Tiger check : automating the US Air Force fighter pilot in air-to-air combat, 1950-1980 / Steven A. Fino.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fino, Steven A., 1974- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Air Force--Weapons systems--Technological innovations.

United States.

United States. Air Force.

Fighter planes--United States--History--20th century.

Fighter planes.

Fighter pilots--United States--History--20th century.

Fighter pilots.

Airplanes, Military--United States--Armament--History.

Airplanes, Military.

History.

Weapons systems.

Technological innovations.

Physical Description:

x, 435 pages ; 25 cm

Other Title:

Automating the US Air Force fighter pilot in air-to-air combat, 1950-1980

Place of Publication:

Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017.

Summary:

"The fielding of automated flight controls and weapons systems in fighter aircraft from 1950 to 1980 challenged the significance ascribed to several of the pilots' historical skillsets, such as superb hand-eye coordination--required for aggressive stick-and-rudder maneuvering--and perfect eyesight and crack marksmanship--required for long-range visual detection and destruction of the enemy. Highly automated systems would, proponents argued, simplify the pilot's tasks while increasing his lethality in the air, thereby opening fighter aviation to broader segments of the population. However, these new systems often required new, unique skills, which the pilots struggled to identify and develop. Moreover, the challenges that accompanied these technologies were not restricted to individual fighter cockpits, but rather extended across the pilots' tactical formations, altering the social norms that had governed the fighter pilot profession since its establishment. In the end, the skills that made a fighter pilot great in 1980 bore little resemblance to those of even thirty years prior, despite the precepts embedded within the "myth of the fighter pilot." As such, this history illuminates the rich interaction between human and machine that often accompanies automation in the workplace. It is broadly applicable to other enterprises confronting increased automation, from remotely piloted aviation to Google cars. It should appeal to those interested in the history of technology and automation, as well as the general population of military aviation enthusiasts."--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

1 Introduction l

2 The Myth of the Fighter Pilot 17

Crafting the Mythical Ace 19

Revisiting the History 23

Ritualizing the Myth 33

War's Next Test 35

Conclusion 39

3 Sabres over Korea: "Every Man a Tiger" 41

A New Solution to an Old Gunnery Problem 44

Thrust into War 67

Capturing Glory 76

Using the New Gunsights 97

Conclusion 108

4 Phantoms over Vietnam: The "GIB" 111

A New Approach to the Gunnery Problem 116

Thrust into War, Again 142

Tension in the Air 157

Who Gets the Credit? 187

Conclusion 195

5 Eagles over Nellis: "A Fighter Pilot's Fighter" 199

A Pure Air-to-Air Fighter 204

Trial by Test 231

"Sorting" Things Out 247

Conclusion 261

6 Conclusion 264

The Irony of the Fighter Pilot 265

A Lesson for Future Automation 273

Knights or Scientists? 280.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781421423272

1421423278

OCLC:

962750306