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The worm has turned...?

Are you pointing out the sq. has no A2A losses and two kills?

[&:] Thought it would be about a US pilot defecting to the Jap air group...

ORIGINAL: Yaab

[&:] Thought it would be about a US pilot defecting to the Jap air group...

Pilot Roster:

LT Shiga, Y.
LT Kawasaki, K.
LT Johnson, B.
LT Hirata, H.

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Are you pointing out the sq. has no A2A losses and two kills?

YES! I've been experimenting with some bomber squadrons in order to increase their ability to shoot down enemy fighters.

ORIGINAL: MakeeLearn

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Are you pointing out the sq. has no A2A losses and two kills?

YES! I've been experimenting with some bomber squadrons in order to increase their ability to shoot down enemy fighters.

How's it going so far?

I'm running a similar experiment by training US Army fighter pilots in both A2A and GroundB and then posting them to 4E bomber squadrons to see if they shoot down more enemy fighters.

ORIGINAL: MakeeLearn

ORIGINAL: Yaab

[&:] Thought it would be about a US pilot defecting to the Jap air group...

Pilot Roster:

LT Shiga, Y.
LT Kawasaki, K.
LT Johnson, B.
LT Hirata, H.

Is that the newly infamous Lt. Benihana Johnson?

ORIGINAL: Will_L

ORIGINAL: MakeeLearn

ORIGINAL: Yaab

[&:] Thought it would be about a US pilot defecting to the Jap air group...

Pilot Roster:

LT Shiga, Y.
LT Kawasaki, K.
LT Johnson, B.
LT Hirata, H.

Is that the newly infamous Lt. Benihana Johnson?

ORIGINAL: MakeeLearn

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Are you pointing out the sq. has no A2A losses and two kills?

YES! I've been experimenting with some bomber squadrons in order to increase their ability to shoot down enemy fighters.

Any interesting results?

ORIGINAL: Lovejoy

ORIGINAL: MakeeLearn

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Are you pointing out the sq. has no A2A losses and two kills?

YES! I've been experimenting with some bomber squadrons in order to increase their ability to shoot down enemy fighters.

How's it going so far?

I'm running a similar experiment by training US Army fighter pilots in both A2A and GroundB and then posting them to 4E bomber squadrons to see if they shoot down more enemy fighters.

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: MakeeLearn

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

Are you pointing out the sq. has no A2A losses and two kills?

YES! I've been experimenting with some bomber squadrons in order to increase their ability to shoot down enemy fighters.

Any interesting results?

Only the two kills so far. It's slow, Iam experimenting with this without putting my forces at a disadvantage in my current campaign. I have 1 Bomber Squadron with 60% pilots with a A2A of 70 or higher, but they are in a sector where there is little enemy opposition at the moment. I have a few other Bomber Squadrons that I have sprinkled pilots with A2A 70 or higher.

We just entered '43 so the Air War should be heating up. there has been a lot of conservative play from both sides.

My main focus in pilot training is Defensive, as I "round robin" the pilots through the different skills and move them back and forth between Fighter and Bomber Squadrons.

I use a lot of "Naval Attack" training as both Bombers and Fighters can do it as combat missions. And it seems to be really good for Defensive Skill.
And, of course, I train in A2A skill.
Along with a few other spices here and there!

Even though I'am doing this in order to have Bombers shoot down enemy Fighters, I've noticed that my Fighter Squadrons will be ready to conduct "Naval Attack" when needed.

I am waiting for my first Bomber Ace Squadron!!!!

Are you sure that those were KATEs, who shot down enemy planes? Maybe this is just freshly arrived Fighter Pilot, with two kills already?

And what type of planes that was anyway? My guess is, that shooting down slow FP on CAP should be possible.

I don't think it is worth it. Your best A2A pilots are desperately needed for fighters. Even if they can exact a hit on Allied fighters it will be with a peashooter of a weapon.

ORIGINAL: inqistor

Are you sure that those were KATEs, who shot down enemy planes? Maybe this is just freshly arrived Fighter Pilot, with two kills already?

And what type of planes that was anyway? My guess is, that shooting down slow FP on CAP should be possible.

Squadron kill numbers are only for enemy planes that are shot down by pilots assigned to the squadron. I have squadrons that pilots with kills were move into, yet there are none listed for the squadron. Iam not sure of the bookkeeping of kills, but it seems than credit is given to a pilot the same turn that it shots down a plane.

It could be a fluke.

Iam not sure when the shoot-down happened. This squadron as seen light action and has been moved around, Iam having problems with Tracker, at the moment. So there is over a year of game turns to look over in the combat reports.

Our air war should pickup intensity soon and provide some evidence of Yea or Nay.

ORIGINAL: Rusty1961

I don't think it is worth it. Your best A2A pilots are desperately needed for fighters. Even if they can exact a hit on Allied fighters it will be with a peashooter of a weapon.

If one went overboard it could put fighter squadrons at a disadvantage. I have a good pilot training program, so I have a number of pilots with a high A2A skill.

High Defensive skill is my main goal, the rest fall in place.

Plus, Iam thinking is it like the Naval skill for a ship Captain? A combat rating is achieved with a Naval skill of 51 or higher. Is 51 the threshold for a combat A2A skill?

Do they really need to shoot down the enemy fighter, or just damage it and drive it off?

Some of the bombers have very effective guns....Grace, Betty, Emily, etc.

Kills are attributed to squadrons and those numbers don't change because pilots come and go.

I use excess transport squadron capacity to train in "general skills", then once the crews reach a defensive rating of +50 I transfer them to a fighter training squadron to build up their A2A to 70.

BTW, I usually just throw recruits into active transport squadrons to learn on the job.

this gorn will never learn how to edit a post [:D]

ORIGINAL: Rusty1961

I don't think it is worth it. Your best A2A pilots are desperately needed for fighters. Even if they can exact a hit on Allied fighters it will be with a peashooter of a weapon.

Really? After about Mar 42 I never (until late '45) experience a shortage of fighter pilots.

Not sure how cost effective this is. Don't you lose overall experience points moving a pilot from bombers to fighters. The skills don't diminish, but the overall experience value takes a 3 point or so hit.

I know this happens when I pull a Reserve Fighter pilot into the cockpit of an A6M2-N Rufe float fighter --- still a fighter but because it is a float plane, the overall experience of my just tested pilot dropped.

I believe this to be true of 'bomber' pilots being transferred into a figher cockpit as well. Same for 1E pilots being put into 2E planes (and reverse).

Individual skills are important for mission, but in air battles I think overall experience also plays some role.

ORIGINAL: DanSez

Not sure how cost effective this is. Don't you lose overall experience points moving a pilot from bombers to fighters. The skills don't diminish, but the overall experience value takes a 3 point or so hit.

I know this happens when I pull a Reserve Fighter pilot into the cockpit of an A6M2-N Rufe float fighter --- still a fighter but because it is a float plane, the overall experience of my just tested pilot dropped.

I believe this to be true of 'bomber' pilots being transferred into a figher cockpit as well. Same for 1E pilots being put into 2E planes (and reverse).

Individual skills are important for mission, but in air battles I think overall experience also plays some role.

The cross over training occurs when the pilots have low experience, so a drop would not be that significant. I do not go so crazy with it that I put my fighter squadrons at risk.

It benefits my fighter squadrons with pilots that have extra skills outside of A2A.