Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:01,569 --> 00:00:03,379
Narrator: IT'S
AN ALL-AMERICAN FIGHTER PLANE
2
00:00:03,403 --> 00:00:06,805
THAT ROMANCES THE SKIES.
3
00:00:06,873 --> 00:00:09,108
Man: THE SOUND OF A MUSTANG
IS UNMISTAKABLE
4
00:00:09,209 --> 00:00:10,709
WHEN YOU HEAR ONE FLYING OVER.
5
00:00:10,778 --> 00:00:13,745
[ROARING]
6
00:00:13,814 --> 00:00:15,781
Man: IT WAS A HOT LITTLE BABY.
7
00:00:15,849 --> 00:00:17,783
IT COULD REALLY GO.
8
00:00:17,785 --> 00:00:21,053
Narrator: THE P-51 MUSTANG'S
UNRIVALED STAMINA
9
00:00:21,121 --> 00:00:23,122
WAS A GAME-CHANGER.
10
00:00:23,190 --> 00:00:26,291
Man: ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL
MOMENTS IN WORLD WAR II
11
00:00:26,359 --> 00:00:30,729
WAS WHEN THIS AIRPLANE
CAME ON THE SCENE.
12
00:00:30,731 --> 00:00:34,833
Man: THIS WAS
THE AIRPLANE OF AIRPLANES.
13
00:00:34,901 --> 00:00:36,835
IT JUST WAS THAT POWERFUL,
14
00:00:36,903 --> 00:00:38,470
THAT QUICK.
15
00:00:38,539 --> 00:00:40,606
Narrator:
DESPERATE INNOVATIONS...
16
00:00:40,674 --> 00:00:42,885
Man: YOU'D LIKE TO THINK
IT WAS BY BRILLIANT PLANNING,
17
00:00:42,909 --> 00:00:44,876
BUT IT WASN'T.
18
00:00:44,879 --> 00:00:47,512
Narrator: AND FATAL FLAWS.
19
00:00:47,581 --> 00:00:50,082
Man: ONE LUCKY HIT
TO THE BELLY OF THIS AIRPLANE,
20
00:00:50,084 --> 00:00:52,717
AND YOU'RE DONE.
21
00:00:52,786 --> 00:00:56,422
Narrator: BUT AN ICON THAT
BREAKS RECORDS EVEN TODAY.
22
00:01:13,707 --> 00:01:17,042
MAY 23, 2013.
23
00:01:17,044 --> 00:01:19,578
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA.
24
00:01:19,613 --> 00:01:22,914
A LONE PILOT
WILL ATTEMPT THE UNTHINKABLE...
25
00:01:22,917 --> 00:01:29,187
A FLIGHT TO 41,000 FEET
IN A SINGLE-ENGINE PROP PLANE.
26
00:01:29,223 --> 00:01:31,723
THAT'S TWO MILES HIGHER
THAN MOUNT EVEREST
27
00:01:31,792 --> 00:01:34,793
IN AN UNPRESSURIZED COCKPIT.
28
00:01:34,795 --> 00:01:36,728
IT'S A DANGEROUS ENDEAVOR.
29
00:01:36,796 --> 00:01:41,867
AVIATION AUTHORITIES
KEEP CLOSE WATCH.
30
00:01:41,869 --> 00:01:45,203
ON MEDICAL ADVICE,
THE PILOT BREATHES PURE OXYGEN
31
00:01:45,206 --> 00:01:49,040
FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF
BEFORE THE FLIGHT.
32
00:01:49,076 --> 00:01:52,677
Man: WE'RE TRYING TO GET UP
TO AT LEAST 38,000 FEET
33
00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:57,983
TO BREAK, UH,
FOUR DIFFERENT RECORDS.
34
00:01:58,051 --> 00:02:00,285
Narrator:
THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK...
35
00:02:00,287 --> 00:02:05,624
FORMER NAVY OFFICER
AND STUNT PILOT DOUG MATTHEWS.
36
00:02:05,626 --> 00:02:07,506
Doug Matthews:
WE'RE TRYING TO SEE
37
00:02:07,561 --> 00:02:09,472
HOW HIGH WE CAN REALLY GO
WITH THIS AIRCRAFT
38
00:02:09,496 --> 00:02:11,763
BEFORE THE ENGINE JUST,
NOT FAILS,
39
00:02:11,765 --> 00:02:17,736
BUT FAILS TO PRODUCE SUFFICIENT
POWER TO SUSTAIN A CLIMB SAFELY.
40
00:02:17,804 --> 00:02:22,007
Narrator: MOST REMARKABLE IS
MATTHEWS' CHOICE OF AIRCRAFT...
41
00:02:22,042 --> 00:02:26,978
A P-51 MUSTANG FIGHTER PLANE
FROM WORLD WAR II.
42
00:02:26,981 --> 00:02:31,383
BOTH THE PILOT AND THE AIRCRAFT
ARE 68 YEARS OLD.
43
00:02:31,451 --> 00:02:34,453
Matthews: SOMETHING MORE SAFE?
WHERE'S THE SPORT THERE?
44
00:02:36,490 --> 00:02:39,457
Narrator: MATTHEWS
HAS FLOWN THIS P-51 MUSTANG
45
00:02:39,526 --> 00:02:42,027
FOR NEARLY A DECADE.
46
00:02:42,095 --> 00:02:45,263
HIS AIRCRAFT HAS HAD NO
SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS,
47
00:02:45,266 --> 00:02:48,433
AND IT CARRIES
MORE THAN 200 POUNDS
48
00:02:48,501 --> 00:02:51,636
OF REPLICA WEAPONS
AND AMMUNITION.
49
00:02:51,672 --> 00:02:54,139
Matthews: THERE'S NO
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM,
50
00:02:54,241 --> 00:02:55,852
MEANING THERE'S
NO PRESSURIZATION,
51
00:02:55,876 --> 00:02:58,176
THERE'S NO HEAT.
52
00:02:58,245 --> 00:03:00,545
AM I GOING TO START
FREEZING SO BADLY
53
00:03:00,614 --> 00:03:03,682
AND SHAKING SO BADLY,
I CAN'T CONTINUE?
54
00:03:03,750 --> 00:03:07,553
WE'RE USING
THE ORIGINAL OXYGEN SYSTEM.
55
00:03:07,621 --> 00:03:13,391
IS THE 1941 OXYGEN REGULATOR
GONNA STOP FLOWING OXYGEN TO ME,
56
00:03:13,460 --> 00:03:16,962
AND AM I GONNA PASS OUT?
57
00:03:17,030 --> 00:03:21,933
BUT I HAD ABSOLUTE TRUST
IN THE MACHINE.
58
00:03:22,002 --> 00:03:23,168
Narrator: IF SUCCESSFUL,
59
00:03:23,237 --> 00:03:27,839
MATTHEWS WILL MAKE HISTORY
IN A PIECE OF HISTORY...
60
00:03:30,477 --> 00:03:32,477
THE P-51 MUSTANG.
61
00:03:32,545 --> 00:03:35,380
[ENGINE SPUTTERS]
62
00:03:35,448 --> 00:03:36,615
[ENGINE STARTS]
63
00:03:36,683 --> 00:03:38,984
MATTHEWS FIRES HER UP.
