Get the full, ad-free episode here:

https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list10PCT EP89

P2 MeSo Harney and Mask StarkMask recounts his own ordeal on the ground, including encounters with local Libyans, an uncertain journey to Benghazi, and efforts to establish contact with coalition forces.

10PCT EP89 MeSo Harney and Mask Stark0:00 welcome to Mask and MeSo and episode preview 1:02 MeSo intro1:55 Mask intro3:22 background to the fateful deployment 5:40 initial 6 ship deployment ends in a bunch of diversions7:02 mission set(s)9:00 defining SCAR from the crew point of view10:42 geographical constraints?11:30 co-ordinating with other assets13:20 treading unfamiliar ground with the spotlight on you?15:20 co-ordinating with ground assets?16:55 difficulty with ROE/authority/responsibility?20:55 weaponeering/loadouts23:17 strafe?24:55 threats?26:46 SERE refresher and preparation/study?30:40 hard crewed, previous flight experience together?33:35 standardisation?34:00 mission of the day, mission planning and ejection contract37:30 pre planned evasion tactics?39:18 initial phase of the mission40:48 trapped fuel, initial troubleshooting and handling imbalance in the established community fashion43:09 target details45:12 target egress, loading and initial indications of trouble47:30 -229 jets spin departure aids - did they work?49:30 thought process in this phase?51:05 mayday call51:44 flight lead’s SA and tapes?53:10 bailout decision and sequence56:45 opening shock (of chute) and bye bye NVGs59:02 how long in the chute and contemplating landing1:03:50 landing roll/PLF

Get the full, ad-free episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list

10PCT EP88 – Dave “Khan” Carr | F-15 Eagle, F-16 Viper, Weapons School & Aggressors

Dave “Khan” Carr joins 10 Percent True to discuss an extraordinary fighter career flying both the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Viper.

From Cold War intercepts over Alaska and Iceland to the pressure cooker of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, Red Flag, and Aggressor duty, Khan offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at elite fighter aviation.

This episode explores how the USAF prepared to fight the Soviet Union, how air combat tactics evolved through the Cold War and beyond, and what it really took to become a top-tier fighter pilot.

Along the way, Khan shares stories of Arctic alert missions, Keflavik intercepts, Weapons School work-ups, massive Red Flag battles, Soviet threat replication, and how the Eagle and Viper compared in a fight.

If you’ve ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes in elite fighter aviation, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Timestamps

2:20 A Quick Word from Steve

4:04 Welcome, Khan

4:50 Khan Introduces Himself

6:40 First Tour at Elmendorf – Flying the Eagle in Alaska

8:38 Early Career Challenges & Encounters

12:12 Discussing Losses in the Early Days

14:08 Dealing with Loss

15:34 Eyeing the Next Career Step – and Making It Happen

17:17 Keflavik – CFTs & Diversions to Scotland

19:47 Steve Geeks Out on CFTs

21:14 The Mission at Keflavik – Bears, Tomcats & Lightnings (with Tankers)

23:04 Honing Air-to-Air Skills as the Eagle Matured

25:28 Dialling Up the AoA – “It Depends…”

26:55 Rudder Use, Evolving Tactics & When to Use It

28:32 Weapons School – Selection, Work-Ups & Challenges

32:40 A Memorable Weapons School Sortie – Vark Speed & Perfect Execution

35:58 Why No “Super Squadrons”?

37:24 The Benefits of Weapons School Graduation

40:30 Expertise Across All Facets of the Mission

41:52 Tyndall & the FTU

44:35 Does It Get Better Than This?

46:18 Eagle Culture – Did It Change?

49:52 Peak Performance or Room for Improvement? The Importance of Comms

54:12 Getting Granular – What It Takes to Make It in the Eagle Community

56:34 Regrets About Missing Desert Storm?

58:12 Joining the Aggressors

59:48 Being a “True” Aggressor

1:04:25 Gloves Off?

