Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, SIMILAR AIRCRAFT 101
head-on, the maximum separation that will result from a subsequent
immediate nose-to-nose turn is about one turn diameter. As pointed out in
the last chapter, at this range turn radius is the primary factor in gaining an
angular advantage. Turn radius is minimized, as a rule, by pulling max-G
at or below corner speed. Most fighters, however, will decelerate rapidly
during such a maneuver, causing the angles fighter to lose excessive energy
before a similar opponent can be dispatched with a rear-hemisphere
weapon. Allowing the opponent too great an energy advantage can spell big
trouble (this is discussed later in this chapter).
One answer to this dilemma is to turn nose-low, trading altitude for
angles, rather than bleeding excessive airspeed. Figure 3-1 shows how this
might work. At time "1" the two fighters approach head-on at roughly
equal altitude and speed. Since energy nearly always seems to be a very
precious and hard-to-get commodity during an engagement, both pilots
should be trying to grab all they can at this point. The angles tactician has
set his best energy-rate climb speed, and he is climbing with full power at
that speed to gain energy (altitude) as quickly as possible. (See the discussion
of climb performance in the Appendix.) Since the angles tactician
would like to engage at corner speed, however, and he is currently faster, he
starts a zoom climb at time "1." This zoom reduces airspeed without
incurring a loss of total energy, and it also generates vertical flight-path
separation, which will be useful for a lead turn.
This zoom-climb tactic is appropriate for most jet fighters at medium to
low altitudes, since best climb speed normally exceeds corner speed under
these conditions. Prop fighters and subsonic jets at high altitudes, how-
Figure 3-1. Guns-Only Angles Fight: First Phase