64
00:03:41,855 --> 00:03:45,190
HE'S SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS
RESEARCHING AND PREPARING
65
00:03:45,192 --> 00:03:46,792
FOR THIS MOMENT.
66
00:04:01,675 --> 00:04:04,242
ALL RUNS SMOOTHLY
67
00:04:04,311 --> 00:04:06,912
AS MATTHEWS SOARS
ABOVE 30,000 FEET.
68
00:04:12,852 --> 00:04:14,263
Narrator:
HIS MODERN-DAY CHASE PLANE
69
00:04:14,287 --> 00:04:16,521
CAN'T KEEP UP.
70
00:04:16,589 --> 00:04:20,158
IT CAN ONLY RELAY MESSAGES
TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.
71
00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,294
Matthews: ...EIGHT-FIVE.
FUEL LOOKS GOOD.
72
00:04:22,362 --> 00:04:24,963
ALL THE INSTRUMENTS LOOK GOOD.
73
00:04:25,032 --> 00:04:27,299
THAT IS JUST AMAZING,
74
00:04:27,367 --> 00:04:29,901
500 FEET PER MINUTE
ALL THE WAY UP THERE.
75
00:04:29,970 --> 00:04:31,403
Man: HE'S KILLING US.
76
00:04:35,976 --> 00:04:38,176
Matthews: HOLY [BLEEP]
77
00:04:38,178 --> 00:04:39,911
Narrator: THEN, SUDDENLY,
78
00:04:39,980 --> 00:04:42,947
MATTHEWS' CONTROLS
START TO FREEZE.
79
00:04:43,016 --> 00:04:44,850
HE'S IN TROUBLE.
80
00:04:44,918 --> 00:04:47,352
Matthews:
THEY FROZE TO THE DEGREE
81
00:04:47,420 --> 00:04:53,224
THAT I COULDN'T MOVE MORE THAN
PERHAPS A HALF-INCH IN ANY AXIS.
82
00:04:53,293 --> 00:04:54,870
I'M RETHINKING
MY ENTIRE STRATEGY
83
00:04:54,894 --> 00:04:58,730
AS WELL AS MY LIFE EXPECTANCY.
84
00:04:58,799 --> 00:05:01,633
Narrator: A MUSTANG HASN'T BEEN
PUSHED TO THE BRINK LIKE THIS
85
00:05:01,701 --> 00:05:03,902
SINCE WORLD WAR II,
86
00:05:03,970 --> 00:05:05,815
WHEN THERE WERE
JUST AS MANY QUESTIONS
87
00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,273
ABOUT ITS CAPABILITIES.
88
00:05:08,341 --> 00:05:12,477
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MAY OR
MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO TODAY,
89
00:05:12,546 --> 00:05:15,881
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT
WAS UP AGAINST IN THE PAST.
90
00:05:20,153 --> 00:05:21,486
[SIREN BLARES]
91
00:05:21,554 --> 00:05:23,822
JANUARY 1944.
92
00:05:23,890 --> 00:05:27,559
WORLD WAR II RAGES ON.
93
00:05:27,561 --> 00:05:30,729
LUFTWAFFE,
THE GERMAN AIR FORCE,
94
00:05:30,797 --> 00:05:34,633
IS AS STRONG
AND AS EXPERIENCED AS EVER.
95
00:05:34,701 --> 00:05:37,402
THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT
THEIR ABILITY IN THE AIR
96
00:05:37,470 --> 00:05:42,907
WILL COMPROMISE
THE PLANNED D-DAY INVASION.
97
00:05:42,910 --> 00:05:45,977
Jeremy Kinney: THE GERMANS
HAD WORLD-CLASS FIGHTERS.
98
00:05:46,046 --> 00:05:48,024
Narrator: DR. JEREMY KINNEY
IS THE CURATOR
99
00:05:48,048 --> 00:05:52,417
FOR AMERICAN MILITARY AVIATION
FROM THE 1920s TO WORLD WAR II
100
00:05:52,486 --> 00:05:56,755
AT THE NATIONAL
AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.
101
00:05:56,790 --> 00:05:58,523
Kinney: THEY HAD THE BF 109.
102
00:05:58,592 --> 00:06:00,258
AND IT'S LEGENDARY.
103
00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,261
IT'S CAPABLE OF CLIMB, DIVE,
104
00:06:03,329 --> 00:06:06,331
IT HAS CANNONS,
IT HAS MACHINE GUNS.
105
00:06:06,399 --> 00:06:10,468
IT'S BEEN DEVELOPED
AND MODIFIED AND IMPROVED,
106
00:06:10,537 --> 00:06:12,737
SO THE BF 109 IS NOW
107
00:06:12,806 --> 00:06:15,607
A HEAVILY ARMED,
MANEUVERABLE FIGHTER
108
00:06:15,675 --> 00:06:18,443
THAT THE BEST
LUFTWAFFE PILOTS FLY.
109
00:06:21,815 --> 00:06:24,082
Narrator:
THE ALLIES DESPERATELY NEED
110
00:06:24,150 --> 00:06:27,585
TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE SKIES.
111
00:06:27,654 --> 00:06:30,288
THE BRITISH RECOGNIZED
THE NEED FOR AN AIRCRAFT
112
00:06:30,357 --> 00:06:33,358
TO MATCH OR BETTER
LUFTWAFFE FIGHTERS
113
00:06:33,427 --> 00:06:36,394
AS EARLY AS MARCH 1938,
114
00:06:36,463 --> 00:06:39,364
AND THEY TURNED
TO AMERICA FOR HELP.
115
00:06:39,366 --> 00:06:42,233
MOST MANUFACTURERS
ARE ALREADY TOO BUSY
116
00:06:42,302 --> 00:06:45,837
BUILDING WAR AIRCRAFT
USING EXISTING DESIGNS,
117
00:06:45,905 --> 00:06:48,840
BUT A NEW COMPANY,
NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION,
118
00:06:48,909 --> 00:06:51,876
TAKES THE REQUIRED
SPECIFICATIONS
119
00:06:51,945 --> 00:06:56,181
AND ROLLS OUT A PROTOTYPE
ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1940...
120
00:06:56,249 --> 00:07:01,253
JUST 102 DAYS
AFTER SIGNING A CONTRACT.
121
00:07:01,321 --> 00:07:03,521
FOR A SHORT TIME,
A VERSION OF THIS NEW AIRCRAFT
122
00:07:03,556 --> 00:07:07,058
IS CALLED "INVADER"
AS WELL AS "APACHE."
123
00:07:09,295 --> 00:07:14,866
BUT SOON IT'S UNIVERSALLY KNOWN
AS THE MUSTANG.
124
00:07:14,935 --> 00:07:16,045
John Davidson:
THERE'S NO ARGUING
125
00:07:16,069 --> 00:07:19,137
WITH THE RESULTS
OF WHAT THE AIRPLANE DID.
