Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

30 FIGHTER WEAPONS
and acrobatic maneuvers, seldom using skids, slips, or violent uncoordinated
maneuvers in their evasive tactics.
Lt. Colonel Gerald R. Johnson, USAAF
22 Victories, WW-II
A technique that has proven to affect adversely the performance of
attacking aircrewmen is the defender's use of unbalanced flight during
evasive maneuvers. This is usually done by applying large amounts of
rudder in one direction or the other to make the aircraft slip or skid while
making turns, causing the defender's aircraft to point at an angle to its
flight path. The shooter's saddling-up technique is based almost exclusively
on his ability to judge the target's flight path, and he uses the target's
attitude as a cue (aligning fuselages, matching bank angle, etc.). Such
out-of-balance flight gives the shooter false visual cues that can be very
disturbing as well as difficult to overcome. Unconventional control systems,
such as direct-lift and direct-side-force controls, and pivoting jet
exhaust nozzles that "decouple" aircraft attitude from its flight path (i.e.,
provide turn without bank or increased load factor without increased
pitch) may have even more dramatic effects. Negative-G maneuvers are
also very difficult to counter.
If a pilot sees an enemy aircraft behind him in firing range he must take
evasive action immediately. He slips and skids the ship as much as possible
giving the [attacker] maximum deflection. It is a good idea to turn in the
direction of friendly planes, so they can shoot or scare Jerry off your tail.
Major George Freddy, Jr., USAAF
26.83 Victories, WW-II
One further useful defensive maneuver against a near dead-stern attack
is a continuous rolling turn rather than a jinking series. This tactic is
similar to the out-of-plane barrel roll described earlier, but because of the
attacker's lack of AOT, the out-of-plane LOS rates generated are not
usually as large. The defender pulls maximum G available while rolling
rather rapidly in one direction, again inscribing a circle around the attacker's
flight path. This maneuver may be started either nose-high or -low and
is usually accompanied by uncoordinated flight techniques, power reduction,
and drag increase as available in order to increase the attacker's
closure. This tactic also may be referred to as a high-G barrel roll (underneath
or over the 1 top), and it is most effective when the attacker is at close
range with high overtake. It is not recommended if the attacker enjoys a
substantial turn advantage over the defender (either by design or by relative
airspeeds) since, if the shooter can control his overtake, he may still be
camped at the defender's six o'clock after completion of the maneuver.
A modification of this maneuver has also proven useful under some
circumstances. When the attacker is near six o'clock with little closure
and inferior roll and acceleration performance, the defender can use a
continuous low-G barrel roll. The aircraft is rolled in one direction just fast
enough to prevent the attacker from matching wing positions, and a small
load factor is maintained to produce a spiraling, "corkscrew" flight path.