Season 1

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.

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".

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.

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.