10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit

Steve Davies

Interviews and anecdotes from military pilots and aircrew from across the globe. As the rule says, so long as it's 10 percent true, you're allowed to tell the story! Head over to the 10 Percent True YouTube channel to listen and watch at the same time. 

  • 1 hour 33 minutes
    Dave Berke talks F-35B Lightning II

    Dave Berke, the only Marine Corps pilot to fly the F-22 and F-35, discusses 5th generation fighter technology and the F-35B.

    Thanks to Authentic Media (www.authenticmedia.io) for allowing me to post this on my channel.

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    5 April 2024, 6:00 pm
  • 1 hour 33 minutes
    Teaching the Next Generation of Fighter Pilots. Jim Jimenez [Part 3]

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    Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh

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    25 January 2024, 4:00 pm
  • 1 hour 44 minutes
    Air Force Test Pilot - Jim Jimenez

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    Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh

    0:00 Intro and welcome back Jim
    0:55 “Coming down” after the Libya raid
    3:30 Raiders set apart and psychology?
    7:10 Avoiding inflation of ego
    9:20 Test pilot school - ambition/aspiration/evaluation
    15:20 Weapons school not a priority 
    16:55 Evaluation flights and data points 
    20:20 Variations in sample data
    25:10 School 
    28:05 Balance of classroom/flying and type variation and contemporaries 
    39:05 Did it feel safe?
    42:10 Is there a type of person that excels as a test pilot
    44:30 System testing? No thanks, I want to go back
    48:10 Strike Eagle
    55:50 Commercial break
    56:44 Testing on the 111 and AMRAAM
    1:03:50 The B-1 and shooting at it!
    1:10:08 Have Nap AGM-142
    1:11:40 Weapons separation?
    1:15:15 Did weapon testing ease the “pain” of not being on frontline / Desert Storm begins
    1:19:20 Planning for a brand new fighter (F-15E) with new crews and little operational capability
    1:24:40 ACE - airborne command element 
    1:25:50 Back to Elgin and then “somewhere else” with a polygraph required
    1:30:25 En exclusive bar in an undisclosed location
    1:34:42 Will this work ever be declassified? 
    1:36:00 Close calls and reflection? 
    1:41:40 A promise to return and reflect on Air Force Training Command

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    20 January 2024, 5:00 pm
  • 2 hours 22 minutes
    Libya Raider - Flying on El Dorado Canyon. Jim Jimenez [Full]

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    Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh

    0:00 Intro and Jim’s background
    6:18 Turning initial (F-111) disappointment into determination 
    11:44 How she wants to kill you, but WSOs are good!
    16:36 Arriving at Lakenheath and an overview of the F-111F
    29:25 The mission
    33:35 Flying heavy/the end of the world/not all pylons pivot 
    38:14 Genesis of the Libya raid, accumulation of “indicators”
    47:20 Stepping to the jets, time to go
    49:30 The “original” small scale plan, crew selection 
    54:57 An ad break we can all get behind!
    55:50 Planning, involvement of actual participants, deconfliction with the Navy
    1:01:40 CSAR plan?
    1:03:30 Practice of long missions?
    1:05:30 Deception plan
    1:07:50 Planning in more detail
    1:11:32 The step in more detail
    1:13:36 Emotions and managing them throughout this phase?
    1:16:08 Vietnam lessons passed down by vets
    1:18:40 The SAM threat and mitigation? 
    1:21:17 A couple of side stories before “we” drop off the tanker
    1:27:01 Lights off and dropping off the tanker……
    1:41:50 Downtown - approaching the target
    1:45:14 Off target - delousing ship and 662kts!
    1:49:01 First go pill - time to tank
    1:52:22 The BBC keeping the crews company on RTB
    1:54:55 Coasting in/sunrise/ national anthems
    1:57:10 Handing piddle packs to the “welcoming committee”
    1:59:20 Debrief and details
    2:07:38 Any lasting after effects/thoughts?
    2:10:10 Loss of Karma 52
    2:14:25 The influence of the raid on remaining service 
    2:16:20 The “red headed stepchild” lives up to the moment 
    2:18:10 Why the raiders avoided any limelight

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    12 January 2024, 5:00 pm
  • 2 hours 20 minutes
    USMC F/A-18 Hornet Exchange. Tug Wilson, Part 2

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    Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh

