Fighter Pilot Podcast
by Tucker "Cinco" Hamilton, Retired U.S. Air Force Fighter Test Pilot
Latest episode
FPP231 - Daylight Raids Over Europe
FPP231 - Daylight Raids Over Europe
About this podcast
The Fighter Pilot Podcast explores the fascinating world of air combat: the aircraft, the weapons systems, the emerging technologies, and most importantly—the people.
Most episodes feature a guest who helps explain military aviation topics such from Vietnam shoot down stories to how AI is changing air combat.
If you love the roar of a high-speed flyby or are enamored by the poise and confidence of the brave men and women who fly, fix, and fight these amazing aircraft, then this show is for you!
Episodes
The newest 50 of 354 episodes
- FPP231 - Daylight Raids Over Europe · 59 minT.J. Jones joins Cinco to share how he tracked down ten of the last surviving B-17 airmen of the Mighty Eighth Air Force for his documentary, 10 Good Men. The film pairs their…
- FPP230 - Ploesti and the Power of Tidal Wave · 1 h 18 minAdam Makos, the New York Times bestselling author of A Higher Call, Spearhead, and Devotion, joins the podcast to talk about his new book, Tidal Wave. They start with the…
- FPP229 - The Red Eagles · 1 h 48 minThis week, Tucker sits down with Rob "Z-Man" Zettel to talk about flying Soviet MiG-21s and MiG-23s as part of the highly classified Red Eagles under Constant Peg. The program…
- FPP228 - Returning to the SR-71 · 1 h 17 minOn October 10, 1997, Bert Garrison piloted the last SR-71 Blackbird flight for the United States Air Force. In this conversation with him, he recounts his time flying one of the…
- FPP227 - Dogfighting Goes Digital · 1 h 3 minTucker talks with retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel and TOPGUN graduate, Tim "Monk" Miller. He's the founder and CEO of the Strike Fighter League, the world's first…
- FPP226 - A Lifetime in Combat Aviation · 1 h 0 minToday, CAPT Jack Ashmore talks through a remarkable combat career spanning Korea and Vietnam, flying the AD Skyraider, A-4 Skyhawk, F-4 Phantom, and A-7 Corsair II. He shares…
- FPP225 - In the Skies Over Iraq · 1 h 24 minRear Admiral Doug "Woody" Beal came on the show having spent 35 years in Navy strike fighters, 13 on active duty and 22 in the reserves. Flying Intruders and Hornets from Whidbey…
- FPP224 - The Software Problem · 50 minHave you ever thought about how you update your F-22? Probably not, but someone has to. Rob Slaughter, former Air Force officer and co-founder of Defense Unicorns, joins the…
- FPP223 - The Human Factor · 1 h 2 minIf only we treated the human being in the cockpit with the same care and lifecycle management we give the aircraft... In this episode, I sit down with Commander Kevin Bernstein…
- FPP222 - Afghanistan: America's Longest War · 51 minOn October 7, 2001, a US Air Force B-2 Spirit crossed into Afghan airspace as part of the opening campaign of Operation Enduring Freedom. Nearly twenty years later, a C-17…
- FPP221 - The Israeli Ace with 12 MiG Kills · 51 minBrigadier General (Ret.) Israel Baharav is one of Israel's most accomplished fighter pilots, credited with twelve MiG-21 kills during his distinguished career in the Israeli Air…
- FPP220 - Launching Satellites from F-104s · 48 minIn this episode, I sit down with Tim Franta, CEO of Starfighters Space, to discuss the company's mission to transform access to space using high-performance aircraft. We explore…
- FPP219 - From Wimbledon to Mach 1.58: Louis Skupien’s Wild Ride into Telling Aviation’s Story · 54 minHe was a national champion tennis player headed for Wimbledon, then COVID and injury ended that dream overnight. Two years later, Louis Skupien was strapped into a jet suit…
- FPP218 - The Humans Behind Autonomous Air Combat · 55 minFormer US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot turned Autonodyne CEO Steve Jacobson discusses one of the most important and least understood aspects of future air combat: the…
- FPP217 - Shot Down, Not Out: Col. Richard "Dog" Brenneman on Service and Survival · 1 h 36 minUS Air Force Colonel Richard "Dog" Brenneman describes his incredible story of courage and determination. Shot down over North Vietnam on his 26th combat mission while flying…
