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Cobra Maneuver

en.wikipedia.org

1–10 of 160 posts

Re: Cobra Maneuver

#6
“Go up, blow up” is the common phrase in this kind of aerial combat. You highlight your heat signature against… space.

Even without heaters, I can be extremely aggressive on a guns attempt because an overshoot in the vertical isn’t nearly as risky - few aircraft can capitalize on an overshoot uphill. Almost all defenders in that situation (if they live through the attack) will be forced downhill anyway.

Re: Cobra Maneuver

#9

Somewhat related: during the Falklands war it was common technique for Harriers to use their thrust vectoring nozzles to slow down quickly with a similar outcome.

Apparently yet another aviation myth according to Wikipedia:

> Braking could cause a chasing aircraft to overshoot and present itself as a target for the Harrier, a technique formally developed by the USMC for the Harrier in the early 1970s.[33][34] This technique was much discussed in the media before the Falklands War in 1982, but ultimately not used by British pilots in that conflict.[35]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrier_Jump_Jet#Operation

Re: Cobra Maneuver

#10
Unfortunately the circumstances where this is useful is very limited.

You'd have to be in very close range and in a very bad disadvantage, which honestly doesn't last long (you'd blow up very fast) and when you start decelerating you become a very easy target to hit.

And after your opponent overshoots--you just lost a ton of energy--and energy is everything in aerial combat. Energy is the currency you spend to maneuver, and you've just spent it on this hail mary.

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