Air Warriors

Get an inside look at the USAF's go-to fighter jet, the F-15 Eagle, and discover the secrets of its unprecedented success.

Hop aboard the AH-64 Apache, one of the most heavily fortified and well-armed helicopters ever built.

Follow the journey of the U.S. Marine's V-22 Osprey, from early failures to war and humanitarian mission triumphs.

The A-10 Thunderbolt II was made for durability and power. With seeming indestructibility, it can eliminate armored vehicles, tanks, and even buildings with remarkable accuracy, all the while protecting American troops on the ground. Over the decades, it has repeatedly proved its worth, not only on the battlefield but in the eyes of its toughest critic: the U.S. Air Force. Discover the story of the ugly duckling affectionately named "Warthog," and see how this clunky but robust fighter continually out-flies and out-guns its competitors.

Tomorrow's wars will be won and lost using electronic warfare aircraft, and the U.S. is counting on two warplanes to win them.

For decades, the Black Hawk has played a role in nearly every American conflict and is used all over the globe. But how did the UH-60 become the Army's go-to bird? This is the inside story of how the military workhorse got off the ground and became a multi-mission lifesaver. See how its pilots and engineers learned from setbacks and tragedies and expanded Black Hawk's capabilities to improve getting soldiers into and out of the heat of the battle.

Take flight on the plane that revolutionized the U.S. Air Force's transport program: the C-17.

Drones have evolved to fly higher, longer, and more covertly than any manned airplane ever has.

It looks like a lumbering giant but the CH-47 Chinook is fast, agile, and has been the Army's go-to chopper for decades.

It's fast, it's acrobatic, and it's built to get in your face before you even know it's there. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the lightest fighter in the Air Force inventory, and ushered in a new breed of dogfighter. Witness its origins during the Vietnam War, as the U.S. military raced to create a fighter that could hold its own against the Russian's MiG. Then see how it evolved over the decades, adapted in order to stay relevant, and continued to soar to become the undisputed king of the multirole fighters.

The B-52 Stratofortress is affectionately known as the B.U.F.F., or Big, Ugly, Fat Fellow. Whatever you call it, the B-52 is one imposing beast of a bomber, stretching 159 feet, capable of flying nearly 9,000 miles in a single trip, and able to carry up to 70,000 pounds of weapons at a time. Join us as we crown the Air Force's longest serving heavyweight champ, a global reach aircraft that has, for more than a half a century, led the way in every major U.S. bombing campaign, from Korea to Vietnam to Iraq and beyond.

With its long-distance range and highflying dogfighting abilities, the P-51 Mustang was designed to dominate the skies and help end World War II. And it did. Take flight on an aircraft that symbolized the power and romance of the fighter, a plane that continues to stun and amaze today. We track the history of this nimble, robust Air Warrior, from its international origins to the challenges it overcame in the battle for air superiority over Europe, captured through compelling firsthand testimony and rarely seen combat footage.

It's sleek, powerful, fast, and innovative, with the grace of a chopper and the knockout punch of a fighter jet. The Harrier is the world's most famous short takeoff/vertical landing jet and the Marines' go-to aircraft for close-air support. But despite all of its amazing capabilities, the Harrier has sparked controversy over the years and has been forced to prove itself time and time again. Discover its remarkable story, as told by the men and women who maintain, fly, and fight with this icon of aviation.

Quite simply, the KC-135 Stratotanker is the backbone of American air power. This aerial refueler has allowed America's military aircraft to reach across the globe for the past 60 years, carrying up to 200,000 pounds of fuel with a transfer rate of 1,000 gallons per minute. Join us as we celebrate an aircraft that's always on call, always ready to adapt to unexpected situations, and always carrying enough fuel to feed thirsty U.S. fighter jets and keep them flying around the clock.

Over the last half century, the U-2 Dragon Lady has become one of the most reliable aerial reconnaissance platforms in the sky today. But its history has been turbulent, marked by Cold War scandals that sent relations with the Soviet Union into a nosedive. This spy plane was so secret, it was commissioned not by the Air Force, but by the CIA. See how this plane and its pilots have been pushed to the limit in order to stay off of enemy radar and save the lives of soldiers around the world.

Take the versatile design of the storied C-130 Hercules transport model, add a lethal number of miniguns, cannons and howitzers, and you get one of the most fabled and feared assets in the USAF inventory – the AC-130 flying gunship. This plane does not drop bombs or break speed records. Flying night or day, loitering at low altitude, it fires shells you’d expect to find on a tank or a battleship. In this episode of AIR WARRIORS, we’re profiling one of the deadliest combat weapons on the planet, the indomitable AC-130.

It is the aircraft that secured victory for the Allies during World War II. It is a custom-built fighter plane, designed during wartime to go head-to-head with the Japanese A6M Zero. And it’s the weapon the U.S. Navy used to win control in the Pacific and ultimately, the war itself. Meet the F6F Hellcat—the fighter plane that turned the tide for the Allies.

The McDonnell F-4 Phantom II – otherwise known as the Bent Wing Wonder, Old Smokey, Rhino, Elephant, Double Ugly, and other nicknames not fit for print – is arguably one of the finest combat fighters of the 20th Century. It was produced in larger numbers than any other Western fighter of the time, and served with the U.S. Air Force, the Navy, and Marine Corps, and with 11 other nations around the world. In this episode of AIR WARRIORS, we profile one of the most effective combat jets in US combat: the Phantom II.

Witness some of the most spectacular battles in the air, from World War II to Vietnam to Desert Storm. We celebrate both the remarkable aircraft involved, including the F-15 Eagle, the F-4 Phantom, the F6F Hellcat, and the P-38 Lightning, and give firsthand accounts from some of the bold fighter pilots who looked death in the face and won.

Meet America's top choppers--the Apache, Black Hawk, Chinook, and Osprey--and see what makes each so unique.

Discover the stories of gunship triumphs in Iraq and Afghanistan, told by the brave pilots who flew the missions.

Discover how the F-86 Sabre went from an untested, new aircraft to the deadliest fighter of its time.

Follow the B-29's short but impactful career, from ending the war in Japan to bombing airfields during the Korean War.

See how the British underdog fighter Hawker Hurricane helped stop the tide of the Axis in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Inside stories of the most iconic military aircraft from WWII.

Inside stories of the most iconic military aircraft from the Cold War.

Inside stories of the most iconic military aircraft of the 21st century.

Learn how the British bomber Lancaster brought distinct power and strength against Nazi Germany and was pivotal to the Allied victory in World War II.

Dive deep into the evolution and operational history of the Cold War-era Panavia Tornado bomber, developed collaboratively by Italy, the U.K., and West Germany.

Learn the history of the F-111 bomber jet, a Vietnam-era flop that turned that turned into an essential piece of U.S. military hardware in Libya and the Gulf War.

The F-14 Tomcat fighter jet hit the big screen in 1986's "Top Gun" and flew in major military conflicts like the Gulf of Sidra incident, Cold War confrontations and the Iran-Iraq War.

The stealthy PBY Catalina, an amphibious combat aircraft designed to patrol the seas and skies, has been an asset to military operations and harrowing rescue missions for nearly a century.

In World War II, the Women Air Force Service Pilots organization transported B-17 Flying Fortresses, which went to deliver food to the German occupied Netherlands in Operation Chowhound.