What kind of formation would a Soviet Long range aviation attack fly?

[Tomcat84]

Wondering for "Dance of the Vampires". Okay so like 69 Backfires are attacking a carrier group.

How were they going to fly this? All in a massive line abreast (lol not likeley), or in pairs, or in fours? Box formations?

Anyone have any knowledge on this? Formation type, numbers, spacing between elements, altitude stacks? etc

Thanks!

[JCR]

Probably not a real formation, I'd assume a line abreast for maximum radar coverage.

[thewood1]

I would think initial approach would be several tight sub-formations to fool radar and then break out into teams to focus on overwhelming air defense on specific ships...a guess only.

[El Savior]

According to GUIDE TO THE SOVIET NAVY by Norman Polmar:

"Lead plane have to fly high enough for the lead plane to acquire the intended target with its own missile missile-control radar. All aircraft in a wave then lock their missiles onto the target, and all launch together in an effort to overwhelm the defense. In some situations the bombers may also attack from several directions, either simultaneously or in series, and there could be even coordinated flight from different bases."

Soviet did have long range anti-surface missiles that could be launched far away from carriers. Their SSGN's example Juliett-class could launch missiles as far as 250 nm. Soviet planned to identify targets with satellite and launch cruise missiles against carrier task force.

Can't answer what formations did they use. But based on that book, I tend to think they would use large wave and swarm of missiles.

[bsq]

Basic unit would be pairs, lead-trail. The distance between the two aircraft would be set to provide only one radar return on a 'victims' radar. Just before launch they would likely slip into echelon to avoid launching missiles at each other. Not sure what the large formations would be like (as in how many pairs in each larger formation), but an educated guess would be VICs with split axes so the aircraft appear simultaneously on the victim radar so as to complicate the air picture. The lateral positioning in each VIC would also be set to present one large radar return to take advantage of the angular resolution of the radars.