- FPP216 - 300 Vietnam Missions in the F-4: Combat and the Making of a Leader · 1 h 6 min · Episode 216Ron "Toes" Cooper grew up silent, insecure, and certain he'd never amount to much. Then four men believed in him — and everything changed. Toes went on to fly the F-4 Phantom in…
- FPP215 - U-2s on Aircraft Carriers: A Cold War Gamble · 50 minDuring the Cold War, the Lockheed U-2 gave the United States the ability to peer deep inside denied territory from altitudes once thought unreachable. But after the Francis Gary…
- FPP214 - Fighting Falcons: VMF-221 and the Soul of Marine Aviation · 1 h 7 minFrom Buffalos at Midway to Corsairs off the deck of Bunker Hill, the Marines of VMF-221 fought, bled, and adapted their way through the Pacific War — and their story reveals far…
- FPP213 - Top Gun, Tomcats, and AI Wingmen: "Yank" Cummings on Tomorrow’s War · 1 h 22 minJJ “Yank” Cummings returns to the Fighter Pilot Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on F-14 Tomcats, carrier aviation, Top Gun: Maverick, and the rapidly approaching age of…
- FPP212 - Four Stars, One Secretary, Zero Ego - Gen. Goldfein & Sec. Wilson on Servant Leadership · 59 min · Episode 212What does it take to lead when the mission is hard, the stakes are life-and-death, and nobody is watching? In this extraordinary episode, Tucker Hamilton sits down with two of…
- FPP211 - The Last Harrier: Inside the Final AV-8B Squadron · 1 h 17 min · Episode 211The AV-8B Harrier is one of the most demanding, iconic, and battle-proven aircraft in military aviation history. Now, as the Harrier era draws to a close, one squadron remains to…
- Artemis II: Back to the Moon! (Rebroadcast) · 51 minWith the successful launch of Artemis II and NASA's return to the moon six decades later, we thought this a good time to dust off episode 189 from April 2024 featuring Reid…
- What Happens After Talent Runs Out: Unlocking the Last 20% · 47 minAt some point, talent is no longer enough. The same is true for preparation, intelligence, and ambition. What remains is the final margin—that last 20% where discipline…
- FPP210 - 600knots Through Chicago: From F-22 Raptor to Reinvention · 1 h 14 min · Episode 210What does it take to command the F-22 Raptor at the edge of the envelope — and then pull the power to idle in a vertical tailslide over 100,000 people? — and then reinvent…
- FPP209 - When (and Where) 5th Gen Simulation Meets Reality · 1 h 9 min · Episode 209As software has become the center of gravity for 5th generation fighters, simulation has become increasingly foundational to testing and fielding those aircraft. On this…
- FPP208 - The Making of an Astronaut: From Fighter Test to the Edge of Space · 60 min · Episode 208What does it take to go from strapping into fighters to leaving Earth's atmosphere? This week, Jameel “Chocolate” Janjua — Virgin Galactic astronaut and former U.S. and Canadian…
- FPP207 - Flying with the Algorithm: AI, Trust, and the F-35 · 1 h 23 min · Episode 207What happens when artificial intelligence starts sharing cockpit responsibilities? On this episode, US Air Force Lt Col Raven “Rost” LeClair—F-35 Lightning II test pilot…
- FPP206 - Delivering the Future: Aviation Acquisition · 1 h 16 min · Episode 206The future of airpower is not decided in the cockpit—it’s decided by the acquisition process. In this episode, U.S. Air Force Colonel Tim “Ivy” Spaulding joins new FPP host…
- The Fighter Pilot Podcast · 3 minWelcome to the Fighter Pilot Podcast! This trailer describes who this show is from, who it's for, and what it's all about. Be sure to check out our website and for exclusive…
- End of Year Recap - 2025 · 54 minA look back at 2025 and introduction to 2026's new FPP host in this end-of-year wrap up episode. Support this podcast at — https://www.patreon.com/cw/ftrpltpdcst Learn more…
- NORAD Santa Tracker (Rebroadcast) · 9 minNear the end of each year, we feature the hard working men and women of NORAD who tirelessly monitor threats all year long and then, on December 24th, add the mission of tracking…
- Scaled Composites: Flying the Impossible · 2 h 0 minFew companies in aviation history can claim an average of one new aircraft flown every year for four decades. Enter Scaled Composites. Founded in 1982 by legendary designer Burt…
