Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-ONE 215 engaged at the same time. One fighter pulls off the target before the other engages. This is not the case with loose deuce, as the free-fighter pilot constantly works for a favorable attack position and then strikes on his own. This may result in both fighters attacking the target simultaneously, but sustained offensive maneuvering against the same aircraft is to be avoided. Once the free-fighter pilot launches his attack the original engaged pilot usually should disengage to rebuild energy and position for another attack. There is a peculiar gratification in receiving congratulations from one's squadron for a victory in the air. It is worth more to a pilot than the applause of the whole outside world. It means that one has won the confidence of men who share the misgivings, the aspirations, the trials and the dangers of aeroplane fighting. Captain Edward V. "Eddie" Rickenbacker, USAS Although the distinction between double attack and loose deuce may seem minor, it results in some major tactical differences. While in double attack doctrine the pilot of the engaged fighter is expected to get the kill while the free-fighter pilot stays out of his way and cheers, it is more often the free fighter that gets the shot in loose deuce. The engaged fighter sets up 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 is exactly the role of the engaged fighter in defensive situations using double attack, as discussed in conjunction with Figures 5-4 through 5-8. Loose deuce carries this philosophy into the offensive also. This is not to say that the engaged-fighter pilot should not attempt to shoot the bogey if the opportunity 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, this quite often means that the engaged pilot must be less aggressive in prosecuting his attack. A classic example of this is illustrated by the situation shown in Figure 5-9. In this scenario the engaged fighter has attained an offensive position in the bogey's rear hemisphere, but it is still beyond effective guns range (assume guns only). Double attack doctrine would call for pure and lead pursuit to close to guns range with proper lead for a high-deflection snapshot against the hard-turning target at time "T" (broken flight path). If this attack is unsuccessful, the engaged fighter will most likely overshoot and lose the offensive. The attacker will probably have bled considerable energy in this high-G attack, and he may even be in danger of becoming defensive if the bogey pilot decides to exploit the overshoot by reversing to initiate a flat or a rolling scissors. At the very least the high-angle, closerange overshoot temporarily takes the pressure off the bogey, allowing the defender the option of reversing,unloading for acceleration, or diving away to escape before the free fighter can take up the attack. Loose deuce doctrine would dictate a less aggressive approach to this situation. Rather than pulling for an immediate but low-percentage shot, the pilot of the engaged fighter employs pure and lag pursuit instead, to
216 SECTION TACTICS, TWO-VERSUS-ONE Figure 5-9. Loose Deuce Engaged-Fighter Maneuvering establish a commanding position deep in the bogey's rear hemisphere (solid flight path). By maintaining increased nose-tail separation with the defender at time "2," the engaged pilot avoids a serious overshoot, preserves his energy, and achieves a temporary lag-pursuit position. If the bogey pilot reverses after time "2," he subjects himself to a gun attack, as shown by the broken flight path to time "3'." He is therefore encouraged to continue turning in the original direction (solid flight path to time "3"), which makes him predictable for a longer period of time. This predictability may allow the free fighter to position for an unseen attack that is more effective and lethal. As a rule of thumb, the engaged fighter needs to force the adversary through about 360° of predictable turn in order to allow the free fighter a reasonable chance of success, especially when only RQ weapons are involved. Having accomplished this task, the engaged fighter has served its purpose,- but if the engaged pilot allows the bogey to change its maneuver unpredictably (possibly because of a premature, unsuccessful attack), the free-fighter pilot's attack plan will be spoiled and the fight will be prolonged unnecessarily. The bogey may also be unpredictable if the engaged fighter does not apply sufficient pressure. The target must be threatened to the point where any significant change in its defensive maneuver will get it shot by the engaged fighter. Applying just the right amount of pressure is the engaged pilot's most critical duty. He should plan and execute the attack with the goal of maintaining this pressure as long as possible, and he should take only those shots which will allow him to maintain that pressure. This technique has a very close analogy in basketball. The offensive ball handler can attempt to charge through the defense, taking whatever shot at the basket becomes available at the risk of throwing the ball up for grabs, or
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Fighter Combat TACTICS AND MANEUVER
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Preface ix Acknowledgments xv Abbre
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CONTENTS Vll Single-Side Offset 353
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X PREFACE tactics varied greatly, a
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Xll PREFACE current void of informa
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Acknowledgments Much of the credit
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Abbreviations AAA anti-aircraft art
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Fighter Combat TACTICS AND MANEUVER
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2 FIGHTER WEAPONS although fixed to
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4 FIGHTER WEAPONS some firing range
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Table 1-1. American Aircraft Guns T
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8 FIGHTER WEAPONS angle is also dep
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10 FIGHTER WEAPONS the ballistics o
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12 HGHTER WEAPONS often bars of lig
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14 FIGHTER WEAPONS This system has
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16 FIGHTER WEAPONS required firing
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18 FIGHTER WEAPONS With a disturbed
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20 FIGHTER WEAPONS We were both fly
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22 FIGHTER WEAPONS The predictor LC
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24 FIGHTER WEAPONS The next best th
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26 FIGHTER WEAPONS tracking G, shor
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28 FIGHTER WEAPONS defender's inten
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30 FIGHTER WEAPONS and acrobatic ma
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32 FIGHTER WEAPONS Missile Propulsi
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34 FIGHTER WEAPONS Missile Guidance
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36 FIGHTER WEAPONS straight path. T
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38 FIGHTER WEAPONS target to correc
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40 FIGHTER WEAPONS sensor systems,
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42 FIGHTER WEAPONS Since CW radars
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44 FIGHTER WEAPONS Missile Fuzes Th
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46 FIGHTER WEAPONS prised of many i
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48 FIGHTER WEAPONS The maneuvering
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50 FIGHTER WEAPONS racy being about
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52 FIGHTER WEAPONS then slowing the
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54 FIGHTER WEAPONS Shooter and targ
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56 FIGHTER WEAPONS will exhibit lar
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58 FIGHTER WEAPONS (RWR), that an e
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60 FIGHTER WEAPONS barrel-rolling a
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2 Basic Fighter Maneuvers I fly clo
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64 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS the comb
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66 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS himself
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68 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS speed ad
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70 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS pursuit
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72 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS Figure 2
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74 Figure 2-7. Low Yo-Yo BASIC FIGH
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76 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS The pote
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80 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS In case
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82 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS capitali
