Falcon 3 ACM/BFM Lessons
				  by
			     Jim Knutson
		  A Supplement to Robert Shaw's Book
		Fighter Combat Tactics and Maneuvering

Sortie 1 - Saddle Up (pg. 16)

There are two types of gun shots that can be made.  These are tracking
and snapshot.  Tracking shots occur when the sight remains steady on
the target long enough for it to settle.  Snapshots occur when when
the target passes through the sight.

Tracking shots have advantages and disadvantages.  They enhance the
probability of getting a good hit on the target, but they also require
you to fly a predictable flight path.  Snapshots tend to reverse the
above.  For a snapshot, you must remember to open fire at least one
TOF (time of flight) before the target passes through the sight.

For various reasons (including target size, closure, and lead), the
optimal firing position for a tracking shot is about 30 - 60 degrees
AOT (Angle Off Tail) near the targets vertical plane of symmetry.  To
track, you must stop the relative motion (both lateral and vertical)
of the target to the sight.

Steps to Use for a Tracking Shot
1.	Placing yourself in the target's vertical plane will simplify
	the targets relative motion.  To do this, manuever into the
	rear hemisphere, inside the targets turn.
2.	Place the nose well ahead of the target and match your
	aircraft's attitude with the targets.
3.	Match your turn rate with the target's so the target maintains
	a constant position below the sight.
4.	Use small bank corrections to counter the lateral motion of
	the target.
5.	Repeat steps 2 - 4 until all relative motion has stopped.  At
	this point you will be in the saddle.

At this point, relax the turn and allow the target to fly up into the
sight.  Use short bursts (~1 second), watching tracers and adjusting
lead until hits are detected, then a sustained burst can be fired.

Red Flag Mission - COMBAT1

This mission is a one versus one head to head engagement.  Your
opponent is a Mig-29 loaded only with guns.  Try to saddle up for a
tracking shot using your gun camera (VCR).  Remain in the saddle for
as long as possible.  Use your gun to down the Mig when you begin to
run low on fuel.  Review the VCR to see where you can make
improvements.

When you start the mission, the Mig-29 will be about 25 miles in front
of you.  Increase the scale option to 4 to allow you to determine the
Mig's attitude.  Take care on the pass so that the Mig doesn't take a
snapshot or worse a tracking shot on you (i.e. take an offset for the
pass and stay out of his vertical plane).

I'm not sure why Falcon 3 uses the funnel sight rather than the pipper
used in earlier versions of Falcon, but here's the how and why of how
the funnel sight works.  The funnel describes the path the shells take
relative to your aircraft.  The idea is that you fly your target into
the funnel until it's wings touch the sides of the funnel.  As range
to the target decreases, the target appears larger and you fly the
target higher in the funnel (i.e. there's less gravitational drop).
Adjustments have to be made based on the wingspan of your target and
changing scale makes it very difficult to judge where to fly the
target.

I haven't had much luck with gun shots exceeding one mile.  Most are
inside half a mile.  At this range, try placing the center point (not
the flight path marker) on your target.  As your range or G increases,
slide the target further down into the funnel.