Boyd
John Boyd may be the most remarkable unsung hero in all of American military history. Some remember him as the greatest U.S. fighter pilot ever -- the man who, in simulated air-to-air combat, defeated every challenger in less than forty seconds. Some recall him as the father of our country's most legendary fighter aircraft -- the F-15 and F-16. Still others think of Boyd as the most influential military theorist since Sun Tzu. They know only half the story. Boyd, more than any other person, saved fighter aviation from the predations of the Strategic Air Command. His manual of fighter tactics changed the way every air force in the world flies and fights. He discovered a physical theory that forever altered the way fighter planes were designed. Later in life, he developed a theory of military strategy that has been adopted throughout the world and even applied to business models for maximizing efficiency. And in one of the most startling and unknown stories of modern military history, the Air Force fighter pilot taught the U.S. Marine Corps how to fight war on the ground. His ideas led to America's swift and decisive victory in the Gulf War and foretold the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. On a personal level, Boyd rarely met a general he couldn't offend. He was loud, abrasive, and profane. A man of daring, ferocious passion and intractable stubbornness, he was that most American of heroes -- a rebel who cared not for his reputation or fortune but for his country.
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- I'm not sure their reflexes are better. It's more like they're the master of the feel and minutia of the airplane. They're also masters of managing the energy of their airplane, constantly trading off between altitude and speed. John Boyd was a fantastic example of that. There's a fascinating biography of him, "Boyd".
https://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Fighter-Pilot-Who-Changed/dp/031...
- Boyd's biography is a great read:
https://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Fighter-Pilot-Who-Changed/dp/031...
about a very unconventional man.
- I recommend the book by Robert Coram - Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War. Also Boyd's presentation on Patterns of Conflict.
- Anyone interested would enjoy reading about John Boyd, head of the Fighter Mafia:
https://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Fighter-Pilot-Who-Changed/dp/031...
- Related: terrific biography.
Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram
