- Hello, I'm James Holland,
(dramatic music) and I'm a historian of
the Second World War. History Hit is a bit like
Netflix, but purely for history. We've got hundreds of hours
of historical documentaries going all the way back to classical times, right through to the Cold War and beyond. Use the word warstories, all one word, for a massive discount when you join up. - [Narrator] The dream of
flight quickly consumed by the machine of war, (dramatic music) Wood and canvas gave way to steel, and a pistol wielded by a single pilot became a missile flying
at supersonic speeds. The battlefield of the clouds would climb beyond the stratosphere and the power wielded by a Flying Fortress would one day be in the
hands of a single pilot. Faster, stronger, and more brutal, each innovation the result of a never ending quest for supremacy, a quest to conquer the sky. (graphic beeping) (dramatic music) (bomb exploding) (dramatic music)
(aircraft roaring) From humble beginnings, the fighter has evolved
at breakneck speed. With air superiority the aim
of military forces worldwide, aircraft became faster,
more sophisticated, and increasingly lethal. As air-to-air combat raged in the skies, the ace and the fighter jet
were immortalized as legends. During the Cold War, the United States military
required a new fighter capable of defeating the
fearsome Soviet MiG jets. (aircraft roaring) To dominate the air, they
needed to produce an aircraft with exceptional speed,
maneuverability, and climb rate that could outperform
their Russian counterparts. This arms race would create one of the most lethal weapons in the sky, the McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle, the first air superiority fighter designed for the U.S. Air Force. With a range of variants, it is engineered to engage enemy aircraft. (missile exploding) Traveling 2 1/2 times the speed of sound, its twin engines producing enough thrust to smash through the sound
barrier in a vertical climb. The F-15 first went into service with the Israeli Air Force in 1978, but it would be another three years until it's long-awaited
showdown with the MiG. (aircraft roaring) On the 13th of February, 1981, while patrolling the
northern border of Israel, Moshe Melnik, an Israeli Air Force ace, recorded the F-15's first kill, shooting down a Syrian MiG 25. (dramatic music continues) The F-15 has since claimed
over 100 victories, yet to this day, it has never been shot
down in air-to-air combat, a record exceeding any other aircraft. (dramatic music) On December 17th, 1903, in a field south of Kitty
Hawk, North Carolina, the first controlled and sustained heavier-than air-flight took place. Although Wilbur and Orville Wright were not the first to build and fly an experimental aircraft, they were the first to invent the three-axis control mechanism, a device enabling pilots
to steer and maintain an aircraft's equilibrium, an innovation still used today. A little more than a decade later, the First World War broke out in Europe. Aeronautic technology
was still in its infancy and planes constructed
from wood wrapped in canvas would become tools of war. Initially flying reconnaissance missions, pilots soon began dropping
bombs onto ground targets. (bomb explodes)
(soldiers shouting) When encountering an enemy aircraft, pilots began firing upon each
other with handheld pistols. However, flying a plane and
operating a handheld weapon was far from ideal. Engineers began designing methods to mount weapons to aircraft. The first true solution arrived in the form of the synchronization gear, a simple device that disabled firing when the blades were
aligned with the gun barrel. As the blades rotated
into a safe position, the gear was tripped, allowing the bullets to pass harmlessly through the
arc between the propellers. The airplane had become a
weaponized killing machine. Aerial combat became known as dog fighting and pilots victorious in fire duels achieved the status of ace. The life of the ace was
all-too-often short lived. During World War I, the average life
expectancy of an RAF pilot was a mere 93 hours, (dramatic music continues) but the devastation
inflicted during those hours could change the outcome of war. Only 16 years since the
plane's debut at Kitty Hawk, the Great War came to a close. However, by this time, the Royal Air Force had amassed 4,000 combat aircraft, and the fighter was here to stay. (aircraft roaring)
(dramatic music) In 1940, Hitler prepared to invade Britain by unleashing the world's
most lethal air force on the island nation. The Luftwaffe relentlessly
bombed air defenses and terrorized civilians. (bombs exploding) London burned while air
raid sirens directed people to take cover. (siren wailing)
(people chattering) Britain needed an airborne hero
to defeat the German planes and quell the Nazi invasion, the Supermarine Spitfire. Launched in 1938, the Spitfire
was an interceptor aircraft designed to thwart enemy bombing missions. Powered by 1,030-horsepower
Rolls-Royce engine, it flew at a top speed of
580 kilometers per hour, faster than the German
Messerschmitt fighters. At altitudes above 4,600 meters, it could outmaneuver its enemy, providing the edge in a dog fight. (dramatic music continues)