1:06:10 Simulating the Threat Accurately – Who Sees Who?

1:09:48 Maintaining Situational Awareness

1:10:55 Becoming a Threat System SME – The Process

1:13:05 Expectation vs Reality as More Information Became Available

1:15:50 “Natural” Bias?

1:17:54 Views on Threat Advantages & Capabilities

1:21:45 Eagle vs Viper Comparisons (Intro Teaser Topic)

1:25:02 The “Bad Bob” (VX-9 F-14D) Encounter

1:26:55 Toughest Opponent as an Aggressor?

1:30:19 When Things Don’t Go to Plan – Scaring Yourself

1:34:10 Eating Shit as an Eagle Guy Flying Vipers?

1:34:54 Twilight of a Career – Guard Life, MSIP A Models, NVGs & Iraq

1:39:32 Young vs Old Eagle Driver

1:42:14 Keeping Up with Evolving Tactics & Change

1:49:30 Fini Flight

1:53:15 Do You Miss It?

1:53:54 Thanks, Khan – Till Next Time

Get the full, ad-free episode here:
10 Percent True Memberships

10PCT EP87 Marty “Pappy” Brogli – A-10 Desert Storm

Marty “Pappy” Brogli joins 10 Percent True to tell the story of flying the A-10 Warthog in Operation Desert Storm.

From Cold War preparation and the long deployment to the Gulf, to tank killing, SAMs, AAA, and losing friends in combat, Pappy delivers an extraordinarily candid account of what it was really like to fly the Hog in one of the most dangerous air wars in history.

This is not the sanitised version of Desert Storm. Pappy talks honestly about fear, humour, squadron culture, survival, morality, and the reality of combat at low level in an aircraft built to take punishment – and sometimes barely survive it.

Along the way, he shares remarkable stories of crippled aircraft, manual reversion landings, near disasters, and the unique camaraderie of the A-10 community.

If you’ve ever wondered what Desert Storm looked and felt like through the eyes of an A-10 pilot, this is one you won’t want to miss.

EE Lightning P1B | 10 Percent True | EP84 – Part 2The restoration of the English Electric Lightning P1B reaches a major milestone as the fuselage emerges from storage for the first time in nearly 30 years. Blackie gives an extraordinary tour through the aircraft’s bizarre and brilliant engineering – from handmade panels and unique fuel systems to the realities of maintaining and restoring Britain’s legendary Mach 2 interceptor. Along the way, he reveals the challenges of preparing the aircraft for Goodwood, the hunt for rare original parts, and why the Lightning remains one of the most fascinating fighters ever built.

This is the first episode of a new series we’re calling The Bullshit Detectorist. I’m joined by Starbaby Pietrucha, and the idea is simple—take some of the stuff you hear all the time about military aviation and see if it actually stands up. Stealth’s dead, drones have changed everything, low-frequency radar can see anything… we get into all of it.0:00 Aurora1:00 welcome back Starbaby - series outline/premise3:55 super low freq/passive radars are the death of stealth11:15 other dimensions of lo-observable?15:11 collapsing the kill chain?16:40 HARM were used to maybe make the Iraqis duck a bit…… (Dan Hampton quote) 🤡 21:35 “it’s not the plane, but the person in the box”26:02 “there’s no 100% defence against low cost cruise missiles (Shahed/Geran etc)” - previews further discussion on mass as a principle of war33:23 Starbaby and the Somme teaser34:06 “SR-71 shouldn’t have been retired”37:10 why did the U-2 survive?39:25 Aurora?43:36 “Crewed, oxygen breathing AEW aircraft are overrated and unnecessary…..” (incl underfunding/mismanagement of suck programs follow on)49:28 “the appearance of an aircraft is the most important (in US combat aircraft selection)”Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 53:32 “high speed low level penetration of an enemy IAD is redundant because of stealth”56:38 low level mitigation? 59:25 “Ghost Bat” or “MQ-28”1:01:18 SDB stormbreaker mean 1000 and 2000lbs bombs are unreasonable risks of collateral damage 1:07:30 intercepting bombs is much harder than cruise missiles 1:08:46 Stormbreaker 2 and associated marketing1:12:15 wrapping up

