What were the effects on airspeed? What countermoves were available to an enemy pilot? How do you anticipate those counters?īoyd became a legend for his skills as a fighter pilot, as well as his abilities as a teacher.Ĭreated a 150 page single spaced manual that he called the “Aerial Attack Study.” This became the official tactics manual for fighter aircraft. Training.’ Focused on teaching pilots a new way of thinking, illustrated maneuvers and results of those maneuvers. In February of 1956, he published an article in the Fighter Weapons Newsletter entitled ‘A Proposed Plan for Ftr. He worked far into the night devising a series of briefings on fighter versus fighter and began to develop his skills as a lecturer.” “When Boyd said he was going to “tweak up the tactics,” what he meant was that he was going to develop, and codify, for the first time in history, a formal regimen for fighter aircraft. After simulated aerial combat, a young pilot would be defeated and never know why. “American pilots believed that both they and the enemy had such an infinite number of maneuvers at their disposal that aerial combat could never be codified. They asked him to write his tactics down and prepare diagrams of various tactical maneuvers. Pilots were intrigued by his handling skills and ideas. “Fighter pilots fly with their fangs out and their hair on fire and they look death in the face every day and you ain’t shit if you ain’t done it.” Boyd instinctively knew this and his flying was, from the beginning, that of the true fighter pilot.” Aerial combat is a blood sport, a knife in the dark. There is nothing sophisticated about sneaking up on someone and killing him. “Aerial combat favors the bold, those who are not afraid to use the airplane for its true purpose: a gun platform. Greatest military theoretician since Sun Tzu: “The academics who know of Boyd agree he was one of the premier military strategists of the twentieth century and the only strategist to put time at the center of his thinking.”Įven from his earliest years, Boyd saw himself as “the man of principle battling superiors devoid of principle the idealist fighting those of higher rank who have shirked their responsibilities the man who puts it all on the line, and after receiving threat of dire consequences, prevails.” Then immersed himself in the study of philosophy, theory of science, military history, and psychology, packaging everything he knew about all forms of conflict into a briefing called “Patterns of Conflict.” Then founded the “military-reform movement” after retiring from the Air Force in 1975. At Georgia Tech, established the Energy-Maneuverability (E-M) Theory. Changed the way every air force in the world flies and fights. Became the first man to codify maneuvers, tactics, and strategies of air-to-air combat in 1959-the “Aerial Attack Study” which was the equivalent of the Bible of air combat. Ideas greatly influenced the Gulf War in 1991. I had an IQ test in high school and they gave me a ninety.” He refused to retake the test and always cited his low IQ to bureaucrats so they would underestimate him. In high school, he took a series of tests that told him he had an IQ of 90. In fifth grade, he rode in a small airplane with a local Erie man who owned a chain of drugstores that he knew through his sister. Rummaged through magazines at a friend’s house after school looking for stories or pictures of airplanes. Career spanned the last half of the 20th century.Ĭhildhood interests: During third grade, Boyd showed a strong interest in aviation, drawing airplanes after he finished working on class assignments. “He was first, last, and always a fighter pilot.” Wore the Air Force uniform for 24 years. After retirement, he immersed himself in the study of philosophy, theory of science, military history, and psychology, packaging everything he knew about all forms of conflict into a briefing called “Patterns of Conflict.” Entertaining cover to cover and a book that will help hone your own strategic thinking.Ĭheck out my notes below or Amazon for details and reviews. He was a founder of the military reform movement, challenging the careerists and bureaucracy in the Pentagon to reconsider their outdated mental constructs. He was the first man to codify maneuvers, tactics, and strategies of air-to-air combat, changing the way every air force in the world fights and flies. John Boyd was such an entertaining character-he never backed down, he didn’t operate according to conventions, and he lived life on his own terms. The story of one of the greatest fighter pilots and military strategists in history. Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coramĭate read: 3/10/23.
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