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