Head On BFM

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=94 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="5" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="6" WIDTH="361" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#A6CAF0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#C0C0C0" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id29_rrfws.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Training"><U>Hornet Training</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="70"><div> <A HREF="id131_a.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Glossary"><U>Glossary</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id132_a_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="RadioCalls"><U>Radio Calls</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id170_onlinedictionary.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Online Dictionary"><U>Dictionary</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=386 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="62800c00egerdp.jpg"> <bR> <div> Head On BFM</div> <div> <B> <A NAME="hbfm"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Head on BFM</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="6cb81530.jpg" border=0 width="129" height="83" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">     </B><B><IMG SRC="6cf74530.jpg" border=0 width="116" height="83" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="626" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 1154 WIDTH="622"><div> Head On BFM, the most dreaded and difficult of BFM situations. Your aircraft is "nose on" to the bandit, and he is "nose on" to you. When used as a Competition set up, you are generally required to make a clean first pass, no shots fired and once the 3/9 line is cleared, "FIGHTS ON!"</div> <bR> <div> For this purpose, a lead turn is excellent. Both combatants are at an equal advantage/disadvantage and this sort of fight requires more maneuvering, tactics, skill and luck than any other BFM.</div> <div> But in a WAR (campaign, custom mission, any actual game situation) chivalry is dead. There will be no clean first past. Odds are, the yokel heading at you will start spraying you with bullets the second you are in range. Of course, the exceptions here are in games that have realistic load outs. I do not think anyone in their right mind would start spraying bullets in SU-27. With only 150 bullets, they all need to count. But in many other sims, with over zealous bullet loads, expect the "curtain of tracers".</div> <bR> <div> You have many decisions to make rather early on in Head On BFM. Do you commit to a Turning Fight? Do you opt for a "blow through" and extension and run away? If you commit to the Turn Fight, do you go for a two circle fight or a single circle fight? All of this must be decided before you even enter the fight. And in a Head On fight, closure speeds can easily exceed 1000 KIAS, so you don't have a lot of time to decide.</div> <div> There are several factors that can help you make this decision. We need to remember that a Turn Fight, or Knife Fight, eats up time and energy. Time is critical, since if you get tied up in a fight, the longer you are in the fight, the more time there is for one of your playmate's friends to show up and sucker punch you. Energy is obviously needed for maneuvering.</div> <bR> <div> There are many reasons to "blow through" and leave a fight. There are also as many reasons to stay and fight. This lesson will give you some basic guidelines to help you lay out a strategy for a fight. The first thing you will need to know and remember is the "Escape Window"</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>ESCAPE WINDOW</B></div> <bR> <div> A fighter pilots job is to enter a fight, shoot down the enemy and live to be able to do it again. A priority when entering a fight is to be aware of your position in relationship to your "escape window". What is an escape window? An escape window is a loose representation of your ability to extract yourself form an engagement. It is called a window because it can open or close in varying degrees depending on the current situation, position and energy level of your aircraft.</div> <div> If you sneak up on a bandit that has no clue you are there, your escape window is enormous. You have the ability to leave the fight at anytime you want, you have complete control. The window is wide open. But if the tables are turned and a bandit sneaks up on you, the window is closed. Any attempt you make to leave the fight will most likely end in you getting shot down. In between these two extremes the window can fluctuate in size. The smaller the window, the less your chance of getting out of a fight alive. In any maneuvering fight, the window will close completely at some point. You are then committed to stay in the fight to the conclusion.</div> <div> In figure 5-1, the attackers escape window is open. The bandit can not turn and get a shot on the attacker as he passes through the fight.<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="66098280.gif" border=0 width="664" height="296" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Figure 5-1</div> <div> If the attacker turns to roll out of the fight, the bandit can not reverse his turn fast enough to engage. If the attacker "Blows Through" and extends, by the time the bandit can come around to engage, the attacker is out of range. In figure 5-2, the window is closed. An attempt to leave the fight will give the bandit the opportunity to turn and engage the attacker.</div> <div> The attacker has tried to leave the fight , and the bandit has reversed his turn and lined up on the attackers 6.<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="534fa610.gif" border=0 width="250" height="353" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Figure 5-2</div> <div> If the attacker reverses to leave the fight, the bandit has plenty of time to turn and engage from a 6 o'clock position. Any attempt to "Blow Through" will probably cause an overshoot, or allow the bandit ample time to reverse and engage.<FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>figure 5-3 shows a classic "Lufbery". In this fight neither aircraft can leave, both windows are closed. The first one to try and leave will get shot.<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="535fafe0.gif" border=0 width="250" height="254" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Figure 5-3</div> <div> While it is important to know where your escape window is, if you intend to be successful and shoot down bandits, you will have close your escape window. Knowing where your escape window is will prevent you from trying to leave a fight that has a closed escape window.