(aircraft crashes) The only Allied plane built throughout the entirety of World War II, the Spitfire was British
ingenuity at its best, carrying the hopes and prayers of a nation on its iconic elliptical wings. Alongside the Spitfire
in the uncertain skies was the Hawker Hurricane. At 530 kilometers per hour, it was slower than the Spitfire and it had a lower climb rate, but together, the two fighters
made a formidable team. - [Newsreader] While the
public takes shelter, our fighter pilots take
off to destroy the enemy. (aircraft explodes) - [Narrator] The Royal Air
Force was heavily outnumbered by the Luftwaffe, with
a force twice the size. Winning the Battle of Britain would take more than
superior planes and pilots, it would require strategy
and revolutionary technology. Using radio waves reflected off the target and back to the source, radar forewarned the British
air force of the size, speed, and scale of an inbound Luftwaffe attack. (radio squawking) Headquarters was then
able to give the command for squadrons to scramble, providing a head start
on the incoming assault. As the battle raged, the Spitfires targeted the Messerschmitts, the Hurricanes then slipped
through the now open defenses and ripped the Nazi bombers to pieces. - [Newsreader] The first Hurricanes carrying eight machine guns in their wings literally sawed through the
fuselages of enemy raiders. - [Narrator] The Battle of Britain resulted in a decisive win for the Allies, with air superiority the key to victory. It was Germany's first
major defeat of the war, with Hitler giving the order
to retreat from Britain and abandoning all plans of an invasion. Winston Churchill said of the battle, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." (dramatic music) Escalating their war
against the South in 1950, the bulk of North Korea's air force consisted of inexperienced pilots in World War II-era planes. (soldiers marching) To compete against American technology, North Korea turned to
her communist allies. Working in secrecy, the Soviets
had designed a new fighter using turbojet technology. (aircraft roaring) The MiG-15 had arrived. Incredibly, the British government
had granted the Soviet's permission to copy their
Rolls-Royce Nene engine, providing the new fighter
the power to reach speeds of 1,033 kilometers per hour. (aircraft roaring) The MiG-15 possessed
revolutionary swept wings. Angled backwards, the wings
reduced aerodynamic drag allowing superior
stability and performance. A new challenger was needed, and it came when the U.S.
unveiled its own swept-wing jet, the F-86 Saber.
(graphic beeping) With a top speed of 1,091
kilometers per hour, the Saber leveled the playing field. The Korean War would provide the location for the first jet battles. The border between North and South became known as MiG Alley as dog fights against Sabers raged. (dramatic music)
(aircraft roaring) - [Narrator] American Saber
jets sweep into battle to engage Russian-built MiG-15s, and U.S. Air Force camera gun pictures show us the destruction
of one of the enemy. (aircraft exploding) - [Narrator] The Saber's larger wingspan provided exceptional maneuverability, and the U.S.'s veteran pilots were superior to the enemy. With both jets almost a
mirror of one another, these two factors saw the Saber triumph, with a kill ratio of almost 10:1. (solemn music)
On December 7th, 1941, without warning, 353 Japanese fighters attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. For over seven hours, the
raiders pummeled the U.S. Navy with unyielding ferocity. The attack dragged the United States into the Second World War, and for the next 3 1/2 years, the Allies would battle
the Japanese Empire in the bloody Pacific theater. Triggering the Pacific war, the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero had been in service with the Imperial Navy for a little over a year. Launched from an aircraft carrier, they were the longest range single-engine fighter of the war, known for their exceptional
maneuverability, especially at low speeds. Initially pitted against the
U.S. Grumman F4F Wildcat, the Zero was clearly a superior fighter. The Wildcats were slower, less maneuverable, and under-armed, often running out of ammunition before they could strike their target. (dramatic music) The United States
desperately needed a fighter that could defeat the Zeros. Still recovering from Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy accelerated development of a new military machine. Moving from prototype to
operational in less than a year, a new fighter took to the skies, the Grumman F6F Hellcat. (dramatic music continues)
(graphic beeping) Far superior to their predecessor, the Hellcat's engine was
more than twice as powerful. They were just as agile
as their Zero adversaries, but could clock speeds a
hundred kilometers faster. The Hellcats were armored
against enemy fire and their fuel tanks were
constructed of multiple layers of rubber and fabric that
would swell and expand when mixed with leaking
fuel, sealing any breach. Fragile and lightweight, the
Zeros lacked this technology and would often burst into flames as they plunged into the ocean. (dramatic music) Throughout the war, the
