RTB - the podcast for aviation geeks made by aviation geeks

Fernando Barbella

Incredible and fascinating stories from military aviation.

Episodes

  1. The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk: a story of simplicity and effectiveness

    03/25/2025

    The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk: a story of simplicity and effectiveness

    With numerous variations of the aircraft, there’s an A-4 Skyhawk to suit everyone’s needs. It’s versatility, speed, and maneuverability made it a popular aircraft at a very reasonable price across the globe.

    5 min
  2. Flying and fighting in the Tornados based in West Germany

    03/25/2025

    Flying and fighting in the Tornados based in West Germany

    Back in the 80s, in the event of war, RAF Tornados based in West Germany would have had to penetrate the formidable air defence system of the Warsaw Pact. Their pilots were among the best in the world.

    6 min
  3. That epic SR-71 Blackbird speed check story

    03/25/2025

    That epic SR-71 Blackbird speed check story

    There were a lot of things the pilots couldn't do in an SR-71, but they were the fastest guys on the block, and they really loved reminding their fellow aviators of this fact...

    5 min
  4. The man who attacked the British Fleet alone, in a training jet

    03/07/2025

    The man who attacked the British Fleet alone, in a training jet

    As the British forces were landing on the Falkland Islands, Argentine Navy Lieutenant Owen Crippa was ordered to carry out a reconnaissance flight over the San Carlos Strait, but then...

    6 min
  5. The unexpected story of how the stealth F-35 fighter was born

    03/05/2025

    The unexpected story of how the stealth F-35 fighter was born

    In 1991, Lockheed acquired three Yak-141s and valuable test data from the Russian company for around $400 million. In 1996, the Pentagon awarded Boeing and Lockheed each $750 million to produce two prototypes for the Joint Strike Fighter program, which were test-flown five years later.

    6 min
  6. NF-104, the Starfighter used to train astronauts

    03/05/2025

    NF-104, the Starfighter used to train astronauts

    The idea to modify several F-104As to serve as “manned spacecraft transition trainers” is credited to astronaut Frank Borman who was both a student and an instructor at Edwards Air Force Base, California, home of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School.

    5 min
  7. The A-10 Warthog that landed with no canopy and the gear up

    03/05/2025

    The A-10 Warthog that landed with no canopy and the gear up

    Capt. Brett DeVries, who was flying his A-10 Thunderbolt II, landed on the runway with his aircraft whose canopy had blown off the aircraft 25 minutes before, with no main radio, and with the landing gear that would not come down...

    6 min
  8. The pilot who stole a secret Soviet fighter jet

    03/05/2025

    The pilot who stole a secret Soviet fighter jet

    In September 1976, an aircraft appeared out of the clouds near the Japanese city of Hakodate, on the northern island of Hokkaido... It was a MiG-25, and no one in the West had ever seen one before.

    5 min
  9. F-16XL, the insane fighter the US Air Force said no to

    03/05/2025

    F-16XL, the insane fighter the US Air Force said no to

    In March 1981, the US Air Force announced that it was looking to develop a new advanced tactical fighter to replace the F-111 Aardvark, and General Dynamics entered the F-16XL in the competition...

    5 min
  10. The first westerner pilot to fly the MiG-29 Fulcrum

    03/05/2025

    The first westerner pilot to fly the MiG-29 Fulcrum

    Back in 1989, at the Abbotsford International Airshow, Canadian Air Force Major Bob Wade got his hands on a MiG-29 Fulcrum, only months before the fall of the Iron Curtain...

    5 min
  11. Dogfighting in the F-14 against America’s secret MiG squadron

    03/04/2025

    Dogfighting in the F-14 against America’s secret MiG squadron

    Back in the '80s, the USAF created a special unit to expose the tactical air forces to the flight characteristics of fighter aircraft used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

    3 min
  12. That time an Israeli F-15 landed without a wing

    03/04/2025

    That time an Israeli F-15 landed without a wing

    The recommended airspeed for landing an F-15 was around 150 mph. Back in 1983, this pilot brought it down to around 300 mph, and with only one wing!

    6 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

Incredible and fascinating stories from military aviation.

Information