In the air, Bombers are one of the most important aircraft to destroy. Bombers can lethally change the course of a battle in the opponent's favor. Though bombers may be slower than more agile aicraft, like fighters, some are bristling with defensive armament.
General[]
Attributes
Anti-Bomber strategy
Role
Bombers are meant to destroy large amounts of buildings, equipment or other strategetic targets.
Bombers on their own are often easily destroyed, but with an escort they can be hard to kill.
Look out for bombers flying in formation. Good gunner crews can tear fighters to bits.
Endurance
Most bombers can take quite a few hits, but have weak spots, like the engines and cockpit.
Speed
Most bombers have a top speed of somewhere around 275 MPH, though they cruise at a lower speed. Don't expect them to outrun any fighters though.
Weapons
Bombers are typically armed with a few machine guns or even cannon, often in forward, waist and tail positions.
Match-Ups[]
No matter what aircraft you're using against bombers, always look out for escort fighters. One strategy is to use a certain amount of planes to draw the fighters away so the rest can attack the bombers without fighter harassment.
Match Up
Anti-Bomber strategy
Anti Aircraft Gun
Bombers may be big targets, but they often fly high. Make sure to use radar to find the bomber force.
Shoot where the bombers will be, not where they are.
If the bombers are in formation, you can just aim for the formation, as you are probably likely to hit one.
Make sure to use more than one anti-aircraft gun when attacking bomber formations. The more guns, the more chance of hitting.
Single Engine Fighter
Remember, you are much faster and more manouverable than lumbering bombers, but they have much more defensive weaponary than you do.
Try to attack from underneath the bomber, as most have little to no defense covering underneath them.
Aim for the engines, or, if attacking from the front, the cockpit, as both are weak points.
If you can't hit the cockpit or engines, aim for the control surfaces so the bomber will crash.
The bomber's gunners have much more ammunition than you do.
Avoid directly above the bomber, directly in front and directly behind it. Try to attack from an angle.
Single Engine Fighter With Rear Gunner
You can mostly follow the match up strategy of a regular single engine fighter, however, remember that your rear gunner can slow you down quite a bit.
As always, have good communication with your gunner.
A good strategy is to fire your forward machine guns going forward at the bomber, and as you pass by it, your rear gunner can start to fire.
Double Engine Fighter
You are probably slower than Single Engine Fighters, but you still have the speed advantage over the bombers.
You have more room for armament than Single Engine Fighters. This means that it's easier for you to destroy bombers.
Work closely with your navigator to find the lead bomber, if the bombers are in formation. Destroying it will probably put the raid into disarray.
You are a bigger target than Single Engine Fighters. Make sure to keep at a high speed and make multiple passes.
Night Fighter
You have a big advantage over the bombers: You know where they are, but they don't typically know where you are. Use this to your advantage: get into the right position and then start firing.
Once you start firing, most gunners can identify where the fire is coming from and return it.
Make your attack and quickly return to base. Hanging around the bombers is an invitation for destruction.
Weapons Specific[]
Weapon
Anti-Bomber strategy
Machine Gun
Machine Guns may be weak inidvidually, but are almost never found alone. Use your rake of machine guns to target weak spots, specifically the engines, cockpit and control surfaces.
However, your machine gun does not unlimited ammunition. Remember to use your machine guns sparingly.
Cannon
Cannons, however, are much more powerful than Machine Guns. With Light Cannon, you can use it somewhat like a machine gun, but more sparingly. However, with Heavy Cannon you need only to fire it once or twice to destroy a bomber.
Remember to use your ammunition very sparingly with your cannon, as you have little ammunition.
Rockets
Air to Air Rockets are by far the most powerful weapon available to Fighters fighting bombers. However, they are inaccurate, so firing a few off at a time is probably a good idea.
Remember that rockets drop, so fire them a little bit above the opposition.
