Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-ONE 199
heavily armored, nonmaneuvering targets, especially bombers, the lead
may clear the wingman to iire, either simultaneously or in rapid succession,
to make best use of all available firepower. The wingman may also be
allowed to finish off a defeated or crippled opponent as an effective means
of building confidence and combat weapons-firing experience. In this case
the lead clears his wingman to attack and temporarily assumes the duties
and position of wingman himself. In the case of a relatively experienced
wingman, there may be a pre-engagement agreement between team members
that the wingman may attack any bogey he sees first, and assume the
temporary lead. As a rule, however, the wingman should attempt to get the
leader's eyes on the bogey and let him decide whether and how to attack.
Obviously, if the leader is threatened severely by an attacker, it is the
wingman's duty to warn the leader and counterattack immediately.
It is true to say that the first kill can influence the whole future career of a
fighter pilot. Many to whom the first victory over the opponent has been long
denied either by unfortunate circumstances or by bad luck can suffer from
frustration or develop complexes they may never rid themselves of again.
Lt. General Adolph Galland, Luftwaffe
Another scenario in which fighting wing provides concentration of fire
is with multi-crew fighters having rear-hemisphere weapons. The close
spacing between aircraft makes it difficult for an attacker to bounce one
fighter without coming under fire from both. This also accounts for some
of the logic behind close bomber formations.
Analysis of Fighting Wing Doctrine
In addition to its obvious benefits, fighting wing doctrine has some serious
flaws. With the exception of the pre-engagement line-abreast formation,
the wingman's position behind the leader results in reduced visual coverage
of the wingman's six. Moreover, once is he engaged, the lead is likely to
be too busy with the bogey to provide adequate support to his wingman in
any event. Although the wingman is theoretically burdened only with
defensive lookout responsibility, in practice he is so occupied by maintaining
position during hard maneuvering that he may be of little defensive
value to either the leader or himself. In this case he is literally "hung out to
dry." Many a wingman has been lost without the leader even being aware
of it.
Lack of offensive efficiency is also a serious problem with this doctrine.
The bogey pilot is essentially fighting only one opponent. Having one of
his adversaries in sight virtually assures having the other in sight. From an
offensive point of view the fighting wing leader must engage the opponent
one-versus-one. If his aircraft is superior to the bogey, this may be practical,
but he clearly cannot hope to defeat a better fighter that is well flown
unless the bogey can be taken by surprise. Even this is more difficult with
two aircraft rather than one, since the section is more visible.
Neither is fighting wing compatible with most energy tactics. As detailed
previously, most of these methods require the energy fighter to trade
position advantage for an energy margin, then convert that energy to a
position advantage with a zoom climb. Although the leader of a fighting