Finger Four

Four aircraft, consisting of one Wing positioned on one side of the Lead aircraft and a two-aircraft echelon element positioned on the opposite side. The formation can be strong left (with two aircraft on the left of the lead), or strong right (depicted in Finger Four Formation), on bearing line with some vertical step down between aircraft and minimum of 1 metre of lateral wingtip clearance.

Finger Four is used for a Missing Man formation, where aircraft in the number 3 position breaks to leave an obvious gap as the remaining three aircraft continue.

Figure 1. Finger Four Formation
Note:
The numbering of a Finger Four formation is different to most other configurations. This is because the formation is considered to be made up of two pairs, each in opposite echelons.