Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

Section Tactics,
Two-versus-One
Never break your formation into less than two-ship elements. Stay in pairs. A
man by himself is a liability, a two-ship team is an asset. If you are separated,
join up immediately with other friendly airplanes.
Major Thomas B. "Tommy" McGuire, USAAF
Background
Section is the term used to describe a team of two fighters acting in concert
against the adversary. This concept was first employed early in World War
I by the Germans Oswald Boelcke and Max Immelmann. Even in the
infancy of air combat, it was readily apparent that one-versus-one engagement
has serious flaws in practical application. Among these failings is
inadequate defense against surprise attack by an unseen opponent. It has
been estimated that throughout the history of air combat 80 to 90 percent
of downed fighter pilots were unaware of their danger until the moment of
the attack. Suprise, then, and, conversely, the avoidance of surprise, must
be considered the most vital element in air combat.
The first rule of all air combat is to see the opponent first. Like the hunter
who stalks his prey and maneuvers himself unnoticed into the most favorable
position for the kill, the fighter in the opening of a dogfight must detect
the opponent as early as possible in order to attain a superior position for the
attack.
Lt. General Adolph Galland, Luftwaffe
Most aircraft, and particularly single-seat fighters, have blind spots that
cannot be monitored visually on a continuous basis by the pilot. The
underside of the aircraft and the rear hemisphere are usually the most
troublesome areas. Although these regions can be checked sporadically by
rolling and turning the aircraft, this technique may not be adequate against
an attacker with high closure. Additionally, one-versus-one combat, and
particularly weapons employment during combat, demands that the