About this season
In 1903, not only did the Wright brothers ’plane soar, but a young man named William Boeing stepped out of the Yale University gates. 13 years later, using wood, canvas and wire, the first "Boeing model", the B&W, was born. Boeing has since grown into a huge company and developed countless models, including the 1957-92 passenger jet, the 707. Later, we learn about the Constellation designed by Lockheed in the early 1940s. The fuselage of the machine evokes the graceful form of a dolphin, no wonder that with its beauty it also won the title of "Queen of Heaven". The C-69 was the first model to cross non-stop America, covering the Los Angeles-Washington DC distance in record time of 7 hours and 3 minutes. Connies were used for both military and civilian purposes until the early 1960s. This and many more stories are recounted here in Great Planes.
Episodes (26)
1. Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Aired 1 January 1988
2. General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark
Aired 1 January 1988
The story of the fighter that became a bomber. The F-111 set new standards of design, but had to wrestle with adapting high technology.
3. Grumman F-14 Tomcat
Aired 1 January 1988
Defending the U.S. Navy's Aircraft Carriers the F-14 Tomcat has become as well-known for its production deadlines as for the skill of its pilots, whose mettle was tested at the Gulf of Sidra and celebrated in the film "Top Gun".
4. Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Aired 1 January 1988
5. North American XB-70 Valkyrie
Aired 1 January 1988
6. General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
Aired 1 January 1988
7. Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Aired 1 January 1988
8. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Aired 1 January 1988
9. Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Aired 1 January 1988
10. Lockheed P-38 Lightning
Aired 1 January 1988
11. Douglas DC-3/C-47 Dakota
Aired 1 January 1988
12. North American F-86 Sabre
Aired 1 January 1988
13. British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas Harrier
Aired 1 January 1988
14. Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter
Aired 31 March 1988
15. North American F-100 Super Sabre
Aired 1 April 1988
16. Lockheed Constellation
Aired 2 April 1988
17. Episode 17
Aired 3 April 1988
18. Grumman F-6F Hellcat
Aired 4 April 1988
19. Martin B-57 Canberra
Aired 5 April 1988
20. Consolidated PBY Catalina
Aired 6 April 1988
21. Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
Aired 7 April 1988 • 58 min
Roughly twice the weight of other World War II fighters, the Jug's cumbersome appearance belied its speed and firepower. As frontline fighters, escorts for heavy bombers, and fighter-bombers, the sturdy planes saw action in both Europe and the Pacific.
22. McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle
Aired 8 April 1988
23. Douglas A-26 Invader
Aired 9 April 1988
24. Republic F-105 Thunderchief
Aired 10 April 1988
25. Douglas A-1 Skyraider
Aired 11 April 1988 • 45 min
The consummate carrier jet, the A-1 was such a success that the Navy used it for three decades. Air Force engineers considered its design the pinnacle of piston-powered aviation.
26. Vought F4U Corsair
Aired 12 April 1988