Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

166 ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, DISSIMILAR AIRCRAFT
in these cases is a reversal in the sun. For instance, the bogey may appear to
fly into the sun from the left side, reverse directly in the sun, when it is not
visible, and come out unexpectedly on the left side.
The angles fighter pilot also can maneuver to complicate the bogey's
attempts at sun masking. For instance, if the bogey begins a near-vertical
zoom toward the sun, the angles fighter pilot can fly left or right, perpendicular
to the opponent's flight path. Likewise, if the bogey is well above
and approaches the sun from one side, the angles fighter pilot can fly
horizontally toward or away from the sun with the same effect, or he can
perform steep climbs or dives.
The missile's range greatly complicates the energy fighter pilot's
attempts to disengage. When the bogey attempts to run, the angles fighter
often can turn hard, point, and shoot before the target can exceed maximum
range. This is especially true when the energy fighter pilot is most
likely to disengage, that is, when he begins to feel defensive with his speed
reduced and his opponent at an angular advantage. Once a missile has been
fired the target usually will perform a defensive break turn, further reducing
its energy. Continued defensive turning against the missile, or an
attempt to preclude a firing by turning to hold the attacker at high AOT,
results in arcing. The angles fighter pilot then can use lead pursuit to close
the range once more and force continuation of the engagement. Firing a
missile "for effect," even when the target is out of range, often will induce
a defensive turn and preclude the bogey's escape.
I started shooting when I was much too far away. That was merely a trick of
mine. I did not mean so much to hit him as to frighten him, and I succeeded in
catching him. He began flying curves and this enabled me to draw near.
Baron Manfred von Richthofen
Once angles tactics have succeeded in placing the low-wing-loaded
fighter in gun-firing parameters, it may be too close and at too great an
AOT for a RQ missile shot. Figure 4-9 shows how the desired position may
be attained. At time "1" in this example, the angles fighter is in pure
pursuit inside the bogey's turn and in its rear hemisphere, but it is too far
off the target's tail for an effective RQ missile shot. (The nominal firing
envelope is shown behind the target at positions "1" and "4.") The geometry
of the situation is such that continued pure pursuit on the part of the
angles fighter would allow it to close, but it would remain outside angles
parameters until it was inside minimum firing range. The bogey is forced
to continue its arcing defensive turn, since any relaxation in G allows the
attacker to drift deeper into the rear hemisphere.
To begin the transition to RQ missile parameters, the attacker first pulls
some lead (time "2") to increase closure. Once he is established in lead
pursuit the attacker relaxes his turn, allowing the bogey to drift toward
his nose at close range, then continues a lead turn to pass as closely as practical
behind the bogey (time "3"). A maximum instantaneous turn is
then performed to bring the nose to bear on the target before maxrange
is exceeded or the envelope rotates away (time "4"). By passing
as close to the bogey as practical at time "3," the attacker makes