Document sans titre

A word from the translator : This translation has been made with more good-will than knowledge, though without any translating software. Please let me know of any big mistake (no need to bother about the small ones . Too much of them I suppose).
FAW_Boris

Preamble
The purpose of this article is to give a comprehensive view on the one-on-one fight of technically similar aircrafts, akind enough (in the matter of speed, climb rate, turn rate, etc..) so that none of them can use a particular way of gaining advantage on the other.
Introduction
A fight between two similar aircrafts is clearly a school-case. It is very seldom met, either in sims or in the real life. However, mastering it is a must-have for any pilot.
In any situation, the knowledge of the plane, its flight domain and limits, is quite mandatory if you want to achieve a successful airfight. It is all the more true when both planes are nearly equal in performances, because the one who knows his plane best will climb and turn better, and be able to make choices in approaches and engagements, that will lead him to victory, while his less skilled opponent will have no choice at all.
A fighter pilot is supposed to have a deep knowledge of his steed, so this point will not be discussed any longer.
Any air fight can be divided into three stages :
- approach
- engagement
- kill

The main quality required to be a successful fighter pilot is neither quick nerve nor aerobatics, but PATIENCE. This will be discussed in detail for every stage.

1. Approach

The art of approach is mant to bring you in due position for engagement. A good approach must give you at least one of the following assets :
- Advantage of energy
- Surprise

It is best to achieve both. Surprise alone is interesting only if it can bring you to engage with fair chances of success. Advantage of energy will be enough for a decent pilot to provide him with very good probabilities of a kill while giving him every chance to get away in case the engagement would fail.

1.1 Surprise

It is quite possible to take the ennemy by surprise, at least with "Full Realism" on (and more or less possible with "Cockpit always on" and "no Icons"). In any situation, following the flight plan will have to be avoided. You will have to reach a position so that you can intercept ennemy aircrafts, if they follow their own flight plan. Of course, if both part act this way, this can lead to a mission whith no fight at all... but it is worth taking the chance.
There are three ways to take the ennemy by surprise :

1. Flying at ground-level, on a path that intercept tne ennemy flight. Once in position, where the camouflage is most accurate, and preferably a few kilometersaway from the ennemy flight path, you'll just have to wait. This can also be donewith several aircrafts, which then get into a defensive circle and watch for the coming of the opposition. Once the bad guys have flown past, get into their six and climb while gaining energy enough to engage. If ever you are detected... Then you have enough place and speed to evade.

2. You play with the clouds. In case the weather gets bad, you must be very smart... or very lucky. The idea is to hide behind clouds placed along the supposedly ennemy path, and peep from time to time from over the clouds. Then manoeuvre as with recipe #1, but you have the advantage of being level or slightly higher than the bad guys.

3. The third mean was largely used during WWII : Place yourself between the ennemy and the Sun. Climb quickly as high as possible, and get into position between the area the opponent is likely to be and the Sun. Once you get a look on the bad guy, make an approach so that you stay between sun and foeuntil you get near enough for engagement. This method combines accurately energy and surprise.
Don't get too enthusiastic though... achieving surprise is a very tough job and requires lots and lots of experience.

1.2 Energy advantage

To achieve E.A., you must reach a position that will allow you, if both duellists start a pull, to end up higher than your opponent. The key is not being higher, but, if you are lower, you will need to have enough speed to end your pull up higher than your opponent.
Estimating the speed of the other plane is very difficult from afar, so just climb fairly high while keeping a reasonnable speed, just to be on the safe side of things.
This means, broadly speaking, to be 1000m higher with at least 400kmph, or 2000m higher with at least 300kmph, or something like that. You' have to see for yourself what suits you best.
In most cases E.A. Is not so difficult to obtain : Your opponent will generally come right at you from as far as he sees you – which gives us some 5km or so.
At this stage you head 30° to 90° from his heading (depending on what security you give yourself), and according to the location of the Sun, if you want to use it later, you reach either to his 9-11 o'clock or his 1-3 o'clock, then climb at your best climb-rate speed. During the climb, always keep your opponent in the required angle by steering as needed, and watch your airspeed, which is controlled exclusively by the stick.
Of course you must set the proper trim, prop pitch (to achieve the best rpm/speed ratio) and mixture (according to altitude).
If the ennemy is using the same tactics, then the cleanest climbing plane will win. While the ennemy closes in, lessen the angle between the two headings, until yours be 180° from his (at roughly 1km distance).
The idea is to cross his way an quite a parallel (and inverted) path, on your (and his) left, well above him. Then engage with half a port barrel-roll and a split-S.
If you cannot fully achieve this situation, always engage with half a port barrel-roll towards your opponent, look at what he's up to, and always try to place yourself so that you can engage in the same turn as his, NEVER the other.
A variation is to force the bad guy to turn so that you are exactly between him and the Sun. Then don't hesitate to come at 90° from his heading and towards the Sun, then turn until you have the Sun in your 6 o'clock.
Note that EA is not only vital for the one-on-one fight, but also for flight and squadron-fighting, as well as bomber cover too. It is the reason why an accurate escort has to be positionned well above the bombers (at least 1000m) in gangs dispatched all around the bombers.
Now for some never-too-listened-to- advices :
- Always keep your opponent in sight
- If the approach fails, SPREAD the fight and don't engage.
- Be PATIENT, keep a respectful distance with your opponent, while you cannot get to a good approach.

In order to spread a failed approach, two available ways :
- spread higher, with a pull or an ascending spiral. Nover do so if the ennemy is near and if you don't have a bit of EA.
- Spread lower by diving, in the hope that the bad guy is not in firing range yet, in order to get away or to get far enough to try another approach.
If you altogether fail, watch immediately for clouds or terrain that will help you get to cover.Get theren then take a distance from the fight to evaluate the situation.
The one who gets advantage during approach will most likely keep it for the rest of the fight. Fleeing is then most advisable. A wise fighter will never engage without a very good probability of success.
If you fail to the point that the ennemy is about to engage, then prepare to give a show of your most brilliant evasive manoeuvres, pray that he may make a mistake, then pray that he not be an ace,... If he is, then cry for help (not too loud will you, please !), look for every possible help (friendly AAA, fighters, bombers, or clouds, etc...), then prepare to bail out.... which is not that pleasant, isn't it ?