Hellcats built a 13:1 kill ratio against the Zeros. Destroying more than 5,000 enemy fighters, they were responsible for 75% of all U.S. Navy aerial victories. The continual loss of
experienced Japanese pilots and their planes saw the Hellcats
achieve their superiority. By 1945, the final year
of the Pacific war, the Zeros had already become outdated, and a new desperate weapon emerged. - [Newsreader] That
Japanese plane has been hit and it's going to crash. Either by chance or in a suicidal effort to strike a final blow, plane and pilot crash into
an American landing craft full of troops. (landing craft exploding) - [Narrator] Some 3,860 Japanese pilots plummeted to their death
during the suicide attacks, taking ships and servicemen with them. (aircraft exploding) (dramatic music) Less than a decade after the first flight, pilots began unleashing
bombs from the sky. Within just 35 years, the Superfortress would cast
a shadow over Hiroshima, and the bomber would become
the most deadly killing machine the world had ever known. But the story of the bomber
is more than just destruction. A tale of technological ingenuity, enabling flight that is faster, higher, and more silent than ever before. (dramatic music) A hallmark of aviation innovation, this jet-powered strategic bomber currently holds 61 records for
speed, payload, and distance, the Rockwell B-1 Lancer. The backbone of the U.S.
long-range bomber force, the Lancer flies at high altitudes achieving supersonic speeds. Beginning life at the end of the Cold War, the B-1 was designed to carry a payload of nuclear weapons. The original prototypes were constructed with an escape capsule, protecting the full crew
against the extreme conditions of the jet's operational altitudes. The design feature was abandoned when a B-1 crew member died
after a low-altitude ejection. the B-1's original nuclear capabilities were dismantled in favor
of conventional munitions. It now carries over 56 tons of armament, the largest payload of both
guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force's inventory. A proven killing machine, the Rockwell B-1 will be
standing up to enemy combatants well into the future. (aircraft roaring) (dramatic music) The Nazi bombing raids
over the skies of Britain aimed to force the country
into a peace treaty, but the plan backfired. The Royal Air Force won
the battle for Britain and the seeds of revenge
were quickly sown. In 1942, the British Air Force retaliated by unleashing the Avro Lancaster
long-range heavy bomber. (aircraft roaring) The Lancaster's massive bays were able to carry the largest bombs ever known in air warfare, including the 10-ton Grand
Slam earthquake bomb. (bomb exploding) - [Newsreader] The Lancaster
is the best in the world, and we believe it's a
weapon with a great destiny in the winning of this war. - [Narrator] With Germany well within the Lancaster's
2,000-kilometer combat radius, the Allies began pounding
cities 24 hours a day. - [Newsreader] Air Marshal
Harris has promised Germany a tremendous, unprecedented,
nonstop bombing. (dramatic music) - [Narrator] One of the
most inventive campaigns occurred in May, 1943, when the British launched
Operation Chastise. The targets were two German
dams that, when ruptured, would cripple vital Nazi infrastructure. The challenge was to deliver an explosive past the defensive torpedo nets to each dam's vulnerable base. The solution required
a low-altitude approach before the Lancaster would
launch their bouncing bombs. The charges, back-spinning at
500 revolutions per minute, would skip along the water over the nets and hug the dam walls as
they sank to the base. The dams were spectacularly destroyed and the flooding was catastrophic. Whilst a tremendous display
of British ingenuity, the attack itself was
strategically underwhelming. Within nearly a month,
water output was restored and the electricity grid
was producing full power. Worse still, the majority
of lives lost in the attack were civilians and prisoners-of-war. Over the course of the conflict, Lancasters dropped more
than 608,000 tons of bombs. The most successful British
bomber of World War II, the Lancaster was essential
to Allied victory, but with almost half of all
Lancasters and their crew failing to return home, the
service of these brave men and this incredible aircraft
will never be forgotten. (dramatic music) Perhaps no technology is more synonymous with the development of bombers
than the turbojet engine. Invented by Frank Whittle for
the Royal Air Force in 1921, the turbojet engine
enabled speeds and heights vital to the operations
of new age bombers. (aircraft roaring) The jet engine works by ingesting air through a gas-powered turbine. The air is then compressed
by a series of rotor blades before moving into a combustion chamber where it is heated by fuel. The turbine exhaust is then expanded in the propelling nozzle, where it is accelerated to high speeds. The birth of the jet age, combined with the arms
race of the Cold War, set military development on a fast track. As the iron curtain was drawn, military forces around the world began equipping their