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Should I stay, or should I go?</B></div> <div> Providing you both see each other, there are three main factors that effect an escape window:</div> <div> -Range: The range between you and the bandit. The greater the range, the more open the window</div> <div> -Energy: Energy relative to your opponent. The greater your energy in relationship to the bandit, the more open your window.</div> <div> -Angle-Off: The greater your angle-off, the more open your window. (A head on pass is the best advantage here).</div> <bR> <div> All of these factors combine or cancel each other out to figure the size of your escape window.</div> <div> Should you decide to stay, you need to decide when to make your move. Remember, you have decided to stay and fight, so FIGHT TO WIN! To go aggressive, you have really only one option before the merge. Lead Turn. Any other maneuver is not going to put you on the offensive and will probably put you on the defensive pretty quick.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Lead Turn</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="65ce4190.gif" border=0 width="484" height="281" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> A Lead Turn is when you try to decrease the angle-off prior to the merge, or passing the bandits 3/9 line. Lead TurnS are a critical and highly important part of BFM and can be used almost anywhere. They is most frequently used in a HEAD ON Pass. Lead TurnS are the most efficient way to BFM and are so potent that, if you Lead Turn and your opponent does not, you will win.<FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>How exactly do you execute a Lead Turn? I will look at this from a HEAD ON aspect. As you approach your opponent, you will have a relatively low line of site rate on your bandit. Remember line of site rate is how fast the bandit is moving across your field of view.</div> <div> In a HEAD ON, the bandit is almost stationary, almost no line of site rate at all. However as you close with the bandit, he will start to slowly move towards the rear of your aircraft. You will be able to watch him move from the center or near center of your HUD to the edge and then out of it and aft on your canopy. As this happens the line of site rate increase.</div> <bR> <div> In a HEAD ON Pass, closure speeds can easily meet or exceed 1000 knots. Your closure speed, velocity of closure, is VC. This is the sum of your speed and that of your opponent. In a HEAD ON Pass, it is pure addition. If you are going 500 knots and your opponent is going 500 knots, your VC is 1000 knots. When your 3/9 line is even with his 3/9 line, your VC will rapidly change from 1000 knots to negative 1000 knots. It is at this point, when your 3/9 lines are even, that you want to start your Lead Turn.</div> <div> You can not wait until this point is reached to begin your turn. If you do, you are too late in executing your turn. You must remember, the further back the bandit moves on your canopy, the faster his line of site rate will increase. Before you know it, he will be blasting past you, and if he is smart, will be making his own Lead Turn. You need to anticipate when to begin your turn.</div> <bR> <div> The best place to begin your turn is where the line of site rate begins to increase very rapidly. This happens usually around 30° off of your nose i. As you practice this, you will begin to notice when this happens and can then pick a reference point in your cockpit to use as a "start your Lead Turn here" indicator. Figure 5-4 shows a Lead Turn.<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="536faad0.gif" border=0 width="250" height="173" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Figure 5-4</div> <div> Now we have a pretty good idea when to begin the turn, what about the turn? Well, we are back to the CRASH SCHOOL of BFM & Pull as many G's as you can. Pull for all your worth. When you make a Lead Turn, you are committing yourself to the fight. You have closed your escape window and the only way to open it again is kill your opponent (Okay, there may be a few other ways if the bandit really makes a mistake, but odds are you will not get that lucky).</div> <div> Lead Turns do not have to be executed in HEAD ON. They can be used from any aspect and angle-off. You must be able to predict the bandits flight path and take great care not to fly out in front of the bandit when you pull your turn.</div> <bR> <div> As I said before, a Lead Turn is an incredibly powerful BFM tool. And you can bet, your bandit will know this as well. I also told you that if you Lead Turn and your opponent does not, you will win. Likewise, if he Lead TurnS and you do not, he will win. In similar aircraft fights, a Lead Turn will not give you the advantage if you both execute them, but if you both do a Lead Turn, he will not get the advantage either.</div> <div> In aircraft with distinctive handling differences, a Lead Turn vs. Lead Turn will gain you the advantage if your aircraft is the better of the two. If you are in an F-16 and entering a fight with a MIG-29, you will more than likely gain an advantage in the Lead Turn fight. If you are in an F-14 and fighting the same MIG-29 & I truly hope you have planned a high speed "blow though" and acceleration, or have your have your hand poised on the "seat popper".</div> <div> If you are ever find yourself "Nose High" while the bandit is closing "Nose Low", you're either very lucky or very good. (Remember, Nose High and Nose Low refer to aircraft nose position relative to the horizon). You are in a prime spot to pull a high G Lead Turn going high and getting help from the Radial G effect discussed in previous lessons. If you pull a Lead Turn here, you can quickly gain the 3/9 line advantage, get behind your bandit and score a kill.</div> <div>  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="537fac60.gif" border=0 width="250" height="198" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> Figure 5-6 shows a Nose High/Low Pass Lead Turn and a subsequent Vertical Lead Turn.<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="10" CELLPADDING="5" CELLSPACING="3" WIDTH="656" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#FFFFFF" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="75"><div> <A HREF="id73_cpt.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="cockpit"><U>Cockpit</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="82"><div> <A HREF="id80_bf.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Basic Flight"><U>Basic Flight</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="80"><div> <A HREF="id88_bfm.