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 Aurora 1:00 welcome back Starbaby - series outline/premise 3:55 super low freq/passive radars are the death of stealth 11:15 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 war 33:23 Starbaby and the Somme teaser 34:06 “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 marketing 1:12:15 wrapping up

Get the full episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list In 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 story 2:40 Welcome back (Again!) Benji 3:30 recap of Super E capabilities as deployment to Afghanistan looms 6:28 Spinning up and deploying 9:02 commencing ops in a relatively quiet 2006 11:04 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 - satcom 54:11 going back to F1, missing it, an adjustment? 58:58 back to Kandahar in the F1 1:02:44 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 Libya 1:37:22 XCAS and Intel? 1:40:28 SCUD launcher mission 1:44:00 tanker scarcity 1:45:10 ATL2 1:46:12 QRA/policing/Chad (again) 1:53:10 intercepts and “etiquette” 1:55:30 flying with MiG-29SMTs 2:00:17 drinking vodka with MiG-31 squadron cmdr 2:01:43 Foxhound intel?/diplomacy/history 2:05:49 rounding out Air Force career and next chapter 2:11:40 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

10 Percent True EP89 P2 MeSo Mask Clip MeSo and Mask, who ejected over Libya in March 2011, explain the process of re-integration and how the experience of ejecting over enemy territory affected them. Full episode out in June 2026.

Get the full episode here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list 10PCT EP86 P1 Benji Prefontaine 0:00 Intro Teaser – M1.3 Corner Speed, Avoiding a Merge, Low Level 3:00 Welcome Benji 4:15 Subscriber Question (T-Stoff) – Flying the Super Étendard Around the Carrier 10:35 The Hardest Flying of His Career? 13:44 Route to the Air Force 16:15 First Flying and Training Curriculum 19:04 Early Impressions and Developing Mission Focus 23:48 Choosing a Platform and Mission 27:10 Explaining Career Choices 29:15 The 2000N Mission 31:32 Revisiting the Training Accident and 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, and 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 a Merge, 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 and Air-to-Ground Role 1:36:45 ELINT System Autonomy and 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 and Close Calls 1:50:58 Air-to-Air Refuelling – Easy or Hard? Tankers, Techniques, Night Ops 2:02:15 Geeking Out and Previewing the Next Episode

Pinbag Shaw | 10 Percent True | EP83 Part 3 Get the full episode: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list In the final instalment of my conversation with Thomas “Pinbag” Shaw, we close out his Phantom career. From Cold War nuclear strike planning in Europe to flying large-force exercises at Nellis and combat-ready deployments in the Pacific, Pinbag walks us through the evolution of the F-4E and the realities of fighter operations in the late Cold War. We talk about weapons school culture, the arrival of systems like Pave Tack and ARN-101, Sparrow missile performance, Soviet encounters in the Pacific, and what it was really like operating the Phantom at the edge of the Cold War. And he finishes with one of the most striking stories in this entire interview series. 0:00 Intro Story – Cultural Differences 3:23 Welcome Back, Pinbag 4:24 Follow-on Assignment from Korea – Hahn (Germany) 9:59 TISEO “Qualification” 11:26 AGM-65 – In-Theatre Limitations 12:46 European Theatre – Differences from PACAF & Culture 16:10 B-61 & B-57, SIOP, Hard Crewing 19:52 Certification – Related Stories 27:15 Victor Alert Targeting & “The French View” on West Germany 28:38 Local Traditions & Low Flying 31:00 TISEO in Operation 33:50 To Nellis (Not Moody?!) 38:03 The Place to Be – Red Flag, RDJTF, F-15 Integration & “The Box” 45:58 Radar – Follow-Up 47:30 The Eagles 49:40 Personal Development Journey 54:45 Back to PACAF – Clark (F-4 Fleet, Weapons, Equipment & 3rd TFS History) 1:06:00 PAVE TACK 1:08:10 WESEP / Combat Sage – ORU-1 Radar Upgrade & AIM-7 Developments 1:17:00 Weapons School Experience – Culture Shift, Academics vs Flying, Staying Out of “The Box” 1:28:10 The Aggressor Problem 1:31:00 Fisher vs Glosson – Culture of the Time 1:34:10 Focus on North Korea & Shadowing the Russian Navy 1:38:15 Changes After KAL 007 Shootdown 1:41:58 Post-Weapons School – Taegu as Weapons Officer (PAVE TACK & Range Betting) 1:51:06 ROK Maintenance & Marshall Enforcement – Intro Story 1:55:55 Evolution of the Rear Cockpit 2:09:00 Battle Damage & Oddities 2:11:05 Thank You, Pinbag