aircraft with this new power. (aircraft roaring)
In 1951, the British Royal Air Force
unveiled their first jet bomber, the English Electric Canberra. (dramatic music) In the year of its introduction, the Canberra was the first jet to make a nonstop trans-Atlantic flight, traveling from Northern Ireland
to Newfoundland in Canada. In 1957, it set a world altitude
record of 21,430 meters. - [Newsreader] New glory is shed on the British aircraft industry by the success of the
record-breaking Canberra. - [Narrator] Adaptable and advanced, the Canberra was used
in a variety of roles, from that of a tactical
nuclear strike aircraft, through to a photoreconnaissance jet. Its popularity saw 1,352 of the Canberras produced in a decade. As the Cold War continued,
a school of thought arose, believing that if aircraft could travel high and fast enough, they could simply out-fly
enemy interceptors and ground-to-air missiles. Speed and altitude quickly
became the focus of development, and in 1960, the U.S. unveiled
the first supersonic bomber, the Convair B-58 Hustler. (gentle music) A high-altitude strategic bomber, the B-58's delta-shaped wings enabled 19 world speed records. It's 1963 record of longest
sustained supersonic flight remains unbroken to this day. However, despite its
incredible performance, it had been built on a false premise. In the same year as the B-58's unveiling, a CIA reconnaissance aircraft operating at the same high altitudes intended for the Hustler was shot down by a Soviet missile. The Hustler's speed and top altitude were revealed to be within enemy range. The B-58 was repurposed
for low-penetration roles, but never saw active combat,
retiring within a decade. (dramatic music) Just as the Hustler was leading service, the U.S. unveiled a new,
trailblazing bomber, The F-11 Aardvark.
(aircraft roaring) Able to alter the position of its wings with a swept configuration, The F-111 could perform
at altitudes and speeds similar to the B-58. Wings in the full forward position, the Aardvark was optimized
for lower speed maneuvers and could carry a greater payload. The F-111 also employed
ground-hugging technology, enabling it to fly below enemy radar. As the Aardvark's own radar
scanned the upcoming landscape, a flight path was mapped
for the autopilot, allowing consistent altitude and speed. Using this technology, the F-111 could fly as low
as 60 meters above the ground at supersonic speeds, delivering its payload
into enemy territory without detection. Although the B-58 and the F-111 both flew their last missions decades ago, these first-generation supersonic bombers remain pioneers of technologies that live on in military aircraft today. (dramatic music) During the 1960s, tensions
between the U.S. and the Soviets was at fever pitch. As part of Operation Chrome
Dome, 12 nuclear-armed bombers constantly encircle the Soviet Union, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. (dramatic music) Waiting on the go command
from the U.S. president, the B52s were poised to retaliate if the Soviets launched a nuclear attack. For over seven years, a fully armed B-52 was never
more than two hours away from Soviet targets. Operation Chrome Dome
came to an end in 1968, when a B-52 flying over
Greenland crashed into sea ice in the North Star Bay causing
radioactive contamination from the four hydrogen bombs on board. With intercontinental ballistic missiles replacing bombers as the primary means of nuclear weapons delivery, the B-52 was redesigned to
carry non-atomic weapons. With plans to keep the
bomber active until 2045, the B-52s service duration
will stretch 90 years, unprecedented for any
aircraft, military or civilian. (dramatic music) The bombing campaigns undertaken by both the Axis and Allied
forces during World War II have long been debated
both on moral grounds and effectiveness. (bombs whistling)
(bombs exploding) Rather than only attacking
military targets, operations focused on
industry and infrastructure, aiming to cripple the enemy
and terrorize populations. Civilians were all-too-often
casualties of war. One heavy bomber designed for high altitude
strategic missions would go on to become the single most destructive weapon in the world, the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. (dramatic music) After the savage blows at Pearl Harbor, production of the B-29 was fast tracked. 500 would be constructed before a single prototype
had even been tested. - [Newsreader] Here, the
planes are assembled, planes embodying every advanced idea gained by Boeing in the last 10 years. (dramatic music) - [Narrator] When the B-29
entered service in 1944, they were exclusively assigned to strategic Japanese targets. With a top speed of 560
kilometers per hour, they were not exceptionally fast. However, the B-29 was able
to fly well beyond the reach of Japanese fighters. (bombs whistling)
(bombs exploding) The attacks gravely
damaged Japan's ability to support its population and war efforts. In only one night of bombing alone, 25% of all the buildings
in Tokyo were destroyed, while 1 million people were left homeless. (bomb exploding) Still, Japan refused to
