A look at one of the worst plane bombings of the 20th century. In 1985, an Air India 747 flying from Montreal, Canada to Delhi was blown up in mid-flight by Khalistani extremists. All 331 passengers were killed, most were of Indian origin.
Two modern Red Arrows pilots take on the challenges faced by World War I pilots by performing photo reconnaissance, artillery ranging, and bombing missions in period aircraft - culminating in a classic dogfight.
A man paves his own way to his own soul through an intellectual quest, tragedies of nations and personal drama. The road moving through the cosmic distances is a flight into one's internal world. This flight and this drama are revealed in this philosophical film-poem.
To celebrate the centenary of the Royal Air Force, Ewan and Colin McGregor take to the skies in some of the world's most iconic planes. These are the planes that were involved in aerial combat at every stage of the RAF's story, from the biplanes used in the early days of dogfighting in World War I to the beautiful Spitfire of the Battle of Britain, the plucky Lysander and on to mighty Vulcan nuclear bomber, as well as the Chinook helicopter and supersonic Typhoon that are still in service today. It is a story of amazing machines and epic battles, but above all it is the story of the men and women whose courage and ingenuity have been at the heart of the RAF for 100 years. On their journey Ewan and Colin meet an amazing cast of characters.
This early docudrama uses dramatic reenactment, working models of early flying machines, and archival footage to trace man's attempts to fly from ancient times through the 1930s.
The propaganda documentary about the readiness of the Red Army to repulse any enemy is based on documentary shots taken during the real maneuvers of the Red Army. Armadas of tanks, immense columns of infantry, dozens of fighters and bombers, thousands of cavalry, legendary divisions of the Civil War. The film glorifies Soviet military power and shows the Soviet people what the war will be like when the imperialists attack the USSR — quick, victorious, almost bloodless.
Take the ultimate guided tour of the most famous plane in the world, and meet the tireless crew charged with operating this global command center in the sky.
Built in the United States in the early 1940s by Sikorsky Aircraft, the VS-44 was a large four-engine flying boat designed primarily for the transatlantic passenger market, with a capacity of 40+ passengers. Three units were produced: Excalibur, Exeter - and Excambian, "The Queen of the Sky" to its final owners Charlie Blair and his wife, actress Maureen O'Hara. The film explores aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky and the eleven-year restoration of Excambian by volunteers at Sikorsky's Stratford plant.
This film tells the surprising story of how the Allegheny Observatory has been a world leader in the study of the stars since the 1860s. Self-educated, and often facing unrelenting hardships, the people associated with the Allegheny Observatory defied the odds to make enormous contributions to the founding of astrophysics and early aviation.
Doolittle's Raiders pull off a one-way bombing run over Tokyo and ditch their planes in and along the coast of China, where they are rescued by Chinese villagers, guerrillas, and missionaries. That generosity triggers horrific retaliation by the Japanese that claims an estimated quarter-million lives and prompts comparisons to the 1937-38 Rape of Nanking. The memory of the Raiders and their rescuers is kept alive by their children and grandchildren.
On September 6, 1970, militant Palestinians hijack a fully occupied Swissair plane. After weeks of negotiations, the Federal Council capitulates, gives in to the terrorists' demands and releases three Palestinians imprisoned in Switzerland.
Nova visits Russia for Nova: Top Gun Over Moscow, a thorough look at the sleekest and most powerful Russian jets. In a word, they are tough. These jets are engineered quite differently from their American counterparts. They function well in adverse conditions, able to take off from open dirt fields, and their continuous operation doesn't depend on regular maintenance. The U.S. jet is finely tuned, requiring more frequent upkeep, but definitely having a high-tech edge, particularly in the areas of radar and missile guidance. Interviews with pilots reveal a very different outlook between the two countries on training goals.
This documentary is about Bob Diemert of Carman, Manitoba, and his dream of building the world's next great fighter plane. His worldwide reputation as a genius at restoring "warbirds" enables him to finance his dream. The Defender is a lively, sometimes wild and funny, tale about a remarkable, modern-day folk hero.
It wasn't until 1993 that American women were officially allowed to fly combat aircraft. Learn about the struggles, the accomplishments, and contributions of women pilots of the past, present, and future.
The iconic design of the Boeing 747 has endured for over 5 decades, but the end of production is looming. In this documentary special we follow the build of this last aircraft, whilst exploring how the 747 truly changed the world and influenced our lives in ways we never even realised.
Reg Sherren revisits the players and the places that were critical in the Gimli Glider incident of July 1983.
This 2-DVD set focused on the development and combat history of the Grumman F4F Wildcat and was created from holdings at the National Archives, the National Museum of Naval Aviation, the Naval Historical Center, and the Marine Corps Historical Center. The F4F Wildcat was the front-line carrier fighter in the first days of the Pacific war - flying off legendary ships like the Lexington, Saratoga, Hornet, Yorktown, and Enterprise - the Wildcat held the line as America built for victory.
During the Vietnam War, the main threat to the strike packages was the V-750 (S-75) Dvina, the first effective Soviet surface-to-air missile (SAM). Better known by the NATO designation SA-2 Guideline To suppress and destroy this threat, the U.S. Air Force countered with the courage and skill of the Wild Weasels, who not only flew some of the most dangerous missions in Southeast Asia but also became pioneers in Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) operations. This documentary tells the story of the Wild Weasel program.
During the Falklands War, a team of Vulcan Bombers staged the longest bombing raid ever attempted. We tell the amazing story of the machines that undertook the near impossible mission of bombing Port Stanley. The programme features archive footage spanning the Vulcan's entire dramatic history, including newsreels, amateur video and film shot by the pilots themselves. We also make use of an enormous array of archival sources, including the plane's original design specification, and orders for construction from the War Office.
Fred Davis introduces us to Canadian Air Force operations in Zweibrucken, West Germany. Follow Green Section as they perform drills and explain what it takes to be a fighter pilot.