Air Combat

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.