Get the full episode: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list Pinbag Shaw | 10 Percent True | EP83 Part 2 In Part Two of our conversation, Thomas “Pinbag” Shaw takes us operational. From Korea to Germany, this is life in a Cold War Phantom squadron — where Victor Alert was real, nuclear strike planning was routine, and NATO air defence timelines were measured in minutes. In this episode we discuss: • What sitting nuclear Victor Alert actually meant • How QRA posture worked in Europe and the Pacific • Intercept geometry against Warsaw Pact aircraft • NATO strike planning and readiness discipline • The psychology of Cold War aircrew culture • Transitioning from Phantom to the Strike Eagle era This is the reality of Tactical Air Command at its most serious — a force built around the assumption that the next launch might not be an exercise. If you enjoy long-form, technical conversations with the people who flew the jets — subscribe and join the conversation. 0:00 Intro teaser – North Korean MiG-21 intercept 3:52 Welcome back, Pinbag 4:28 The Nellis influence 9:28 Leaving MacDill – SERE school 20:28 Korea and PACAF disposition 27:15 36th Fighter Squadron 33:35 Introduction to Korea 38:00 Areas of responsibility, command structure, and settling in 44:20 Training, digesting the vault, and other in-theatre assets and threats 49:10 Equipment – F-4E variants 53:25 Radar presentation, trade-offs, and features (TISEO, Combat Tree, Pave Spike) 1:04:44 Turnover of airframes 1:06:02 Operation Paul Bunyan – the axe-handle murders and redeployment of assets (including GBU-15/AGM-65) for possible engagement with a tree 1:11:35 One year later – the Army’s turn and the lost Chinook 1:15:38 North Korean Air Force and South Korean MiGs (and Beagle) 1:26:12 AN-2s and skunk boats 1:27:30 How a prospective war would have unfolded 1:32:05 North Koreans in Vietnam; Soviets and North Koreans flying with the Egyptians 1:34:24 GCI and bullseye intercepts 1:36:50 Integration, improvement, and the prospective order of battle 1:40:40 Evolution in war planning and the birth of Large Force Employment 1:46:30 Lakenheath leadership influence and differences from PACAF 1:54:40 Battles over the Taiwan Strait and ROKAF checkouts – similarities and rumours 1:57:30 Alert story – possible SA-2 site 2:01:12 Peacetime Aerial Reconnaissance Program (including intro teaser story) and alert scramble

Get the full episode: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/list Pinbag Shaw | 10 Percent True | EP83 Part 1 Thomas “Pinbag” Shaw flew the F-4E Phantom II at a pivotal moment in USAF history. Commissioned during the draft era, he entered Tactical Air Command just as the Air Force was absorbing the hard lessons of Vietnam and rebuilding its fighter culture from the ground up. In this first part of our conversation, Pinbag explains: • Why the J79 smoked — and how crews worked around it • What Red Baron reports actually taught young Phantom crews • How Fighter Lead-In training at Holloman reshaped post-Vietnam tactics • The reality of Sparrow employment before modern radar displays • AIMVAL/ACEVAL and what it revealed about missile combat • Combat Tree, radar geometry, and “hot” vs “cold” scope discipline • Nuclear delivery training in the F-4E • And how a loose ejection seat pin bag became a permanent callsign We also explore the cultural side of 1970s TAC — from Aggressor briefings to the infamous “vulnerability period” at the O-Club — and how the Air Force transitioned from the Vietnam experience into the F-15/F-16 era. This is a deep dive into Phantom air-to-air tactics, radar intercept mechanics, and fighter culture in the years between Vietnam and the Eagle. Part Two will take us operational — Korea, Germany, Victor Alert, and real-world air defence. If you enjoy long-form, technical conversations with the people who flew the jets — subscribe and join the conversation. 0:00 Intro teaser – O-Club tale 2:32 Welcome Pinbag and episode outline 4:25 Matthew’s subscriber question – smoky J79s 8:03 Visual acquisition ranges 8:45 Pinbag’s background and route to the Phantom, including nav school and dreamsheets 23:30 Dual controls question 26:28 Back to Holloman and dreamsheets 35:00 Off to Holloman AFB 38:32 Uniform standards – TAC style 40:45 Mandatory formation – O-Club 43:10 The “Green Door” 45:15 Leaving Holloman 46:17 Osan → Hahn → Nellis → Clark → Taegu → Lakenheath (after staff job) 49:25 Learning from Red Baron reports (classified material?) 51:25 TAC rules, callsigns, naming ceremonies, and the Doofer Book 53:20 “Opinions are like assholes…” 55:00 Fridays at the O-Club – bell rules and intro story 1:01:00 McDill for the F-4 RTU – O-Club and games 1:07:43 F-4 “of the day” – equipment fit, avionics, etc. 1:15:01 Combat Tree 1:21:20 Back to the RTU and a callsign story 1:26:02 Through the training phases 1:29:49 Back to day one 1:36:32 Why the air-to-air preference? 1:44:50 Navy terminology – tough for WSOs 1:48:28 Nuclear strike? 1:50:15 What was going on in TAC 1:58:04 Pave Spike 2:00:20 USAFE realignment, Ready Eagle, and DOC taskings 2:06:30 Sparrow developments