Get the full episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/listIn Episode 3, Benji Prefontaine takes you into the most demanding phase of his combat experience—flying the Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard over Afghanistan in a crowded, chaotic coalition battlespace.With limited sensors, minimal weapons, and no datalink, every mission becomes a test of situational awareness and judgment. He describes near-misses in mid-air, fuel emergencies, comms failures, and the constant risk of fratricide—all while supporting troops in contact on the ground.The central theme is stark: the biggest danger isn’t always the enemy—it’s the environment, the complexity, and your own decisions. Benji explains why the urge to drop a weapon can be the most dangerous instinct a pilot has—and why sometimes the right call is to hold fire.This episode is a raw, honest look at the reality of close air support—and the responsibility carried by the person in the cockpit.⸻0:00 intro teaser - CAS story2:40 Welcome back (Again!) Benji3:30 recap of Super E capabilities as deployment to Afghanistan looms6:28 Spinning up and deploying 9:02 commencing ops in a relatively quiet 200611:04 2007 tougher (expanded ops, integration of new Rafale capabilities)14:30 “joint” Navy buddy mission with Rafale on 27/03/07 (including 5:59:59 flameout)19:01 admin can kill you - fuel problems and deconfliction 22:48 2008 Carrier stood down for refit/repair so Super E is ground based at Kandahar 26:55 reviewing the learning points emerging from the initial engagement (including Damocles limitations and intro story)34:36 integration into ATO? 37:25 personal growth?42:24 USB exchange pilot contributions?44:48 full access? (and the perils of Super E cockpit for the well built gentleman)48:07 kneeboard capabilities 52:11 comms - satcom54:11 going back to F1, missing it, an adjustment?58:58 back to Kandahar in the F11:02:44 revisiting the psychological aspect in terms of Afghanistan (and Libya)1:06:41 Dollars!1:11:40 Libya - state of play/the vagaries of real world deployment and getting in on the action 1:23:50 the benefits of a tight knit community (moving a squadron whilst fighting a war and training new people) 1:29:58 the toll on family?1:32:42 threat levels in Libya1:37:22 XCAS and Intel?1:40:28 SCUD launcher mission1:44:00 tanker scarcity1:45:10 ATL21:46:12 QRA/policing/Chad (again)1:53:10 intercepts and “etiquette”1:55:30 flying with MiG-29SMTs2:00:17 drinking vodka with MiG-31 squadron cmdr 2:01:43 Foxhound intel?/diplomacy/history2:05:49 rounding out Air Force career and next chapter2:11:40 Merci Benji

