Psychology Suggests Fighter Aces Are Not Just Aggressive — The Data Says They Are Methodical, Emotionally Calm, And Competitive to A Fault

Psychology Suggests Fighter Aces Are Not Just Aggressive — The Data Says They Are Methodical, Emotionally Calm, And Competitive to A Fault

Only 5% of fighter pilots in World War II achieved ace status — yet that 5% accounted for nearly half of all air-to-air kills during the war. In Korea, just 38 jet aces were responsible for more than a third of the 823 MiG-15s shot down by the Fifth Air Force. Air Force psychologist E. Paul Torrance studied 31 aces and 62 less successful combat pilots and identified four common traits: uber-aggressiveness, extreme self-confidence, fanatical devo…