A Lighting Tale: Using the Radar

[MigBuster 2,884]

edit: A Lightning Tale

 

flip.....

 

The Lightning radar display was literally pre-historic compared to the modern fighter. I can recall those stress-inducing missions on the LTF - one v one PI's. You would start line abreast and GCI would say "...65 target, turn port heading between 090 and 180, fighter maintain heading", then there would follow the inbound headings to point you back together, the idea being that, as the student, you had no idea of the target's heading. Now put yourself in the 'hot seat' - you're 25 miles apart, closing at 18 miles a minute. The clock starts now - you've 1 minute 20 seconds to work out the target's heading, height, speed and crossing angle. Then put yourself on the right geometry to make either a shot or a visual ident - OK?

Well, in the time it took to read the last sentence, the target has closed five miles and you still haven't found him on the radar. Any second now and the LTF megalomaniac in the right hand seat is going to give you your first clout on the knee - if you're lucky! Your left hand is moving the scanner elevation control in and out, forcing the scanner to search that vast North Sea sky - not too fast or you'll miss him - and remember, the nearer he gets, the more you need to go 'heads-in' and check your own heading, height and speed.

We must be at least 18 miles by now - there he is - yes - that little blip (a fraction brighter and thicker than all of the other noise) is the target. ACTION - well, in traditional LTF style at 18 miles it's all getting a bit rushed - hit the stop watch to get a time running, then watch the target's displacement over five miles and try to work out the target's heading and at the same time use the angle of the radar antenna multiplied by the range and then you have his height.

At the same time, you need to sort out your own height, putting yourself 1,000 feet below the target. Now, as your aircraft goes up or down, the radar picture changes, so once again you're thinking of moving the scanner to keep painting the target. About now we must have hit the final turn keys - the moment of truth. These are a set of keys used by fighters to end up behind the target in a good position to fire.

Without complicating matters, for a 180 x 8 (that is to say a target 180° - ie. opposite you, but displaced left or right by 8 miles) the key figure was 40° left or right at 12 miles. As soon as the target hits that 40° line, turn 60° angle of bank. If you've made a good assessment of his heading, it will work like clockwork - you hold your bank turn through 180 and bingo - you end up 1½ miles line astern if you thought it was a 180 - but actually he was on a 130° crossing angle and as soon as you turn, all of your turn keys will be wrong and you'll need to play the final turn more carefully - but that's another long story! Confused? I know I was.

Now jump ahead 30 years.

Put yourself in a Mirage 2000. In excess of 50 miles, I get a contact, maybe a few. Immediately I know his height (it's marked on the radar). I place my marker over the plot - press once and it goes into track while scan telling me his speed, height and crossing angle. I can also see what his IFF is at the press of a button. All of this appears on my HUD and is repeated on the radar scope. Marginally easier than the Lightning, I'm sure you would agree, plus I'm not looking to get behind him. All I need to do is fire my radar missile at him from around 20 miles - piece of gateaux!!

Ian Black

 

Edited July 6, 2011 by MigBuster

[xclusiv8 35]

This from some book?

[Lexx_Luthor 57]

Interesting thanks a million there. I'd assume in the general situation, GCI would try to guide the interceptor to a good position and velocity behind the target.

 

There's some coverage on F3D tactics for a similar situation in the December 1951 issue of Popular Mechanics. The article Ride a Jet Fighter by Thomas Stimson Jr. starts on page 134.

 

On page 138... ::

The F3D has power-boosted controls, and a cigarette lighter, two items that help describe the plane in terms of high performance and comfort....

:

:

:

....To help make up for the punishment that the crew may recieve, everything possible is done for their comfort, which explains the lighter and ash trays in the cockpit.

 

Ride a Cigarette Lighter

[+streakeagle 871]

It should be very clear why most true all-weather interceptors had a crew of two until digital technology automated most of the RIO/WSO workload. Even with night vision, thermal imaging, and hi-res terrain-following radar, dedciated night/adverse weather aircraft still get a crew of two :) The alternative solution employed by both sides in the Cold War was to uses a single seat, but bypass the pilot completely with automated ground-control intercepts. The pilot could operate the radar and get a fire control solution while ground control steered his aircraft based on their radar tracks of the target and the interceptor. It is a great solution with decent sensors and weapons as long as you can avoid a furball.

[Lexx_Luthor 57]

Something else too. I've read that the automated GCI comm -- radioing data to the interceptor's autopilot (or I theorize, at least to the pilot through indicators presenting information) -- was more resistant to jamming than man~to~man voice comms.

[+ST0RM 145]

Great read. You can see him sweating it out in the cockpit, trying to pick up the target on that old radar.

 

Thanks.

 

-S

[+Stary 2,427]

thank you for this MB! For a moment, reading this at work, I felt I was in that cockpit, let my imagination work...

[Lexx_Luthor 57]

Stary::

For a moment, reading this at work, I felt I was in that cockpit, let my imagination work...

Yep. It brought back memories of the Maths. If that was me, I'd have to eject within the first 20 seconds.