raise the white flag. (suspenseful music) In August, 1945, two modified B-29s delivered the knockout blows, decimating Hiroshima and
Nagasaki with uranium bombs. - [Newsreader] That's the atomic
bomb exploding at Nagasaki. The film was taken in
a B-29 many miles away. All of you who see this picture
can judge for yourselves the extent of the menace to
civilization of this new weapon. - [Narrator] With more than 129,000 perishing in the strikes, Japan
surrendered within a month. (dramatic music) Production of the B-29
halted after World War II. However, the Superfortress
would continue to blaze a trail for aviation and bomber technology. In October 14, 1947, a modified B-29 was loaded with an experimental
rocket plane, the Bell X-1. Piloted by Air Force Captain
Charles Chuck Yeager, the X-1 was named Glamorous
Glennis after his wife. Built in the shape of a bullet to remain stable at supersonic speeds, the X-1 reached Mach 1.06, making it the first manned aircraft to exceed the speed of sound. (dramatic music) Engineers could now push
aircraft even faster. The sound barrier now broken, the skies were no longer the limit. (dramatic music) Dominating the skies, this flying ghost is able to break through seemingly impenetrable
defenses to hit the enemy before they even see it coming, the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit. A strategic, long-range heavy bomber with the most advanced
anti-detection technology on the planet. Developed in the 1970s, anti-reflective paint is used to reduce the Spirit's optical visibility when flying during daylight. The B-2 has no visible fuselage or tail. With no sharp angles
to reflect radio waves, the bomber's radar
detectability is so small. the aircraft can only be spotted when its internal bomb bays open. The four non-afterburning turbofan engines are buried deep within its wings, concealing sound and heat signatures. The absence of afterburners
and, therefore, hot exhaust decreases the B-2's infrared footprint. With an array of conventional
and nuclear weapons, the B-2 can carry 18 tons of sophisticated GPS-aided munitions. The B-2 is the only aircraft in the world capable of deploying the
Massive Ordinance Penetrator, otherwise known as the
14-ton bunker buster bomb. (bomb exploding) A mere 86 years after the first munitions were dropped from a biplane, the B-2 Spirit stands as an
example of aviation innovation, with diverse technologies coalescing into a
superior killing machine. (dramatic music) From humble beginnings, they were soon adopted into service. Versatile pack mules, they changed the mobile nature of warfare before evolving into flying ambulances. Going where no fighter or bomber could go, these aircraft have endured war zones in the world's most
seemingly inaccessible areas. (chopper roaring) Armored and armed, the utility
craft became the gunship, switching from lifesaver to deadly killer. (dramatic music) Delivering troops and equipment
with pinpoint accuracy whilst carrying a battle-ready
stock of guided missiles, this legendary war machine is an essential military workhorse, the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. (suspenseful music) On the 3rd of October, 1993, the Black Hawk was deployed for Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia. A U.S. joint special operations force led by eight Black Hawks was sent into downtown Mogadishu
to capture two warlords. The initial extraction was a success, but the task force came under heavy fire and two Black Hawks was shot down. The ensuing battle was the deadliest for
U.S. troops since Vietnam, with 18 soldiers killed and 76 wounded. But if not for the Black Hawk, the toll could have been higher. The pilot of downed Black Hawk Super 6-4 credited the superior
crash-worthy design of the UH-60 for saving his life. Since entering service
with the U.S. Army in 1979, Black Hawks have logged
over 4 million flying hours. Able to carry 11 combat troops or haul four tons of equipment, the Black Hawk is the
world's most advanced twin-turbine battle helicopter. It's state-of-the-art flight instruments include an autopilot system, allowing the 'copter to fly itself. Defining rotorcraft versatility, the UH-60 Black Hawk has proved invaluable on the modern battlefield. (suspenseful music continues) (suspenseful music) A wartime legend, the salvation of hundreds
of thousands of troops in one of the most brutal
conflicts in history, it redefined military aviation, the single-engine,
twin-blade Bell UH-1 Iroquois was introduced by the
United States Army in 1959. (chopper roaring) When the U.S. Army arrived in Vietnam to support the South against
the communist Viet Cong, they brought with them a fleet
of the untested Iroquois. Nicknamed the Huey, and capable of speeds of
over 200 kilometers per hour, its gas turbine engine made
it lighter and more powerful than previous piston engine rotorcraft. (choppers roaring) The Huey was perfect for the dense jungle landscape of Vietnam, inaccessible to most vehicles. - [Newsreader] The flying horsemen of the United States
cavalry dismount for action. - [Narrator] Able to fit
six wounded on stretchers, the Huey was an essential life line. Over the course of the war, more than 150,000 U.S.
