Deflection Shooting #1 - Introduction with the RAF Sight

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Learn how to perform Deflection Shooting using the RAF MkII Reflector sight. The techniques are inspired by the RAF Pamphlet "Bag the Hun" and includes:
- Basic principles of Air to Air Gunnery
- How to adjust the MkII Reflector Sight
- How to use the MkII Reflector sight to estimate range
- How to estimate Angle Off
- How to estimate amount of lead to use when shooting
- Lots of in-game examples implementing these principles using the RAF MkII Reflector Sight in the Spitfire Mk.VB.
Other videos will follow explaining other gunsights, so stay tuned!
Angle Off Charts can be downloaded here:
www.dropbox.com/s/s4kl8jgkouw...
Comments and feedback are always welcome, so if this video helped you out hit the like button and let me know in the comments below. Cheers!

[@katiejackson3900]

Using the in game demonstrations really helps, especially when you put the theory behind it and understand that whilst these exact situations won't happen, the parameters behind them very well could be similar. Great video.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Thanks William, I tried to just take a selection of kills from a session on Berloga and happened to get a pretty good sample. It's impossible to show every situation, so as long as someone can take what they see hear and learn how to apply it I'm happy to hear that!

[@katiejackson3900]

No problem. I find specific feedback allows for specific improvement. Not that this needs any, it's genuinely perfect.

[@Shovel328]

I can’t understate how useful this tutorial was. It sounds stupid but before I didn’t even consider what information my gunsight was trying to give me, thank you for this

[@RequiemsACTL]

No worries, with time your aiming will become more natural but this just helps with the starting point to take out all the guesswork

[@flyplatypus3133]

Really helpful, after 2 years on BOS, I've maybe make 10 kills in multiplayer (I didn't play a lot fighters). Then I saw this video, trained a bit, and it truly changed everything. I've just made my best flight tonight (with 7 kills 😊) so I wanted to thank you for your work!

[@RequiemsACTL]

That's awesome to hear FlyPlatypus! Another success story :-D

[@GizmoMaltese]

This is exactly what I needed. I'm sort of new to combat sims and I have struggled with gunnery.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Welcome to combat sims then Gizmo! I'm sure you will enjoy it and I hope these videos will help improve your gunnery! :-)

[@xXE4GLEyEXx]

THANK YOU! this was missing from the youtubes the whole "How To Shoot" we all (hopefully) know about lead but more in depth videos were scarce! Finally! thanks again!

[@RequiemsACTL]

No worries, I tried to keep this very simplified though as it's geared to new players. The next one should be a little more in-depth.

[@ErossMcCloud]

Very informative and nice! I can't wait for the BF-109 gunsight video.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Thanks Eross, yes the Revi is the next video planned for this topic ;-)

[@saulekaravirs6585]

These are great. very helpful.

[@brianlivingstonjr.7324]

Your tutorials are outstanding. This one is a cut above, however. Love the idea taking a mental picture of the bandit before squeezing the trigger. I don't play online too often, but during QB and campaigns I used to RTB guns dry and no kills; now I'm racking up multiple kills per mission after watching this video. Can't wait for future videos. Hats off my friend!

[@RequiemsACTL]

Cheers Brian! Awesome to hear your gunnery has improved, I'm really happy to see that these ones have really helped a lot of people :-) Hopefully you enjoy the videos coming down the pipe too! For future videos you'll need to use the bell icon to get notified of them being released. Apparently KZbin did some change a while ago where even if you're subscribed you won't see new ones or something unless that's selected.

[@_Meriwether]

"Lucky shot!" "It's funny, the more I practice, the 'luckier' I get."

[@RequiemsACTL]

Sometimes it's better to be lucky ;-)

[@maximianum]

I can't wait for upcoming videos. Outstanding tutorials thank you very much

[@paularnold6596]

Thank you for making this vital and well made video. No wonder I couldn't hit a barn door at a 100 ft! I played last night against AI single planes and shot them all down albeit not as quickly as you demonstrate in the video but still much better than before. The understanding of the sight and "seeing" the angles in the air is what seperated the aces from average pilots. I reckon if you'd have flown in WWII you would've been an ace. 😅 I also use your latest Track Ir settings. Very good! Thank you

[@Spartan18a]

Speechless! Now I understand why I am so bad shooting ....

[@RequiemsACTL]

Bad shooting will never completely go away (at least mine won't LOL), but practice helps reduce it a little bit!

