Forum: Air Power

Let's say your on someones six, then out of nowhere he pulls of the cobra manuver and you fly right past him. now hes behind you. I don't know its just a theory that it could be used in combat

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If you did that then there's a chance your wingman might see that and blow the bandit out of the sky. Either that or you might see the bandit trying that and point your gun at him and shoot him down with guns. Cobra maneuver is virtually useless because it involves going into high alpha and then entering a post-stall regime where you'd be a sitting duck to the guy you were NOT chasing.

raptorpilotwannabe wrote:

lets say your on someones six, then out of nowhere he pulls of the cobra manuver and you fly right past him. now hes behind you. i dont know its just a theory that it could be used in combat

In order to safely perform a cobra maneuver, the foe would have to already have slowed down significantly, putting himself at a significant disadvantage.
It can't be performed at 600knots for example, and this is why it's not considered to be a particularly useful combat maneuver.

The aircraft performing the Cobra will have lost such a huge amount of energy (turn a Flanker 90deg. nose-up. You now have a piece of sheet metal trying to fly 400kts) that it will be a nothing more than a target. It will be less survivable versus any weapon employed against it, and the time taken to regain the lost energy will probably result in another K-36D worshiper.

southernphantom wrote:

The aircraft performing the Cobra will have lost such a huge amount of energy (turn a Flanker 90deg. nose-up. You now have a piece of sheet metal trying to fly 400kts) that it will be a nothing more than a target. It will be less survivable versus any weapon employed against it, and the time taken to regain the lost energy will probably result in another K-36D worshiper.

The Cobra couldn't even be performed at 400 kts(and probably not even at 300 kts), but you're absolutely correct. Maintaining energy is a far better strategy for success/survival.

Forum: Air Power

Pugachev's Cobra?