Title: Re: John Boyd: The Pilot Who Changed the Art of Air Warfare
Post by: Maverick on April 22, 2024, 10:01:34 AM
In what I have read (minimal as it is) and heard he is all but unknown yet his energy management is almost held in biblical reverence. Interesting that the AF has benefitted so much from his work yet considered him so little.
Title: Re: John Boyd: The Pilot Who Changed the Art of Air Warfare
Post by: CptTrips on April 22, 2024, 10:10:57 AM
In what I have read (minimal as it is) and heard he is all but unknown yet his energy management is almost held in biblical reverence. Interesting that the AF has benefitted so much from his work yet considered him so little.
or Billy Mitchell.
Title: Re: John Boyd: The Pilot Who Changed the Art of Air Warfare
Post by: Captain Virgil Hilts on April 22, 2024, 06:25:37 PM
In what I have read (minimal as it is) and heard he is all but unknown yet his energy management is almost held in biblical reverence. Interesting that the AF has benefitted so much from his work yet considered him so little.
Not just energy management, but the OODA loop as well. As well as asymmetrical warfare. More Marine Corps personnel attended his funeral than Air Force. He was also an advocate of the F-16 over the F-15.
Title: Re: John Boyd: The Pilot Who Changed the Art of Air Warfare
Post by: Tumor on April 22, 2024, 09:07:48 PM
Interesting that the AF has benefitted so much from his work yet considered him so little.
Not being part of the Academy Mafia has it's consequences.
Title: Re: John Boyd: The Pilot Who Changed the Art of Air Warfare
Post by: Skyyr on April 23, 2024, 12:06:55 AM
This discussion is largely ironic since most players in this game have the exact same views on energy management as the Air Force did when Boyd started his work, lol.
But yeah, Boyd's work was revolutionary. His book is a crucial read if you take ACM seriously.
Title: Re: John Boyd: The Pilot Who Changed the Art of Air Warfare
Post by: Brooke on May 19, 2024, 01:19:48 AM
There is great book
Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram
For some reason that was available free on my audible account so I added it to my library.
You will love it, Cap. It is very interesting and well written.
(I love Audible.)
Title: Re: John Boyd: The Pilot Who Changed the Art of Air Warfare
Post by: Grayeagle on May 26, 2024, 08:08:34 AM
Thx for the link, Brooke :) I had never heard of him. Always a pleasure to delve into the people who made history. Especially the ones who rocked the boat :)
Title: Re: John Boyd: The Pilot Who Changed the Art of Air Warfare
Post by: knorB on May 26, 2024, 11:19:00 AM
Title: Re: John Boyd: The Pilot Who Changed the Art of Air Warfare
Post by: hazmatt on May 26, 2024, 12:57:44 PM
I'm only about 25% through. The first part is a bio. It's so far just a bunch of history on how the concepts first got conceived. Good view on the early days of Fighter school.
His source paper, I linked the PDF on fist post. A lot of it is mathematical. First part is missile specific, but the cannon section is interesting. https://www.ausairpower.net/JRB/boydaerialattack.pdf (https://www.ausairpower.net/JRB/boydaerialattack.pdf)
I'm sure the below and Shaw's stuff is mostly a repackaging and polishing of Boyd's work to make this info more approachable by a wider audience. But it's been years since I looked closely at Shaw.
As I've started to relearn warbirds in DCS I've been going back more to basics. Starting fresh and actually doing some learning since I am in the study sim mode. I've been watching these closely and enjoying them:
It's mostly about Boyd's life, his ideas about what makes a good fighter plane, his fights with the system to get planes embodying those thoughts (F-16 and F-18, for example) produced.
It covers some of his tactic ideas.
His main fighter tactic was forcing the overshoot. He had a standing bet at the fighter-weapons school that he would dogfight any taker and beat him in 40 seconds or pay $40. He never lost. Pilots called him "40-second Boyd."
It's a fun and interesting read.
Title: Re: John Boyd: The Pilot Who Changed the Art of Air Warfare
Post by: CptTrips on June 09, 2024, 02:50:47 PM
It's mostly about Boyd's life, his ideas about what makes a good fighter plane, his fights with the system to get planes embodying those thoughts (F-16 and F-18, for example) produced.
It covers some of his tactic ideas.
His main fighter tactic was forcing the overshoot. He had a standing bet at the fighter-weapons school that he would dogfight any taker and beat him in 40 seconds or pay $40. He never lost. Pilots called him "40-second Boyd."
It's a fun and interesting read.
I think it is my Amazon Prime that allowed me to get that free. I guess I get to pick a book a month for free without costing me a credit.