Tactics

What are some great aircraft tactics?

The Immelmann loop

[Richard_Schrader]

Take position on the enemy, attack with the sun at your back, fire when you are so close you can't miss, voom up after your attack to regain alttuide but try not to lose your speed, and prepare for another attack.

[Barrett]

Actually, there's no such thing as an "Immelmann Loop." The maneuver known today as the Immelmann is a half roll off the top of a loop, but I seriously doubt it was often performed in WW I. Certainly it was not INTENTIONALLY performed in the equipment Max flew because the Eindekker has very poor roll authority due to its wing-warping control. If anyone ever did half-roll off the top of a loop in an E-III/IV, it was undoubtedly a panic-induced torque roll, and not to be repeated IF the aviator avoided structural failure in the process.
More likely is the explanation that MI performed something akin to the current chandelle which accomplishes the same thing--a vertical reverse. During the war, there's reference to the "Immelmann turn" which goes a lot farther in explaining the maneuver of the time.

[rammjaeger]

Bond? James? Your best tactic: Call the stewardess!

[Vic_Mouton]

1. Get the crate in the air without any embarassing stalls.
2. Stay up there without getting youself shot full off holes.
3. Land the thing without reducing it to a heap of splinter wood.

VBR
Vic

Also, it is a good idea to maintain the number of safe landings to equal the number of takeoffs

John.

"Don't climb, don't dive, just turn. Oops wrong war.
Good advice if you're in a spitfire though. Actually, I find that the tactics change with the type of aircraft you're flying vs what you believe the other can do. Like the Dr 1 vs the SE5a. You have to fight. There is no running away. You just turn all around until you're on his tail and then blast him at close range. If I were in an SE5a vs the Dr 1 I may consider trying to get the fight over as quickly as possible and taking the Dr 1 out in a pass rather than trying to tail him. Because you just can't tail a Dr 1 with an SE5a if the Dr 1 pilot knows anything about flying.

MvR said that doing loops and fanciful aerobatics during combat was a sure way to get yourself killed. He said that "curving" or turning was the best way to handle oneself in combat.

And when you're in a pinch I think loosing altitude quickly helps a bit. Diving away.

[Vic_Mouton]

Now if you were the unfortunate pilot of a RE8, the best tactic must have been to call in sick or request a transfer to the infantry