We fixed the issue with looking up in version 0.9.
In version 1.0 you may take off, make a free flight to feel the plane and admire your base, and land again without going to the mission. Just keep altitude below 1km. This should constitute a free flight.
Planes don't turn when you bank - actually, they turn a little in the opposite direction - which I know as adverse yaw - and it is correctly implemented. We have professional pilots helping us with the physics and feelings of flight. And yes it may be strange at the beginning.
Sightings on the Levis gun will be added in version 1.1 as we will add new planes with gunner sit.