The last time i went away it was for a month and i made a similar thread with a question/riddle thingy in it. This time i am going away for 6 months ergo the 6 billion dollar question.
Anyways the aim is simple. Whoever gets it first wins. I will be back on in 6 months to read (hopefully) the correct answer.
As being a pilot is such a big part of my life i thought it appropriate to think of a tough, but answerable question on an air force related subject.
The question is....
If two Harrier GR7s came up against two MiG 29s, in a within visual range dogfight, what are the two possible techniques the harrier pilots should employ, with regards to the lead pilot and the wingman?
It may seem hard and thats because it is. I dont really expect people to get the correct answers to this question but i will be back around late May to see if someone has got it.
In the meantime good luck with answering the question and bye for 8 months!
Ok i got back and checked to see how the thread was doing. Its safe to say i made this q too hard as the only people i would expect to be able to answer this are real military aviation enthusiasts or air force personnel. I apologise, but for the sake of it, here are the answers.
I also have another thing to apologise for. I made one big error in the question. One is that the first technique can only be employed in a within visual range dogfight, and the second technique is normally employed in an out of visual range dogfight.
The first technique is relatively simple but very effective with 2-3rd generation aircraft, but it still works on the MiG 21 very well.
It is known as the trail formation or battle to hook
Even though they are two separate formations they are relatively similar and i would have given someone a tick for getting one of them, so this answer counts for one of the techniques.
In trail the lead would fly at around 15000 ft and look up with his radar. The wingman would fly higher normally at around 25000 ft and look down. The high flying pilot (wingman) would then wait for the two enemy aircraft to engage the low flying pilot (lead) and swoop in to fire on them from their 6 ocklock position.
In battle the 2 harriers would fly side by side, one of the aircraft running straight down the throat of the flight and the other approaching on a parrallel heading but off to the side. With the enemy aircraft distracted by the pilot flying straight at him the wingman can hook in at the last moment and attack from the beam before the enemy has time to appreciate he is there. Then the enemy wingman, normally at higher altitude can be dealt with, usin either battle or trail techniques respectively.
The second technique is a little more complicated, the reason being it can only be used on specific aircraft such as the MiG29 for specs reasons.It carries a dopplar PD radar system. Their weakness is also their strength. It gives them their look down shoot down capabilities, because their signal processing system filters out stationary objects. It gives speed, range and bearing of all objects, however if the hharrrier pilot can stop moving relative to the sweep of the radar beam then you are able to drop off the radar. The radar can measure anything moving forward or backwards to near perfect prescision, but if you move at a 90 degree angle to the beam then it is possible to become invisible.
Now that the radars explained here is how you would fight.
The two harriers would need to split up the MiGs as they would easily kill a harrier in a 2 on 1 dogfight so the lead wold fly at 5000 feet and the wingman at around 30000ft. Both harriers would aim to fly att eh 90 degree angle. Whoever is successful first then peels off and rengages with the next MiG. It is a very risky tactic but it does work.
I know what people will say, how did you expect us to get that? and you are right, i apologise.
that's actually what I was thinking, but I couldn't remember the name of the manuver. I watch that dogfights show on history channel, have u ever seen it? U in the Air Force?
hey woody_7007 i need some advice to keep me going? my dad is in the army and in Iraq...how can i not be sad all the time?
Turn negative emotions into positive ones. My brother taught it to me when i was younger, its a mental technique the paras are taught, use it as a motivation to do well in all aspects of life, dont let it hold you back. Other than that try and get on with things, i have 1 brother in Afghanistan and another who was in the forces, you get used to it after a while.
to throw a zombie at their windsheild of course!
Ahh its so obvious, i cant believe uii didnt think of that before.
would say roll to opposite sides, do a tight ac, then shoot them in the backs. I'm not much with planes. lol
Rolls on their own are not very effective in dogfights unless incorporated into certain manouvres but nice try.
Firstly i couldnt give a toss whether you like the question. Secondly i couldnt give a toss whether you understand the question, as i have already given the answer.
