Fighter Combat

SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-ONE 215engaged at the same time. One fighter pulls off the target before the otherengages. This is not the case with loose deuce, as the free-fighter pilotconstantly works for a favorable attack position and then strikes on hisown. This may result in both fighters attacking the target simultaneously,but sustained offensive maneuvering against the same aircraft is to beavoided. Once the free-fighter pilot launches his attack the original engagedpilot usually should disengage to rebuild energy and position foranother attack.There is a peculiar gratification in receiving congratulations from one'ssquadron for a victory in the air. It is worth more to a pilot than the applauseof the whole outside world. It means that one has won the confidence of menwho share the misgivings, the aspirations, the trials and the dangers ofaeroplane fighting.Captain Edward V. "Eddie" Rickenbacker, USASAlthough the distinction between double attack and loose deuce mayseem minor, it results in some major tactical differences. While in doubleattack doctrine the pilot of the engaged fighter is expected to get the killwhile the free-fighter pilot stays out of his way and cheers, it is more oftenthe free fighter that gets the shot in loose deuce. The engaged fighter setsup the kill by forcing or inducing the bogey to maneuver predictably,thereby making it easier for the free fighter to position for a shot. This isexactly the role of the engaged fighter in defensive situations using doubleattack, as discussed in conjunction with Figures 5-4 through 5-8. Loosedeuce carries this philosophy into the offensive also. This is not to say thatthe engaged-fighter pilot should not attempt to shoot the bogey if theopportunity is presented, but he should not risk loss of the offensive (e.g.,by risking a gross overshoot or by depleting energy excessively) to do so.When he is opposing a fighter of equal or superior maneuverability, thisquite often means that the engaged pilot must be less aggressive in prosecutinghis attack. A classic example of this is illustrated by the situationshown in Figure 5-9.In this scenario the engaged fighter has attained an offensive position inthe bogey's rear hemisphere, but it is still beyond effective guns range(assume guns only). Double attack doctrine would call for pure and leadpursuit to close to guns range with proper lead for a high-deflection snapshotagainst the hard-turning target at time "T" (broken flight path). If thisattack is unsuccessful, the engaged fighter will most likely overshoot andlose the offensive. The attacker will probably have bled considerableenergy in this high-G attack, and he may even be in danger of becomingdefensive if the bogey pilot decides to exploit the overshoot by reversing toinitiate a flat or a rolling scissors. At the very least the high-angle, closerangeovershoot temporarily takes the pressure off the bogey, allowing thedefender the option of reversing,unloading for acceleration, or diving awayto escape before the free fighter can take up the attack.Loose deuce doctrine would dictate a less aggressive approach to thissituation. Rather than pulling for an immediate but low-percentage shot,the pilot of the engaged fighter employs pure and lag pursuit instead, to