[@External2737]

Yep... me too. A great demo

[@Snowy57]

Another great tutorial Requiem, I think I have been reasonable with deflection shooting and now you’ve explained the maths behind it I hope to improve. cheers Snowy

[@RequiemsACTL]

Thanks Barry, this is something that becomes intuitive with experience, but these should help lessen the learning curve towards deflection shooting a bit :-)

[@pitbull7448]

Such an amazing quide thanks so much and keep up the great work!

[@sebastianbombasti7554]

Man that was some HIGH LEVEL lesson. THANKS A LOT!!!

[@RequiemsACTL]

Glad it was helpful! You'll definitely enjoy the other deflection shooting videos too :-)

[@gregorteply9034]

Your voice is an ultimate cure to my insomnia. Thank you very much! ❤️

[@dannyboy5775]

Great vid. Your set of tutorials is one of the best on KZbin by far.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Thanks Danny, I appreciate that very much!

[@FlyingNutcase]

The proof's in the pudding. Great training, great shooting. Thank you!

[@larshaas2658]

I never knew a normal reflector sight could be so helpful with a little bit of training and fast thinking!

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yeah once you get used to using a particular sight then the gunnery starts to feel a lot more natural and less forced. You just put the airplane where it needs to be and fire away :-)

[@EnragedMollusk]

Awesome video. You are the god of combat flight sims.

[@AndreSlidell]

Excellent Videos all and a Big Thank You!!

[@RequiemsACTL]

Thank you Aeross! :-)

[@old_guard2431]

Great work - your band of followers is small but loyal and I am glad you are continuing with this. Very useful - my first guess would have been that the ring on the Spit sight is the range reference, and that would have been wrong. Please do a fighter with cowling-mounted guns next. It was recently brought to my attention that "convergence" compensates for rounds dropping as well as deflection. This would seem to be the primary purpose for cowling-mounted guns (and through the propeller hub etc.). Firing both MGs and cannons at long range (normally only worthwhile for bombers that are not maneuvering) there would be a difference in drop due to differences in initial velocity, compounded by ballistic efficiency of the round. (No idea how much of this is modeled in the game.)

[@RequiemsACTL]

Cheers Guard, you're not wrong really. Technically the sight does both range and angle off once you recognise the visual cues. The next will be on the Revi sight, so think Bf 109 / Fw 190.

[@5peciesunkn0wn]

This group of videos is going to be so damn useful.

[@RequiemsACTL]

They'll definitely help you if you're learning how to shoot. Over time and with practice it will be more instinctive

[@terryteed1903]

Always loved your vids. Going from strength to strength. o7

[@RD-xs7bi]

Perfect tutorial on "Deflection Shooting". 🎉 Thank you for the effort and time!🙏 Really helpful and extremely knowledgeable material.🧐📊📈📜

[@k41kai24]

I find this video really helpful, I always find myself shooting over the plane with spitfires, after watching the video a couple of times, I finally understand, thank you very much

[@RequiemsACTL]

Great to hear it :-)

[@TheDominionOfElites]

This is so useful

[@jordo96_gaming]

Hi, I fly in Il2 as =DW=_Jordo in Finnish Server. Thanks for the video, it makes sense but will take time to remember, especially in the heat of the battle. The biggest challenge is creating mental pictures and reacting and making decisions quickly. But I hope this will improve with continuous practice.

[@grahamshere]

This has helped me tons. Thank you.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Awesome :-)

[@Leon_Portier]

On the part of deflection shooting, I found specifically practicing it in quick battles works wonders.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Great to hear Leon :)

[@jonwood8648]

Awesome vid. Very helpful.

[@RequiemsACTL]

It will take a little while to put into practice as you focus on recognising the Angle Off and putting him in the right sight position, but your gunnery will improve and stay accurate. Eventually you won't even need to think...you will just put the guy in the right spot and fire without considering what you see here :-)

[@Koltiik]

Best video you give me so much tips for my better aim :) TY

[@RequiemsACTL]

Awesome to hear, my pleasure Koltiik! :-)

[@EinsteinEP]

Brilliant! You are lethal.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Cheers mate :)

[@abiudjoseph6136]

This video help my gunnery on IL2. I couldn't hit the enemy even if they were right in front of me. Very frustrating. I'm now actually getting dangerous. Thanks.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Awesome to hear your shooting is improved! :-)

[@DJScaleModels]

This just improved my shooting skills ten fold, thank you! The Germans may have to learn to fear me (more) yet!

