The Cobra is being demonstrated by all the su27 and mig29 family members (including su35-37 and mig33), but the su27 performance is the best known. Also, because of its aerodynamic configuration, the su27 can achieve the biggest negative deflection angle during the Cobra (well over 90deg, maybe 120).

The Cobra goes like this: in level flight, at speeds greater than 800kmph(~600kph) the pilot disables monitoring of the fbw controls and pulls hard back on the stick with neutral rudder (and NO roll) the plane rises the nose up to the vertical but continues moving in the original direction. When it reaches 90deg - practically standing on its tail it actually moves belly forward (and also suffers a little drop - altidude loss). At this moment the whole aircraft is acting just like a huge airbrake loosing speed at a tremendous rate. The su27 (and a few mig29 variants) can actualy continue the nose movement and get into an extremely awkward position, practiclly moving "tail forward". Imagine the plane viewed from the side in a horizontal position and then rotated some 120 degrees clockwise. From this position the pilot can actually recover the aircraft (incredible, isn't it?) by applying full throttle, then slamming the stick against the control panel and turning fbw control monitoring back on. The whole thing takes very little time, 2 to 3 seconds, and the result is a dramatic drop in speed and very little altitude loss (typicaly about 400m - around 1200feet that is). It's an escape manoeuvre destined to make any atacking plane overshoot - and no other plane - with the possible (but not verified) exception of the Harrier can stay behind a su27 even if the Cobra is well executed.

If you are interested in typical combat manoeuvres and tactics a good reading is provided by "Modern Air Combat" by Bill Gunston published by Salamander.

By Dorian Dogaru