- Warbirds, the Whale, and a Life Well Lived · 42 minWe’re opening the vault for another Happy Hour—this one from 2021 with retired U.S. Navy Captain Matthew “Tom” Maxwell. Tom flew numerous World War II– and Korean War–era…
- Honoring a Giant: The Life and Legacy of LtGen Richard Carey · 47 minWe close out our month-long tribute to the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday with a special replay of a 2021 Happy Hour conversation featuring Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey…
- FPP205 - "Whiskey" at War | Combat Realities in the CH-53E · 1 h 14 min · Episode 205Our monthlong celebration of the US Marine Corps' 250th birthday continues this week with retired Lieutenant Colonel Isaac "Whiskey" Lee who spent a 20-year career flying CH-53E…
- Veterans Day Guest Mashup (Rebroadcast) · 43 minThis Veterans Day, we are rebroadcasting a walk down memory lane first shared in 2024 featuring guests from past Fighter Pilot Podcast episodes. Support this podcast at —…
- Snakes in the Sand: Marine Cobra Pilot Recalls Desert Storm · 1 h 11 minTo mark the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th birthday on November 10, 2025, we are repurposing a 2023 Patreon Happy Hour featuring Doug Griffith who flew AH-1 Cobras during Operation…
- FPP204 - The Adventures of a Vietnam War Crusader Pilot · 1 h 23 min · Episode 204November 10, 2025 marks the U.S. Marines' 250th birthday and to celebrate, we are dedicating the entire month to the Corps, beginning with this discussion featuring Jim "Bullet"…
- The Air Boss, 2025 · 56 minThe U.S. Navy has one of the largest air forces in the world comprised of a wide variety of aircraft from helicopters to strike fighters to patrol planes. While squadrons, air…
- Feel the Need... · 12 minThis week, we pause our monthlong celebration of the U.S. Navy's 250th birthday to check in with FPP friend, Dave "Chip" Berke. Fighter pilot extraordinaire, battle-proven…
- Submarines for Dummies... er, Aviators · 1 h 6 minTorpedoes vs missiles, tomahawks vs smart bombs, fluid mechanics, missions ranging from direct combat to attack to surveillance... turns out, submarines and military aviation…
- From Vietnam to F/A-18s with "Bear" · 48 minOctober 2025 marks 250 years of the U.S. Navy and we begin our monthlong celebration with retired Rear Admiral Jeremy "Bear" Taylor, who considers himself the luckiest man alive…
- The CH-47 Chinook with "Jellers" · 1 h 41 minSome aircraft have specialized roles most applicable to certain types of warfare—and thus only appear in certain conflicts around the globe. And then there are the workhorses…
- "Fangs" Talks Flight Test · 59 minColonel James "Fangs" Valpiani knows a thing or two about flight test because he's seen a thing or two: first an Air Force Academy graduate, then a combat-tested F-15E Strike…
- FPP203 - The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds · 2 h 1 min · Episode 203Per their website, the "Thunderbirds perform for people all around the world to display the pride, precision and professionalism the U.S. Air Force represents." Awesome, but what…
- After the Merge · 31 minA 2008 mid-air collision between an F/A-18 Hornet and F-5F Tiger II near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada left one pilot dead, two aircraft destroyed, and dozens of squadron…
- The Merge-6: The Family of the Lost · 38 minA 2008 mid-air collision between an F/A-18 Hornet and F-5F Tiger II near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada left one pilot dead, two aircraft destroyed, and dozens of squadron…
- The Merge-5: From other Perspectives · 48 minA 2008 mid-air collision between an F/A-18 Hornet and F-5F Tiger II near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada left one pilot dead, two aircraft destroyed, and dozens of squadron…
- The Merge-4: Flight Lead and Wingman · 35 minA 2008 mid-air collision between an F/A-18 Hornet and F-5F Tiger II near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada left one pilot dead, two aircraft destroyed, and dozens of squadron…
- The Merge-3: Impact · 52 minA 2008 mid-air collision between an F/A-18 Hornet and F-5F Tiger II near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada left one pilot dead, two aircraft destroyed, and dozens of squadron…