2. Engagement
A word from the translator : This translation has been made with more good-will than knowledge, though without any translating software. Please let me know of any big mistake (no need to bother about the small ones . Too much of them I suppose).
FAW_Boris

Preamble
The purpose of this article is to give a comprehensive view on the one-on-one fight of technically similar aircrafts, akind enough (in the matter of speed, climb rate, turn rate, etc..) so that none of them can use a particular way of gaining advantage on the other.
Introduction
A fight between two similar aircrafts is clearly a school-case. It is very seldom met, either in sims or in the real life. However, mastering it is a must-have for any pilot.
In any situation, the knowledge of the plane, its flight domain and limits, is quite mandatory if you want to achieve a successful airfight. It is all the more true when both planes are nearly equal in performances, because the one who knows his plane best will climb and turn better, and be able to make choices in approaches and engagements, that will lead him to victory, while his less skilled opponent will have no choice at all.
A fighter pilot is supposed to have a deep knowledge of his steed, so this point will not be discussed any longer.
Any air fight can be divided into three stages :
- approach
- engagement
- kill

The main quality required to be a successful fighter pilot is neither quick nerve nor aerobatics, but PATIENCE. This will be discussed in detail for every stage.
1. Approach
The art of approach is mant to bring you in due position for engagement. A good approach must give you at least one of the following assets :
- Advantage of energy
- Surprise

It is best to achieve both. Surprise alone is interesting only if it can bring you to engage with fair chances of success. Advantage of energy will be enough for a decent pilot to provide him with very good probabilities of a kill while giving him every chance to get away in case the engagement would fail.
1.1 Surprise
It is quite possible to take the ennemy by surprise, at least with "Full Realism" on (and more or less possible with "Cockpit always on" and "no Icons"). In any situation, following the flight plan will have to be avoided. You will have to reach a position so that you can intercept ennemy aircrafts, if they follow their own flight plan. Of course, if both part act this way, this can lead to a mission whith no fight at all... but it is worth taking the chance.
There are three ways to take the ennemy by surprise :
1. Flying at ground-level, on a path that intercept tne ennemy flight. Once in position, where the camouflage is most accurate, and preferably a few kilometersaway from the ennemy flight path, you'll just have to wait. This can also be donewith several aircrafts, which then get into a defensive circle and watch for the coming of the opposition. Once the bad guys have flown past, get into their six and climb while gaining energy enough to engage. If ever you are detected... Then you have enough place and speed to evade.
2. You play with the clouds. In case the weather gets bad, you must be very smart... or very lucky. The idea is to hide behind clouds placed along the supposedly ennemy path, and peep from time to time from over the clouds. Then manoeuvre as with recipe #1, but you have the advantage of being level or slightly higher than the bad guys.
3. The third mean was largely used during WWII : Place yourself between the ennemy and the Sun. Climb quickly as high as possible, and get into position between the area the opponent is likely to be and the Sun. Once you get a look on the bad guy, make an approach so that you stay between sun and foeuntil you get near enough for engagement. This method combines accurately energy and surprise.
Don't get too enthusiastic though... achieving surprise is a very tough job and requires lots and lots of experience.
1.2 Energy advantage
To achieve E.A., you must reach a position that will allow you, if both duellists start a pull, to end up higher than your opponent. The key is not being higher, but, if you are lower, you will need to have enough speed to end your pull up higher than your opponent.
Estimating the speed of the other plane is very difficult from afar, so just climb fairly high while keeping a reasonnable speed, just to be on the safe side of things.
This means, broadly speaking, to be 1000m higher with at least 400kmph, or 2000m higher with at least 300kmph, or something like that. You' have to see for yourself what suits you best.
In most cases E.A. Is not so difficult to obtain : Your opponent will generally come right at you from as far as he sees you – which gives us some 5km or so.
At this stage you head 30° to 90° from his heading (depending on what security you give yourself), and according to the location of the Sun, if you want to use it later, you reach either to his 9-11 o'clock or his 1-3 o'clock, then climb at your best climb-rate speed. During the climb, always keep your opponent in the required angle by steering as needed, and watch your airspeed, which is controlled exclusively by the stick.
Of course you must set the proper trim, prop pitch (to achieve the best rpm/speed ratio) and mixture (according to altitude).
If the ennemy is using the same tactics, then the cleanest climbing plane will win. While the ennemy closes in, lessen the angle between the two headings, until yours be 180° from his (at roughly 1km distance).
The idea is to cross his way an quite a parallel (and inverted) path, on your (and his) left, well above him. Then engage with half a port barrel-roll and a split-S.
If you cannot fully achieve this situation, always engage with half a port barrel-roll towards your opponent, look at what he's up to, and always try to place yourself so that you can engage in the same turn as his, NEVER the other.
A variation is to force the bad guy to turn so that you are exactly between him and the Sun. Then don't hesitate to come at 90° from his heading and towards the Sun, then turn until you have the Sun in your 6 o'clock.
Note that EA is not only vital for the one-on-one fight, but also for flight and squadron-fighting, as well as bomber cover too. It is the reason why an accurate escort has to be positionned well above the bombers (at least 1000m) in gangs dispatched all around the bombers.
Now for some never-too-listened-to- advices :
- Always keep your opponent in sight
- If the approach fails, SPREAD the fight and don't engage.
- Be PATIENT, keep a respectful distance with your opponent, while you cannot get to a good approach.

In order to spread a failed approach, two available ways :
- spread higher, with a pull or an ascending spiral. Nover do so if the ennemy is near and if you don't have a bit of EA.
- Spread lower by diving, in the hope that the bad guy is not in firing range yet, in order to get away or to get far enough to try another approach.
If you altogether fail, watch immediately for clouds or terrain that will help you get to cover.Get theren then take a distance from the fight to evaluate the situation.
The one who gets advantage during approach will most likely keep it for the rest of the fight. Fleeing is then most advisable. A wise fighter will never engage without a very good probability of success.
If you fail to the point that the ennemy is about to engage, then prepare to give a show of your most brilliant evasive manoeuvres, pray that he may make a mistake, then pray that he not be an ace,... If he is, then cry for help (not too loud will you, please !), look for every possible help (friendly AAA, fighters, bombers, or clouds, etc...), then prepare to bail out.... which is not that pleasant, isn't it ?
2. Engagement
This stage will lead you into the 6 of the bad guy, at a distance around 200m. With a little airspeed advantage.
A successful engagement can only be a victorious one. Nothing worse than being led to overshoot, or to bleed energy to the point that the ennemy has more left than you. You may try a snapshot, but you will end up as a prey.
So here again, your motto is PATIENCE. Don't engage if you're unsure of the whole situation, and if you fail the engagement, don't get messed up into it, but try and regain as much energy as possible, and gather every possible element that will take you to a successful engagement.
We are going to get into detail of four cases of engagement :
" You take the ennemy by surprise
" You have the EA.
" Both energies are equal
" You have energy disadvantage.

