Military Channel - Great Planes (2009)

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Military Channel - Great Planes (2009)

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Get inside the combat aircraft that survived the most dangerous missions and see why they were the greatest and most influential weapons in our military history. Paul "Max" Moga returns as our expert host to help us examine and highlight the stories behind the most strategic and innovative planes. Watch as he analyzes the remarkable technical features and examines the groundbreaking tactics of advanced aerial combat.

Part 1: A-1 Skyraider
The consummate carrier jet, the Skyraider, was such a success that the Navy used it for three decades. Air Force engineers considered its design the pinnacle of piston-powered aviation.

Part 2: P-40 Warhawk
One of the most rugged fighters ever built, the P-40 was the Army Air Force's front-line fighter at the start of WWII. The P-40 is among the top five aircraft in U.S. history in terms of number of aircraft produced.

Part 3: P-51 Mustang
The P-51 Mustang rose from obscurity to become the greatest long-range fighter in aviation history. Able to out fly even the best of the Axis aircraft, the Mustang decimated its enemies and drove them from the skies over Europe and Japan.

Part 4: B-25 Bomber
The B-25, nicknamed "the sweetheart of the forces," was one of the stars of World War II. Known for its adaptability, this bomber was flown by the Air Force, the Navy and the Marines.

Part 5: F-15 Eagle
The F-15 was developed to be a fighter plane without equal. Born of the need to win in battle against a foe with complete numerical advantage, the F-15 Eagle would need to excel in all areas where its enemy could not.

Part 6: F-16 Falcon
The F-16 Falcon was the economical, single-engine successor to the F-15. It has more in common with planes of World War II, excelling in dogfights, but capable of ground war. Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Israel and Norway all invested in F-16 technology.

Part 7: F-18 Hornet
The F/A-18 is one of the most advanced airplanes in the world. One computer chip compensates for wind, waves and ship movement, allowing the F/A-18 to land without touching a single flight control.

Part 8: PBY Catalina
The lightest sea-based aircraft was the Consolidated PBY Catalina. Its reliability, lifting power and endurance were assets in its mercy missions and successful attacks on German U-boats.

Part 9: SR-71 Blackbird
Breaking records for speed and sustained altitude, the SR-71 spy plane was one of the United States Air Force's best-kept secrets of the 1960s. Its technology and achievements astounded even the experts of the day.

Part 10: F-84 Thunderjet
The F-84 Thunderjet first took to the air in 1946, as the first post-war American fighter. Born in an era of uncertain aircraft design, it nonetheless made a significant contribution to fighter plane efficiency.

Part 11: F-104 Starfighter
The F-104 Starfighter was a mainstay of the U.S. Air Force fighter arsenal for nearly three decades. Its design was innovative and controversial, but influenced all fighters that followed.

Part 12: F-100 Super Sabre
In 1953, supersonic flight came of age when the U.S. Air Force received its fleet of F-100 Super Sabres. After four years of development, the F-100 ushered in a new era, breaking both the subsonic and the supersonic world speed records.

Part 13: UH-1 Huey
One sight and one sound personified the Vietnam War more than any other. The Bell UH-1 Iroquois Helicopter, universally known as the Huey, remains the definitive icon of American involvement in Vietnam.

Part 14: F-4 Phantom
The Phantom II became one of the most respected and remembered aircraft of her time, serving with distinction with the air wings of the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.

Part 15: B-52 Stratofortress
Designed specifically to carry nuclear weapons deep into the heart of the Soviet union, the B-52 heavy bomber has served with distinction for over 55 years.

Part 16: A-7 Corsair II
The airframe of this aircraft had first flown nearly 20 years before. The new prototype the A-7F - was the latest in a series of models developed from one of aviation s great successes, the Vought Corsair.

Part 17: A-26 Invader
The Invader first saw action as a bomber against the Japanese in 1943 but continued to serve in a variety of roles right up until 1969, including bombing in Korea and in secret missions for the CIA.

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Military Channel - Great Planes (2009)

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Military Channel - Great Planes (2009)

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Military Channel - Great Planes (2009)

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