[@RequiemsACTL]

Awesome Dancin! Great to hear your shooting has improved! That is the goal of these videos after all :-)

[@DJScaleModels]

Very true! The Browning .303's always felt a bit "off" until I realized that I was able to tweak the settings of the sight.

[@CapFreddy]

nice material

[@neoetude]

very helpful video! thank you so much! :)

[@RequiemsACTL]

You're welcome, I hope you find the other shooting videos helpful too!

[@jakey-poo401]

This is so helpful it’s ridiculous! One (possibly newb) question I have; is there a way to save your range/wingspan adjustments, or do they need to be reset each time you hop in? I have been resetting them each time, but it just occurred to me that maybe there is a save feature that google/forums haven’t led me to yet. Thank you again, your instruction and tutorials are wonderful.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yeah unfortunately there is no way to save them. I wish that the wingspan would default to a fighter wingspan and ranges would be set to whatever your convergence is...but you just have to remember to change it. Glad you like these videos Jakob! :-)

[@kenthigginbotham2754]

Sure enjoy these thank you! What server are the example taken on?

[@mestizo2842]

Nice Job Thanks ! :)

[@shadowdancer2439]

thank you!

[@klobuk11]

Very nice tutorial. Thank you very much. Do this principle work also for german sights or the diameter is different?

[@RequiemsACTL]

The Angle Off idea is the same, but the exact amount of lead changes with airspeed and I wanted things very simplified in this intro video as I gear most of what I make towards new players. The Spitfire sight Angle Off illustration (5, 10, 20, 30 AO rings) in this video is true for a target flying at about 300-350 mph. For all intents and purposes it's good enough for most situations. Their diameters are slightly different but the idea is the same if you're trying to determine range. Spitfire in the 109 sight with 1 diameter is at about 100m, while the 109 in that Spitfire sight is about 100 yards (90m). The next video using the Revi (German sight) will be to expand on lead and show how it changes with the target's airspeed as this is important. Without getting into the math of lead yet...higher airspeeds = more lead, lower airspeeds = less lead

[@mysticaldragon2740]

GREAT video and loved the chalkboard setup. It made it far better to watch. What did you use to get that effect? Im thinking of making some tutorials for elite dangerous and that would be a wonderful addition.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Hey Ksetuni, it was just an image in Photoshop where I took a blackboard picture and created the border. In my latest videos where I cover more modern content I use a similar idea but with a whiteboard and whiteboard marker text.

[@mysticaldragon2740]

@@RequiemsACTL wow loved how it wrote on it etc. It really added to a great presentation.

[@barrymcdonald7404]

Very nice video sir. Could you please put together a video for the for the P-51D's K-14 gyroscope gunsight. Thanks

[@RequiemsACTL]

I have the DCS P-51 but that gunsight will probably have to wait until it comes out with IL-2 Bodenplatte. I have plenty of stuff to work on already! LOL

[@barrymcdonald7404]

The Air Combat Tutorial Library look forward to seeing all your new work.

[@vendetta1306]

Much obliged

[@old_guard2431]

I captured a screen shot of the angle-off chart, fine for my purposes, but you mentioned these might be available for download. . . Where would that be?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Hey Guard, you can download them from my tutorial thread on the IL-2 forums (I'll be updating them in the future): forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/3625-air-combat-tutorialstir-profile-angle-charts-updated-16-febr/

[@CZ350tuner]

Could you do a video on the difference between Pattern Convergence and Point Convergence. I run Pattern Convergence on IL-2 Cliffs of Dover - Blitz as it's better for hitting a determined not to be hit fighter target, especially as range rapidly varies during a dogfight. It also gives me better luck with longer range passing snap shot deflections. I run guns 1 & 8 R&C at 500 yards, 2 & 7 R&C at 400 yards, 3 & 6 R&C at 200 yards and 4 & 5 R&C at 100 yards. In IL-2 GB we're kind of stuck with Point Convergence.

[@RequiemsACTL]

I haven't flown Cliffs in years and don't have it installed anymore. If the Il-2 devs add the ability to tweak convergence like in Cliffs I'll cover it. Priority for me video wise for gunnery at the moment is going to be the K-14

[@glowworm3525]

Thx.