2.1 Engagement with surprise
If you manage not to be detected until the end, then there is no real engagement, and you can proceed to the kill.
If on the contrary your opponent has seen you early enough so that you cannot engage, and he tries an evasive manoeuvre, either with a break, a split-S or an Immelmann, then first of all try and increase the EA you certeinly have if you are closing on him.
- In case of an Immelmann, just follow and engage... the bad guy probably made his last mistake.
- In case of a break, spread highwise, climb, make half a roll, then you should have a clear EA over your opponent, who lose much energy in his break. You are now in the case of a fight with EA.
- If he evades downwise, you must keep him in sight together with your energy. The bad guy will most probably try a split-S. With an Immelmann you will gain a good deal of altitude , and you are again in the case of a fight with EA.

If the ennemy detected you very early, then don't think about engagement, consider yourself being still in the approach stage, and fight for a nice approach situation.
2.2 You have the EA
The main thing is not to fall to ennemy's game, who tries to escape your sight, and make all kinds of rough evasive manoeuvres. In all situations, if you smell a rotten engagement, don't get in, keep your energy, spread highwise to keep the advantage, make half a roll very early while climbing to keep the bad guy within sight, then watch him to see where he will go, and prepare for the next trial.
Even if your opponent managed one way or the other not to be harmed by several engagements, will have lost most of his energy and, flying very low, has but few choices of his own. It should be a piece of cake with a last but well-planned engagement.
So, never follow a sharp break, don't loose energy in long turns, never open flaps or dive-breaks. You can use these only if your plane is much more powerful than your opponent's, and with much more acceleration.
Always spread highwise, with Immelmanns, lofts, ascending spirals, vertical scissors, hammerhead, and so on, anything you learnt at school.
And keep an eye on the other. It is very difficult to perform clean climbing manoeuvres while turning your head towards the bad guy behind. This must be mastered.
2.3 Both energies are equal.
This is no good situation. It usually happens after a failed surprise-approach. If not, then both fighters made a mistake. In such position, only real aces can be sure to get away with it, and they are not stupid enough to let it happen on purpose. If it ever happens, then beware of energy bleeds. The best manager of the available energy (either altitude or speed) will win the fight. Just forget any use of flaps and dive-breaks (in the case of relatively similar planes).
If the fight takes place in the horizontal plane, the first to reach a turn at corner speed will survive, because he'll turn quicker than his opponent.
If you're unsure, just give it a try. Instead of closing on the plane in front, extend the turn radius until you reach the corner speed, and see for yourself...
In any case, don't try and get into the turn of the ennemy (which is more intuitive), turn out of his turn, which will allow you to keep him in sight, you will progressively reach corner speed and gin on your opponent until you reach his 6 o'clock.
If you're too fast and cannot get to corner speed, don't degrade, just make a climbing then diving turn (an ear, or yo-yo), which cuts your turn in while maintaining speed at the end of the dive.
If the fight goes to the vertical plane (or both horizontal/vertical) then manage your energy well. If you deem you cannot get fast in the 6 of your annemy, convert a bit of altitude into speed, not too quickly so that he cannot follow you (no steady flight for instance), but as soon as you feel a bit of overspeed, climb a bit to come back to corner speed, and make use of every single manoeuvre you may know from the fighter school.
If both fighters engage the same way then let the best win. If you see that the bad guy is better than you, do remember that a living fighter will always be better than a dead one. Fleeing is part of the rule. Escape and get away.

2.4 At a disadvantage.
Ok, this is no time for engaging. The situation is quite delicate, and your main thought must be "survive".
It may however be sometimes useful to engage, not to gain an advantaging position, but to keep him from achieving a manoeuvre that could turn out to success for him. For example, if he dives on you, just climb right at him. Try to counter-manoeuvre him in any way, as if you wanted to get face to face. All the more you could be lucky enough to send a burst home, even with a strong deflection.
Once again, use every single aerobatics of the universe, make your ennemy overshoot you, fly negative (if your plane allows it of course ; don't do that with an I-16 or a Hurri Mk I), so push on the staff in any occasion (turns, and so on) while avoiding the spin... and hope for a big mistake from your opponent which will lead him to loose enough energy so that you could be on equal terms with him again.
Pulling on the stick will get you out of his sight, too...
Don't get too low, keep high enough to bail out if ever you got hit. And if your plane gets a deadly shot, bail out while you still have control. If ever she enters a spin, you'll get to the ground with her.
Of course, use the clouds, the fog, the ground to hide and escape.
3. Kill
In IL-2/FB, this is no easy question. Shooting is difficult, and if you're right in the 6 of the bad guy, and in the same plane, the shape of your target is quite small and you cannot strike vital parts, save with real heavy shells.
In order to inflict lethal wounds to your opponent, you should try to see a bigger surface of him, and have shooting opportunities on vital parts such as engine, cockpit, radiator, airframe fuel tank.
To do this, here are some hints :
- Get on one side. Quite easy, with a stroke from one foot, getting aligned again, and you get a sideview of your opponent's airframe. If you're less than 200m, a shot over the cockpit, right in the side, will provide best results.
- Push a bit on the stick, then climb back on the target. Shooting opportunities are better, and hits are easier done. If you're between 50 and 200m, deflection will be easily corrected.
- Pull on the stick, make half a roll, and pull again gently to have a view on the engine and cockpit. It is more difficult than previously, but then your target cannot escape by pushing the stick too. And you can do both manoeuvres successively.
- Prepare for the target's break, and shoot in the turn. If you're close enough, you will see the ailerons move, and you won't be surprised. The angle shot would be quite easy and you will have a good overall view on the upper side of the plane.
Once again, be really patient, don't send a shower of shells from 300m away, wait to be really that close and able to send the one, lethal burst.
It will save you quite a bit of ammo for other targets.
Conclusion.
Whatever the way you fight, your motto will be "Patience and Energy Management". Of course, the better you know your steed, the better you can get out of her.On the same way, getting a knowledge of the small differences between your plane and your opponent's will help you too.The bigger they are, the more important they are, for they will tell you the way to start and manage the whole engagement.
The most important stage is approach. A badly led one will send you into deep trouble. Against a good fighter, it is nearly impossible to reverse the situation, so don't get into a bad one. But even after a perfect approach, even a badly disadvanged ennemy, if he's smart enough, will get a grip on the least of your mistake to get into position, so beware ! Always keep an eye on your opponent, so as never to have to guess his next move, so maintain an accurate tactical awareness.
The whole of this analysis can of course be taken into account for the fight between flights and squadrons. The approach will be led in the same way. Engagement will on the contrary be much more intricated, in as much as it is impossible for a single pilot to get a view of the whole situation, and tactical situation will be very hard to evaluate. Here communications between fighters will take his part. Il will be discussed further on a coming analysis. On the whole a good leader must be able to permanently know what his wingmen and the opposition are up to. The greatest russian ace Ivan Kozhedub was able to send precise orders to his wingmen (check your 6, reach to somewhere, help this one, etc...) while tracking and destroying his own targets.

speed) will win the fight. Just forget any use of flaps and dive-breaks (in the case of relatively similar planes).
If the fight takes place in the horizontal plane, the first to reach a turn at corner speed will survive, because he'll turn quicker than his opponent.
If you're unsure, just give it a try. Instead of closing on the plane in front, extend the turn radius until you reach the corner speed, and see for yourself...
In any case, don't try and get into the turn of the ennemy (which is more intuitive), turn out of his turn, which will allow you to keep him in sight, you will progressively reach corner speed and gin on your opponent until you reach his 6 o'clock.
If you're too fast and cannot get to corner speed, don't degrade, just make a climbing then diving turn (an ear, or yo-yo), which cuts your turn in while maintaining speed at the end of the dive.
If the fight goes to the vertical plane (or both horizontal/vertical) then manage your energy well. If you deem you cannot get fast in the 6 of your annemy, convert a bit of altitude into speed, not too quickly so that he cannot follow you (no steady flight for instance), but as soon as you feel a bit of overspeed, climb a bit to come back to corner speed, and make use of every single manoeuvre you may know from the fighter school.
If both fighters engage the same way then let the best win. If you see that the bad guy is better than you, do remember that a living fighter will always be better than a dead one. Fleeing is part of the rule. Escape and get away.

2.4 At a disadvantage.

Ok, this is no time for engaging. The situation is quite delicate, and your main thought must be "survive".
It may however be sometimes useful to engage, not to gain an advantaging position, but to keep him from achieving a manoeuvre that could turn out to success for him. For example, if he dives on you, just climb right at him. Try to counter-manoeuvre him in any way, as if you wanted to get face to face. All the more you could be lucky enough to send a burst home, even with a strong deflection.
Once again, use every single aerobatics of the universe, make your ennemy overshoot you, fly negative (if your plane allows it of course ; don't do that with an I-16 or a Hurri Mk I), so push on the staff in any occasion (turns, and so on) while avoiding the spin... and hope for a big mistake from your opponent which will lead him to loose enough energy so that you could be on equal terms with him again.
Pulling on the stick will get you out of his sight, too...
Don't get too low, keep high enough to bail out if ever you got hit. And if your plane gets a deadly shot, bail out while you still have control. If ever she enters a spin, you'll get to the ground with her.
Of course, use the clouds, the fog, the ground to hide and escape.
3. Kill
In IL-2/FB, this is no easy question. Shooting is difficult, and if you're right in the 6 of the bad guy, and in the same plane, the shape of your target is quite small and you cannot strike vital parts, save with real heavy shells.
In order to inflict lethal wounds to your opponent, you should try to see a bigger surface of him, and have shooting opportunities on vital parts such as engine, cockpit, radiator, airframe fuel tank.
To do this, here are some hints :
- Get on one side. Quite easy, with a stroke from one foot, getting aligned again, and you get a sideview of your opponent's airframe. If you're less than 200m, a shot over the cockpit, right in the side, will provide best results.
- Push a bit on the stick, then climb back on the target. Shooting opportunities are better, and hits are easier done. If you're between 50 and 200m, deflection will be easily corrected.
- Pull on the stick, make half a roll, and pull again gently to have a view on the engine and cockpit. It is more difficult than previously, but then your target cannot escape by pushing the stick too. And you can do both manoeuvres successively.
- Prepare for the target's break, and shoot in the turn. If you're close enough, you will see the ailerons move, and you won't be surprised. The angle shot would be quite easy and you will have a good overall view on the upper side of the plane.
Once again, be really patient, don't send a shower of shells from 300m away, wait to be really that close and able to send the one, lethal burst.
It will save you quite a bit of ammo for other targets.
Conclusion.
Whatever the way you fight, your motto will be "Patience and Energy Management". Of course, the better you know your steed, the better you can get out of her.On the same way, getting a knowledge of the small differences between your plane and your opponent's will help you too.The bigger they are, the more important they are, for they will tell you the way to start and manage the whole engagement.
The most important stage is approach. A badly led one will send you into deep trouble. Against a good fighter, it is nearly impossible to reverse the situation, so don't get into a bad one. But even after a perfect approach, even a badly disadvanged ennemy, if he's smart enough, will get a grip on the least of your mistake to get into position, so beware ! Always keep an eye on your opponent, so as never to have to guess his next move, so maintain an accurate tactical awareness.
The whole of this analysis can of course be taken into account for the fight between flights and squadrons. The approach will be led in the same way. Engagement will on the contrary be much more intricated, in as much as it is impossible for a single pilot to get a view of the whole situation, and tactical situation will be very hard to evaluate. Here communications between fighters will take his part. Il will be discussed further on a coming analysis. On the whole a good leader must be able to permanently know what his wingmen and the opposition are up to. The greatest russian ace Ivan Kozhedub was able to send precise orders to his wingmen (check your 6, reach to somewhere, help this one, etc...) while tracking and destroying his own targets.

