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Basic Flight Maneuvers: Split Esse and Immelmann
By
--)-Rapier
--, Fighter Ace
Content Manager
This is the first of a series of articles on Basic Flight Maneuvers, the essential tools of ACM. It is imperative that you master the basic maneuvers and be able to do them without thinking, so that your mind can focus on more important things, like staying alive.
An important concept is the idea that specific maneuvers have specific purposes and a correct time and place for being used. Using the wrong maneuver at the wrong time can result in lead smacking into your virtual airframe. Learn the right time and place.
| "Know yourself, know your enemy and be victorious in 100 fights." |
| - Sun Tzu The Art of War |
Both of these maneuvers are designed to head you in the direction opposite your initial line of travel. Both have advantages over the level turn in that they radically change your energy quotient, either potential in the form of altitude, or kinetic in the form of speed. The key is where and when to use them.
Split Esse
The split esse in its basic form is a simple maneuver. Push your stick over to one side, causing your plane to roll, and continue until you are inverted (upside down). You then pull back on the stick, which causes you to do the last (downward) half of a loop.
You need to be aware of this. All maneuvers have their price.
If you perform the maneuver properly, you will be traveling in the direction opposite your original line of travel, but at a lower altitude. You will also be traveling faster, as you will have converted some of your altitude to speed.
The split esse is useful for taking the enemy off of you when you are attacked (see the Guns Defense article), because it complicates the shooter's gunnery problem. You can add to the shooter's difficulty by converting the entry into the split esse into a mini barrel roll by applying a bit of back-pressure to the stick as you start your roll. Your path will then corkscrew a bit before you hit the inverted position. The drawback is that you will be at a lower total energy position, as you have given up some altitude (remember entropy?). You need to be aware of this. All maneuvers have their price.
It is useful to know the minimum altitude at which you can perform a split esse for a particular plane. If someone dives on you while you are at low altitude and you roll into a split esse, they can be spectacularly surprised when they hit the ground. Even if they are in the same type of plane, they are traveling much faster when they enter the split esse. This makes their downward turn much wider than yours. You can accentuate this by reducing speed and dropping flaps. Of course if they can radically reduce speed or if they decide not to follow you, then expect to have your day, or at least your flight, ruined.
A split esse is also useful for reversing direction in those planes that are energy challenged. If you are at low speed and don't have sufficient E to take a plane over the top, use the split esse to reverse direction. It's handy for Boom and Zoomers who like to get the Nth degree of extension out of their climbs.
| "Recently, with the use of the dive flaps and aileron boost on the L series P-38, the following defensive maneuver has been very successful. Split esse, roll 180 degrees while going straight down, and pull out. This maneuver was used by a pilot in the squadron at 3000 feet altitude. Low, it should be used only as a last resort, since it allows the [opponent] to use his maneuverability if he so desires and is good enough to follow. High, it can be used to better advantage, since you will be able to hold straight down after the 180 degree straight down roll, building up excessive speed to where the attacker cannot stay with you [editorial note: the Japanese planes had problems at high speed]. This maneuver and the normal split esse should not be used unless absolutely necessary, because the consequent loss of altitude is to your general disadvantage." |
| - Major Wallace R. Jordan
Six victories
49th Fighter Group, Southwest Pacific |
The Immelmann
The Immelmann (named for the WWI German ace Max Immelmann, who is credited with its invention) is the exact opposite of the split esse. You start in level flight and pull back on the stick, doing the first (upward) half of a loop. At the top, roll until you are upright.
The Immelmann is a handy tool in planes that climb well.
You are now traveling in the opposite direction, at a slower speed but higher altitude.
It is not advisable to use an Immelmann to reverse direction when the enemy is close upon you and following your flight path. It is too easy for them to follow you up and shoot you while you are slow and barely moving. It's best to extend well away from any possible shooters and then use the Immelmann to reverse back into the fight while putting some of your speed into the energy bank by converting it to altitude. The Immelmann is a handy tool in the bag of those fighter planes that climb well. By extending the climb portion of the half loop, one these fighters can cause an attacker to futilely chase them up; then when the enemy falls away, they loop over onto the enemy's tail.
These two maneuvers are essentials in the fighter pilot's bag of tricks. The key is to recognize the right time and place, and seize it. As always, practice them and know their limits. Combat is generally not the place to try out new tactics, unless you are in a position of desperation. If you're in that position, the German adage holds true . . . "kudden hoit."
Maloney, Edward T., ed. Fighter Tactics of the Ace's
[sic] -- S.W.P.A. Corona del Mar, CA: World War II Publications, 1978; p. 48
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