[@18eNick]

Can you make a deflection shooting guide for the Gyro sights for the allies and for the germans? Meaning what is the degrees of shots without the piper and how to use the piper to judge shots. Cause in the P51 is set it to 330 Yards and 30 Meters it accurate and works but once the opponent does anything that does not involve a straight level flight or slow flight the piper becomes not uses full and seems that you just gotta judge shots manually.

[@RequiemsACTL]

The gyro sights are simple to use, but the trick to using those sights is placing the range command on an easily accessible axis on your joystick or throttle somewhere. If you don't have that then you're better off with the standard sight in my opinion. Otherwise it's extremely difficult to quickly and accurately range the the bandit in a fight. In RL the range adjuster was located on the throttle itself as a twist forward and back.

[@Av8rThor]

Very informative, what sim are you filming in? Is the the same in all flight sims (doubtfull) as you can’t set the range in aces high although you can set the convergence.

[@RequiemsACTL]

All my videos are based on real life data or techniques/ procedures where possible, so this means they can be applied to other sims. It was filmed using the Il-2 Great Battles series.

[@jonnotuckster8856]

Been trying to get used to the spitfire in sim on warthunder the planes a nightmare it’s soo hard to control it’s unreal but my biggest problem is aim this vid has taught me a lot now to put it into use I hope lol

[@RequiemsACTL]

If Warthunder models their gunsights correctly then my deflection video tutorials will work. I've done the mathematics to figure this stuff out and it's solid :-)

[@jonnotuckster8856]

Had a quick go with it has made a big difference it seems to work in wt too what game is this based on fella

[@RequiemsACTL]

The Il-2 Great Battles Series (Stalingrad, Moscow, etc...)

[@jonnotuckster8856]

Nice might have to get il2 I like the looks of cliffs of Dover

[@glorbusborbus480]

all other factors being constant, is the deflection the same for a bandit at both 200yards and 100yards?

[@RequiemsACTL]

The simple answer is yes. Because even though the bandit is further away from you he will have to travel a further distance, so the lead remains the same for the angle off.

[@ryugi2006]

Will there be a video for the Soviet gunsights?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yes

[@JohnSmith-zf1lq]

7:55 "In this example we've got a slightly higher energy state" > Enemy plane hangs in the air before falling backwards

[@TheBod76]

Actually people should have to pay to watch your lessons, because they are really that good. I hope you get atleast some youtube dollars out of it. :)

[@RequiemsACTL]

No TheBod, I don't get any $$$ from KZbin or anyone else for what I do. I'm not interested in making money on these because I had some people offer me the chance to go from being a sim pilot to a real career as an airline pilot (which I now am of course), so one day I'll be putting someone else through flight training like they did for me.

[@TheBod76]

Well, thanks for the free lessons, glad to hear you are doing what you love to make a living. :)

[@Deuwl]

Hi there. Thanks a lot for the videos. I need some help I was wondering if you can assist? I have a X52 pro and I am having some trouble with it. More particularly with the plane wobbling when I try for that last bit of room for a deflection shot. The fact it is wobbling means I cannot line the shot up and I often miss the shot. I have watched a lot of other videos, adjusted my sensititvity to 100 percent and it still wobbles. I have even set a deadzone even though the joystick has no flaws and doesn't require a deadzone but I'm still getting issues. Can you help me please?

[@RequiemsACTL]

If you're using a deadzone its making your joystick more sensitive so I would remove the deadzone if you don't need it. If you can...try and fly using your thumb, forefinger, and middle finger only (the other two fingers will curl up) to prevent overcontrolling. That can help in some cases.

[@Deuwl]

@@RequiemsACTL Yea I removed the deadzones. I made my sensitivity 100% for Yaw and Pitch. Roll I kept 0% Sensitivity as that isn't the problem. I already fly the stick with the utmost gentle care. I have been not flying for about 10 years and only took it up again 3 months ago and I don't remember 1946 or CLOD being this wobbly. I have eliminated most of the wobbling with the sensitivity but it still moves a few inches when I'm about to shoot if I need to adjust a bit more lead. I can't do as you suggested with the grip as I need my pinkie for the pinkie switch in the X52. The problem I am having is as I am about to take a shot especially when I'm behind someone that is trying to evade me when I gently try to pull a bit more lead, the joystick wobbles and its almost impossible to get the shot in. I normally fly using energy tactics and I've been trying to improve my gunnery.

