The Century of Flight — Season 1, Episode 2: High Above The Trenches
Documentary • 50 min • 1 season, 26 episodes
Episode synopsis
How the aeroplane went to war, with the development of the combat aircraft from the unarmed reconnaissance types to specialised fighters. The program includes simulated air combat by replica fighters in colour, reviews the part played by aircraft in the early part of World War I including the coming of the Fighting Scout. Also featured is the heyday of air fighting on the western front, 1917-18, including fighter ground attack, the great aces and the way in which the legacy of these years inspired pilots in the modern day.
About The Century of Flight
This definitive history of manned flight has been compiled into 26 hour episodes, with access to some of the rarest archive film ever taken. Unprecedented co-operation has been extended by the world's leading aircraft manufacturers and leading archive libraries. Included in the footage are shots of rare prototype accidents and failures which contributed to the inevitable achievement and success of man in the air. Since Charles Lindbergh became the first lone aviator to cross the Atlantic in 1927, air transport has greatly accelerated , revolutionised by the giant Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet - and what might we see in the 21st century?