The legends of the world's greatest flying aces, including Von Richtofen, Boelke, Rickenbacker, Nungesser, Bader, Gentile, Godfrey, Bong and Gabreski and the history of the fighter planes they flew.
The strategy behind the air war over Europe: How it developed and how the British and Americans joined forces to finally win the war of attrition in the skies.
The story of the air war over the Pacific Ocean: The early triumph of the Japanese, the use of carrier based planes, the desperat kamikaze attacks and the final strategic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
From the victories of the Nazi paratroopers in the Blitzkrieg to the Allied march across the Rhine into Germany, paratroopers played key roles in major invasions such as D-Day in Normandy, the Allied advance into France, the Battle of the Bulge.
Witness a deadly attack mission waged by three men as they combat the North Vietnamese enemy. The team: The sergeant leading the search-and-destroy mission; the UH-1 helicopter gunship pilot who provides support to soldiers on the ground; the pilot of an F-4 Phantom jet who blasts the jungles with the thundering power of a destructive air strike.
The helicopter, invented by Frenchman Louis Breguet, first played a major role in war during the Vietnam conflict. There, the Americans developed the concept of air mobility, using the helicopter to transport troops from battle to battle, to move cargo, to rescue wounded soldiers and to provide medical - Medevac - support.
Fly four harrowing missions on board the legendary bombers: the B-17 named "Memphis Belle" flying an Allied raid over Germany, the WWII British light attck plane, the "Mosquito", a B-29 bombing raid over Tokyo, and the bombing of North Vietnam by an American B-52.
Witness the spectacular successes and failures of aviation development through the stories of some of the bravest and best test pilots. Learn what it's like to push an aircraft to the limit...and beyond.
British and American pilots take to the dangerous decks of the first carriers - converted battleships - as they invent naval aviation in WW1. From their difficult beginnings to the great British carrier victories at Taranto and over the German battleship Bismarck to the carrier war in the Pacific between the Japanese and the U.S., aircraft carriers have continued to play an important role in war in Korea, Vietnam and the Falklands.
Trace the development of the modern jet fighter from the multi-national, multi-purpose, multi-service F-4 Phantom to today's highly specialized fighters - the F-14 Tomcat, the F-16 Falcon and the Harrier Jump Jet.
From the early parachute units of WWII and Korea to the modern air mobile forces that came into play in Vietnam, Grenada and Panama.
The acknowledged specialists in close air support of ground troops, marine aviators often dropped bombs within yards of beleaguered friendly forces. Follow this elite group of men from their beginnings in Nicaragua to their heroics on board the present day Harriers and the sophisticated F/A - 18 Hornets.
Top-notch training is crucial for today's combat pilots. Fly with the aviators as they use the lessons of yesterday's wars to meet the formidable demands of flying the world's most advanced fighting machines.
Before the battle could be fought in the skies it had to be won on the drawing boards. Meet the visionary designers who created Mustangs, Spitfires, Zeros, and Messerschmidts... and see each plane pushed to its tactical limit.
A black delta-winged form streaks across the heavens at Mach 3 plus. A futuristic projectile roars over an isolated desert... Come along on the super-secret spy missions with the men who designed these fascinating planes.
Follow the super power race to control the last frontier. From the visionaries like Robert Goddard and Wernher Von Braun to the pilots like John Glenn and Yuri Gagarin who braved the unknown.
Told from the perspective of pilots and tacticians, this episode is a compelling look at the most perfectly orchestrated air mission in history. See how the planes are co-ordinated by the international group of British, American, French, Saudi and Kuwaitis.
Join the air war in Vietnam as dedicated pilots perform their dangerous missions. Packed with colour footage, this episode takes you up in sharkmouthed Phantoms, Spads and Thuds, behemoth B-52's and enemy MiGs.
The harrowing story of three bomber crews in one of the most difficult missions of WWII: Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing attack on the oil fields at Plesti, Rumania. Watch the dramatic climax as the "Ploesti Raiders" meet the German defence.
Helicopters proved indispensable in the treacherous jungles and swamplands of Vietnam. This episode features scouts, gunships, heavy transports and air ambulances, and relives riveting combat and rescue manoeuvres.
Profiles of extraordinary pilots and their heroic missions from WWI to the present. This episode includes some of the most flamboyant British, French, German, and American aviators, as well as the unsung flying heroes and heroines from around the world.
The story of tactical air to ground combat from its inception in WWI to the Gulf War. Watch the early manoeuvres of Bristols and DeHavillands from WWI to A-10 Warthogs and the Tornados of Desert Storm.
Witness the exciting story of pioneering experimental aircraft, their visionary designers, the pilots who risked their lives to fly daring test missions, and the sometimes unsuccessful or unexpected results.
Stories of patriotic mercenaries who joined up to fight before their countries went to war. Includes some of the most exciting stories in aviation history: the Lafayette Escadrille, the Flying Tigers, and the Eagle Squadron.
Soviet-designed MiGs battle America's swiftest jets in Korea and Vietnam in this harrowing episode about the technology war between the two superpowers.
What factors make a cadet a pilot... and what does it take for a pilot to become an ace? In aerial exercises like Red Flag and Top Gun see how the combat tactics of today evolved out of the experiences and innovations of the legendary aces of the past.
