The BEST episodes of Air Warriors
Every episode of Air Warriors ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Air Warriors!
A winged fighter that hasn’t lost a fight in 26 years, a lifesaver that’s part plane and part chopper, and an attack helicopter our enemies call the Black Death. These are America’s undisputed kings of the sky: the F-15 Eagle, the V-22 Osprey, and the AH-64 Apache. And their success stories are as remarkable as they are improbable. Witness their turbulent journeys, brought to life through rarely seen combat footage and the stories of the dedicated pilots and teams who fly and maintain these ultimate air warriors.
#3 - F-15
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/9/2014
Meet the undisputed king of winged fighters, the F-15 Eagle. For decades, it's been the U.S. Air Force's weapon of choice when there's any real chance of air-to-air combat, with an undefeated record since its first combat kill in 1979. We reveal how this sleek, powerful jet overcame its skeptics to dominate the skies. Then we explore how it revolutionized the aviation world through rare footage and captivating stories from the pilots who flew into danger aboard this remarkable and resilient aircraft.
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#6 - U-2 Dragon Lady
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 5/28/2017
Over the last half century, the U-2 Dragon Lady has become one of the most reliable aerial reconnaissance platforms in the sky today. But its history has been turbulent, marked by Cold War scandals that sent relations with the Soviet Union into a nosedive. This spy plane was so secret, it was commissioned not by the Air Force, but by the CIA. See how this plane and its pilots have been pushed to the limit in order to stay off of enemy radar and save the lives of soldiers around the world.
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#7 - F-22 Raptor
Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/9/2018
In modern warfare, those who remain hidden in the skies gain a clear advantage, and there is no spy plane as undetectable as the F-22 Raptor. Get the inside story of how this war machine became the Air Force's premier stealth fighter, from taking on ISIS over the skies of Syria to chasing mysterious bombers over the Alaskan border. Combat footage of the F-22 and its predecessors plus interviews with pilots provide a rare look at this fast, powerful, and sneaky warrior.
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#8 - OV-10 Bronco
Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/16/2018
The OV-10 Bronco is the Swiss Army Knife of military aviation, faster than a helicopter, more maneuverable than a jet, and able to provide optimal support for troops on the ground in the most difficult of environments. Follow the journey of this light attack aircraft, from its humble origins five decades ago in the garage of two Marines to its heroic missions in Vietnam. Then see how a disastrous role in Desert Storm nearly grounded the warbird for good until it got a shot at redemption two decades later against ISIS.
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#10 - B-17 Flying Fortress
Season 10 - Episode 3 - Aired 6/4/2023
The history of the B-17 reveals how the aircraft evolved into the USAF’s most lethal bomber in World War II’s European and Pacific campaigns. The Women Airforce Service Pilots organization transported Flying Fortresses, which delivered food to the German-occupied Netherlands in Operation Chowhound in the last days of the war.
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#13 - Osprey
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/23/2014
The story of the U.S. Marine's V-22 Osprey is one of transformation. It can convert from helicopter to plane, and back again. But what led to its invention? And how did it survive more than two decades of political turmoil and media scrutiny? Join us as we look back on this historic tiltrotor's tumultuous history. We detail how it escaped the political chopping block, how it built its reputation in battles and on humanitarian rescue efforts, and how it ultimately transformed the landscape of military aviation forever.
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#14 - Prowler/Growler
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/14/2014
What they do is untraceable and highly classified. Instead of utilizing bullets and bombs, they use force and frequency. This is the story of the Prowler, the U.S. Navy's electronic warrior, and its leading counterpart, the Growler. These aircraft are the first line of attack, able to locate, jam, and destroy enemy radar, giving fighter planes more time to complete their missions. With the capability to fight in the electromagnetic spectrum, these Air Warriors have an advantage in the new age of defense.
