Nav lights on = surrender?

[KLR Rico]

As we're probably all aware, the AI aircraft turn on their nav lights when they give up the fight and RTB. I'm curious, is this a real world way of surrendering (so to speak)?

 

And speaking of surrendering in A2A combat, has that ever been done, or is every engagement a fight to the death? I couldn't find anything on google, but maybe I'm not wording it right.

[msalama]

WW2 heavies did that IRL too, and also dropped gear to indicate that they're going to land and surrender.

[Robin_Hood]

Actually, a lot of air-to-air engagements end with both aircrafts going back home. If one feels he is at a disadvantage, he will try to exit the fight ("separate").

 

I know of one engagement between one F-8 Crusader and at least two or three MiGs, where eventually everyone separated and went their own way (luckily for the Crusader pilot, who had expanded all of his missiles and had a jammed gun).

 

As far as surrendering, I've always heard about extending the landing gear as a sign of reddition.

[Tumbleweed]

And this is why I make these forums my first port of call in the morning while supping my wake up coffee. All these little tidbits of interesting information that pop up. I never knew the nav lights were a sign of surrender.

 

Cool =)

[javelina1]

I had heard of the gear as well, but never the lights. interesting.

[Milli]

http://www.ihlresearch.org/amw/manual/category/section-s-surrender

 

Intersting document. Can be downloaded as a pdf file with a separate commentary pdf here:

http://www.ihlresearch.org/amw/aboutmanual

 

Regards,

Milli

[KLR Rico]

All very interesting... I understood that separation was a way of leaving the fight, but there isn't anything to keep the enemy from gunning you down from behind, besides chivalry, is there?

 

Also, if an aircraft signals an unwillingness to fight via gear or lights, is it expected that they're going to land at an enemy base, or are they free to return to home base? Milli's link seems to be pretty clear that aircraft are expected to land and the crew surrender as POW's.

[Flagrum]

All very interesting... I understood that separation was a way of leaving the fight, but there isn't anything to keep the enemy from gunning you down from behind, besides chivalry, is there?

 

Also, if an aircraft signals an unwillingness to fight via gear or lights, is it expected that they're going to land at an enemy base, or are they free to return to home base? Milli's link seems to be pretty clear that aircraft are expected to land and the crew surrender as POW's.

Separation = retreat ("fleeing"? :o)

Nothing hinders the enemy from shooting you down - except your skill and your tactics when separating.

 

Surrender = giving up, white flag, accepting to become POW. Do what you are being told to avoid being shot.

[Robin_Hood]

As Flagrum implies, a good separation is one that allows you to get out of harm. Usually that means choosing a specific moment in the fight to run away as fast as you can, hopefully getting out of range before the enemy can turn its weapons at you again.

 

Obviously, this became much more difficult since the introduction of BVR missiles