Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnews!military
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: dogfighting
Message-ID: <7128@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 5 Jun 89 02:43:26 GMT
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From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker)
>...maneuverability is not very good and hence is not a very good
>dogfighter...

For the uninitiated, it might be useful to add to this that dogfighting
ability is greatly overrated.  The fact is that most victims of air combat
are taken completely by surprise and there is no dogfight involved.  (The
numbers are 80-90% depending on which source you believe.)  Smart pilots
avoid dogfights as unproductive and dangerous.  Despite his reputation,
Von Richthofen (sp?) avoided dogfights whenever possible and counselled his
junior pilots to do likewise.  Erich Hartmann avoided them at all costs --
and it's hard to argue with the top-scoring ace of all time, 352 confirmed
kills (WW2 Eastern front), never even scratched, never lost a wingman.
(Hartmann also had a lot to say about the dangers of getting greedy:  better
to be patient and look for an easy victim than to charge right in at every
opportunity.)

Of course, there are occasions when even smart pilots may not have a choice.

                                     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
                                 uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu