Canadian fighter pilot George Beurling helps save the strategically important island of Malta with his unique skill as a fighter pilot. His excellent vision, agility in the air, unprecedented marksmanship, and willingness to break the rules made him one of the greatest aces of World War II. With the testimonies of pilots who flew alongside him and riveting reenactment, "Air Aces" tells in enlightening detail the story of Canadas greatest Ace George Beurling.
Battle of Britain Ace and Squadron Leader Douglas Bader wasnt suppose to be able to walk let alone fly fighter planes. Crashing during a failed aeronautical stunt Bader lost both of his legs, but not his determination. This episode of "Air Aces" tells the inspiring story of how Douglas Bader regained his wings and eventually became a Squadron Leader and one of Britains most celebrated war heroes.
Like all the Allied bombers of World War II, the Lancaster bombers had one of the most dangerous jobs in the Air Force: to dodge deadly enemy fire and drop mega-tonnes of high-powered explosives over Nazi Germany. Without them, Hitler may have emerged victorious. But the tactic called "total war", a controversial strategy that turned cities into legitimate targets, overshadowed their legacy. Yet, for the more than one hundred thousand volunteers half of who would not return there was no other option.
They were young, gifted, and black but the US Army refused them key positions. However, intense pressure from African-American activist groups pushed President Roosevelt to initiate a Blacks-only fighter pilot training program in Tuskegee, Alabama. What began as a revolutionary experiment gave birth to a potent fighting force that would help take Nazi Germany out of the skies and, in the process, change the course of American history.
In July 1966, North Vietnams fleet of MiG-21s is hammering the U.S. Air Force, and the embattled men of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing need a hero to whip them into shape. Enter Colonel Robin Olds, a WWII veteran airman, who charges in and commands respect. With the help of his pilots, Olds masterminds Operation BOLO; a death-defying bait-and-switch tactic that he hopes will whip out the MiGs once and for all. On January 2, 1967, the stage is set for the biggest air battle of the Vietnam War.
During WWII, American pilots race to down the most enemy planes and be crowned the countrys top flying ace. U.S Air Force pilot Francis "Gabby" Gabreski, the child of Polish immigrants, makes his mission personal, by seeking to avenge the damage wrought upon his ancestral homeland during the war. But despite his passion, the young wannabe is accident prone and incompetent behind the controls. Sticking to his guns, the rookie pilot never gives up, ascends through the ranks, and becomes the best U.S fighter pilot in the European theatre of war.