Get the full episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list

10PCT EP86 P2 Benji Prefontaine

In Episode 2, Benji Prefontaine moves from early operations into real combat experience—flying the Dassault Mirage F1 in Africa before transitioning to carrier aviation in the Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard.He describes the shock of adapting from Air Force flying to life on the carrier—where precision, discipline, and consistency are everything. Landing on the boat becomes a defining challenge, exposing the difference between being a good pilot and being an operational one.The episode also explores the limitations of the Super Étendard—an aging, analog jet forced into modern combat—and how that shapes tactics, workload, and risk. Benji highlights the realities of coalition warfare, early Afghanistan deployments, and the steep learning curve of operating in a far more complex and demanding environment.This is where the story shifts from “becoming a pilot” to learning how to survive and operate effectively in combat.0:00 Teaser – Pyjamas, Wine, Corkscrews and Cigarettes 1:45 Welcome Back Benji (Steve’s Lost It!) + Episode Outline 3:20 First Operational Squadron – Tough Start to Mixed Force Ops 9:20 Post-9/11 Politics and Operational Reality 12:38 Red Flag – Flying with Mirage 2000D 15:36 Did Red Flag Validate the EW Suite? 18:41 How Red Flag Prepared Him for Combat 22:26 Inferiority Complex in Coalition Ops? 28:02 Social Life on Squadron 31:24 Old School vs New School – What Works? 35:38 Deployments to Chad 40:42 Threat Environment and Risk 44:48 Ferry Flight to Red Flag – Single-Engine Stress 47:43 Bird Strikes and Wildlife Hazards 52:09 Survival Kit – What’s On Board? 55:10 CSAR – Expectations vs Reality 57:46 What Is a Pilot Worth? 59:05 Combat Psychology 1:04:18 Managing Pilots Doing “Cool Stuff” (Photos/Video) 1:09:54 Romania Deployment – Encounters with MiGs 1:18:09 QRA – Intercepts and Real-World Stories 1:24:45 French Air Force “Urban Legends” 1:27:27 Encounters with USAF Incursions? 1:30:08 End of First Tour – Seeking Exchange Opportunities 1:32:50 Carrier Tour Expectations – Charles de Gaulle 1:35:15 No Night Landings? 1:36:30 Targeting Pod (PDLCT) 1:37:52 FCLP – Carrier Landing Practice 1:42:12 The Hardest Part of Carrier Ops 1:45:15 Nuclear Strike Mission Explained 1:51:53 Super Étendard Capabilities (Including Exocet) 2:01:17 From Detection to Attack 2:05:00 Situation Display, Autopilot, Datalink 2:07:55 Tuning Exocet Targeting and Performance 2:09:12 How Do You Attack a Carrier Group? 2:13:00 Part 3 Preview – Combat and Command

The rescue of the crew of DUDE 44, an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over Iran, is one of the most complex and dangerous combat search and rescue (CSAR) operations in modern warfare. Retired USAF Colonel and Special Operations pilot Buck Walker breaks down how it happened – from the shootdown to the high-risk mission that brought the crew home. This is how CSAR really works.

Get the full episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list

10PCT EP86 P1 – Benji Prefontaine

Chapters

0:00 Intro Teaser – M1.3 Corner Speed, Avoiding the Merge, Low Level

3:00 Welcome, Benji

4:15 Subscriber Question (T-Stoff) – Super Étendard Carrier Ops

10:35 The Hardest Flying of His Career?

13:44 Route to the Air Force

16:15 Initial Flying & Training Curriculum

19:04 Early Impressions & Developing Mission Focus

23:48 Choosing a Platform & Mission

27:10 Explaining Career Choices

29:15 The Mirage 2000N Mission

31:32 Revisiting the Training Accident & Its Repercussions

36:14 Ready for That Conversation?

38:44 The Reward for That Risk

40:22 Alpha Jet

46:36 Air-to-Air Phase – How Formative?

49:18 Armée de l’Air Culture

56:00 Parents’ Opinions

57:37 Mirage F1CT – Introduction, Impressions & Capabilities

1:06:05 Electronic Warfare Suite

1:07:40 MATRA 530 – Fox 1 Capability

1:13:53 Were Export F1 Variants Better?

1:17:00 Diving Deeper into EW Capabilities

1:20:42 M1.3 Corner Speed – Avoiding the Merge at Low Level

1:23:34 “Cheating” in the F1?

1:26:10 DACT Opportunities

1:27:57 Taking on the Mirage 2000

1:30:48 Recce & Air-to-Ground Role

1:36:45 ELINT System Autonomy & Mission Planning

1:40:26 Datalink

1:41:50 Flying Qualities (and Vices) of the F1

1:46:04 Bird Strikes

1:48:20 Experience on the F1CT & Close Calls

1:50:58 Air-to-Air Refuelling – Tankers, Techniques & Night Ops

2:02:15 Geeking Out & Previewing the Next Episode