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Originally designed as a civilian passenger airliner, the C-47 becomes a durable military workhorse, delivering paratroopers behind enemy lines on D-Day, rescuing injured soldiers and more.

The inside story of Britain's flagship super jet of the Cold War era, the Hawker Hunter, and its most thrilling flights during the late 20th century.

Despite its early reputation for being unsafe, engineers evolved the F-100 Super Sabre into a supersonic powerhouse and the USAF's go-to fighter-bomber that carried out daily attack missions throughout the Vietnam 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.

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

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

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

It is supposed to be the jet for the 21st century—a combination of super-cruise, supermanueverability, sensor fusion and stealth all in one package. Through a combination of delays, cost-overruns, wide dispersement of manufacturers and a changing combat landscape, it never really took off….both literally and metaphorically. While many stood by its creation for years, it finally fell victim to its own hype. This episode of AIR WARRIORS profiles the F-22 Raptor, the history of stealth fighters and where fighter jets are heading next.

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

The OV-10 Bronco is the Swiss Army Knife of military aviation, faster than a helicopter, more maneuverable than a jet, and able to provide optimal support for troops on the ground in the most difficult of environments. Follow the journey of this light attack aircraft, from its humble origins five decades ago in the garage of two Marines to its heroic missions in Vietnam. Then see how a disastrous role in Desert Storm nearly grounded the warbird for good until it got a shot at redemption two decades later against ISIS.

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.

Learn how the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter jet played a pivotal role in carrying the Allies to victory in World War II and the Pacific War.

Experts discuss the history of the AH-1 Cobra, an agile attack helicopter designed for combat in the Vietnam War and later used for dangerous ground support missions in the Iraq War.

It was one of the most unique and deadly warplanes of World War II, with devastating agility and unmatched speeds of over 400 mph. But before the P-38 Lightning seized control of the air from the Japanese and the Germans, some of its pilots were forced to learn on the job. Follow its dogfighting journey, from Alaska to Africa and from Berlin to Tokyo, as the Lightning earned its name, blazing into battle and delivering a killer strike into the hearts of its enemies.

Go inside the cockpit of the nimble Little Bird, a small but mighty attack helicopter on the front lines of many U.S. military operations, including the Vietnam War, Iraq War and many more.

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.

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.

See how the B-24 was mass-produced at a blistering pace to bring speed, range, and a huge payload to the enemy in WWII.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.