Tactics and Maneuvers

Barrel Roll

A maneuver in which an aircraft makes a 360-degree rotation on its longitudinal axis while approximately maintaining its original direction.

Boelcke's Dicta

Oswald Boelcke, German ace and master tactician formulated eight concise rules for fighter pilots entering combat.

1. Try to secure advantages before attacking. If possible, keep the sun behind you.

2. Always carry through an attack when you have started it.

3. Fire only at close range and only when your opponent is properly in your sights.

4. Always keep your eye on your opponent, and never let yourself be deceived by ruses.

5. In any form of attack it is essential to assail your opponent from behind.

6. If your opponent dives on you, do not try to evade his onslaught, but fly to meet it.

7. When over the enemy's lines, never forget your own line of retreat.

8. Attack on principle in groups of four or six. When the fight breaks up into a series of single combats, take care that several do not go for one opponent.

Defensive (Lufbery) Circle

A formation in which several aircraft circle, each guarding the tail of the aircraft ahead of it. An enemy aircraft entering the circle to attack one plane will come under fire from the next aircraft back. The Lufbery cannot be maintained indefinitely, because aircraft within the circle tend to lose altitude. A determined adversary will wait outside the circle until the circle breaks apart as its members try to regain altitude.

Fokker Bounce

An attacking maneuver perfected by Oswald Boelcke and Max Immelmann, in which the attacker dives upon his target, passes astern, and gets below; then pulls up, guns firing into the belly of the target. It is the same as "striking from beneath."

Immelmann Turn

Also known as a Stall Turn, the Immelmann was a half-roll on top of a half-loop. It allowed an aircraft to reverse its direction very quickly. It is uncertain whether Max Immelmann had anything to do with its invention.

Loop

Making a vertical circle in the sky in order to lose a pursuer and come down upon his tail didn't often work, because the aircraft making the loop became a very slow target at the top of the loop. When it was necessary, experienced pilots recommended forcing an inverted stall at the top of the loop.

Overhead attack

Attacking from above, and preferably with the sun at one's back, was considered the best way to score.

Pursuit attack

Closing and attacking from the rear was a more difficult maneuver than the overhead attack, but it was possible if one's aircraft had sufficient speed.

Ramming attack

The ramming attack was a head-on attack, flying straight toward one's target. When one or the other pilot broke left or right to avoid a collision, he would leave himself open to his opponent's guns.

Side attack

The side, or deflection, attack was more difficult than the pursuit attack, because it required better gunnery skills. A pilot making a side attack had to know by how much to lead his target in order to have his machine gun fire connect as his target flew past.

Soiree

A humorous term for a dogfight.

Striking from Beneath

Many pilots preferred this maneuver, in which the attacker dives below his target out of sight, then rises up sharply to open fire on the unprotected underside of his opponent's plane.