180 degree Turn to Join a Formation
Was once on the flight deck of a KC-135 tanker with 4 others mothering some F111s NW bound from Australia towards Guam. Another 4 tankers launched out of Guam to provide further refuelling support.
Radar showed both formations approaching each other on reciprocal headings but with about 10 miles offset.
The objective was for the SE bound tankers to execute cross over turns to join the NW bound tankers in wide line abreast.
The lead navigator must have been a wizz. I heard his count down to start the turn to a reciprocal.
After what seemed about 10 minutes those 4 tankers had turned through 180 degrees and ended up almost perfectly spaced line abreast.
The accuracy of that manoeuvering seemed to be phenominal to a non tanking pilot.
Perhaps there are some tanker crews out there who can describe how you do it.