brd2881 said:
I guess its easiest put that when you are flying really slow to try to flush your opponent out in front of you, you can't deflect your ailerons to turn the jet because you would immediate stall the wings and depart and then have to pick up speed or fall out of the sky to recover...this makes you vulnerable. You use the rudders to turn the jet in when fight gets slow or when you want to "pirouhette (sp) the jet" to turn your jet on a dime in slow flight. Skillful use of the rudders in ACM type environment is not so easy to come by..kind of like an artform...guys with experience do it well..(i.e, not me)...there are many other situations which call for use of rudder as well...but I have yet to perform or try them in ACM.
Good summation.
Generally, as a rule of thumb in ACM, as the angle of attack (AOA) increases, it is necessary to use proportionately more rudder and less aileron. At very high AOA, the stick has to be completely neutral, laterally. Lateral stick movement at high AOA induces adverse yaw, if not a violent departure.
Therefore, at very high AOA, all maneuvering had to be done strictly with rudder.
Many experienced ACM pilots used to hold the stick centered, gripping it with both arms, so they couldn't accidentally move it laterally. AOA, speed and G were controlled with easy fore and aft stick, and all turns and maneuvers were done solely with hard rudder input.
It was indeed an art form. Few could do it adequately, and even fewer could teach it. It only came from a lot of practice, a good understanding of the aircraft's aerodynamics, and a certain amount of intelligent fortitude.
There was one interesting maneuver that a few expert F-4 pilots used to do (although it didn't work on other aircraft all that well) that defied all logic, but worked.
They would load up; say in a port turn – high G and high AOA – and wanted to reverse quickly to starboard. The normal way to do that would be hard right rudder to turn right. But they would intentionally use not right rudder, but full
LEFT lateral stick to turn
RIGHT. At high AOA, this caused the right wing to stall, and the aircraft would snap roll violently to the right with the left stick input.
It was a risky if not downright dangerous maneuver. But it was an absolutely awesome maneuver when done well. Few would try it, and even fewer could do it well. But it was a very valuable, if not the best maneuver in certain desperate life and death situations . . .. if it worked. (Warning: It didn't work in other aircraft for me, and please never try this at home - unless you have a strong desire to spin into the mud.)
