Just what is an ace anyway? To break it down simply, and ace is someone that can turn his plane around faster than most other pilots. This means you get to shoot the other guy while he is still turning around!…lol. To get this done you have to make turning your top priority!

First, a good stick is most important. I use a Microsoft Force FeedBack Sidwinder2, but the Sidewinder Precision Pro works just as good. I have tried all the other sticks and ended up taking them all back. The Sidewinder is the best choice for this game, bar none!

After you get your sidewinder, then program elevator trim onto the stick base buttons. Numbpad 7 is down elevator trim, and Numbpad 1 is up elevator trim. There are four buttons located on the base of the stick. Use the other two buttons on the base to program the zoom buttons. Keyboard + is zoom closer, and keyboard – is zoom back to normal. You need zoom to get shots in from a distance. Remember to shoot a littler lower when zooming in from a distance.

I use the two buttons on the right for elevator trim, and the two on the left for zoom. The button closest to you on the left for zooming in and the button farther from you for zoom out. On the right I use the button closest to you for up elevator trim, and the one farther from you for down elevator trim.

Good shooting is also a must, but most seasoned pilots out there are already good shooters. That brings us back to turning, but first, get the mindset. Never be satisfied that you turned as fast as you could have. Your reactions could always have been a little quicker! Don’t let yourself get lazy! Always keep thinking about how to make your turns as fast as possible. Quick reactions are key, you can’t wait even one second, you have to do everything very quickly!

Even so with that thought in mind, when you are first learning the turn, do it slowly till you get the movements down. Then pick up the pace till you can do it all lightning fast, and without hesitation!

Start your turn while the other guy is still in front of you, but would be hard pressed to get a shot in you. In other words, you can still see him, but his nose is just starting to fly past you. You can’t wait till the nose of his plane is behind you to start your turn. That is too late! If you see that he is not going to be able shoot you for whatever reason, then immediately start turning in the direction his six is going.

Even if he does get in a few shots because you started your turn a little before his guns got past you, you will more than make up for it when you shoot him while he is still desperately trying to turn around. I find that I am looking at the top of his slow-banked wings when I get into shooting position! :0) This makes for a very easy kill. Even a poor shooter could take advantage of this!…lol

The turn that I find most effective, is a modified Split-S. I use it for all passing turns. Here is how it goes…..

As soon as I am ready to turn, (as the pass is still in progress) I give it full down elevator, and full down elevator trim. (The trim gets the nose down even quicker.) At the same time you are putting the nose down, you should already be giving it full left aileron, and full left rudder. Then, as soon as the wings are banked to about a 45-degree angle to the left, quickly give it full up elevator, and full up elevator trim. Remember, don’t let off on the up elevator, and up elevator trim until you see your nose coming up on the other plane!

Note; Keep in mind that your nose should also have gone down (about 45-degrees, more or less) at the same time your wings banked to 45 degrees. You will not lose hardly any altitude, (no diving) which means your nose only goes down as far as it takes to get your wings banked to a 45-degree angle, and then you pull up. Remember, this all happens in split seconds, and all at the same time.

When you are doing this, the left bank is what you are concentrating on. Let the nose do what ever. When you get to a 45-degree angle with your wings, it is time to pull up!

If you do this right, you will not stall, and the uncontrollable smile that stretches across your face when you see the top of his banked, slow turning wings right in front of you will make you want to do it over and over! :0) As long as he continues to make passes at you, just keep doing the same turn as described above, and you will no doubt maintain the advantage.

Now, after you shoot him up real good, and he sees the futility of it all, he may make a run for it by diving in an opposite direction to get you off his tail. At that point do all these things at once. Give it full down elevator, with full down elevator trim, and use full rudder, and full ailerons to turn the top of your wings quickly to the direction he is going. To do this, (while on his six) just line up the top of your wings parallel to the top of his wings. Also don’t forget to let off on the down trim, (and everything else) once you are pointed at him.

At that point, just stay with him using all of your controls including trim, as needed. Remember always keep the top of your wings parallel to the top of his when you are giving chase and you won’t have any problems staying with him.

Go to the CO/XO Office and read my other posts on keeping your speed up by doing smooth maneuvers, keeping your nose a little on the down side for speed, and generally staying away from the stall. If you do stall even just a little immediately put the stick forward all the way, if even for just a second, till you see that you are out of the stall. Never allow a stall to last more than a split second! If you do, it could cost you your life! Always immediately put the stick forward all the way till the stall is over. After that resume what you were doing, just be a little more conservative with your movements till your speed recovers.

Close to the ground you can’t do the Split-S. I wrote a post on the cross-controlled turn. This does work well when close to the ground. When making passes close to the ground, if you find that you are not pointed at him exactly, don’t forget that you can use a little quick rudder action to get in a quick shot as you are going by. So what is an ace? It’s just an average pilot who spent a little time learning how to turn fast!

Shoot ya later!

KK_VonBlaster