The CFS-2 Flight Deck

This aircraft is the most sentimental aircraft found in the game, & although it may be amungst the hardest to fly, it is chosen by many due to it's looks & reputation. In CFS-2, after the 'honeymoon' is over, most pilots give up trying to master the 'hog', as this plane in cfs-2 is about as complicated to fly as the Lightining.

Every pilot will notice the Corsair's lack of turning ability (especially at high speed); great care is needed to pick when to slow down to make a sharp turn. Flaps, dive break, trim & WEP; place these three controls at your fingertips so that your able to use them in coordinated maneuvers. To be able to use these flight control's effectively, situational awareness is very important... Be aware of where you are within the dogfight... Look for the closest threat, before your next victim.

The Corsair is a robust aircraft in CFS-2, & a steady gun platform ... You can get out of trouble almost as fast as you got in it, using its speed advantage. Keep your speed & altitude up as it's no dogfighter, in CFS-2 the 'sair is about offence, energy & speed!!! Unless your enemy is wounded, do not attempt to turn with your opponent. If you stall the Corsair, you are dead, period. Even a rookie can hit a stalled Corsair; you might as well be painting, because it takes some time to recover from a stall in a Corsair.

During a tail chase, dive the Corsair slightly to gain the necessary speed & get into a position where you are slightly below, in the blind spot. If you have too much speed, drop the dive break or aileron roll to lose the speed. Use your hat button to watch the direction the aircraft is going and use those controls accordingly.

During head on attacks, avoid the direct nose to nose attack. Turn your aircraft so that you are looking down one side of the enemy or the other. Coordinate your rudder and ailerons so that you are "slide slipping". Although your aircraft is heading in a different direction, your nose can still be pointed at your target by using opposite rudder. This is where the Corsair becomes a steady platform. When the distance has closed to 500-600, pull the nose up, & aileron roll your aircraft.

During a climbing attack, keep your speed up using WEP & the Corsair will hang on its prop nicely. Also, you can open the cowl flaps one or two clicks which helps keep it steady during climbs. If it becomes necessary to complete a loop, set flaps to 60-80%. Once over the top, bring the flaps back up and dive for speed.

The Corsair is very durable and can take a great deal of damage. Get to enjoy keeping the brick in the air for as long as possible. Not only does that tactic help the team's death percentage, but it also makes the opposing team use their ammo up on an already disabled a/c.

Reference:
MicroSoft CFS-2 Pilots Manual
Article for Airwarfare By OR_OZ
Article for EURO Gazette By AMWill