Close formation flying in cloud
I'm a humble GA pilot and have a question for you military chaps and chappesses. Looking up at a very miserable sky today I heard then saw two Tucano aircraft in close formation - wing tips overlapping. I'm guessing there may have been a bit more separation vertically, but it didn't look much (they were not very high, and as they departed I got more of a view from behind rather than from vertically below). The two were scudding along the cloud base, entering then breaking cloud every few seconds.
My question :
How does the following aircraft keep station when in cloud? I've flown through cloud (legally!), but only ever by myself (at least I hope there was no-one close by!), so I have no real idea of levels of visibility of a nearby object. Is it like terrestial fog or is some cloud more 'dense' than other, visually speaking? Or do you guys use strobes for reference? (I didn't notice either of the Tucanoes had them on).
Please excuse me if I'm being dense; just curious.
Cheers, Pom Pom.
PS RIP Red 4. (Was chatting to members of the team and maintenance crew at Exeter a couple of months ago - without exception, true ladies and gentlemen). I salute you all.