    0:00 Intro 
    1:00 On today's menu…..
    2:02 Timeframe for the move to VMFA-134 - swapping brand new Ds for old As and meeting the Reserves
    10:51 Brown Hornets but not Aggressors
    13:30 What sort of BFM competency can a reservist expect to maintain?
    19:00 Sharing space with Topgun?
    20:45 AF weapons instructors looking down on Marines, some tales…..
    28:03 Elmendorf deployment - staying at the crackhouse, Eagle squadron arrogance and redressing the balance
    4525 Lessons learned?
    48:04 Comparing Eagle and Hornet in BVR 
    53:45 Secret squirrel AMRAAM stuff and access to materials
    59:30 Prevalence of numbers over seat of the pants in the reserves? 
    1:03:40 APG-73 (D) vs APG-65 (A) practical differences?
    1:10:20 AMRAAM multiple launch? 
    1:14:55 Sorting “the sort” and not wasting shots
    1:19:02 More on cheating (yes you were taping the bit before about bending fins on bombs) 
    1:23:10 Does experience give you the ability to make the numbers without studying them and F3 strafe story. 
    1:29:22 Dropping bombs 
    1:38:28 A cautionary tale among the “fun”
    1:42:54 Mortality coming more into the frame? 
    1:46:30 What threat was training (in the marines) focussed on?
    1:50:20 Key West Det
    1:54:20 Any learning from missile shots?
    1:57:30 Nellis/Vegas burnout
    1:59:20 Tax on family life/finding balance
    2:10:00 Closing thoughts, keeping in contact, reunions and a possible return

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    23 December 2023, 3:00 pm
  • 2 hours 7 minutes
    USMC F/A-18 Hornet Exchange. Tug Wilson, Part 1

    Pre-Order Red Eagles: America's Secret MiGs here: https://www.10percenttrue.com/product-page/red-eagles-america-s-secret-migs-3rd-ed-pre-order

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    Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh

    Tug's F-4 Episodes 👇🏼

    https://youtu.be/CWJd8AVS-Dk?si=OAQtR_hGJNFGP8D9

    https://youtu.be/JuZV_cWQNOk?si=4v1FTDGkCRl2-23D )

    0:00 Welcome back, Tug
    1:25 Life beyond the Phantom & hoping for an exchange tour
    5:28 What the FAC? /pre-tour apprehensions 
    10:48 Purpose of exchange given Tug’s background 
    15:25 initial impressions of Hornet and overview 
    20:35 Phantom or Hornet?
    21:55 getting the most out of the Hornet? (Jesus that was a long question!!)
    27:48 AoA…….
    29:40 airflow disruptions to engines at high alpha? (Don’t be such a nerd!)
    33:40 avionics and ergonomics 
    41:50 crew coordination 
    47:08 cultural differences and calling out less able WSOs
    50:25 building experience in MC aviation 
    53:20 “working up” to night bombing including a strafing sortie
    1:00:20 can you get comfortable with night bombing and live drops. 
    1:05:15 AIM-9 shots and Marine Corps can do attitude
    1:06:18 FAC-A
    1:13:45 banter?
    1:16:38 the best dogfighter? Hornet vs friendly contemporaries (EM Nerds look away)
    1:30:30 connection to the aircraft
    1:33:05 the numbers game, flying as prescribed?
    1:36:10 leaving the envelope
    1:43:55 any repercussions?
    1:46:20 carefree handling vs not abusing it 
    1:51:30 emotional steady state in fighter pilot life?
    1:55:20 a story to finish “best weekend in an airplane”
    2:05:05 outro and preview

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    16 December 2023, 5:00 pm
  • 1 hour 45 minutes
    Flying the CF-18 Hornet in Combat. "Bones" Ledsham (Part 3)

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    Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh

    0:00 Welcome back, leaving Coningsby and the F3….
    4:05 North Bay jobs
    10:26 Bagotville and back to the Hornet
    13:10 NATO TACEVAL
    23:10 Staging to Italy for Kosovo
    25:00 Planning and executing the first strike & lessons learned 
    35:05 Subsequent mission
    36:50 Rotating out and getting replacements up to speed
    42:00 B-1 story
    46:00 Target timeline and process 
    51:05 IR MAV
    52:20 ATO issues/frustrations
    59:00 back to the B-1 guys
    1:02:30 ground mapping radar
    1:03:10 Serbian threat
    1:10:38 Reflection on contribution 
    1:12:30 Near misses
    1:19:15 Losing friends 
    1:21:42 Another mishap story
    1:26:15 Guns on the “tennis court” - fighting Eagles
    1:33:40 Radar sort considerations
    1:36:05 NCTR
    1:36:52 FWIC
    1:42:10 Wrapping up

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    9 December 2023, 5:00 pm
  • 1 hour 51 minutes
    Flying the Tornado F3. "Bones" Ledsham (Part 2)

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    Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh

    0:00 Intro and a quick sidebar on medals
    2:45 Plan for today
    3:35 Exchange with RAF on the Tornado F3 - how it came about/cultural differences 
    11:45 F3 radar limitations/NAV quirks/witches tit
    14:30 OCU
    16:49 To 29 Squadron “Tripplex”
    19:48 Akrotiri 
    26:00 The value of exchange tour? Transfer of ideas/knowledge?
    27:45 Skyflash limitations and F3 ergonomics 
    31:40 F3 vs F-18 handling characteristics 
    36:30 Another Cyprus story(s)
    39:55 Training to engage at range but with limitations 
    42:26 DACT vs Mirage 2000
    44:25 Further discussion of limitations and advantages of the F3 
    49:15 Eielson and Cope Thunder
    58:00 Playing with Dutch Vipers 
    1:00:50 Bone escort
    1:02:00 Parties
    1:06:25 Back to tactical flying and a stint in the Falklands
    1:20:20 What was the expectation in terms of potential action in the Falklands
    1:22:00 A Canadian's view of the type of flying in the Islands
    1:27:40 Low level
    1:33:13 BFM vs a Navy destroyer 
    1:35:40 Bosnia
    1:40:15 “Most interesting” Bosnia story
    1:45:00 Combat trepidation/validation?
    1:47:30 Trying to “see” helicopters with the radar 

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    4 December 2023, 4:00 pm
  • 1 hour 46 minutes
    Flying the CF-5 and CF-18 Hornet. "Bones" Ledsham (Part 1)

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    Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh

    0:00 intro & tea
    2:00 “To shave or not to shave”, that is the question - intro & origins
    11:13 Starting with the F-5, married or in a car crash…..
    14:48 You don’t die tensed up! 
    15:00 Map tricks
    16:40 Looking for fast jets with an eye on the Hornet - turns out there ARE points for second place! 
    19:10 F-5 a good lead-in to F-18
    21:20 Attrition in training and doubts?
    24:05 Fighting the F-4S
    25:55 KA-3 with chicks in tow picture (lot of strange sound clipping in this section) 
    29:00 F-5 and CAS (periodic sound interference continues)
    33:40 A tangent 
    34:10 What was the training scenario?
    38:35 Expectations 
    40:45 Maps, navigation and low level
    44:45 Spatial disorientation, camo considerations, yellow Jags
    51:30 Survival and the bear (not TU-95)
    55:20 Close calls/coping mechanisms/cautionary tales 
    1:01:30 Air to air F-5………to…..Hornet
    1:08:25 A single pilot with much more to do….HOTAS
    1:12:58 The talent pool/competition 
    1:20:18 Air Canada vs 9/11 
    1:23:45 Beating a Hornet with an Alpha Jet
    1:27:35 DACT vs others (14/15/16)
    1:30:55 Flying an aircraft (like the Hornet) with carefree handling characteristics 
    1:34:00 G…
    1:36:30 Institutional shift/challenges therein/carrier landings

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    25 November 2023, 5:00 pm
  • 2 hours 17 minutes
    F-15 Eagle Driver, "Disco" Dildy (Part 5)

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    Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh

    0:00 Intro, an insincere apology and a sincere thank you
    7:50 On today’s menu
    8:10 2vs2 acquisition to prosecution including sorting and sanitising 
    21:04 Maintaining position while manoeuvring 
    26:45 Overmatch considerations and some trig homework
    32:20 Peer adversary
    41:30 The short strokes (inside 10 miles)
    47:38 Beaming the APG-63?
    55:20 Into the merge, switching and responsibilities 
    1:06:43 Camo variations 
    1:13:25 RCS/LO considerations “dance with who you brung”
    1:17:55 4 vs 4 - the wall
    1:43:42 Etiquette of switching (Sly cuts off Kluso)
    1:46:45 Does training ever reflect or simulate the “fog of war” or the unforeseen “things that just happen”?
    1:48:55 Tactics, their complexity or otherwise. Striking a balance. 
    1:56:35 Sensor fusion and night ops
    2:03:18 Fallout from the ‘94 Blackhawk Shootdown
    2:15:40 Episode 6 is coming & a parting shot.

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    12 November 2023, 5:00 pm
  • 2 hours 24 minutes
    F-15 Eagle Driver, "Disco" Dildy (Part 4)

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    Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh

    0:00 intro
    1:16 Bodo - why F-15s were there
    6:20 intercepting Bear/Badger/Coot without a radar lock and why
    12:05 interesting intercepts 
    15:55 Naval Badgers a different challenge 
    16:44 “KGB Coot”
    18:00 Velocity Search vs TWS?
    20:10 SIGINT 
    25:25 levels of “co-operation” of the intercepted 
    31:25 no IRST, no loss?
    38:00 continued but a hostile witness!
    45:35 HOBS and associated tactics 
    54:40 MATRA story
    1:01:10 “Eagle Eye”
    1:10:15 defensive shortcomings
    1:15:20 Light Grey Aloofness/Ego-jet/Stratification of the community 
    1:35:05 AMRAAM the great equaliser
    1:38:30 to share the secrets of employment or not?
    1:45:15 Jekyll & Hyde?
    1:48:10 loose ends and YT comments questions including VMAX, can you trust the books? 
    2:04:00 callsign story

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    30 October 2023, 2:00 pm
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