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Pegase_Rama

COMBAT 1 VS 1
by Pegase_rama Translation by FAW_Boris
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A word from the translator : This translation has been made with more good-will than knowledge, though without any translating software. Please let me know of any big mistake (no need to bother about the small ones . Too much of them I suppose). FAW_Boris Preamble The purpose of this article is to give a comprehensive view on the one-on-one fight of technically similar aircrafts, akind enough (in the matter of speed, climb rate, turn rate, etc..) so that none of them can use a particular way of gaining advantage on the other. Introduction A fight between two similar aircrafts is clearly a school-case. It is very seldom met, either in sims or in the real life. However, mastering it is a must-have for any pilot. In any situation, the knowledge of the plane, its flight domain and limits, is quite mandatory if you want to achieve a successful airfight. It is all the more true when both planes are nearly equal in performances, because the one who knows his plane best will climb and turn better, and be able to make choices in approaches and engagements, that will lead him to victory, while his less skilled opponent will have no choice at all. A fighter pilot is supposed to have a deep knowledge of his steed, so this point will not be discussed any longer. Any air fight can be divided into three stages : - approach - engagement - kill The main quality required to be a successful fighter pilot is neither quick nerve nor aerobatics, but PATIENCE. This will be discussed in detail for every stage. 1. Approach The art of approach is mant to bring you in due position for engagement. A good approach must give you at least one of the following assets : - Advantage of energy - Surprise It is best to achieve both. Surprise alone is interesting only if it can bring you to engage with fair chances of success. Advantage of energy will be enough for a decent pilot to provide him with very good probabilities of a kill while giving him every chance to get away in case the engagement would fail. 1.1 Surprise It is quite possible to take the ennemy by surprise, at least with "Full Realism" on (and more or less possible with "Cockpit always on" and "no Icons"). In any situation, following the flight plan will have to be avoided. You will have to reach a position so that you can intercept ennemy aircrafts, if they follow their own flight plan. Of course, if both part act this way, this can lead to a mission whith no fight at all... but it is worth taking the chance. There are three ways to take the ennemy by surprise : 1. Flying at ground-level, on a path that intercept tne ennemy flight. Once in position, where the camouflage is most accurate, and preferably a few kilometersaway from the ennemy flight path, you'll just have to wait. This can also be donewith several aircrafts, which then get into a defensive circle and watch for the coming of the opposition. Once the bad guys have flown past, get into their six and climb while gaining energy enough to engage. If ever you are detected... Then you have enough place and speed to evade. 2. You play with the clouds. In case the weather gets bad, you must be very smart... or very lucky. The idea is to hide behind clouds placed along the supposedly ennemy path, and peep from time to time from over the clouds. Then manoeuvre as with recipe #1, but you have the advantage of being level or slightly higher than the bad guys. 3. The third mean was largely used during WWII : Place yourself between the ennemy and the Sun. Climb quickly as high as possible, and get into position between the area the opponent is likely to be and the Sun. Once you get a look on the bad guy, make an approach so that you stay between sun and foeuntil you get near enough for engagement. This method combines accurately energy and surprise. Don't get too enthusiastic though... achieving surprise is a very tough job and requires lots and lots of experience. 1.2 Energy advantage To achieve E.A., you must reach a position that will allow you, if both duellists start a pull, to end up higher than your opponent. The key is not being higher, but, if you are lower, you will need to have enough speed to end your pull up higher than your opponent. Estimating the speed of the other plane is very difficult from afar, so just climb fairly high while keeping a reasonnable speed, just to be on the safe side of things. This means, broadly speaking, to be 1000m higher with at least 400kmph, or 2000m higher with at least 300kmph, or something like that. You' have to see for yourself what suits you best. In most cases E.A. Is not so difficult to obtain : Your opponent will generally come right at you from as far as he sees you – which gives us some 5km or so. At this stage you head 30° to 90° from his heading (depending on what security you give yourself), and according to the location of the Sun, if you want to use it later, you reach either to his 9-11 o'clock or his 1-3 o'clock, then climb at your best climb-rate speed. During the climb, always keep your opponent in the required angle by steering as needed, and watch your airspeed, which is controlled exclusively by the stick. Of course you must set the proper trim, prop pitch (to achieve the best rpm/speed ratio) and mixture (according to altitude). If the ennemy is using the same tactics, then the cleanest climbing plane will win. While the ennemy closes in, lessen the angle between the two headings, until yours be 180° from his (at roughly 1km distance). The idea is to cross his way an quite a parallel (and inverted) path, on your (and his) left, well above him. Then engage with half a port barrel-roll and a split-S. If you cannot fully achieve this situation, always engage with half a port barrel-roll towards your opponent, look at what he's up to, and always try to place yourself so that you can engage in the same turn as his, NEVER the other. A variation is to force the bad guy to turn so that you are exactly between him and the Sun. Then don't hesitate to come at 90° from his heading and towards the Sun, then turn until you have the Sun in your 6 o'clock. Note that EA is not only vital for the one-on-one fight, but also for flight and squadron-fighting, as well as bomber cover too. It is the reason why an accurate escort has to be positionned well above the bombers (at least 1000m) in gangs dispatched all around the bombers. Now for some never-too-listened-to- advices : - Always keep your opponent in sight - If the approach fails, SPREAD the fight and don't engage. - Be PATIENT, keep a respectful distance with your opponent, while you cannot get to a good approach. In order to spread a failed approach, two available ways : - spread higher, with a pull or an ascending spiral. Nover do so if the ennemy is near and if you don't have a bit of EA. - Spread lower by diving, in the hope that the bad guy is not in firing range yet, in order to get away or to get far enough to try another approach. If you altogether fail, watch immediately for clouds or terrain that will help you get to cover.Get theren then take a distance from the fight to evaluate the situation. The one who gets advantage during approach will most likely keep it for the rest of the fight. Fleeing is then most advisable. A wise fighter will never engage without a very good probability of success. If you fail to the point that the ennemy is about to engage, then prepare to give a show of your most brilliant evasive manoeuvres, pray that he may make a mistake, then pray that he not be an ace,... If he is, then cry for help (not too loud will you, please !), look for every possible help (friendly AAA, fighters, bombers, or clouds, etc...), then prepare to bail out.... which is not that pleasant, isn't it ? 