126
00:07:19,173 --> 00:07:21,506
YOU JUST HAD AN AIRPLANE
127
00:07:21,575 --> 00:07:23,652
LIKE THE WORLD HAD NEVER
REALLY SEEN BEFORE.
128
00:07:23,676 --> 00:07:26,711
IT WAS JUST
A PHENOMENAL MACHINE.
129
00:07:26,779 --> 00:07:30,715
Narrator: PILOT JOHN DAVIDSON
ALSO FLIES MUSTANGS TODAY
130
00:07:30,783 --> 00:07:35,420
AND GIVES PUBLIC TOURS
FOR THE COLLINGS FOUNDATION.
131
00:07:35,489 --> 00:07:39,424
THE MUSTANG'S ALL-ALUMINUM
FUSELAGE MAKES IT LIGHT,
132
00:07:39,493 --> 00:07:42,227
EVEN BY TODAY'S STANDARDS.
133
00:07:42,295 --> 00:07:46,331
AND SOME OF ITS FEATURES
WERE AVIATION FIRSTS,
134
00:07:46,366 --> 00:07:49,434
INCLUDING
THE SHAPE OF ITS WINGS.
135
00:07:49,503 --> 00:07:51,570
Davidson:
AS THE WING COMES BACK,
136
00:07:51,638 --> 00:07:53,316
YOU'LL SEE IT GETS
THICKER AND THICKER,
137
00:07:53,340 --> 00:07:56,841
AND RIGHT ABOUT HERE
IS WHERE IT'S THICKEST.
138
00:07:56,910 --> 00:07:58,843
A TRADITIONAL AIRFOIL
139
00:07:58,945 --> 00:08:01,090
THAT PRETTY MUCH EVERY AIRPLANE
USED PRIOR TO THAT
140
00:08:01,114 --> 00:08:04,983
WOULD HAVE BEEN THICKEST
SOMEWHERE IN THIS VICINITY.
141
00:08:05,051 --> 00:08:06,484
IT WAS VERY UNIQUE.
142
00:08:06,553 --> 00:08:10,755
NO FIGHTER BEFORE HAD EVER HAD
A WING LIKE THIS INSTALLED.
143
00:08:10,823 --> 00:08:13,191
Narrator:
IT WAS A SUBTLE CHANGE,
144
00:08:13,260 --> 00:08:17,962
BUT A FIRST-OF-A-KIND INNOVATION
THAT GIVES THE MUSTANG AN EDGE.
145
00:08:18,031 --> 00:08:20,798
THIS SHAPE MAKES THE MOST
OF A PHENOMENON
146
00:08:20,801 --> 00:08:24,803
CALLED LAMINAR FLOW.
147
00:08:24,871 --> 00:08:27,472
PREVIOUS WING PROFILES
CREATED TURBULENCE
148
00:08:27,474 --> 00:08:30,608
WHERE THE WING STARTED TO THIN.
149
00:08:30,710 --> 00:08:35,980
THAT TURBULENCE MEANS
LESS LIFT AT HIGH SPEEDS.
150
00:08:36,049 --> 00:08:38,883
MOVING THE THICKEST PART
OF THE WING FURTHER BACK
151
00:08:38,952 --> 00:08:42,554
MAKES IT MORE STREAMLINED
AND MEANS LESS TURBULENCE,
152
00:08:42,622 --> 00:08:46,291
AND THEREFORE MORE LIFT.
153
00:08:46,359 --> 00:08:50,028
THE MUSTANG'S WING IS THE FIRST
TO BE MATHEMATICALLY DESIGNED
154
00:08:50,130 --> 00:08:54,799
TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS
OF LAMINAR AIR FLOW.
155
00:08:54,867 --> 00:08:57,636
Davidson: AND THIS WING
MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE
156
00:08:57,704 --> 00:08:59,214
IN THE PERFORMANCE
OF THIS AIRPLANE.
157
00:08:59,238 --> 00:09:01,439
HAD THIS PLANE
NOT HAD THIS WING,
158
00:09:01,507 --> 00:09:04,843
IT PROBABLY NEVER WOULD HAVE
BEEN THE PLANE THAT IT WAS...
159
00:09:04,911 --> 00:09:06,545
THE LEGEND THAT IT BECAME.
160
00:09:12,118 --> 00:09:13,429
Dick Anderegg: THE AIRPLANE
CAME OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE,
161
00:09:13,453 --> 00:09:15,386
AND IT WAS A HOT LITTLE BABY.
162
00:09:15,389 --> 00:09:17,855
IT COULD REALLY GO.
163
00:09:17,924 --> 00:09:21,926
Narrator: DICK ANDEREGG SERVED
AS A FIGHTER PILOT FOR 30 YEARS
164
00:09:21,929 --> 00:09:23,395
AND WAS THE DIRECTOR
165
00:09:23,463 --> 00:09:28,066
OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE
HISTORY AND MUSEUMS PROGRAM.
166
00:09:28,134 --> 00:09:29,400
Anderegg:
THOSE ORIGINAL AIRPLANES
167
00:09:29,403 --> 00:09:31,069
WENT OVER TO GREAT BRITAIN.
168
00:09:31,137 --> 00:09:34,172
THE RAF WAS PLEASED
WITH THE AGILITY,
169
00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:36,007
THE MANEUVERABILITY,
170
00:09:36,075 --> 00:09:38,476
AND THE RANGE OF THE AIRPLANE,
171
00:09:38,545 --> 00:09:39,665
BUT THEY WEREN'T PLEASED
172
00:09:39,712 --> 00:09:41,879
WITH THE ALTITUDES
THAT IT COULD ATTAIN,
173
00:09:41,948 --> 00:09:45,817
PARTICULARLY ITS PERFORMANCE
ABOVE 15,000 TO 20,000 FEET.
174
00:09:45,819 --> 00:09:47,752
Narrator: BRITISH ENGINEERS
175
00:09:47,820 --> 00:09:51,289
SUGGEST SWAPPING
ITS ALLISON V-1710 ENGINE
176
00:09:51,325 --> 00:09:53,691
FOR THE MORE POWERFUL
ROLLS-ROYCE MERLIN ENGINE
177
00:09:53,694 --> 00:09:58,229
THEY USE IN SPITFIRE AIRCRAFT.
178
00:09:58,298 --> 00:10:01,232
Kinney: THE DIFFERENCE IS
THE USE OF A SUPERCHARGER
179
00:10:01,300 --> 00:10:03,178
THAT INCREASES
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MERLIN
180
00:10:03,202 --> 00:10:06,638
AT ALTITUDES ABOVE
15, 20, 25,000 FEET.
181
00:10:06,706 --> 00:10:09,174
AND SO THE MERLIN PROVIDES
BETTER ALL-AROUND PERFORMANCE,
182
00:10:09,242 --> 00:10:10,809
ESPECIALLY AT HIGH ALTITUDES.
183
00:10:13,714 --> 00:10:14,913
Narrator: THE MERLIN ENGINE
184
00:10:14,981 --> 00:10:17,849
MAKES THE MUSTANG
MORE FUEL-EFFICIENT,
185
00:10:17,917 --> 00:10:20,385
AND IT INCREASES
THE PLANE'S SPEED
186
00:10:20,387 --> 00:10:24,756
FROM 380 MILES AN HOUR TO 440.
