Az .(all guys are soooo involved with flat turns)
This is the time when u can change ure tactics means dont zoom out but do most moves in the horizontal.
Again ure biggest weapon is speed so dont waste it.
Fly directly in the furball ... choose ure target and try to hit it ... then get some separation (usually I do 2500 - 3000 yards)and make a gentle climb means bout 2 K per min pulling no g`s.
Then reverse ure direction doin a Split-S and do it again.
When u do this correctly ure able to keep ure speed and cuz of ure speed u can stay alive for a long time and maybe return home in a good condition + a smile in ure face:)
OK this all needs a little patience so dont be dissapionted if it doesnt work at ure first try.
But when u master it u must not fear any plane around u.
So give her a try ... use it say for one week not flying any other plane.
Regards
!MiG!
Please give me ure comments bout this article ... Thank u