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#15 - Top Gunships
Season 7 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/20/2020
Close air support planes are the guardian angels of American ground troops, pro-tecting soldiers with precision firepower. We look at the military's greatest fighters, bombers, and attack aircraft over the last 60 years, from the AV-8B Harrier, the world's most famous vertical/short takeoff and landing fighter jet, to the B-52 Stratofortress, the Air Force's go-to bomber, to the A-10 Thunderbolt, aka, the "Warthog." We also look back on some of the most thrilling gunship missions, saving lives and winning wars in hotspots across the globe.
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#18 - Black Hawk
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/21/2014
For decades, the Black Hawk has played a role in nearly every American conflict and is used all over the globe. But how did the UH-60 become the Army's go-to bird? This is the inside story of how the military workhorse got off the ground and became a multi-mission lifesaver. See how its pilots and engineers learned from setbacks and tragedies and expanded Black Hawk's capabilities to improve getting soldiers into and out of the heat of the battle.
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#19 - A-10 Warthog
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 12/7/2014
The A-10 Thunderbolt II was made for durability and power. With seeming indestructibility, it can eliminate armored vehicles, tanks, and even buildings with remarkable accuracy, all the while protecting American troops on the ground. Over the decades, it has repeatedly proved its worth, not only on the battlefield but in the eyes of its toughest critic: the U.S. Air Force. Discover the story of the ugly duckling affectionately named "Warthog," and see how this clunky but robust fighter continually out-flies and out-guns its competitors.
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#20 - MiG
Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/23/2018
For over five decades, the Russian MiG aircraft has been American airpower's fiercest rival, taking on U.S. fighter jets in Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. But it first took flight against a common enemy: Nazi Germany. Follow the evolution of this quick, durable, and powerful menace in the skies, from its shaky start in the Second World War to its recent and deadly incarnations. See how its ongoing battle with the U.S. for air superiority has compelled both nations to develop better tactics, training, and aircraft.
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#21 - F6F Hellcat
Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/26/2018
The F6F Hellcat was built for one reason: to take on the striking force of Japan's Imperial Navy and its premier dogfighter, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. This is the inside story of how the U.S. Navy, bruised and battered in the Pacific, tasked the engineers at Grumman's to upgrade their current fighters into faster, more agile, and unshakeable warplanes. Witness its creation and impact in the battles of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf, which helped turn the tide of war in the Allies' favor.
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#22 - F-18
Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/27/2020
The F-18 has been the backbone of U.S. Navy carrier operations since it was first introduced in the 1980s. It's built to pack a one-two punch as both a fighter and an attack aircraft, capable of dominating both the skies and the battlefield. We examine its origins, beginning in 1973, when the Navy looked to update its aging fighters, including the F-4 Phantom. We then follow the F-18 Hornet and Super Hornet on their most thrilling and perilous missions, from the baptism by fire in Desert Storm to recent bombing campaigns against ISIS.
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#23 - P-51 Mustang
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 6/26/2016
With its long-distance range and highflying dogfighting abilities, the P-51 Mustang was designed to dominate the skies and help end World War II. And it did. Take flight on an aircraft that symbolized the power and romance of the fighter, a plane that continues to stun and amaze today. We track the history of this nimble, robust Air Warrior, from its international origins to the challenges it overcame in the battle for air superiority over Europe, captured through compelling firsthand testimony and rarely seen combat footage.
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#24 - F-16
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 6/12/2016
It's fast, it's acrobatic, and it's built to get in your face before you even know it's there. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the lightest fighter in the Air Force inventory, and ushered in a new breed of dogfighter. Witness its origins during the Vietnam War, as the U.S. military raced to create a fighter that could hold its own against the Russian's MiG. Then see how it evolved over the decades, adapted in order to stay relevant, and continued to soar to become the undisputed king of the multirole fighters.
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#25 - F-4 Phantom
Season 6 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/2/2018
It's called Double Ugly, the Rhino, and MiG Killer, but to the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and even NASA, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom is known for being one of the greatest frontline fighters of all time. Witness the remarkable story of an aircraft that was built for the Cold War, chased rockets to advance the Space Race, and transformed itself to serve in Vietnam and Iraq. It's a tale that spans six decades, beginning with a supersonic bang and ending in a blaze of glory.
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