Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

SECTION TACTICS, TWO-VERSUS-ONE 201
wingman maneuvering room to turn and point weapons at the attacker.
This maneuvering space is often not available in close fighting wing
formations. Obviously, optimum lateral spacing will vary with turn radius,
as this performance parameter varies with fighter speed and altitude.
Cockpit field of view and enemy weapons are also important considerations.
To illustrate the interaction of these seemingly unrelated factors,
Figure 5-2 shows two fighters in line-abreast, or combat-spread, formation.
This figure depicts typical "blind cones" behind each fighter. At least one
of the pilots has an unobstructed view from the cockpit of all airspace
around the section, except the cross-hatched region between the aircraft
marked "danger zone." Arcs are also drawn to represent the maximum
effective firing range of the enemy's weapons in the rear quarter of each
fighter. These weapons could be guns, rockets, or missiles. The goal is to
space the fighters so that an enemy cannot achieve firing parameters
undetected.
Visualize how greater cockpit field of view, and more narrow blind
cones, would tend to push the danger zone farther aft. A similar effect is
Figure 5-2. Aircraft Spacing in Combat Spread