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84 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS one (the
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86 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS his exte
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90 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS the boge
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92 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS subseque
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94 Figure 2-22. Defensive Spiral BA
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96 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS usually
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3 One-versus-One Maneuvering, Simil
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100 ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, SIM
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140 ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, DIS
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Page 183 and 184: 164 ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, DIS
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Page 215 and 216: 196 SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-ONE
Page 225 and 226: 206 SECTION TACTICS. TWOVERSUS-ONE
Page 229 and 230: 210 SECTION TACTICS, TWO-VERSUS-ONE
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Page 245 and 246: 226 SECTION TACTICS/ TWOVERSUS-ONE
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Page 257 and 258: 238 SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO
Page 275 and 276: 256 SECTION TACTICS, TWC-VERSUS-TWO
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7 Division Tactics The essence of l
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268 DIVISION TACTICS design began t
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270 DIVISION TACTICS so called beca
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272 DIVISION TACTICS "4." At time "
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274 DIVISION TACTICS Figure 7-8. Se
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276 DIVISION TACTICS Lieutenant Eug
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278 DIVISION TACTICS away, the free
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280 DIVISION TACTICS cloud) is now
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282 DIVISION TACTICS Figure 7-13. G
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284 DIVISION TACTICS defensive look
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286 DIVISION TACTICS In a dog-fight
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288 DIVISION TACTICS Americans empl
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8 Unlimited-Aircraft Tactics Of cou
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292 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS seve
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294 UN LIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS the
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296 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS beca
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298 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS I de
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300 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS post
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302 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS many
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304 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS poss
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306 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS posi
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308 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS may
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310 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS inte
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312 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS A go
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314 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS doct
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Fighter Missions To use a fighter a
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318 FIGHTER MISSIONS Scenarios Sinc
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320 FIGHTER MISSIONS altitude, deta
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322 FIGHTER MISSIONS agency and the
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324 FIGHTER MISSIONS As previously
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326 FIGHTER MISSIONS cruise missile
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328 FIGHTER MISSIONS pattern gives
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330 FIGHTER MISSIONS have to coordi
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332 FIGHTER MISSIONS can be turned
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334 FIGHTER MISSIONS the enemy. Suc
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336 FIGHTER MISSIONS aircraft, and
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338 FIGHTER MISSIONS point for a di
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340 FIGHTER MISSIONS become major t
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342 Figure 9-3. Fighter-Escort Miss
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344 FIGHTER MISSIONS Figure 9-6. Fi
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10 Tactical Intercepts Confront the
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348 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS Figure 10-1
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350 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS desired alt
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352 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS If the turn
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356 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS range). If
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358 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS ment, and t
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360 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS Advantages
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364 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS leader thro
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366 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS immediate l
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368 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS awareness),
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370 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS and positio
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372 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS low, traili
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376 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS also have t
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378 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS Visual Scan
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380 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS Likely thre
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382 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS be best for
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384 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS target on t
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Appendix Fighter Performance Perfor
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APPENDIX Figure A-l. V-n Diagram di
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APPENDIX 391 Figure A-2. Aircraft T
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APPENDIX 393 Figure A-4. Instantane
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APPENDIX 395 neuverability may be d
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APPENDIX 397 Figure A-7. Engine Thr
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APPENDIX 399 tends to reduce pressu
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APPENDIX 401 Figure A-11. Typical H
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APPENDIX 403 cause the Ps = 0 line
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APPENDIX 405 In theory the energy t
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APPENDIX 407 aircraft surfaces. In
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APPENDIX 409 Outside the zero-Ps li
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APPENDIX 411 factor," which is the
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APPENDIX 413 this condition occurs,
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APPENDIX 415 speed control. Many of
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APPENDIX 417 short or swept wings a
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420 BIBLIOGRAPHY Johnson, Robert S.
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422 INDEX Canard controls, 32, 398
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424 High yo-yo. See Yo-yo, high H-M
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426 INDEX Pursuit: curves and traje
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428 INDEX Turns (continued] 191, 20
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Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

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