soldiers were injured, and the Huey played a major role delivering the wounded to care. The Viet Cong showed no mercy, and the medevac helicopters
routinely came under heavy fire. The dangers for the crew were immense, with the Huey's thin,
lightweight, aluminium body offering no ballistic protection. Crews would often place
their personal body armor under their seats to shield
bullets coming from below. If an attack took out
the pilot and co-pilot, the Huey was equipped with
a handle behind their seats, which when pulled, would
flatten their seats so their bodies could be rolled out, enabling another crew
member to jump into position and take the reins. This gruesome yet essential feature illustrated the brutality
of the Vietnam War and the resilience required to fight it. To provide essential fire support, many of the 7,000 Hueys
that served in Vietnam were retrofitted with a
variety of weapons systems, including a Gatling-style minigun capable of firing 6,000 rounds per minute. (minigun firing) The Vietnam War had gone
from the ground to the skies. The gunship was born, and in 1965, the 1st Air Cavalry Division
was the premier cavalry unit to depend upon the helicopter. Tasked with searching out the Viet Cong, upon discovery, the Air
Cavalry blasted them with lethal firepower. (rockets firing) (somber music) The Huey had arrived in Vietnam
as a medical support tool, but after quickly displaying
its resilience under fire, it became a combat weapon. Although production of
the UH-1 halted in 1987, this Vietnam war hero, having flown more than 7.5
million combat assault sorties and nearly 4 million gunship attacks, will forever hold its place in history. As with most technologies, the early days of the helicopter
yielded little success. Despite the setbacks, the goal was clear, achieving controlled
vertical lift and flight. One of the biggest obstacles
blocking rotorcraft design was torque reaction, an
example of Newton's third law, where for every reaction, there is an equal and opposite reaction. With helicopter blades spinning one way, the body of the aircraft
would simply be pushed in the opposite direction. Not until 1936, when German
professor Heinrich Focke unveiled his prototype FW 61, did the world have what
had considered to be the first fully functional helicopter. Focke solved the torque reaction dilemma by employing two separate rotors spinning in opposite directions. Driven by a 160-horsepower engine, the counter-rotation of the
rotors provided equilibrium at a starting lift rate
of 206 meters a minute. The helicopter was born, and
it gave opportunity to all, including Germany's first female aviator and Iron Cross recipient, Hanna Reitsch. - [Newsreader] And astonishment
takes the place of ridicule as the aircraft hovers
and moves slowly around in the confined space, flown by a girl pilot, Hanna Reitsch. No mirrors or concealed wires
aid this amazing performance. (dramatic music) - [Narrator] The helicopter,
once just a fascinating folly, had become a reality, and it would dare to go
where no other machine could. (gentle music) Fleeing a Russia ravaged by civil war, the father of the modern helicopter immigrated to the United States in 1919. Igor Sikorski had originally
studied engineering, but upon hearing of the Wright
brothers' flight, he said, "Within 24 hours, I decided
to change my life's work. I would study aviation." After years of research
into rotary wing flight, Sikorski's first experimental machine, the VS-300 helicopter, took
flight in September, 1939. - [Newsreader] Igor Sikorski is the veteran aircraft designer breaking a record in
his latest helicopter. For one hour, 32 minutes, 30 seconds, it went nowhere and stayed there. - [Narrator] Powered by
a 75-horsepower engine, it was the first, successful,
single lifting helicopter in the United States. - [Newsreader] As a result
of Sikorski's success with the VS-300, that model
was used as a prototype for the first helicopter
designed for military use. - [Narrator] Setting new
records for helicopter speed, endurance, and altitude, Sikorski's R-4 would become the world's first
mass-produced helicopter. He embraced the need for
helicopters in the military, constantly perfecting
his new war machines. (dramatic music) When Korea erupted into war in 1950, the United Nations came
to the aid of the South. Although helicopters had been
used in a limited capacity during World War II, the rough Korean terrain, often impenetrable by land vehicles, resulted in their widespread use. With the deployment of the Sikorski H-19, helicopters impacted the
mobile nature of war. - [Newsreader] The latest
