Info

"Nice job of getting down to the basics - love your choice of a cover!"
Col. Clarence 'Bud' Anderson - WW2 Triple Ace - it's his Mustang on the cover ;)

"I have enjoyed reading angels and airspeed, it should prove good reading for all interested in combat tactics and their application related to the fluid air environment and state of technology in WWII years. All the best as you make it available."
Col. Charles McGee - Tuskegee Airman



Angels and Airspeed is a world war two air combat primer for the virtual fighter pilot. Starting the reader from the basics of flight they will be taken through all aspects of world war two fighter operations to prepare them to fly, fight and win in world war two virtual air combat. Purchasers of the book have the opportunity to sign up for free online training classes covering the book's contents.

Training class syllabus

Lesson 1 - Flight Basics (pages 6-24)

Aircraft flown

P-39D-1, 1941 - Aircraft Handling

La-5, 1942 - Powerplant Management

A6M2, 1940 - Aerobatics



Lesson 2 - Combat I (pages 27-44)

Bf-109F4

Spitfire Vb



Lesson 3 - Combat II (pages 44-55)

Bf-109F4

Spitfire Vb



Lesson 4 - Combat III (pages 56-67)

Bf-109F4

Spitfire Vb



Lesson 5 - Combat IV (pages 68-81)

Bf-109F4

Spitfire Vb



Lesson 6 - Online Engagement

Class joins a public server and practices what has been learnt.

Why did I write this book?

To help people get over the learning curve so they could enjoy WW2 air combat simulations as quickly as possible. To achieve this there needed to be a simple 'textbook' that anyone could understand, coupled with practical lessons that practiced the contents of the book.

Angels and Airspeed is really two parts - the textbook (that you buy) and the classes (which are free).

Once a week, over a period of six to eight weeks I take a small class of up to 4 people through the contents of the book, discussing the content and then practicing that portion where possible, with a further question and answer session at the end of each class to allow trainees to clarify anything they are having a problem understanding.

Sections include:

Flight Theory
How does an airplane fly? Turn radius and Turn rate
Control Surfaces Corner velocity
Control surface authority Radial G, Gravity and Departure
Angle of Attack (AoA) The lift vector
Airspeed  
   
Instrumentation  
Flight instrumentation Types of engine
Navigation instrumentation Types of propeller
Powerplant Instrumentation Putting it all together
Power plant management  
   
Basic Airmanship  
Airfield operations Aerobatics
Airfield features Aircraft handling
Takeoff Assessing your aircraft
Landing  
   
Combat  
Dicta How do you get energy?
Dicta Boelcke How do you waste energy?
Dicta Hartmann How do you wisely use energy?
Energy  
Gunnery  
Firing methods Angle off
Gravity and muzzle velocity Setting up the shot
The effect of range on gunnery Machine gun versus cannon
Convergence and gun placement Sight Types
   
Combat Priorities Combat posture
Survival Keep fast
Assistance Keep high
Engaging Keep Looking
   
Combat Awareness  
Situational awareness Combat Status Brevity
Spatial awareness Brevity Terms
Communication for the spatial picture  
   
Preparing the engagement  
Environmental considerations The bounce
Positioning for the fight The merge
Engaging  
   
Air Combat Manoeuvring  
Pursuit methods Evasive methods
The energy battle Escape
In combat energy management methods Turn fighting versus rate fighting
Engagement methods  
   
Lone Ship tactics Element Tactics
One versus One Element turning
One versus Two Lesser turns
One versus more Element formations
  Two versus One
Flight Tactics Two versus Two
Flight formations Element merge strategies
Flight turning Element defence strategies
Flight Merge Strategies Beam Defence
Controlling the fight Defensive split
Flight defence strategies Vertical defence
   
Bogey clouds Fighter Missions
Breaking the enemy How missions work together
The top down engagement Fighter-Bomber operations
Flight defence Ground threats
  Attack profiles
The Online World  
Simulating combat Weapons summary
Equipment Axis Weapons
The online community Germany
Etiquette Hungary
  Italy
Aircraft Identification Guide Japan
United States Allied Weapons
Germany France
United Kingdom Poland
Japan Soviet
France United Kingdom
Italy United States
Soviet Union  
   
Muzzle velocity comparison chart  
Takeoff and Landing Checklists  
Dicta Bard