187
00:10:24,824 --> 00:10:26,391
THE ONLY DRAWBACK...
188
00:10:26,459 --> 00:10:27,458
NOISE.
189
00:10:27,461 --> 00:10:29,861
[ROARING]
190
00:10:29,929 --> 00:10:34,532
Anderegg: THAT MERLIN ENGINE HAS
A SOUND LIKE NO OTHER ENGINE.
191
00:10:34,534 --> 00:10:38,269
IT'S JUST A VISCERAL,
PURE SOUND,
192
00:10:38,338 --> 00:10:42,807
AND IT JUST SAYS,
"POWER, POWER, POWER."
193
00:10:42,809 --> 00:10:45,209
Narrator: MUSTANG MAKER
NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION
194
00:10:45,245 --> 00:10:49,013
ALSO EQUIPS THE MUSTANG WITH
BROAD 11-FOOT-LONG PROPELLERS
195
00:10:49,082 --> 00:10:54,018
FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE
AT ALTITUDE.
196
00:10:54,021 --> 00:10:55,353
AND THEY ARM IT
197
00:10:55,355 --> 00:11:00,558
WITH SIX .50-CALIBER M2 BROWNING
MACHINE GUNS, ALL IN THE WINGS...
198
00:11:00,560 --> 00:11:02,760
TWO OF THEM CLOSE TO THE COCKPIT
199
00:11:02,829 --> 00:11:05,096
FOR INCREASED ACCURACY
IN DOGFIGHTS.
200
00:11:05,165 --> 00:11:08,967
[GUNFIRE]
201
00:11:10,971 --> 00:11:14,639
BY LATE 1943,
BRITISH AND AMERICAN FORCES
202
00:11:14,707 --> 00:11:19,377
HAVE MORE THAN 4,000 MUSTANGS
AT THEIR DISPOSAL.
203
00:11:19,379 --> 00:11:23,614
BUT HOW WILL THE MUSTANG
HOLD UP IN COMBAT?
204
00:11:23,683 --> 00:11:25,984
ONE MAN IS ABOUT TO FIND OUT.
205
00:11:28,221 --> 00:11:32,057
JANUARY 11, 1944.
206
00:11:32,125 --> 00:11:35,059
LEGENDARY AMERICAN PILOT
MAJOR JAMES HOWARD
207
00:11:35,128 --> 00:11:38,963
FINDS HIMSELF THE SOLE DEFENDER
OF A BOMBER FORMATION...
208
00:11:41,268 --> 00:11:44,903
WHEN SOME 30 ENEMY FIGHTERS
BREAK THE HORIZON.
209
00:11:47,741 --> 00:11:53,010
WITHOUT HESITATION,
HOWARD ZOOMS IN.
210
00:11:53,013 --> 00:11:55,913
THE ODDS OF HIM SINGLEHANDEDLY
SAVING HIS BOMBERS
211
00:11:55,982 --> 00:11:59,884
FROM AN ENTIRE NAZI ARMADA,
AND SURVIVING,
212
00:11:59,952 --> 00:12:02,487
ARE ASTRONOMICAL.
213
00:12:02,555 --> 00:12:04,222
IT'S A SUICIDE MISSION.
214
00:12:07,827 --> 00:12:09,527
HIGH OVER NAZI GERMANY,
215
00:12:09,595 --> 00:12:11,629
JAMES HOWARD'S P-51 MUSTANG
216
00:12:11,697 --> 00:12:17,268
SINGLEHANDEDLY FACES
SOME 30 ENEMY FIGHTERS.
217
00:12:17,336 --> 00:12:20,505
HOWARD CHARGES, GUNS BLAZING.
218
00:12:20,573 --> 00:12:23,040
SOMEHOW HE MUST PROTECT
THE BOMBERS BEHIND HIM
219
00:12:23,043 --> 00:12:25,810
FROM ATTACK.
220
00:12:25,878 --> 00:12:31,783
BUT HE'S A LONE PILOT
IN AN AIRCRAFT NEW TO COMBAT.
221
00:12:31,851 --> 00:12:35,019
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT,
AS DOCUMENTED BY BOMBER CREWS,
222
00:12:35,087 --> 00:12:38,089
HAS BEEN CALLED
THE GREATEST FIGHTER PILOT STORY
223
00:12:38,157 --> 00:12:40,391
OF WORLD WAR II.
224
00:12:40,393 --> 00:12:43,328
Kinney: THESE B-17 CREWS
ARE WATCHING THIS ONE MUSTANG
225
00:12:43,396 --> 00:12:46,664
GO AFTER UPWARDS
OF 30 LUFTWAFFE FIGHTERS.
226
00:12:46,666 --> 00:12:49,734
[GUNFIRE]
227
00:12:49,803 --> 00:12:53,437
Narrator: HOWARD'S SOLO BATTLE
RAGES ON FOR HALF AN HOUR
228
00:12:53,506 --> 00:12:58,609
AS HE PLUCKS OFF
ENEMY FIGHTERS ONE BY ONE.
229
00:12:58,678 --> 00:13:02,714
[GUNFIRE]
230
00:13:06,019 --> 00:13:07,752
WHEN HE RUNS OUT OF BULLETS,
231
00:13:07,821 --> 00:13:11,222
HE CONTINUES TO USE
THE P-51'S SPEED AND AGILITY
232
00:13:11,291 --> 00:13:14,225
TO BLUFF THE GERMANS
AND FORCE THEM TO RETREAT.
233
00:13:17,797 --> 00:13:20,298
HE DOWNS AT LEAST SIX AIRCRAFT,
234
00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:22,133
SAVES THE BOMBERS,
235
00:13:22,201 --> 00:13:26,037
AND SUFFERS ONLY ONE BULLET HOLE
IN HIS WING.
236
00:13:26,039 --> 00:13:28,840
Kinney: HE IS AWARDED
THE MEDAL OF HONOR
237
00:13:28,842 --> 00:13:32,410
IN RECOGNITION OF THAT
ONE FLIGHT ON JANUARY 11th.
238
00:13:32,478 --> 00:13:34,045
IT'S INDICATIVE OF THE ABILITY
239
00:13:34,113 --> 00:13:36,981
OF A GOOD PILOT
AND THIS GREAT AIRPLANE...
240
00:13:37,050 --> 00:13:39,184
WHAT THEY CAN DO
AGAINST THE ENEMY.
241
00:13:40,587 --> 00:13:44,288
Narrator: HOWARD GIVES
THE MUSTANG AN A-OKAY,
242
00:13:44,324 --> 00:13:46,824
BUT HE HAS TWO COMPLAINTS.
243
00:13:46,893 --> 00:13:51,796
THE MUSTANG CANOPY IS TOO LOW
AND FORCES HIM TO BEND HIS NECK.
244
00:13:51,865 --> 00:13:53,175
Kinney: THEY'RE CALLED
RAZORBACK AIRPLANES.
245
00:13:53,199 --> 00:13:56,334
THEY HAVE WHAT'S
THE CHICKEN COOP CANOPY ON THEM.