comes from the Korean front, where the hover machine has now become a rocket gun transporter. The idea is to fire at the enemy and then rapidly change position before the communists can locate them. - [Narrator] A visionary,
Sikorski had foreseen the military application
of the rotorcraft, delivering a revolutionary war machine. (helicopter roaring) (dramatic music) On January 17, 1991, the first shots fired in
Operation Desert Storm came from the sky. Iraqi air defense towers were wiped out and the skies opened for 700
Allied fixed wing aircraft to strike 500 strategic targets. Those first shots came from
six Boeing AH-64 Apaches, the most advanced attack
helicopters in the world. (dramatic music) In 1986, after more than
a decade in development, the U.S. Army introduced the Apache, taking interactive military
systems to a new level. The combat-ready Apache is the most lethal
helicopter in the world. Armed with 17-millimeter
armor-piecing rockets and laser-guided missiles, its nose-mounted sensor
suite locates, tracks, and attacks targets. A revolutionary
helmet-mounted display system, referred to by crews as
the green-eyed monster, enables pilots to sync
onboard gun movements to the perspective of the helmet wearer. Potential targets need only be looked at before being fired upon. Wrapped in a titanium and Kevlar shell, the Apache is able to take an
enormous amount of punishment and keep on flying at speeds
nearing 300 kilometers an hour. (dramatic music continues) The Apache employs
infrared countermeasures that divert missiles
away from the aircraft. The tandem cockpit is divided in two by bulletproof shielding,
increasing crew survivability if one of the pilots is hit. The Apache has flown more
than 1 million combat hours for more than 13 nations. With no plans for
retirement any time soon, the Apache's sophisticated technology and devastating weaponry will see it continue as a deadly force across the world's most unfriendly skies. (helicopter roaring) (dramatic music) A developing technology
that still frustrates and excites in equal measure, the vertical-and-short-takeoff,
or VSTOL aircraft, is attempting to have it all: the vertical lift of a helicopter with the speeds of a jet. For decades, the world's
most brilliant minds have tried to perfect the technology, pushing the laws of physics. The pursuit of fast combat aircraft that don't require runways has created some of the most revolutionary and sophisticated military machinery. (dramatic music) In 1982, British sovereign
territory was invaded for the first time in many years, when Argentinian forces
mounted an amphibious landing on the Falkland Islands. The British responded, deploying
a fleet of strike fighters to support ground forces. The crisis would see the combat debut of the most successful family
of VSTOL aircraft in history, the Harrier Jump Jet. Outnumbered 10 to one by
the Argentinian air fleet, the Harriers flew over 2,000 sorties, including air-to-air
combat, ground attack, and reconnaissance. The Harriers were excellent dog fighters, but it was their VSTOL capabilities
that provided the edge. Argentinian pilots had
to fly long distances before reaching the engagement zone, leaving only 10 minutes before retreating or risk running out of fuel
on their return to base. The Harriers, also with limited range, could take off and land almost anywhere, downing 20 enemy aircraft
with no air-to-air losses. (dramatic music) The Harrier's development began in 1957, when the Bristol Engine Company in England designed the vectored-thrust
Pegasus engine, allowing pilots to manipulate
the orientation of the thrust, controlling the aircraft's
angle and altitude. Together, aircraft and
engine first flew in 1960. Six years and a series
of redevelopments later, the Harrier Jump Jet
family was finally born. Mastering the system is complex and pilots describe the flight
controls as unforgiving. Most services require pilots
to have extensive experience flying rotorcraft and fixed wing jets before undergoing Harrier training. After serving in conflicts
around the globe, the production of the
Harrier ended in 2003. They will retire from battlefield by 2025, 60 years since their deployment began. (Harrier engine whistling) (dramatic music) During the 1956 revolution, Hungarian jets were dominating
the Soviet occupying forces. In retaliation, the Red Air
Force turned their attention to the Hungarian airfields, destroying runways and stopping
the uprising in its tracks. The world was watching and military strategists
suddenly recognized the runway as the jet's Achilles heel. While helicopters don't require runways, they are subject to the
