Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

82 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS
capitalize on his flight-path separation. In this case, however, the aircraft
does not have sufficient energy performance to execute a second vertical
maneuver at the top of the first. Unable to press his advantage, the pilot of
the lower fighter is forced to level off or to dive to regain airspeed. This may
allow the high-energy fighter to employ its gravity assist, taking full
advantage of the resulting separation to convert to an effective offensive
position at time "4." The moral of this story is: Flight-path separation is of
little value if it can't be used.
Flat Scissors
The flat scissors is actually a series of nose-to-nose turns and overshoots
performed by two fighters essentially in the same maneuver plane, each
pilot attempting to get behind the other. Figure 2-16 illustrates a flatscissors
series. In this scenario both fighters have about the same turn-rate
capability, but the fighter near the bottom of the figure at time "1" is
slower and therefore has a tighter radius of turn. At time "1" the fighters
begin side by side, neither having an advantage, and each pilot turns
toward the other in an attempt to get behind his opponent. The shorter
turn radius of the slower fighter allows it to remain inside its opponent's
turn approaching time "2." In this way lateral separation that can be used
for a lead turn is created between the two flight paths. This flight-path
separation cannot be used by the faster fighter, since it is already turning as
hard as possible to the right and would have to turn even harder to perform
a lead turn. The slower fighter, however, can reverse its turn direction prior
to passing its opponent and gain an angular advantage at the first pass.
Although the lead-turning fighter overshoots its opponent's flight path at
about time "2," there is little danger because of the opponent's faster
speed. Noting this overshoot, the pilot of the faster fighter reverses at time
"2" in order to maintain sight of his adversary. This reinitiates a nose-tonose
situation, and by time "3" the slower fighter has a significant angular
advantage. At this time another reversal allows the slower fighter to
maintain its angular advantage while closing to gun-firing parameters at
time "4." The segment of the attacker's turn from time "3" to time "4" is
said to be "in phase" with his opponent (i.e., both are turning in the same
Figure 2-16. Flat Scissors