2. Engagement A word from the translator : This translation has been made with more good-will than knowledge, though without any translating software. Please let me know of any big mistake (no need to bother about the small ones . Too much of them I suppose). FAW_Boris Preamble The purpose of this article is to give a comprehensive view on the one-on-one fight of technically similar aircrafts, akind enough (in the matter of speed, climb rate, turn rate, etc..) so that none of them can use a particular way of gaining advantage on the other. Introduction A fight between two similar aircrafts is clearly a school-case. It is very seldom met, either in sims or in the real life. However, mastering it is a must-have for any pilot. In any situation, the knowledge of the plane, its flight domain and limits, is quite mandatory if you want to achieve a successful airfight. It is all the more true when both planes are nearly equal in performances, because the one who knows his plane best will climb and turn better, and be able to make choices in approaches and engagements, that will lead him to victory, while his less skilled opponent will have no choice at all. A fighter pilot is supposed to have a deep knowledge of his steed, so this point will not be discussed any longer. Any air fight can be divided into three stages : - approach - engagement - kill The main quality required to be a successful fighter pilot is neither quick nerve nor aerobatics, but PATIENCE. This will be discussed in detail for every stage. 1. Approach The art of approach is mant to bring you in due position for engagement. A good approach must give you at least one of the following assets : - Advantage of energy - Surprise It is best to achieve both. Surprise alone is interesting only if it can bring you to engage with fair chances of success. Advantage of energy will be enough for a decent pilot to provide him with very good probabilities of a kill while giving him every chance to get away in case the engagement would fail. 1.1 Surprise It is quite possible to take the ennemy by surprise, at least with "Full Realism" on (and more or less possible with "Cockpit always on" and "no Icons"). In any situation, following the flight plan will have to be avoided. You will have to reach a position so that you can intercept ennemy aircrafts, if they follow their own flight plan. Of course, if both part act this way, this can lead to a mission whith no fight at all... but it is worth taking the chance. There are three ways to take the ennemy by surprise : 1. Flying at ground-level, on a path that intercept tne ennemy flight. Once in position, where the camouflage is most accurate, and preferably a few kilometersaway from the ennemy flight path, you'll just have to wait. This can also be donewith several aircrafts, which then get into a defensive circle and watch for the coming of the opposition. Once the bad guys have flown past, get into their six and climb while gaining energy enough to engage. If ever you are detected... Then you have enough place and speed to evade. 2. You play with the clouds. In case the weather gets bad, you must be very smart... or very lucky. The idea is to hide behind clouds placed along the supposedly ennemy path, and peep from time to time from over the clouds. Then manoeuvre as with recipe #1, but you have the advantage of being level or slightly higher than the bad guys. 3. The third mean was largely used during WWII : Place yourself between the ennemy and the Sun. Climb quickly as high as possible, and get into position between the area the opponent is likely to be and the Sun. Once you get a look on the bad guy, make an approach so that you stay between sun and foeuntil you get near enough for engagement. This method combines accurately energy and surprise. Don't get too enthusiastic though... achieving surprise is a very tough job and requires lots and lots of experience. 1.2 Energy advantage To achieve E.A., you must reach a position that will allow you, if both duellists start a pull, to end up higher than your opponent. The key is not being higher, but, if you are lower, you will need to have enough speed to end your pull up higher than your opponent. Estimating the speed of the other plane is very difficult from afar, so just climb fairly high while keeping a reasonnable speed, just to be on the safe side of things. This means, broadly speaking, to be 1000m higher with at least 400kmph, or 2000m higher with at least 300kmph, or something like that. You' have to see for yourself what suits you best. In most cases E.A. Is not so difficult to obtain : Your opponent will generally come right at you from as far as he sees you – which gives us some 5km or so. At this stage you head 30° to 90° from his heading (depending on what security you give yourself), and according to the location of the Sun, if you want to use it later, you reach either to his 9-11 o'clock or his 1-3 o'clock, then climb at your best climb-rate speed. During the climb, always keep your opponent in the required angle by steering as needed, and watch your airspeed, which is controlled exclusively by the stick. Of course you must set the proper trim, prop pitch (to achieve the best rpm/speed ratio) and mixture (according to altitude). If the ennemy is using the same tactics, then the cleanest climbing plane will win. While the ennemy closes in, lessen the angle between the two headings, until yours be 180° from his (at roughly 1km distance). The idea is to cross his way an quite a parallel (and inverted) path, on your (and his) left, well above him. Then engage with half a port barrel-roll and a split-S. If you cannot fully achieve this situation, always engage with half a port barrel-roll towards your opponent, look at what he's up to, and always try to place yourself so that you can engage in the same turn as his, NEVER the other. A variation is to force the bad guy to turn so that you are exactly between him and the Sun. Then don't hesitate to come at 90° from his heading and towards the Sun, then turn until you have the Sun in your 6 o'clock. Note that EA is not only vital for the one-on-one fight, but also for flight and squadron-fighting, as well as bomber cover too. It is the reason why an accurate escort has to be positionned well above the bombers (at least 1000m) in gangs dispatched all around the bombers. Now for some never-too-listened-to- advices : - Always keep your opponent in sight - If the approach fails, SPREAD the fight and don't engage. - Be PATIENT, keep a respectful distance with your opponent, while you cannot get to a good approach. In order to spread a failed approach, two available ways : - spread higher, with a pull or an ascending spiral. Nover do so if the ennemy is near and if you don't have a bit of EA. - Spread lower by diving, in the hope that the bad guy is not in firing range yet, in order to get away or to get far enough to try another approach. If you altogether fail, watch immediately for clouds or terrain that will help you get to cover.Get theren then take a distance from the fight to evaluate the situation. The one who gets advantage during approach will most likely keep it for the rest of the fight. Fleeing is then most advisable. A wise fighter will never engage without a very good probability of success. If you fail to the point that the ennemy is about to engage, then prepare to give a show of your most brilliant evasive manoeuvres, pray that he may make a mistake, then pray that he not be an ace,... If he is, then cry for help (not too loud will you, please !), look for every possible help (friendly AAA, fighters, bombers, or clouds, etc...), then prepare to bail out.... which is not that pleasant, isn't it ? 