[@l3VGV]

So how do i freez and rewind back on Wings of Liberty?

[@RequiemsACTL]

You need to record a track using CTRL+R then replay it when you leave the server in the flight records section

[@01MeuCanal]

Give me a little tip. What does the expression "Deflection shooting" means? It gets strange when translated to portuguese. Is that just lead shooting?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yep. The "deflection" is the amount of lead you are applying to the target so your bullets can hit

[@ScottiStudios]

I'd like to know how you manage to rip a wing off nearly every time? Even when I hit a plane, I seem to have to chase it and make 5 or 6 hits before it becomes un-flyable for the other player. Thanks! :P

[@RequiemsACTL]

There were some tweaks made to the damage model after this video was created so wings coming off is less likely now. The principles of the video still stand though to help with your accuracy

[@ScottiStudios]

@@RequiemsACTL Thanks a lot for your reply, and for your videos they are great!

[@clementpoon120]

that certainly helps when i fight with someone in il2 1946

[@hi-ek3wd]

Are the cockpits clickable in il-2?

[@RequiemsACTL]

No Emmanuel they aren't

[@hi-ek3wd]

The Air Combat Tutorial Library So can we really call it a simulation?

[@RequiemsACTL]

Of course we can. I don't believe a clickable cockpit is the absolute benchmark to call something a simulation. There are much more important things that make a combat simulation such as the flight models, damage models, ballistic models, environment, view distance, etc... I'd rather have an enjoyable air combat experience than remembering to click a button to swap fuel tanks in cruise flight for example. In my opinion clickable cockpits add a unrealistic difficulty in-flight that just isn't there in a real airplane for most people, but many people love having a clickable cockpit so just fly whatever simulator provides your needs. The developers for IL-2 have stated a few times they are not adding clickable cockpits though. Clickable cockpits are great if you want to learn procedural elements such as an engine startup or if you have much more complicated airplanes with modern avionics, so I'd argue that clickable cockpits are more important in a simulator such as DCS than in IL-2. I use a HOTAS, so to me a clickable cockpit doesn't really matter much anyway outside of an engine start sequence in DCS or Cliffs of Dover for example.

[@hi-ek3wd]

The Air Combat Tutorial Library Yes you're right

[@Munky332]

Weird, I just found it more of an intuitive state of guestimation. I never really actually thought about using the gunsights mathematically for ranging and angles lol

[@RequiemsACTL]

After a lot of shooting with the gunsight that's how your aim becomes, intuitive. But when you're first learning how to shoot these techniques will help you improve your accuracy much faster initially.

[@stix_0910]

@0:46

[@DunkzGam1ng]

I like how u one shot your enemies compared to me playing cliffs of dover spitfire mk 1a which takes all its ammo to down 1 plane lol

[@LightVision-jy5wh]

hand-pink-waving

[@CZ350tuner]

After having been flying online dogfight sims since 1997, I kind of just instinctively know where to aim to score a deflection.

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yeah me too, I made these so people new to deflection shooting can "get their eye in" so to speak and reduce the learning curve. With practice people won't need these rings.

[@DannyBooze1]

Man we need you on Russian side on taw

[@avipatable]

Very informative and nice to watch, but i can't help thinking if the hispano/browning combination was that devastating Johnnie Johnson would have left Eric Hartman for dust!

[@RequiemsACTL]

To be fair of course, we have countless hours of practice with no fear of death, unlike the real guys who flew these airplanes obviously...but a few 20mm rounds will cause most people to have a bad time if they can manage to score a hit or two ;-)

[@avipatable]

Yeh maybe so, and for every plane returning home with more holes than aeroplane there was those who had one unlucky strike from way out of range and had to belly land on enemy territory. And I know from the few times I have tried the new flight sims its it not as easy as you make it look!

[@randalmcmurphy1893]

if only it were all that easy

[@ActualEggnog]

Man, wings don't come off like they used to

[@RequiemsACTL]

Yeah there's been some damage model updates since I made the video, but the principles still apply of course

[@albmunmu]

9:45 that wasn't your kill, you can see the bullet trails that got him before your shots, you fired too late :P

[@RequiemsACTL]

Can't win 'em all :)

[@Welther47]

Good info. But so dull!

[@falcony100]

stop killing germanssss

[@RequiemsACTL]

Well I killed Allied in the next deflection shooting video so that must make up for it right? :-P