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BMF"><U>BFM</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="78"><div> <A HREF="id94_form.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Formation"><U>Formation</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="75"><div> <A HREF="id105_mt.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mission Tactics"><U>M-Tactics</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id171_campaigns.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Campaigns"><U>Building Campaings</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="75"><div> <A HREF="id74_hud.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HUD"><U>HUD</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="82"><div> <A HREF="id81_fc.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Flight Characteristics"><U>Character</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="80"><div> <A HREF="id89_bacm.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Basic ACM"><U>Basic ACM</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="78"><div> <A HREF="id95_ata.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Air Combat"><U>Combat</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="75"><div> <A HREF="id101_wing.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wingmen Tactics"><U>W-Tactics</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="153"><div> <A HREF="id172_tacops.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tacops"><U>Building Missions</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="75"><div> <A HREF="id75_mdi.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MDI/UFC"><U>MDI/UFC</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="82"><div> <A HREF="id82_fd.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Flight Disruption"><U>Disruption</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="80"><div> <A HREF="id87_obfm.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Offensive BFM"><U>Off-BFM</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="78"><div> <A HREF="id96_dobfm.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Detailed OBFM"><U>DO-BFM</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="75"><div> <A HREF="id102_sam.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SAMS"><U>SAMS</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="153"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="153" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="75"><div> <A HREF="id76_radar.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AA Radar"><U>AA-Radar</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id85_tol.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Takeoff and Landing"><U>Takeoff/Land</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="80"><div> <A HREF="id130_obfm.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Defensive BFM"><U>Def-BFM</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="78"><div> <A HREF="id97_ddbfm.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Detailed DBFM"><U>DD-BFM</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="75"><div> <A HREF="id103_mb.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mission Builder"><U>M-Builder</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="153"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="153" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id77_aa.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AA Engagement"><U>AA-Combat</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="82"><div> <A HREF="id86_fuel.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Refueling"><U>Refueling</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="80"><div> <A HREF="#hbfm" TITLE="Head On BFM"><U>HO-BFM</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id98_habfm.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hi Aspect BFM"><U>Hi Aspect BFM</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id104_ba.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Basic Acrobatics"><U>B-Areobatics</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="153"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="153" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="75"><div> <A HREF="id78_agr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AG Radar"><U>AG-Radar</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="82"><div> <A HREF="id83_nav.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Navigation"><U>Navigation</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="80"><div> <A HREF="id92_bvr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BVR"><U>BVR</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="78"><div> <A HREF="id99_pbfm.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Principal BFM"><U>Prin-BFM</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id106_pa.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Advance Acrobatics"><U>A-Areobatics</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="153"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="153" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id79_age.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AG Engagement"><U>AG-Combat</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id84_mis.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Miscellaneous"><U>Miscellaneous</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="80"><div> <A HREF="id93_acm.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ACM"><U>ACM</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="78"><div> <A HREF="id100_cacm.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Coordinated ACM"><U>Co-ACM</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="75"><div> <A HREF="id169_weapons.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="weapons"><U>Weapons</U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="153"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="153" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="75"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="75" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="82"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="82" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="80"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="80" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="78"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="78" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="75"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="75" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="153"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="153" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>