2. Engagement This stage will lead you into the 6 of the bad guy, at a distance around 200m. With a little airspeed advantage. A successful engagement can only be a victorious one. Nothing worse than being led to overshoot, or to bleed energy to the point that the ennemy has more left than you. You may try a snapshot, but you will end up as a prey. So here again, your motto is PATIENCE. Don't engage if you're unsure of the whole situation, and if you fail the engagement, don't get messed up into it, but try and regain as much energy as possible, and gather every possible element that will take you to a successful engagement. We are going to get into detail of four cases of engagement : " You take the ennemy by surprise " You have the EA. " Both energies are equal " You have energy disadvantage. 2.1 Engagement with surprise If you manage not to be detected until the end, then there is no real engagement, and you can proceed to the kill. If on the contrary your opponent has seen you early enough so that you cannot engage, and he tries an evasive manoeuvre, either with a break, a split-S or an Immelmann, then first of all try and increase the EA you certeinly have if you are closing on him. - In case of an Immelmann, just follow and engage... the bad guy probably made his last mistake. - In case of a break, spread highwise, climb, make half a roll, then you should have a clear EA over your opponent, who lose much energy in his break. You are now in the case of a fight with EA. - If he evades downwise, you must keep him in sight together with your energy. The bad guy will most probably try a split-S. With an Immelmann you will gain a good deal of altitude , and you are again in the case of a fight with EA. If the ennemy detected you very early, then don't think about engagement, consider yourself being still in the approach stage, and fight for a nice approach situation. 2.2 You have the EA The main thing is not to fall to ennemy's game, who tries to escape your sight, and make all kinds of rough evasive manoeuvres. In all situations, if you smell a rotten engagement, don't get in, keep your energy, spread highwise to keep the advantage, make half a roll very early while climbing to keep the bad guy within sight, then watch him to see where he will go, and prepare for the next trial. Even if your opponent managed one way or the other not to be harmed by several engagements, will have lost most of his energy and, flying very low, has but few choices of his own. It should be a piece of cake with a last but well-planned engagement. So, never follow a sharp break, don't loose energy in long turns, never open flaps or dive-breaks. You can use these only if your plane is much more powerful than your opponent's, and with much more acceleration. Always spread highwise, with Immelmanns, lofts, ascending spirals, vertical scissors, hammerhead, and so on, anything you learnt at school. And keep an eye on the other. It is very difficult to perform clean climbing manoeuvres while turning your head towards the bad guy behind. This must be mastered. 2.3 Both energies are equal. This is no good situation. It usually happens after a failed surprise-approach. If not, then both fighters made a mistake. In such position, only real aces can be sure to get away with it, and they are not stupid enough to let it happen on purpose. If it ever happens, then beware of energy bleeds. The best manager of the available energy (either altitude or speed) will win the fight. Just forget any use of flaps and dive-breaks (in the case of relatively similar planes). If the fight takes place in the horizontal plane, the first to reach a turn at corner speed will survive, because he'll turn quicker than his opponent. If you're unsure, just give it a try. Instead of closing on the plane in front, extend the turn radius until you reach the corner speed, and see for yourself... In any case, don't try and get into the turn of the ennemy (which is more intuitive), turn out of his turn, which will allow you to keep him in sight, you will progressively reach corner speed and gin on your opponent until you reach his 6 o'clock. If you're too fast and cannot get to corner speed, don't degrade, just make a climbing then diving turn (an ear, or yo-yo), which cuts your turn in while maintaining speed at the end of the dive. If the fight goes to the vertical plane (or both horizontal/vertical) then manage your energy well. If you deem you cannot get fast in the 6 of your annemy, convert a bit of altitude into speed, not too quickly so that he cannot follow you (no steady flight for instance), but as soon as you feel a bit of overspeed, climb a bit to come back to corner speed, and make use of every single manoeuvre you may know from the fighter school. If both fighters engage the same way then let the best win. If you see that the bad guy is better than you, do remember that a living fighter will always be better than a dead one. Fleeing is part of the rule. Escape and get away. 2.4 At a disadvantage. Ok, this is no time for engaging. The situation is quite delicate, and your main thought must be "survive". It may however be sometimes useful to engage, not to gain an advantaging position, but to keep him from achieving a manoeuvre that could turn out to success for him. For example, if he dives on you, just climb right at him. Try to counter-manoeuvre him in any way, as if you wanted to get face to face. All the more you could be lucky enough to send a burst home, even with a strong deflection. Once again, use every single aerobatics of the universe, make your ennemy overshoot you, fly negative (if your plane allows it of course ; don't do that with an I-16 or a Hurri Mk I), so push on the staff in any occasion (turns, and so on) while avoiding the spin... and hope for a big mistake from your opponent which will lead him to loose enough energy so that you could be on equal terms with him again. Pulling on the stick will get you out of his sight, too... Don't get too low, keep high enough to bail out if ever you got hit. And if your plane gets a deadly shot, bail out while you still have control. If ever she enters a spin, you'll get to the ground with her. Of course, use the clouds, the fog, the ground to hide and escape. 3. Kill In IL-2/FB, this is no easy question. Shooting is difficult, and if you're right in the 6 of the bad guy, and in the same plane, the shape of your target is quite small and you cannot strike vital parts, save with real heavy shells. In order to inflict lethal wounds to your opponent, you should try to see a bigger surface of him, and have shooting opportunities on vital parts such as engine, cockpit, radiator, airframe fuel tank. To do this, here are some hints : - Get on one side. Quite easy, with a stroke from one foot, getting aligned again, and you get a sideview of your opponent's airframe. If you're less than 200m, a shot over the cockpit, right in the side, will provide best results. - Push a bit on the stick, then climb back on the target. Shooting opportunities are better, and hits are easier done. If you're between 50 and 200m, deflection will be easily corrected. - Pull on the stick, make half a roll, and pull again gently to have a view on the engine and cockpit. It is more difficult than previously, but then your target cannot escape by pushing the stick too. And you can do both manoeuvres successively. - Prepare for the target's break, and shoot in the turn. If you're close enough, you will see the ailerons move, and you won't be surprised. The angle shot would be quite easy and you will have a good overall view on the upper side of the plane. Once again, be really patient, don't send a shower of shells from 300m away, wait to be really that close and