Most of the new pilots in the arenas today are killed on takeoff or lose most of their well earned kills to a crash landing. This section explains the proper way to land.
Fighter planes are the easiest planes to pull off the ground (with the exception of the P-38 and other 2 engined planes which will be explained later). Most new pilots become frustrated because they can't make it off the runway without being shot down. This is a result of poor planing. Check your airfields surroundings before you take off by looking at the map in the Ready Room of that field or your country's Headquarters (HQ). This can result in a lower crash score.
Planes like the P-38 require a small adjustment before taking off. TURN ON BOTH ENGINES!!! I don't know how many times I've seen a fighter crash on takeoff because both of their engines were not turned on.
Bombers are similar to two engined fighters in the fact that all of them have atleast two engines. Bombers need a longer runway due to the extra weight of the bombs, therefore it takes them longer to lift off. A notch or two of flaps can help these bombers lift off quicker but don't forget to put the flaps back up or you'll hit the dirt (this is explained later).
Most fighters are easy to land with the exception of the fighters with Tri-pod landing gear (explained later). On your approach, line yourself up with the runway. Drop your throttle to "Idle" until your speed reaches 150kts or lower, then deploy your landing gear. DO NOT allow your speed to drop below 100kts or you might stall. Re-apply throttle to 30% and coast to the runway. A good tip is to line your Pipper (target) up with the end of the runway until you are 50 ft off the ground then level out. You want to land with a descent rate of between -0.5 and 0 with the ideal touchdown ROC being -0.1. You should land without bouncing and receive a "Nice Landing" flash up on the text area. This is where you hit the brakes (check your stick or keyboard configuration)
Planes with tripod landing gear, such as the P38 Lightning, require much more care as they tend to bounce more often. On your approach, line yourself up as with other fighters. Drop the throttle to 15% and lower gear below 150kts. Line your pipper up with the end of the runway. When you reach 50ft, slow your descent rate until you reach 10ft. Immediately drop your throttle and coast until you reach 80-100kts. This is where you pull up softly to induce a small stall (This is called a Full-Stall landing and is quite difficult to perform but without it the P38 will most of the time bounce into the air). Your wheels should touch down on the ground without a bounce, apply brakes and you're done. This may require some practice.
Bombers can be difficult to land because of the positioning of the pilot in the cockpit. From the left side, the lower right is obstructed from view and can make landings ackward and difficult. Rule #1 about landing a bomber is NO FLAPS!! Flaps tend to make the bomber lunge at the ground if the aircraft is travelling a more than 150kts, so as a general rule don't use them.
A picture is worth a thousand words, so look at this film;