long time since i was a BFT trainer in the JFC, but here is a few things....
The historic cool planes are in many cases the hardest to fly. Learning prob pitch mixture and 3 darn engine settings + the energy remembering and then on top you have to lead a target and at the same time avoid being shot down, well welcome to IL2
As statet by many AI just use drugs and have planes build somewhere in the universe.
A great way to learn to fly and shoot in IL2 is to take a plane that rules out half the above, i normaly recomend The A6M2-21 zero. That is a plane that dont need to much thought to fly and yes low ammo count, but you have about a gazalion 7.7 rounds to practice with.
A6m2-21
take of pitch 100%
flaps take off
mixture 100%
Radiator open
Throttle to the wall
climp at 220 to 1000m
1000m
Throttle 80% pitch 80
mixture 80
When climping you just decrease the mixture slowly, you can hear the engine loosing rpm`s if its to lean. above 1500m you just keep the 80% pitch
set up quick missions you vs a transport and shoot him down practicing the lead from all angles. Here its vital you do your best to avoid attacks at there 6 (well help you avoiding a werry bad habbit and you will be happy later)
Dont get above 550kph or you have to trim your self out of a can of worms...
3500m is the altitude where it have its place....
you can land it at speeds down to 110kph and stil have control..
doing combat manouvers keep it between 390 and 550kph
Dont yank it, it can do it, but against especialy early war fighters you can turn and climp like a hawk on chase if you are gently.
Energy fighting. Well its easy to explain. when you do a loop you loose speed on the way up and gain on the way down, so what you need to do is to manouver the plane with as little input to keep the momentum up so you make the loop within the best capabilitys of the engine of the plane.
Any input creates some drag over the surfaces, the less you move them the less drag you create and the more energy you keep in the plane.
The thing you realy need to practice is when to engage and when not to engage. When a enemy dives its not always the best to go after him, he needs to get the energy back up by climping, if you stay where you are and just make a climping cirkle folowing him, you will keep the advantage so when he comes at the top of hes climp and need to build up energy again, you have the energy advatage over him. (this should give you a small idea what energy fighting is)
All planes should be flow as a energy fighter at there prime altitude, those who turn, are the ones who burn.
have to go now, get back with more this evening
LTbear