able to send the one, lethal burst. It will save you quite a bit of ammo for other targets. Conclusion. Whatever the way you fight, your motto will be "Patience and Energy Management". Of course, the better you know your steed, the better you can get out of her.On the same way, getting a knowledge of the small differences between your plane and your opponent's will help you too.The bigger they are, the more important they are, for they will tell you the way to start and manage the whole engagement. The most important stage is approach. A badly led one will send you into deep trouble. Against a good fighter, it is nearly impossible to reverse the situation, so don't get into a bad one. But even after a perfect approach, even a badly disadvanged ennemy, if he's smart enough, will get a grip on the least of your mistake to get into position, so beware ! Always keep an eye on your opponent, so as never to have to guess his next move, so maintain an accurate tactical awareness. The whole of this analysis can of course be taken into account for the fight between flights and squadrons. The approach will be led in the same way. Engagement will on the contrary be much more intricated, in as much as it is impossible for a single pilot to get a view of the whole situation, and tactical situation will be very hard to evaluate. Here communications between fighters will take his part. Il will be discussed further on a coming analysis. On the whole a good leader must be able to permanently know what his wingmen and the opposition are up to. The greatest russian ace Ivan Kozhedub was able to send precise orders to his wingmen (check your 6, reach to somewhere, help this one, etc...) while tracking and destroying his own targets. speed) will win the fight. Just forget any use of flaps and dive-breaks (in the case of relatively similar planes). If the fight takes place in the horizontal plane, the first to reach a turn at corner speed will survive, because he'll turn quicker than his opponent. If you're unsure, just give it a try. Instead of closing on the plane in front, extend the turn radius until you reach the corner speed, and see for yourself... In any case, don't try and get into the turn of the ennemy (which is more intuitive), turn out of his turn, which will allow you to keep him in sight, you will progressively reach corner speed and gin on your opponent until you reach his 6 o'clock. If you're too fast and cannot get to corner speed, don't degrade, just make a climbing then diving turn (an ear, or yo-yo), which cuts your turn in while maintaining speed at the end of the dive. If the fight goes to the vertical plane (or both horizontal/vertical) then manage your energy well. If you deem you cannot get fast in the 6 of your annemy, convert a bit of altitude into speed, not too quickly so that he cannot follow you (no steady flight for instance), but as soon as you feel a bit of overspeed, climb a bit to come back to corner speed, and make use of every single manoeuvre you may know from the fighter school. If both fighters engage the same way then let the best win. If you see that the bad guy is better than you, do remember that a living fighter will always be better than a dead one. Fleeing is part of the rule. Escape and get away. 2.4 At a disadvantage. Ok, this is no time for engaging. The situation is quite delicate, and your main thought must be "survive". It may however be sometimes useful to engage, not to gain an advantaging position, but to keep him from achieving a manoeuvre that could turn out to success for him. For example, if he dives on you, just climb right at him. Try to counter-manoeuvre him in any way, as if you wanted to get face to face. All the more you could be lucky enough to send a burst home, even with a strong deflection. Once again, use every single aerobatics of the universe, make your ennemy overshoot you, fly negative (if your plane allows it of course ; don't do that with an I-16 or a Hurri Mk I), so push on the staff in any occasion (turns, and so on) while avoiding the spin... and hope for a big mistake from your opponent which will lead him to loose enough energy so that you could be on equal terms with him again. Pulling on the stick will get you out of his sight, too... Don't get too low, keep high enough to bail out if ever you got hit. And if your plane gets a deadly shot, bail out while you still have control. If ever she enters a spin, you'll get to the ground with her. Of course, use the clouds, the fog, the ground to hide and escape. 3. Kill In IL-2/FB, this is no easy question. Shooting is difficult, and if you're right in the 6 of the bad guy, and in the same plane, the shape of your target is quite small and you cannot strike vital parts, save with real heavy shells. In order to inflict lethal wounds to your opponent, you should try to see a bigger surface of him, and have shooting opportunities on vital parts such as engine, cockpit, radiator, airframe fuel tank. To do this, here are some hints : - Get on one side. Quite easy, with a stroke from one foot, getting aligned again, and you get a sideview of your opponent's airframe. If you're less than 200m, a shot over the cockpit, right in the side, will provide best results. - Push a bit on the stick, then climb back on the target. Shooting opportunities are better, and hits are easier done. If you're between 50 and 200m, deflection will be easily corrected. - Pull on the stick, make half a roll, and pull again gently to have a view on the engine and cockpit. It is more difficult than previously, but then your target cannot escape by pushing the stick too. And you can do both manoeuvres successively. - Prepare for the target's break, and shoot in the turn. If you're close enough, you will see the ailerons move, and you won't be surprised. The angle shot would be quite easy and you will have a good overall view on the upper side of the plane. Once again, be really patient, don't send a shower of shells from 300m away, wait to be really that close and able to send the one, lethal burst. It will save you quite a bit of ammo for other targets. Conclusion. Whatever the way you fight, your motto will be "Patience and Energy Management". Of course, the better you know your steed, the better you can get out of her.On the same way, getting a knowledge of the small differences between your plane and your opponent's will help you too.The bigger they are, the more important they are, for they will tell you the way to start and manage the whole engagement. The most important stage is approach. A badly led one will send you into deep trouble. Against a good fighter, it is nearly impossible to reverse the situation, so don't get into a bad one. But even after a perfect approach, even a badly disadvanged ennemy, if he's smart enough, will get a grip on the least of your mistake to get into position, so beware ! Always keep an eye on your opponent, so as never to have to guess his next move, so maintain an accurate tactical awareness. The whole of this analysis can of course be taken into account for the fight between flights and squadrons. The approach will be led in the same way. Engagement will on the contrary be much more intricated, in as much as it is impossible for a single pilot to get a view of the whole situation, and tactical situation will be very hard to evaluate. Here communications between fighters will take his part. Il will be discussed further on a coming analysis. On the whole a good leader must be able to permanently know what his wingmen and the opposition are up to. The greatest russian ace Ivan Kozhedub was able to send precise orders to his wingmen (check your 6, reach to somewhere, help this one, etc...) while tracking and destroying his own targets. A comment Pegase_Rama