246
00:13:56,402 --> 00:13:57,936
Narrator: THE RAZORBACK DESIGN
247
00:13:58,004 --> 00:14:00,838
ALSO CREATES A BLIND SPOT
TO THE REAR.
248
00:14:00,907 --> 00:14:04,609
Davidson: WHEN YOU LOOKED BACK,
YOU HAD AIRPLANE BEHIND YOU.
249
00:14:04,677 --> 00:14:08,012
THE FUSELAGE WAS STICKING UP AS
HIGH AS THE TOP OF THE COCKPIT,
250
00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:11,916
SO YOU DID NOT HAVE VERY GOOD
VISIBILITY TO THE REAR.
251
00:14:11,984 --> 00:14:14,129
Kinney: AND WHAT DOES A FIGHTER
PILOT NEED TO BE DOING?
252
00:14:14,153 --> 00:14:16,854
LOOKING ALL AROUND ALL THE TIME
TO SEE WHERE THE ENEMY IS
253
00:14:16,923 --> 00:14:19,390
AND MAKE SURE
HE ISN'T BEING ATTACKED.
254
00:14:19,458 --> 00:14:21,159
Narrator: ENGINEERS RESPOND
255
00:14:21,227 --> 00:14:24,362
AND MODIFY THE AIRCRAFT
TO A BUBBLE CANOPY.
256
00:14:24,364 --> 00:14:27,531
THIS GIVES PILOTS MORE SPACE
AND ALLOWS THEM A CLEAR VIEW
257
00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,368
WHEN THEY LOOK
OVER THEIR SHOULDER.
258
00:14:30,436 --> 00:14:33,304
Anderegg: A BUBBLE CANOPY
IS CLEARLY AN ADVANTAGE,
259
00:14:33,306 --> 00:14:36,874
AND THAT WAS A SMART THING
TO DO ON THE P-51
260
00:14:36,943 --> 00:14:39,310
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE DOGFIGHTING,
261
00:14:39,312 --> 00:14:42,179
YOU'RE VERY SELDOM
LOOKING OUT THE FRONT.
262
00:14:42,248 --> 00:14:44,882
THIS BUBBLE CANOPY
WAS A GREAT ADDITION
263
00:14:44,951 --> 00:14:49,854
AND HAS BEEN USED EVER SINCE.
264
00:14:49,856 --> 00:14:52,990
Narrator: THE MUSTANG HAS MADE
AN IMPRESSIVE DEBUT.
265
00:14:53,059 --> 00:14:56,894
BUT NEXT TIME THE GERMANS
WILL NOT BE SO SURPRISED,
266
00:14:56,963 --> 00:14:59,264
AND THEY STILL HAVE
SUPERIOR NUMBERS.
267
00:15:04,537 --> 00:15:06,871
THE ALLIES CANNOT
GAIN CONTROL OF EUROPE
268
00:15:06,939 --> 00:15:09,140
UNTIL THEY DESTROY
THE VERY WAR MACHINE
269
00:15:09,208 --> 00:15:11,742
THAT KEEPS THE LUFTWAFFE FLYING.
270
00:15:11,745 --> 00:15:15,313
SO THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN
PLAN SEVEN DAYS OF BOMBING
271
00:15:15,381 --> 00:15:19,216
ON GERMANY'S AVIATION
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.
272
00:15:19,219 --> 00:15:22,420
THEY CALL THE MISSION
"OPERATION ARGUMENT,"
273
00:15:22,488 --> 00:15:25,856
BUT IT SOON BECOMES BETTER KNOWN
BY ANOTHER NAME.
274
00:15:25,925 --> 00:15:27,858
Reporter: A SERIES OF OPERATIONS
275
00:15:27,927 --> 00:15:32,129
WHICH FREE PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS
REMEMBER AS THE BIG WEEK.
276
00:15:32,198 --> 00:15:34,765
Kinney:
BIG WEEK IS A DIRECT LEAD-IN
277
00:15:34,834 --> 00:15:38,302
TO THE INVASION OF NORMANDY
IN JUNE 1944.
278
00:15:38,305 --> 00:15:40,345
IT IS THE FIRST STEP
TOWARDS THE GAINING
279
00:15:40,406 --> 00:15:43,574
OF REAL AIR SUPERIORITY
OVER EUROPE,
280
00:15:43,642 --> 00:15:46,044
WHICH MEANS, ONCE YOU HAVE
CONTROL OF THE AIR,
281
00:15:46,112 --> 00:15:48,212
YOU CAN ACTUALLY INVADE
CONTINENTAL EUROPE
282
00:15:48,281 --> 00:15:52,116
AND INITIATE THE ALLIES' PLANS
TO DESTROY NAZI GERMANY.
283
00:15:52,184 --> 00:15:54,318
Narrator: ALLIED BOMBERS
HAVE THE ABILITY
284
00:15:54,321 --> 00:15:56,954
TO REACH THOSE TARGETS
DEEP IN GERMANY,
285
00:15:57,023 --> 00:16:01,459
BUT THEY NEED FIGHTER PLANES
TO ESCORT AND PROTECT THEM.
286
00:16:01,527 --> 00:16:04,329
AND NO FIGHTER IN THE FLEET
HAS THE RANGE.
287
00:16:09,969 --> 00:16:11,369
THE SOLUTION:
288
00:16:11,437 --> 00:16:14,238
MODIFY A MUSTANG
FOR LONG DISTANCE.
289
00:16:18,644 --> 00:16:21,145
THE MUSTANG
IS THE LOGICAL CHOICE
290
00:16:21,147 --> 00:16:26,484
BECAUSE IT ALREADY HAS
UNIQUE ENHANCED FEATURES...
291
00:16:26,486 --> 00:16:29,020
WINGS THAT MAKES IT
MORE FUEL-EFFICIENT,
292
00:16:29,122 --> 00:16:33,290
AND IT ALREADY GETS
A SURPRISE BOOST
293
00:16:33,293 --> 00:16:36,994
FROM THE SCOOP UNDER ITS BELLY.
294
00:16:37,063 --> 00:16:39,964
Davidson: THEY DISCOVERED
THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE...
295
00:16:39,966 --> 00:16:41,365
WITH THE PROPER SHAPE,
296
00:16:41,434 --> 00:16:43,835
YOU WOULD ACCELERATE THE AIR
THROUGH THE RADIATOR,
297
00:16:43,936 --> 00:16:47,905
AND WHEN THE HEAT FROM THE
RADIATOR WAS ADDED TO THE AIR,
298
00:16:47,973 --> 00:16:49,640
IT EXPANDED THE AIR,
299
00:16:49,708 --> 00:16:52,910
WHICH SORT OF ACCELERATED IT
OUT THE BACK,
300
00:16:52,912 --> 00:16:56,113
ALMOST LIKE A VERY CRUDE JET,
YOU COULD ALMOST SAY.
301
00:16:56,116 --> 00:17:00,718
AND THIS RESULTED
IN THIS RADIATOR ACTUALLY ADDING
302
00:17:00,786 --> 00:17:04,088
A TINY AMOUNT OF THRUST
TO THE AIRPLANE.
