The diffrences between the two basic types of aerial fighting are analogous to the contrasts between boxing and wrestling. A pilot with an advantaged approach often has the power to decide what kind of fights its going to be, but a fast, maneuverable aircraft with an experienced pilot can force the fight to go the other way.
When most people say "Dogfight", they mean any midair conflict between aircraft. For simplicity, that's a good definition, but a pilot has to know better. A dogfight develops when two or more planes close with one another, getting into a close quarters duel of maneuverabilty (usually a one or two circle fight). Obviously, if your aircraft is significantly less maneuverable than your opponent's, you will want to advoid this kind of close-contact fighting
The other option here is open conflict, which is sometimes called a "hit and run" fight. In this type of aerial combat, the aircraft involved makes repeated strafing passes ("slashing" attacks) at each other, depending on firepower, strategy, and endurance to win the day. This sort of battle emphasizes the advantages of altitude, speed, and situational awareness (knowing what's going on around you) Of corse, if you know your plane isn't as tough or as hard hitting as your enemy's, you should advoid hit and run and try to engage him in a dogfight. |
