"Jim Knoyle" wrote in message ...
"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

Constant-heading slips change the direction of motion, with unchanging
heading."
What makes this a combat maneuver? Is the apparent change of heading
meant to confuse the attacking aircraft? (The attacker thinks he's
jinking right & left?)
Thanks!
I think the surface Navy calls it 'sinuating.'
Confuses the guy aiming the torpedoes.
JK

Dutch Roll, on purpose - use ailerons to roll the airplane from side
to side while using coarse rudder to yaw the nose in the direction of
roll. (Sort of a reverse to a falling leaf maneuver.) The aircraft
tail describes a horizontal figure eight, size depending on pilot's
energy. Accidentally - some aircraft will do this by themselves if
given the right conditions. (707/KC135 on final following gross use
of aileron to correct heading; F102 with a failed yaw damper at
transsonic speeds.) This maneuver can give problems to a fighter not
right on one's tail. The lead required to hit a crossing target is
generally quite underestimated by inexperienced gunners. Also, IMHO
the Zero pilots generally used the MGs to determine proper lead by
hitting the target - then brought in the 20 mms. No doubt the pilot in
question jinked wildly and irregularly and his pursuer didn't close in
for a kill so obviously the maneuver worked.
Walt BJ