303
00:17:04,156 --> 00:17:06,257
ALL RADIATORS PRIOR TO THAT
304
00:17:06,259 --> 00:17:08,626
HAD PRETTY MUCH RESULTED IN
NOTHING BUT SLOWING YOU DOWN.
305
00:17:08,694 --> 00:17:11,595
THIS RADIATOR ACTUALLY
PROVIDED A LITTLE THRUST
306
00:17:11,598 --> 00:17:14,098
WITH NO MOVING PARTS.
307
00:17:14,166 --> 00:17:15,833
Narrator: BUT IT NEEDS MUCH MORE
308
00:17:15,901 --> 00:17:19,303
TO ESCORT ALLIED BOMBERS
ALL THE WAY TO GERMANY.
309
00:17:19,371 --> 00:17:22,940
THE ARMY AIR FORCE
MUST ADD MORE FUEL TANKS.
310
00:17:22,942 --> 00:17:26,377
Davidson: THE P-51 HAD
92 GALLONS OF INTERNAL FUEL
311
00:17:26,445 --> 00:17:30,381
IN THE INBOARD PORTION
OF THE WING, ON EACH SIDE.
312
00:17:30,449 --> 00:17:31,616
IN ADDITION,
313
00:17:31,684 --> 00:17:34,285
THERE WAS AN 85-GALLON FUEL TANK
WENT IN THIS VICINITY,
314
00:17:34,353 --> 00:17:36,554
WHERE THE SEAT NOW IS.
315
00:17:36,556 --> 00:17:40,624
IN ADDITION TO THAT,
UNDERNEATH THE WINGS
316
00:17:40,693 --> 00:17:44,562
IT WAS CAPABLE OF CARRYING
SOME EXTERNAL FUEL.
317
00:17:44,630 --> 00:17:46,297
AS SOON AS THAT WAS DEPLETED,
318
00:17:46,365 --> 00:17:48,405
YOU WOULD DROP THOSE
AND GET RID OF THEM
319
00:17:48,434 --> 00:17:51,769
BECAUSE YOU REALLY COULDN'T
ENGAGE OR DOGFIGHT OR ANYTHING
320
00:17:51,771 --> 00:17:55,239
WITH THESE TANKS HANGING OFF
THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRPLANE.
321
00:17:55,241 --> 00:17:57,575
Narrator: AN EXTERNAL TANK,
ONCE DROPPED,
322
00:17:57,643 --> 00:18:01,212
WOULD BE NEAR IMPOSSIBLE
TO RECOVER.
323
00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:03,914
BUT NO PRECIOUS WARTIME METAL
WAS SACRIFICED,
324
00:18:03,917 --> 00:18:07,251
THANKS TO ANOTHER
CLEVER INNOVATION.
325
00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,654
Bud Anderson: BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
THEY'RE MADE OUT OF PAPER.
326
00:18:10,723 --> 00:18:13,591
Narrator: BUD ANDERSON
WAS A P-51 FIGHTER PILOT
327
00:18:13,659 --> 00:18:16,894
WHO SERVED OVER EUROPE
DURING THE WAR.
328
00:18:16,963 --> 00:18:18,929
Anderson:
THE BRITISH MADE THEM.
329
00:18:18,998 --> 00:18:21,799
AND IT'S PAPER AND RESIN...
330
00:18:21,868 --> 00:18:24,001
LIKE GLUE, I GUESS.
331
00:18:24,069 --> 00:18:26,104
AND, UH, THEY WERE PERFECT.
332
00:18:27,740 --> 00:18:29,540
Narrator:
WITH THE ADDITIONAL TANKS,
333
00:18:29,542 --> 00:18:33,544
THE P-51 HAS SEVEN
OR EIGHT HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME...
334
00:18:33,546 --> 00:18:35,279
ENOUGH TO GIVE IT A RANGE
335
00:18:35,348 --> 00:18:38,082
PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT IMPOSSIBLE
FOR A FIGHTER PLANE...
336
00:18:38,151 --> 00:18:40,985
SOME 1,200 MILES.
337
00:18:41,053 --> 00:18:44,155
THE MUSTANG GIVES
"THE BIG WEEK" BOMBING MISSION
338
00:18:44,223 --> 00:18:46,357
THE BEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS.
339
00:18:46,425 --> 00:18:50,495
BUT IT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.
340
00:18:50,563 --> 00:18:53,564
THE GERMANS HAVE RECENTLY MOVED
THE MAJORITY OF THEIR FIGHTERS
341
00:18:53,566 --> 00:18:57,368
TO THE WESTERN FRONT
TO MEET THE CHALLENGE.
342
00:19:01,441 --> 00:19:07,378
SOME RECENT BOMBING RUNS HAVE
BEEN DEVASTATING FOR THE ALLIES.
343
00:19:07,446 --> 00:19:10,114
[GUNFIRE]
344
00:19:10,116 --> 00:19:11,726
Anderegg:
SOME OF THE INITIAL RAIDS
345
00:19:11,750 --> 00:19:15,519
HAD 25 TO 30% LOSSES
IN THE BOMBERS.
346
00:19:15,588 --> 00:19:16,521
THAT'S A LOT
347
00:19:16,589 --> 00:19:18,122
'CAUSE YOU ONLY DO THAT
FOR FIVE DAYS,
348
00:19:18,124 --> 00:19:20,524
5 TIMES 20% IS 100.
349
00:19:20,527 --> 00:19:22,860
YOU'RE OUT OF AIRPLANES.
350
00:19:22,928 --> 00:19:25,062
Narrator: THE THREAT
TO ALLIED AIRCRAFT
351
00:19:25,064 --> 00:19:27,198
IS GREATER THAN EVER.
352
00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:28,599
[GUNFIRE]
353
00:19:32,304 --> 00:19:36,273
FEBRUARY 19, 1944.
354
00:19:36,276 --> 00:19:38,008
ALLIED AIR CREWS PREPARE TO BOMB
355
00:19:38,011 --> 00:19:40,544
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURING
AND SUPPORT PLANTS
356
00:19:40,547 --> 00:19:44,148
DEEP INSIDE GERMANY.
357
00:19:44,217 --> 00:19:47,351
AMONG THE ESCORT FIGHTERS
IS THE NEW WEAPON...
358
00:19:47,420 --> 00:19:50,287
THE LONG-RANGE P-51 MUSTANG,
359
00:19:50,290 --> 00:19:52,389
EXPECTED TO FLY
HIGHER AND FARTHER
360
00:19:52,458 --> 00:19:55,593
THAN ANY OTHER FIGHTER PLANE
ON THE PLANET.
361
00:19:58,497 --> 00:20:02,132
THE BRITISH LEAD THE FIRST
ATTACK OF BIG WEEK AT NIGHT
362
00:20:02,201 --> 00:20:07,104
WITH AN ENORMOUS FLEET
OF 823 BOMBERS.
363
00:20:07,173 --> 00:20:09,473
BUT THEY ENCOUNTER
A GERMAN FIGHTING FORCE
364
00:20:09,541 --> 00:20:11,609
OF SOME 300 AIRCRAFT
365
00:20:11,677 --> 00:20:15,613
AND LOSE A DEVASTATING
78 BOMBERS.
366
00:20:15,681 --> 00:20:18,916
THE SOBERING NEWS REACHES
AMERICAN COMMANDERS
367
00:20:18,984 --> 00:20:22,820
AS THEIR AIR CREWS PREPARE FOR
THE OPENING DAYLIGHT ASSAULT.
368
00:20:22,888 --> 00:20:25,589
Reporter: DOUBTFUL WEATHER
AND A STRONGER LUFTWAFFE
369
00:20:25,658 --> 00:20:27,491
MADE THIS A BIG GAMBLE.
370
00:20:27,559 --> 00:20:32,596
SOME EXPECTED POSSIBLE LOSSES
UP TO 200 BOMBERS AND CREWS.
371
00:20:32,599 --> 00:20:36,333
Narrator: BUT NO ONE
IS SHIRKING THE TASK AT HAND.
372
00:20:36,336 --> 00:20:38,903
Kinney: THE HEAVY LOSSES
THAT THE RAF EXPERIENCES
373
00:20:38,971 --> 00:20:41,005
ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF BIG WEEK
374
00:20:41,007 --> 00:20:43,674
IS NOT SEEN AS A DETERRENT
TO WHAT'S GOING TO OCCUR
375
00:20:43,743 --> 00:20:45,783
OVER THE COURSE
OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
376
00:20:47,146 --> 00:20:49,813
Narrator: THE AMERICANS
DEPART FOR EUROPE
377
00:20:49,816 --> 00:20:54,285
WITH A RECORD-BREAKING FORMATION
OF 1,008 BOMBERS
378
00:20:54,353 --> 00:20:57,088
AND 835 FIGHTERS TO DEFEND THEM.
379
00:21:05,031 --> 00:21:08,632
WHEN THE P-38 LIGHTNING
AND THE P-47 THUNDERBOLTS
380
00:21:08,635 --> 00:21:11,235
MUST TURN HOME TO REFUEL,
381
00:21:11,303 --> 00:21:14,104
THE MUSTANGS
ARE JUST GETTING STARTED.
382
00:21:14,107 --> 00:21:16,507
Kinney: THIS IS A PHASED ESCORT.
383
00:21:16,509 --> 00:21:19,410
P-47s AND P-38s
384
00:21:19,478 --> 00:21:22,913
CAN FLY AT CERTAIN LEGS
OF THE BOMBER FORMATIONS,
385
00:21:22,915 --> 00:21:26,617
AND THEN P-38s,
BUT ESPECIALLY P-51s,
386
00:21:26,685 --> 00:21:29,453
ARE WAY AT THE FAR EDGE.
387
00:21:29,522 --> 00:21:32,489
Narrator: THE MUSTANG PILOTS
DROP THEIR EMPTY EXTERNAL TANKS
388
00:21:32,558 --> 00:21:34,792
AND PLUNGE INTO THE FIGHT,
389
00:21:34,860 --> 00:21:39,196
ALL THE WAY
TO THE GERMAN HEARTLAND.
390
00:21:39,265 --> 00:21:41,465
IN UNSEASONABLY CLEAR SKIES,
391
00:21:41,467 --> 00:21:42,866
THERE IS NO HIDING;
392
00:21:42,935 --> 00:21:44,802
ONLY FIGHTING.
393
00:21:44,804 --> 00:21:46,848
Anderegg: IT MADE ALL
THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD
394
00:21:46,872 --> 00:21:48,238
HAVING THAT P-51 OUT THERE
395
00:21:48,307 --> 00:21:51,208
THAT COULD GO THE SAME DISTANCE
THE BOMBERS COULD GO.
396
00:21:51,210 --> 00:21:53,944
NOW THE GERMAN FIGHTERS
397
00:21:54,012 --> 00:21:55,457
HAD TO FIGHT THEIR WAY
THROUGH THE FIGHTERS
398
00:21:55,481 --> 00:21:57,114
TO GET TO THE BOMBERS.
399
00:22:00,853 --> 00:22:01,930
Narrator: THE GERMAN AIRCRAFT
400
00:22:01,954 --> 00:22:04,955
HAVE RECENTLY ADDED
MORE FIREPOWER,
401
00:22:05,024 --> 00:22:08,092
BUT THEIR NEW WEAPONS
WEIGH THEM DOWN
402
00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:11,295
AND THE MUSTANGS
EASILY OUTMANEUVER THEM.
403
00:22:11,363 --> 00:22:12,941
Kinney: IT'S A SURPRISE
FOR THE LUFTWAFFE
404
00:22:12,965 --> 00:22:14,565
IN TERMS OF, ONCE AGAIN,
405
00:22:14,633 --> 00:22:17,902
THERE ARE AMERICAN
ESCORT FIGHTERS THERE.
406
00:22:17,970 --> 00:22:21,038
AND THE LOSSES START TO BUILD
FOR THE LUFTWAFFE
407
00:22:21,106 --> 00:22:22,439
ON THAT FIRST DAY.
408
00:22:22,442 --> 00:22:25,743
SO THEY'RE LOSING FIGHTERS THAT
HAVE BEEN MODIFIED AND DEVELOPED
409
00:22:25,811 --> 00:22:28,912
TO ATTACK SLOW, HEAVY BOMBERS,
410
00:22:28,981 --> 00:22:30,458
AND NOW THERE ARE THESE
MANEUVERABLE FIGHTERS
411
00:22:30,482 --> 00:22:32,850
GOING AFTER THEM.
412
00:22:32,918 --> 00:22:34,852
[GUNFIRE]
413
00:22:37,390 --> 00:22:40,190
Narrator: WHEN DAY ONE
OF THE MISSION IS OVER,
414
00:22:40,193 --> 00:22:44,195
THE STATISTICS
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
415
00:22:44,263 --> 00:22:47,631
OF THE 1,008
AMERICAN BOMBERS THAT LEFT,
416
00:22:47,699 --> 00:22:50,968
ONLY 21 DID NOT RETURN...
417
00:22:51,036 --> 00:22:57,641
WHILE THE GERMAN AIR FORCE LOSES
AN ESTIMATED 127 FIGHTERS.
418
00:22:57,709 --> 00:23:01,545
OF THE ALLIED FIGHTERS LOST,
ONLY ONE IS A MUSTANG.
419
00:23:04,550 --> 00:23:06,884
[GUNFIRE]
420
00:23:10,089 --> 00:23:11,889
THE TIDE BEGINS TO TURN
421
00:23:11,957 --> 00:23:16,627
IN THE BATTLE FOR
AIR SUPERIORITY OVER EUROPE,
422
00:23:16,629 --> 00:23:19,530
AND MORE MUSTANGS
ARRIVE FROM AMERICA
423
00:23:19,598 --> 00:23:22,966
EVERY DAY
OF THE BIG WEEK CAMPAIGN.
424
00:23:23,035 --> 00:23:24,234
Kinney:
THE PRESENCE OF THE MUSTANG
425
00:23:24,237 --> 00:23:26,771
IN BRINGING UP THE LUFTWAFFE
AND DESTROYING THEM
426
00:23:26,839 --> 00:23:27,838
AND PROTECTING THE BOMBERS
427
00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:30,073
HAS AN IMMEDIATE PAY-OFF.
