Flying Formations – The Formations
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Crutch's Lessons: Flying Formations – The Formations
After all the talk about them, what ARE the formations? What do they look like? When and how are they used? There are only THREE basic formations; the line, the column and the diagonal.
The Line has pilots flying side by side just like the front line of the offensive linesmen of a football team (American style football that is). It is also called ‘Line Abreast’. This formation is an aggressive offensive formation that is oriented to easily attack any enemies in front of the line. This formation is also a good search formation, especially with large numbers and wide spacing between each pilot. Care should be taken to ensure the spacing does not leave individual pilots unsupported. Those pilots on either end should pay extra attention to their spacing as they only have support from one side. Defensively this formation leaves a lot to be desired. Attacks from the rear can not be countered without making major turns
The Column has pilots following the ones in front of them like trucks in a convoy. This formation is also called ‘Line Astern’ or ‘Trail’. This formation is good for moving a formation between ground threats. The lead pilot picks a path to reduce exposure to AAA concentrations or RADAR coverage. The trailing pilots only have to ‘follow the leader’ to stay on the path and is very simple for even ‘raw’ pilots to keep up with.
This formation presents little offensive power to the front for air to air engagements but allows fairly quick response to threats off the main line of advance. Pilots are still required to make large turns to engage threats 90 degrees to the sides all the way back to the rear of the formation. The formation is very vulnerable to attacks from the rear. It is most pilots dream to catch a column asleep and shoot 2 or 3 down before anyone knows what is happening. Keeping a very active scan going for those threats is a vital requirement.
The Diagonal has pilots again in a line but is swept back from the lead pilot to one side or the other. This formation is also call an ‘Echelon’ with a left/right added to tell which side is swept back.
The Diagonal is a good compromise between sweeping the most ground and ready to engage any enemies that are between the direction of flight and 90 degrees to the swept back side Like the line, the Diagonal is vulnerable to attacks originating behind it.
Manipulating your formation with turns. In-place turns are very effective in converting one formation to another. Example: A column is flying due North. Using a 90 degree in-place turn to the left converts the column flying North to a line flying West. Using a 45 degree turn to the left converts the line to a diagonal flying South-West.
A practical example would be a column of torpedo planes heading directly at an oncoming ship. At about 5,000 yards half execute an in-place 45 degree turn to the right and the rest go 45 degrees to the left. When they are about 45 degrees off the bow, they execute an in-place turn into the ship to make their attack runs. This tactic effectively splits the AAA the ship is firing and gives at least one group a broadside target no matter how the ship maneuvers.
Variations of the Line, Column and Diagonal. The Vee or Vic is simply two diagonals, one to the left and the other to the right, using the same plane (the formation lead) as the base.
The Finger Four is also a specialized Vee with two pilots on one side of the lead and just one on the opposite side.
Stacking. Stacking is arraying the pilots vertically. Stacking down is much easier than stacking up. Diagonal are much easier to stack up because the pilot you are keying off of is not directly under your nose but shifted off to the side.
Formation building blocks. As stated before, a formation can be created two ways. The most basic way is with individual pilots. The second, and more flexible, is building with blocks of smaller formations. The most basic is the Element with two or three pilots.
The classic bomber box formation of WWII looks very complicated but in reality is simply a collection of smaller Vee formations. It only takes 6 Vees to do this.
- 1 is the Formation Lead with
- 2 is in trail and stacked down from #1
- 3 is Diagonal to the left and stacked up from #1
- 4 is in trail and stacked down from #3
- 5 is Diagonal to the right and stacked down from #1
- 6 is in trail and stacked down from #5
That is much easier to explain that giving assignments to 17 pilots, the lead should know what he is doing.
The fighter community can be even more flexible with how they mix and combine Elements into larger formation. Examples: Column with Elements in Line, Line with Elements in Column or Diagonal, Column of Finger Fours.
You are only limited by your imagination.
