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Common Questions and Answers (view source)
Revision as of 01:34, 14 March 2022
, 01:34, 14 March 2022→How long does a dogfight last?: Add Footnotes
(→How many rounds did planes carry?/How long could the guns fire?: Add Foonotes, References & Footnotes with Reference) |
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== Other Questions == | == Other Questions == | ||
=== How long does a dogfight last? === | === How long does a dogfight last? === | ||
Most dogfights, as aerial battles between two airplanes are known, happen very quickly. In fact, according to one study, “roughly 80% of all fighter victims in war are shot down unaware of their attacker”. In other words, 80% of all fighter combat has an effective duration of 0 seconds. | Most dogfights, as aerial battles between two airplanes are known, happen very quickly. In fact, according to one study, “roughly 80% of all fighter victims in war are shot down unaware of their attacker”. In other words, 80% of all fighter combat has an effective duration of 0 seconds.{{efn|A couple of qualifications are necessary here. First, this includes all fighter victims, not just other fighters. Second, it would be a bit of a stretch to call any of these instances a “dogfight” since the term is usually interpreted to mean a situation in which both combatants engage for at least some duration. Still, it is useful because it illustrates that most aerial combat does not involve a dogfight.}} | ||
It must be remembered that aerial combat is extremely physically exhausting. Fighter combat often involves pilots “pulling” multiple Gs that multiply their body weight many times over. In addition, before the invention of boosted controls, the only force the pilot had to move the control surfaces was his own brute strength. | It must be remembered that aerial combat is extremely physically exhausting. Fighter combat often involves pilots “pulling” multiple Gs that multiply their body weight many times over. In addition, before the invention of boosted controls, the only force the pilot had to move the control surfaces was his own brute strength.{{efn|This is comparable to the difference between an automobile with and without power steering.}} | ||
To get an idea what this is like, consider the closest common civilian equivalent: a rollercoaster. Rollercoasters subject their riders to rapid changes in positive and negative G. However, on a rollercoaster the rider is merely a passive participant – they are not required to do anything. In contrast, in a dogfight the pilot must actively control the airplane as well as keep track of the enemy and constantly plan the next maneuver he has to make. | To get an idea what this is like, consider the closest common civilian equivalent: a rollercoaster. Rollercoasters subject their riders to rapid changes in positive and negative G. However, on a rollercoaster the rider is merely a passive participant – they are not required to do anything. In contrast, in a dogfight the pilot must actively control the airplane as well as keep track of the enemy and constantly plan the next maneuver he has to make. | ||