History Channel - Secret Superpower Aircraft (2005) Part 1 Bombers

After World War II ended, the United States and the Soviet Union began competing for primacy in a global struggle pitting democracy against communism. As the Soviets seized military and political control in Eastern Europe and the Baltics, turning them into a series of satellite states, the United States and Britain could see that a new Cold War had begun. Tensions between the two superpowers led to such confrontations as the Berlin blockade, the downing of an American U-2 spy plane, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. “Hot” wars erupted in Korea and Vietnam. This History Channel series looks at the Secret Aircraft technology of the Super Powers. Not knowing what the new technologies were capable of, and lacking computers on which to test the models, prototypes of all kinds were developed. Using specially commissioned computer graphics, previously unseen archive footage and interviews with aviation experts, this series uncovers the Aircraft of the Superpowers that remained highly classified for many years.

Part 1 Bombers

This is the untold story of the Cold War race to build the perfect long range bomber. Using computer graphics and rare archive footage we show the US and Soviet race to construct a nuclear powered bomber that can fly for years at a time. Our story opens with one of many Soviet Cold war hoaxes, the airshow flyover of a massive squadron of “Bison” bombers, which, in reality, was only 18 planes flying in tight circles. We then meet a forgotten Soviet aerospace hero, an Italian by birth, who designed the world's first supersonic flying boat. The US, meanwhile, in pursuit of a long range bomber with extended flight capability, turns to nuclear power. Converting a special Convair B-36, which we show in flight, we then visit one of Britain's finest aircraft designs, the long range TSR2 bomber, the engines of which were eventually incorporated into Concorde. We end with the most successful and capable long range bomber of the Cold war, The B-2 Stealth.

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