Martial Arts... Starfighter Piloting?

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

I was just watching Cowboy Bebop recently, and this question sank its claws into my brain and refused to let go. Ranma 1/2 is generally considered the Ur-example of the trope "Martial Arts and Crafts"- that is, the ability to make a martial art out of just about anything. With this in mind, and some other reasons that I can't really figure out how to articulate, I began to wonder: if the Ranma 1/2 cast were transplanted to a sci-fi universe (or, for simplicity's sake, in a sci-fi universe that has similar stances on combat as Ranma 1/2), would it be possible for someone to come up with a fighting style specifically orientated towards the usage of a starfighter?

For those who aren't aware of the term, it's a generic reference to the small, combat-equipped spaceships that are the null-atmosphere equivalent of fighter jets.

[Ellen Kuhfeld]

A fighter pilot is a weapons-user every bit as much as a swordsman; the weapon is just more complicated. And using weapons in combat IS a martial art. Just ask Dick Bong, P-38 pilot. He was to fighter combat what Ranma is to unarmed combat.

No reason to think it doesn't count if there isn't any air.

[FOG3]

...

I assume we mean pure starfighters.

Could they use one? Yes.
Would they be good at it? Not necessarily.
Would they magically have some insight the people working with the things otherwise wouldn't? Most likely not.
Would they be able to operate on plateau of their own that mere mortals couldn't approach? Hell no.

The only pilot that can even begin to try to make that claim would be the infamous Colonel John "20-second" Boyd USAF whose standing challenge he always won. That however relied heavily on one trick that'd get you killed in real combat and only works in atmosphere. Turning a F-100 into a giant air brake gets you out of the one guy you're fighting's firing arc, but doing so means you've lost so much energy you'd be a sitting duck for his wingman.

Fighter combat has historically primarily been about situational awareness. The guys who didn't perform in this department made up the overwhelming majority of the kills being downed by an opponent they never saw.

Seems as how Major Richard Bong USAF was mentioned and most Sci-Fi shows mimic WW2 air combat, at best with WW1 relative velocities sometimes being better then what's shown, there is also considerable value in being able to properly target an enemy aircraft so you can successfully hit it from any aspect. Very few WW2 pilots managed to master this, but those that did excelled. I feel the need to point out being able to shoot things accurately and being able to throw thing accurately is not the same thing.

That said the Ranma cast is liable to not keep with their formation, or be a good wingman at all. So someone's six will not be covered, and people will needlessly die. They have too much warrior in them and none of the critical qualities of good Seamen or Airmen.

If you want a starfighter series with the no-killing stuff I'd suggest Starship Girl Yamamoto, except it's kind of largely out of print by now. Of course, I can't see why you'd have Nerima's inhabitants with that, though. Yamamoto Yohko is a superior character in every aspect, except number of loyal fanfiction writers.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

I never said I was going to write something like this: I was merely curious if "Martial Arts Starfighter Piloting" could be a valid martial arts style, under the Ranma 1/2 rules on such things.

[lwf58]

I'd say the answer is no.

Why? Because in all other Ranma 1/2 martial arts, the theme is to use the objects or movements in question as an aid or inspiration for hand-to-hand combat. So unless the person in question were to pick up the fighter craft and hit someone with it, it could not be part of a Ranma 1/2 martial art. Sitting in a cockpit and pulling a trigger doesn't qualify.

Now, there are exceptions that can be reasonably made. In another topic, the question was asked about what kind of mecha Ranma might use. I pointed out that a Valkyrie from Macross would be a decent choice because he could use it to perform classic martial arts moves like it was his real body, and that would open up the possibility of Anything Goes Starfighter combat.

[Spokavriel]

Maybe some sort of control sequencing kata could be derived... But I don't see much in the way of contemporary analog cockpits offering actions a pilot could take that would assist defensively or offensively outside of their craft.