Behind the Wings

Retired Col. Thomas Kirk shares his story of surviving solitary confinement for two years as a prisoner of war at the “Hanoi Hilton."
In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with Tom, a fighter pilot, squadron commander, and Vietnam War POW. From one of the most intense air-combat battlefields in history to the harrowing story that followed, Kirk explores what it took to persevere through the unthinkable. There is a lot to learn!
🎧 What you’ll hear: 
Inside Hanoi airspace: What it felt like flying through dense SAMs, AAA, and MiGs 
October 28, 1967: Leading a major strike, getting hit, and making the call to finish the mission 
Ejection and capture: The moment everything changed 
Life inside the “Hanoi Hilton”: Torture, isolation, and survival 
Two years alone: How routine, discipline, and mindset kept him going in solitary confinement 
The tap code: Communication, connection, and resilience among POWs 
Leadership under pressure: Commanding pilots in one of the most dangerous theaters of war 
Coming home: The physical and emotional return after 5.5 years 
Perspective: Faith, service, and “every day above ground is a great day.”
Key takeaway: 
Kirk’s story reframes resilience as endurance over years, built on discipline, belief, and connection to others. 
About the guest: 
Col. Thomas H. Kirk Jr. is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and combat veteran of both Korea and Vietnam. He commanded the 357th Fighter Squadron and flew missions over North Vietnam in the Republic F-105 Thunderchief. Shot down on his 67th mission, he spent more than five years as a prisoner of war. He was awarded the Air Force Cross, four Silver Stars, and multiple Distinguished Flying Crosses. After his release, he returned to active duty in leadership roles before retiring and later built a successful business career, continuing to speak on leadership and resilience. 
Learn More: 
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This episode is supported in part by United Airlines.

Season 8 of Behind the Wings podcast is here. Hosted by Rick Crandall, the next 10 episodes deliver first-hand accounts from across the aerospace world, spanning historic combat missions, classified Cold War programs, and pivotal moments in space exploration. This season continues the show’s focus on connecting past, present, and future through the people who lived it.

Release Schedule:
New episodes drop every other Monday, beginning April 20, 2026.

More Info:
Visit Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.
Support Wings' Mission of aerospace education and inspiration.
Special thanks to United Airlines for supporting the podcast and helping bring these stories to life.

Get an inside look at NASA’s Quesst mission and the effort to bring supersonic flight back over land, without the disruptive sonic boom.

For more than 50 years, civil aircraft in the U.S. have been effectively barred from flying supersonic over land, not because of speed, but because of noise. NASA aims to change that paradigm with the X-59, a purpose-built experimental X-plane designed to reshape shockwaves so they reach the ground as a quiet “sonic thump” rather than a window-rattling boom.

We’re joined by Cathy Bahm, Low Boom Flight Demonstrator Project Manager at NASA Armstrong, who leads the design, build, and flight test progression of the X-59, and Lori Ozoroski, Commercial Supersonic Technology Project Manager at NASA, who oversees mission planning, acoustic validation, and community response testing, and how that data is delivered to regulators.

Why it matters: if regulators adopt a noise-based limit, commercial supersonic routes over land could become realistic again, potentially cutting long U.S. flights nearly in half.

Retired Pilot Col. John “Warman” Stewart discusses his Vietnam combat sorties and how the Super Sabre saved his life.

In this episode, we explore the history of the North American F-100, John’s Air Force career, his first supersonic flight, and what it was like operating one of the most important fighters of the Cold War. We also get an in-depth walkaround to understand how the Super Sabre's design features enabled its mission.
From breaking the sound barrier to supporting troops on the ground, this one is going to be cool!

What You'll Hear
The F-100 Super Sabre was the U.S. Air Force’s first supersonic fighter, marking a major leap in speed, capability, and risk during the early Cold War.
Flying the F-100 required constant attention, as early supersonic airplanes left little margin for error and demanded precise energy management.
John’s Air Force career placed him at the forefront of the jet-age transition, pushing the envelope for both pilots and their aircraft.
Combat operations over Vietnam highlighted the F-100’s role in close air support, where speed and firepower directly supported ground troops.
The Super Sabre’s legacy is one of innovation and hard-earned lessons, shaping fighters and tactics that followed for decades.
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Human Factors Engineer Cynthia Hudy shares what it takes to design a spacecraft around the people who fly it.

We explore Cynthia’s role designing the systems inside Orion, from displays and controls to life support, radiation protection, and the everyday realities of living in deep space. We also discuss how astronaut feedback and human-in-the-loop testing are shaping Artemis II, the first crewed Orion mission to carry humans beyond low-Earth orbit since Apollo 17.
From engineering for diverse crews to preparing humans for deep-space autonomy, this one is going to be cool!

What You'll Hear
Artemis II is NASA’s first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17
This 10-day flight around the Moon is the critical proving mission before astronauts return to the lunar surface.
Orion is designed like a “tiny house” in deep space
Every system inside the capsule is engineered so four astronauts can live, work, sleep, eat, exercise, and respond to emergencies in an extremely confined space.
Human factors engineering shapes nearly every design decision
Orion is built around human physical and mental limits, treating the crew as an essential part of the spacecraft system—not an afterthought.
The interior of Orion is where Artemis II differs most from earlier missions
Life support, a functioning bathroom, exercise equipment, food and water systems, and crew-controlled displays are all coming online for the first time.
Astronaut testing directly changed how Orion works
“Human-in-the-loop” trials led to real design changes, from how doors open in microgravity to how astronauts sleep, move, and access critical systems.
Artemis II is the proving ground for future Moon landings and Mars missions
What Orion demonstrates about comfort, safety, autonomy, and crew well-being will shape Artemis III and long-duration human exploration.
Support Wings Over the Rockies' non-profit mission to educate and inspire about aerospace: https://wingsmuseum.org/support/donate/