Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-ONE 211 Figure 5-7. The Half-Split (Bogey Attacks Extending Fighter) tics and relied heavily on teamwork between and among sections of two fighters. The classic defensive tactic of this time was known as the beam defense maneuver or, more commonly, the "Thatch weave," after LCDR John Thatch, who introduced it. Figure 5-8 shows how it worked. At time "I" the fighters are in a fairly wide (about 1,000 ft for the F4F) combat-spread formation when the northern fighter is attacked. The fighters immediately turn hard toward each other. In the case illustrated the bogey presses its attack on the northern fighter and is met almost head-on at time "2" by the free fighter with all guns blazing. The Wildcat pilots were more than happy to go toe-to-toe with a Zero in this manner because of greater firepower and a more durable aircraft. Navy pilots were also well trained in high-deflection shooting and forward-quarter attacks. After meeting his wingman (time "2"), the defending pilot uses his superior roll rate to reverse his turn quickly to set up another pass with his wingman, who also reverses. This technique generates repetitive firing passes against the bogey, and it also allows the defender to offer protection to his wingman, should he come under attack by a second bogey. The secrets to this tactic lie in the initial wide line-abreast formation (separation greater than fighter turn radius) and heavy gun firepower. Because of the short-range high-aspect shots provided, this technique would not be appropriate for fighters equipped only with RQ missiles, or even all-aspect missiles, unless they have very good min-range capabilities. In such scenarios, the sandwich or half-split probably would be better. In the situation for which it was developed, however, the Thatch weave was very effective. It could also be considered the forerunner of a new engaged doctrine for fighters known as "loose deuce," which is covered later in this chapter.
212 SECTION TACTICS, TWO-VERSUS-ONE Figure 5-8. Thatch Weave Analysis of Double Attack Doctrine Double attack allows two fighters to split for better mutual support. There are still a leader and a wingman, as in fighting wing, but these roles are allowed to change back and forth during an engagement as the situation warrants. After the engagement begins, the leader/wingman relationship becomes one of engaged fighter-free fighter. Offensively, after the initial attack, which can be made by both fighters simultaneously or in rapid succession, the fighter with the greatest offensive potential becomes the engaged fighter and commences one-versus-one maneuvering while the free fighter assumes a cover position. The duties of the free-fighter pilot are to remain in the general area and maintain a visual lookout for other hostile aircraft, but he is not tied rigidly to the engaged fighter, as he is in fighting wing. The engaged-fighter pilot's responsibility is to attack and destroy the target, if possible. If the offensive advantage is endangered, the pilot of the engaged fighter should call in his wingman for help and disengage before becoming truly defensive. The engaged fighter-free fighter roles then reverse, and the engagement continues. Offensively the pilot of the free fighter should attempt to maintain a favorable position from which to attack the bogey if needed, but he should not engage until he is called in by the engaged pilot. The exception to this rule occurs when the engaged fighter becomes defensive. In this case the pilot of the free fighter is obligated to attack the bogey immediately, while the engaged fighter pilot does his best not to get shot. When not in extremis, the defensive
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Fighter Combat TACTICS AND MANEUVER
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Preface ix Acknowledgments xv Abbre
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CONTENTS Vll Single-Side Offset 353
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X PREFACE tactics varied greatly, a
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Xll PREFACE current void of informa
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Acknowledgments Much of the credit
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Abbreviations AAA anti-aircraft art
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Fighter Combat TACTICS AND MANEUVER
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2 FIGHTER WEAPONS although fixed to
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4 FIGHTER WEAPONS some firing range
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Table 1-1. American Aircraft Guns T
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8 FIGHTER WEAPONS angle is also dep
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10 FIGHTER WEAPONS the ballistics o
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12 HGHTER WEAPONS often bars of lig
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14 FIGHTER WEAPONS This system has
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16 FIGHTER WEAPONS required firing
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18 FIGHTER WEAPONS With a disturbed
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20 FIGHTER WEAPONS We were both fly
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22 FIGHTER WEAPONS The predictor LC
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24 FIGHTER WEAPONS The next best th
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26 FIGHTER WEAPONS tracking G, shor
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28 FIGHTER WEAPONS defender's inten
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30 FIGHTER WEAPONS and acrobatic ma
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32 FIGHTER WEAPONS Missile Propulsi
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34 FIGHTER WEAPONS Missile Guidance
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36 FIGHTER WEAPONS straight path. T
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38 FIGHTER WEAPONS target to correc
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40 FIGHTER WEAPONS sensor systems,
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42 FIGHTER WEAPONS Since CW radars
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44 FIGHTER WEAPONS Missile Fuzes Th
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46 FIGHTER WEAPONS prised of many i
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48 FIGHTER WEAPONS The maneuvering
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50 FIGHTER WEAPONS racy being about
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52 FIGHTER WEAPONS then slowing the
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54 FIGHTER WEAPONS Shooter and targ
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56 FIGHTER WEAPONS will exhibit lar
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58 FIGHTER WEAPONS (RWR), that an e
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60 FIGHTER WEAPONS barrel-rolling a
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2 Basic Fighter Maneuvers I fly clo
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64 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS the comb
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66 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS himself
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68 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS speed ad
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70 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS pursuit
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72 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS Figure 2
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74 Figure 2-7. Low Yo-Yo BASIC FIGH
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76 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS The pote
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80 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS In case
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82 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS capitali
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84 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS one (the
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86 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS his exte
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90 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS the boge
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92 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS subseque
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94 Figure 2-22. Defensive Spiral BA
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96 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS usually
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3 One-versus-One Maneuvering, Simil