unbreakable laws of physics. Even the most advanced rotorcraft
has a built in speed limit that, if exceeded, will spin
the aircraft out of control. (helicopter crashes) With speed and maneuverability
vital to air supremacy, engineers turn their attention to developing vertical takeoff abilities in jet-powered aircraft. Launched in 1954, the British
Rolls-Royce Flying Bedstead was one of the first VTOL
aircraft to leave the ground. - [Newsreader] It may look
like an optical illusion, but this thing is really flying. The Bedstead will be used
to study the problems of vertical takeoff and landings-on, which may be applied in the
future to high-speed aircraft. (gentle music) - [Narrator] However, the
Bedstead's lift engines were redundant during forward flight, adding unnecessary weight. A solution emerged on the
other side of the Atlantic; the Ryan X-13 was the
first VTOL jet aircraft. Taking off from a platform, it would then transition to
a horizontal flight position before resuming its landing orientation. Two prototypes of the X-13 were built, but the U.S. Air Force was unconvinced about the future of the technology. Over the next decade, a number of VTOL developments were made, but nothing came close to
the speed of a combat jet, until Germany unveiled the VJ-101C. Designed by the father of
the Messerschmitt fighter, the 101 was the first VTOL aircraft to break the sound barrier. With engine pods mountain on each wingtip, they could be swiveled 90 degrees. This debut of thrust
vectoring would be the key to the next generation
of VTOL combat aircraft. (solemn music)
(civilians shouting) In 1980, the United States armed forces attempted to rescue 52 embassy
staff held captive in Iran. Eight Sea Stallions were deployed, but three suffered from critical failures and one crashed into a transport aircraft, resulting in a fire taking nine lives. The failed mission demonstrated the need for a new troop carrier, not just capable of
vertical precision landings, but endowed with speed and reliability, the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey. In 2007, the Osprey entered active service when it departed for Iraq onboard an amphibious assault ship. While onboard carriers, the Osprey's wings and rotors are folded to reduce valuable storage space. When it comes time for takeoff, the Osprey's
horizontally-positioned blades lift it from the carrier deck. As the aircraft gains speed, the blades are positioned
for forward flight, turning the Osprey into
a turboprop aircraft capable of 443 kilometers per hour, Transporting 24 combat trips
or over 15 tons of cargo, the Osprey is relatively lightly armed. With the loading ramp lowered, a gunner can take their position. (machine gun firing) With the capabilities of a helicopter, combined with the speed and
range of a fixed-wing aircraft, the V-22 Osprey is perfect
for precision operations. (soldiers shouting) Designed with some of the most advanced stealth capabilities in the world, enemies of this aircraft may
never know what hit them. A fifth-generation fighter jet designed for frontline combat, it is as controversial
as it is sophisticated, the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning, the world's first VTOL stealth aircraft, designed to be the
primary tactical fighter for the U.S. military. Its development process has, however, been plagued by setbacks, cost overruns, and technical difficulties. At 100 million U.S. dollars per unit, the F-35 could be the most costly mistake in military aviation. Proponents of the F-35, however, maintain that it's worth every penny, a state-of-the art killing
machine that has no rival. (dramatic music) The F-35B derives its takeoff
thrust from a lift fan located behind the cockpit
that ingests and expels air. The cruise engine exhaust is passed through a vectoring nozzle that can be deflected downward. This dual-thrust system gives the F-35B twice the power of the
second-generation Harrier. (aircraft roaring) The VTOL flight controls have
been completely redesigned since the days of the Harrier. The F-35's systems are so advanced, the aircraft has been
called a flying computer, with cutting-edge radar, avionics, communications, and weaponry. Designed with the whole
battlefield in mind, an interactive helmet allows pilots to see a 360-degree view of the skies, while the aircraft itself scans the air for hundreds of kilometers
in every direction, providing the pilot with unprecedented situational awareness. With plans to launch in 2018, for the F-35, the sky
appears to be limitless. (F-35 engines whistling) (dramatic music)
