The Airminded Podcast

20/04/2022

Earlier this week I released the Doolittle Raid episode, but last year on this date I told the little known story of the tragedy & later triumph of the 32d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, which was nearly annihilated on this date in 1944. It's a very short one, 22 minutes, if you want to hear about this story.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tragedy-triumph-of-the-32nd-photographic/id1545273136?i=1000517919335

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3kztZPfl7wgYSEKIiS6Gbm

Other platforms via Audioboom: https://audioboom.com/posts/7848333-tragedy-triumph-of-the-32nd-photographic-reconnaissance-squadron

18/04/2022

On the 80th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid I take a deep dive look at perhaps the most famous and audacious air operation in the history of warfare

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-airminded-podcast/id1545273136

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5C48uzImQ1Fc8RU1RNxu8P

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-airminded-podcast

Other Platforms: https://audioboom.com/channels/5039918

05/04/2022

For the next couple of episodes I will be doing short, deep dives on single events. In this episode, I look at the combat loss of the Russian Su-35, why the loss is important, and what it tells us about upcoming Russian air ops

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-airminded-podcast/id1545273136

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5C48uzImQ1Fc8RU1RNxu8P

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-airminded-podcast

Other Platforms via Audioboom: https://audioboom.com/channels/5039918

25/03/2022

In this episode I talked to Dr. Kelly Grieco, an airpower theorist & former instructor at the USAF’s Air Command & Staff College. We discussed the air war’s first month, and what lessons we can and should take from the conflict, as well as her opposition to the imposition of a no-fly zone at this time

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-airminded-podcast/id1545273136

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5C48uzImQ1Fc8RU1RNxu8P

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-airminded-podcast

Other Platforms: https://audioboom.com/channels/5039918

18/03/2022

In this episode, former F-15C, F-16, and F-22 pilot Micah “Zeus” Fesler and I discussed the status of the Ukraine Air War through the first 3 weeks, and answered questions from the airminded listeners, I think you’ll really enjoy the discussion:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-airminded-podcast/id1545273136
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5C48uzImQ1Fc8RU1RNxu8P
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-airminded-podcast
Other Platforms: https://audioboom.com/channels/5039918

27/02/2022

Airminded listeners, its up! I cover the first 3 days of Russia/Ukraine air war, 4 parts:
1. Russian military buildup
2. The Air War so far
3. Answer your questions
4. Myth & reality of the “Ghost of Kyiv”
Really excited to hear what you think

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-airminded-podcast/id1545273136
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5C48uzImQ1Fc8RU1RNxu8P
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-airminded-podcast
Other Platforms: https://audioboom.com/channels/5039918

18/12/2021

Need something to listen to as you do Christmas shopping this weekend? Why not catch up on the last two podcast episodes, the first with 57th Wing Commander, Brig Gen Michael “Johnny Bravo” Drowley talking about Nellis AFB today, and the second with Aggressor alum Lt Col (ret.) Jan “Kuts” Stahl? I really enjoyed both interviews and I think you will too

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-airminded-podcast/id1545273136

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5C48uzImQ1Fc8RU1RNxu8P

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-airminded-podcast

Other Platforms via Audioboom: https://audioboom.com/channels/5039918

16/12/2021

In this episode I talk to Lt Col (ret.) Jan “Kuts” Stahl, a former F-15 and F-16 Aggressor pilot at Nellis, and we cover the history, stories, and missions of the Aggressors. It was a really fun conversation and I think you'll enjoy it...

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-airminded-podcast/id1545273136

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5C48uzImQ1Fc8RU1RNxu8P

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-airminded-podcast

Other Platforms via Audioboom: https://audioboom.com/channels/5039918

12/12/2021

As I prepare to record the next episode, why not catch up by listening to my interview with 57th Wing Commander, Brig Gen Michael “Johnny Bravo” Drowley. General Drowley talks about Nellis today, and how the base contributes to Air Force and joint warfighting.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-airminded-podcast/id1545273136

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5C48uzImQ1Fc8RU1RNxu8P

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-airminded-podcast

Other Platforms: https://audioboom.com/channels/5039918

Listen to The Airminded Podcast on Spotify. The Airminded Podcast is your source for discussion of air power history, theory, people, stories, and culture

02/12/2021

My guest this episode is 57th Wing Commander, Brig Gen Michael “Johnny Bravo” Drowley. General Drowley talks about Nellis today, and how the base contributes to Air Force and joint warfighting.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-airminded-podcast/id1545273136

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5C48uzImQ1Fc8RU1RNxu8P

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-airminded-podcast

Other Platforms: https://audioboom.com/channels/5039918

31/10/2021

18/08/2021

One of the main reasons I started the Airminded Podcast was to cast light on some air power people and stories that many don’t know about. Tonight I finished “Dead Reckoning: The Story of How Johnny Mitchell and His Fighter Pilots Took on Admiral Yamamoto and Avenged Pearl Harbor.” I’ve known the story of Operation Vengeance, a P-38 strike on a bomber carrying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect of the Pearl Harbor plan. Intercepts of the Japanese naval code allowed the U.S. to plan and successfully execute a mission to shoot his aircraft down in April, 1943. What I didn’t know about was the man that built the tactical intercept plan, Johnny Mitchell. Lehr’s book shed light on an airpower legend that I knew nothing about. A triple ace (11 in WWII, 4 MiG-15 kills in Korea) and an amazing combat leader. His story should be more well known, just one of many airminded stories I hope to discuss on the podcast. Highly recommend the book as well.

05/08/2021

Today I’ve been doing some research on the Fighter Weapons School of the 1950s and have been going through old issues of the Fighter Weapons Newsletter, which the school has published since 1951 (now called the USAF Weapons School Weapons Review). The March 1955 issue published then-Major “Boots” Blesse’s “No Guts, No Glory”, the first tactics manual in Air Force history. Here are a few of my favorite lessons from Boots;
- The importance of teamwork
- How to be a good wingman
- In aerial combat, speed is life
- Fratricide is the cardinal sin
- Always be aggressive
- The proper attack
- Guts works…for a while
- When you’re told to break, BREAK!
- Don’t panic

Hope you enjoyed these 65+ year old graphics as much as I did, I'll be covering this and more in a couple of weeks when I go over the early days of Nellis Air Force Base