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100 ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, SIM
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140 ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, DIS
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Page 179 and 180: 160 ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, DIS
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Page 215 and 216: 196 SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-ONE
Page 225 and 226: 206 SECTION TACTICS. TWOVERSUS-ONE
Page 229: 210 SECTION TACTICS, TWO-VERSUS-ONE
Page 235 and 236: 216 SECTION TACTICS, TWO-VERSUS-ONE
Page 245 and 246: 226 SECTION TACTICS/ TWOVERSUS-ONE
Page 255 and 256: Section Tactics, Two-versus-Two The
Page 257 and 258: 238 SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO
Page 275 and 276: 256 SECTION TACTICS, TWC-VERSUS-TWO
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262 SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO
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264 SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO
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7 Division Tactics The essence of l
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268 DIVISION TACTICS design began t
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270 DIVISION TACTICS so called beca
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272 DIVISION TACTICS "4." At time "
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274 DIVISION TACTICS Figure 7-8. Se
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276 DIVISION TACTICS Lieutenant Eug
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278 DIVISION TACTICS away, the free
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280 DIVISION TACTICS cloud) is now
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282 DIVISION TACTICS Figure 7-13. G
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284 DIVISION TACTICS defensive look
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286 DIVISION TACTICS In a dog-fight
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288 DIVISION TACTICS Americans empl
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8 Unlimited-Aircraft Tactics Of cou
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292 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS seve
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294 UN LIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS the
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296 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS beca
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298 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS I de
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300 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS post
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302 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS many
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304 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS poss
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306 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS posi
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308 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS may
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310 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS inte
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312 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS A go
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314 UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS doct
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Fighter Missions To use a fighter a
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318 FIGHTER MISSIONS Scenarios Sinc
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320 FIGHTER MISSIONS altitude, deta
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322 FIGHTER MISSIONS agency and the
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324 FIGHTER MISSIONS As previously
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326 FIGHTER MISSIONS cruise missile
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328 FIGHTER MISSIONS pattern gives
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330 FIGHTER MISSIONS have to coordi
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332 FIGHTER MISSIONS can be turned
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334 FIGHTER MISSIONS the enemy. Suc
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336 FIGHTER MISSIONS aircraft, and
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338 FIGHTER MISSIONS point for a di
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340 FIGHTER MISSIONS become major t
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342 Figure 9-3. Fighter-Escort Miss
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344 FIGHTER MISSIONS Figure 9-6. Fi
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10 Tactical Intercepts Confront the
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348 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS Figure 10-1
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350 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS desired alt
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352 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS If the turn
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356 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS range). If
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358 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS ment, and t
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360 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS Advantages
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364 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS leader thro
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366 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS immediate l
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368 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS awareness),
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370 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS and positio
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372 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS low, traili
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376 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS also have t
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378 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS Visual Scan
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380 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS Likely thre
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382 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS be best for
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384 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS target on t
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Appendix Fighter Performance Perfor
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APPENDIX Figure A-l. V-n Diagram di
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APPENDIX 391 Figure A-2. Aircraft T
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APPENDIX 393 Figure A-4. Instantane
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APPENDIX 395 neuverability may be d
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APPENDIX 397 Figure A-7. Engine Thr
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APPENDIX 399 tends to reduce pressu
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APPENDIX 401 Figure A-11. Typical H
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APPENDIX 403 cause the Ps = 0 line
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APPENDIX 405 In theory the energy t
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APPENDIX 407 aircraft surfaces. In
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APPENDIX 409 Outside the zero-Ps li
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APPENDIX 411 factor," which is the
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APPENDIX 413 this condition occurs,
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APPENDIX 415 speed control. Many of
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APPENDIX 417 short or swept wings a
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420 BIBLIOGRAPHY Johnson, Robert S.
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422 INDEX Canard controls, 32, 398
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424 High yo-yo. See Yo-yo, high H-M
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426 INDEX Pursuit: curves and traje
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428 INDEX Turns (continued] 191, 20
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Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

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