Fighter Combat: Tactics and Maneuvering

I owned this book decades ago, when I started flight simming on Janes F-15 and Falcon 4.The book got lost or discarded in the shuffle of life.I recently started playing DCS and wanted a book that explained BFM.So, I repurchased it.It's expensive, but cheap compared to the money one spends on a computer, VR googles, and DCS modules.I'm 55 now. Last time I owned this book I was in my mid-20s.My brain has probably atrophied a bit over the decades. Thus, I found it more difficult comprehending the principles of BFM, intercepts, etc.Still, this is a fantastic reference, highly reccomended for combat flight simulations.I won't lose it again.

First of all, the content of this book is fantastic. I was extremely happy with all the information and the quality of the writing. With that being stated, I was equally disappointed with the printing quality. The outside of book is in very good condition, especially for a book published in the mid 1980s. However, the binding of the first several pages appears to be poorly done and a couple pages are totally or partially detached. At first I thought this might be an isolated case so I purchased another copy. Unfortunately, it too had the same defect. I have several book from the publisher, Naval Institute Press, and most were in very good to excellent shape. They apparently did not have their quality control up to par for this book.

I bought this book to learn tactics and maneuvers to apply to an excellent WWII combat flight simulator I play on my computer called IL-2 Sturmovik. Even though much of the information in this book is geared towards jets and modern weapon systems, I found a great deal of information that was directly applicable to WWII-era planes and weapons. Understanding the principles of relative energy and angles is the heart of air combat doctrine, and Shaw explains both in great detail. The book is also sprinkled with exciting and educational real-life accounts from some of the greatest aces ever. The majority of this book deals with strategies for 1-on-1 encounters, but there is also extensive coverage of team tactics. Some of the principles taught do require some thought to fully grasp, and I think my being able to try them out in a computer flight simulator was a big help in understanding them. But, while I approached this book with no real-life flight experience, I found the information presented was surprisingly accessible to a novice like myself.As complete as this book is, my experience fighting from my computer armchair has taught me that this is by no means an exhaustive treatment of the subjects presented here. Still, I don't know of a better book. If nothing else, Shaw will help you appreciate what a thinking-man's game air combat really is. For the computer fighter jocks out there like me, this is an indispensible book for your library.

I found this book very informitive in what I do. I love flight combat sims like ants love sugar. But make no mistake, this book is nothing if you don't practice. It is for sure a very good reading book, the things a pilot (real pilot) must do and remember to keep alive. But because I bought this book for my flight simming, let's go that direction. What I found out is that this book implies to both prop and jet engine alike. And the tactics you will learn will be to your advantage for sure. But all of this knowledge comes at a price, you must practice, practice and practice somemore to master these manuvures, you cannot just put them to use when you feel like it. Even birds have to learn how to walk before they can fly. But I promise you if you love virtual flying, and you take the time to read this book, your results will be greatly noticed by your enemy. Since reading this book (some years back) I noticed I RTB (return to base) more often in one piece. Survival is the key here and by reading this book, your survival rate will increase also. So do some reading, strap in and hang on, you will not be disapointed.

This isn't a book for the faint-hearted. This is a book for a hard core combat pilot, and not guys who play arcade-style flying games. It covers fighter combat tactics applicable in basically every era of aerial warfare excluding probably stealth, though that's probably still covered under the same old rules of visibility. He talks about typical fighter weapons and the tactics for getting into a firing position. But, he also talks about some element tactics 2 pilots can use to get the jump on others out there just winging it.The biggest thing I learned from this book is how unrealistic most movies make aerial combat look. Most pilots never even see the guy who shoots them down. A lot of the game is keeping your eyes peeled, sweeping radar for targets, and making sure no one gets the jump on you.I don't know the state of online simulators, but if you're a hardcore sim pilot who flies with a wingman, flight, or wing, you'll find a lot of this information very useful.

Just the A,B,C,...'s of fighter combat. while the book focuses mainly on Jet combat, it has a very brief insight on WW2 weaponry. Everything from basic fighter maneuvers like the curves, lag displacement, yo-yo's, NTN/NTT,V/O turns, scissors, spirals, and lead/lag turns, including 1-v-1 similar aircraft,1-v-1 dissimilar aircraft, 2-v-2, 1-v-many, few-v-many, fighter missions and tactics for sweep, P/A Defence, Escort, all the way to tactical intercepts like the SSO, trail, sweep, hook, option, breakaway, cross-block. And that is just to name a few.One thing I criticize, despite just having it, is the lack of specific aircraft know-how applications, but that is not a big problem, specially to sim fans. Real combat pilots will benefit more since they're in contact on daily basis with their aircrafts.But in terms of diagrams for explanation, I find it hefty.I gave it 5/5 since I'm just a ComSim fan. I have all DCS modules on the rig, and I will promise one thing, study the book by heart, and not casual read, and your sim evasion and tactics will improve dramatically, specially if you are new to combat sims.

Although this book gets very technical very quickly, it's written in an engaging enough style and is clearly enough illustrated to appeal to the interested layman as well as professional fighter pilots. I particularly enjoyed the frequent quotes from various aces across the years and the narrative dogfight descriptions.

The basic theory of WVR air combat never changes.

Excellent book on difficult subject.

This book is very informative, but quite technical. It has everything an enthusiast could wish for, but is not for the casual reader. However, it's worth the effort.

A classic book that every pilot has to have in his library. Quotes and abstarcts from this book have formed what modern Air Force pilots read today in the squadron.