428
00:23:30,142 --> 00:23:32,743
Anderegg: AND THAT CHANGED
EVERYTHING FOR THE AIR FORCE...
429
00:23:32,811 --> 00:23:38,115
BEING ABLE TO HAVE LOSSES SUCH
THAT THEY WERE LIVABLE LOSSES.
430
00:23:38,184 --> 00:23:41,018
Narrator: MOST DEVASTATING
TO THE LUFTWAFFE...
431
00:23:41,086 --> 00:23:42,520
THE LOSS OF AIRMEN.
432
00:23:42,588 --> 00:23:46,657
434 KILLED THROUGHOUT
THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
433
00:23:46,659 --> 00:23:50,794
SOME 17% OF THEIR PILOTS.
434
00:23:50,797 --> 00:23:54,131
Anderegg: WE HAD KILLED
MANY, MANY, MANY
435
00:23:54,167 --> 00:23:56,934
OF THE EXPERIENCED
GERMAN FIGHTER PILOTS,
436
00:23:57,002 --> 00:24:00,471
SO THEIR FORCE BECAME
VERY INEXPERIENCED VERY FAST,
437
00:24:00,539 --> 00:24:01,872
AND THE RESULTS SHOWED.
438
00:24:01,941 --> 00:24:03,173
I MEAN, OUR KILL RATIOS
439
00:24:03,242 --> 00:24:05,609
JUST KEPT CLIMBING
AND CLIMBING AND CLIMBING
440
00:24:05,678 --> 00:24:08,512
AS WE HAD JUST ATTRITED
THOSE EXPERIENCED PILOTS,
441
00:24:08,581 --> 00:24:10,258
WHEREAS WE'RE BRINGING
MORE EXPERIENCED PILOTS IN
442
00:24:10,282 --> 00:24:11,582
ALL THE TIME
443
00:24:11,650 --> 00:24:15,152
'CAUSE THEY HAVE LONGER TO TRAIN
BEFORE THEY GET IN.
444
00:24:15,220 --> 00:24:19,056
Anderson: THEN ONCE WE KILLED
SO MANY OF THEIR PILOTS
445
00:24:19,124 --> 00:24:21,892
THAT WE GOT CONTROL OF THE AIR,
446
00:24:21,961 --> 00:24:25,496
THEN THAT MADE THE BOMBING
THAT MORE EFFECTIVE.
447
00:24:29,401 --> 00:24:32,837
Narrator: IT'S A STRONG START
FOR THE MUSTANG,
448
00:24:32,905 --> 00:24:35,038
BUT THE ALLIES
NEED THE NEW FIGHTER
449
00:24:35,107 --> 00:24:36,707
TO BE EVEN MORE AGGRESSIVE
450
00:24:36,775 --> 00:24:41,111
IF IT'S TO CLEAR THE SKIES
FOR THE UPCOMING D-DAY INVASION.
451
00:24:41,113 --> 00:24:44,181
ARMY AIR FORCE COMMANDING
GENERAL JIMMY DOOLITTLE
452
00:24:44,250 --> 00:24:49,253
USES THE BIG WEEK CAMPAIGN
TO EXPERIMENT WITH A NEW TACTIC.
453
00:24:49,321 --> 00:24:50,465
Man: THE 8th FIGHTER COMMAND
454
00:24:50,489 --> 00:24:54,591
WILL GIVE FIGHTER COVER
TO TARGETS.
455
00:24:54,594 --> 00:24:55,834
Anderegg: DOOLITTLE TOLD THEM,
456
00:24:55,861 --> 00:24:57,172
I DON'T WANT YOU
TO FLY IN FORMATION
457
00:24:57,196 --> 00:24:58,395
WITH THE BOMBERS ANYMORE.
458
00:24:58,463 --> 00:24:59,530
WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO
459
00:24:59,598 --> 00:25:02,032
IS SWEEP THE SKIES
IN FRONT OF THE BOMBERS,
460
00:25:02,100 --> 00:25:04,335
ENGAGE THE GERMAN FIGHTERS
461
00:25:04,403 --> 00:25:06,684
BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE
TO EVEN GET TO THE BOMBERS.
462
00:25:08,541 --> 00:25:10,241
Narrator: FROM NOW ON,
463
00:25:10,309 --> 00:25:13,343
THE MUSTANGS WILL TAKE
THE FIGHT TO THE GERMANS.
464
00:25:13,412 --> 00:25:17,781
IT'S A BOLD AND RISKY
EXPERIMENT.
465
00:25:17,849 --> 00:25:21,151
IT MUST SUCCEED TO MAKE
THE SKIES AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE
466
00:25:21,220 --> 00:25:25,022
FOR FORCES LANDING ON D-DAY.
467
00:25:25,090 --> 00:25:28,359
THOUSANDS OF LIVES,
AND PERHAPS THE ENTIRE WAR,
468
00:25:28,427 --> 00:25:30,294
HANG IN THE BALANCE.
469
00:25:33,065 --> 00:25:36,233
Anderson: OUR MISSION
WAS TO DESTROY THE LUFTWAFFE.
470
00:25:36,302 --> 00:25:38,702
WE DIDN'T JUST DRIVE THEM AWAY
AND COME BACK.
471
00:25:38,770 --> 00:25:40,237
WE FOLLOWED THEM
472
00:25:40,239 --> 00:25:41,705
AND TAKE THEM TO THE GROUND
AND KILL THEM.
473
00:25:41,707 --> 00:25:43,674
IT WAS CALLED
"PURSUE AND DESTROY."
474
00:25:46,545 --> 00:25:50,180
Narrator: MAY 27, 1944.
475
00:25:50,248 --> 00:25:54,385
D-DAY IS JUST TEN DAYS AWAY.
476
00:25:54,453 --> 00:25:57,454
BUD MUST ESCORT
A SQUAD OF B-17 BOMBERS
477
00:25:57,456 --> 00:26:00,490
TO LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY.
478
00:26:00,559 --> 00:26:03,460
THEY ALL MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE.
479
00:26:03,462 --> 00:26:06,263
BUD FLIES
JUST ABOVE THE FORMATION
480
00:26:06,332 --> 00:26:11,001
AND SCANS THE SKIES
FOR ENEMY AIRCRAFT.
481
00:26:11,069 --> 00:26:14,672
Anderson: NO RADAR WARNINGS
OR ANY METHOD
482
00:26:14,740 --> 00:26:16,700
TO TELL US WHEN
THEY WERE TAKING OFF,
483
00:26:16,742 --> 00:26:18,075
WHERE THEY WERE,
484
00:26:18,143 --> 00:26:21,812
SO WE WOULD STAY
FAIRLY CLOSE TO THE BOMBERS
485
00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:25,015
TO SEE THEM COME IN.
486
00:26:25,084 --> 00:26:28,152
Narrator: THEN BUD SEES IT.
487
00:26:28,220 --> 00:26:30,821
A FORMATION OF FOUR BF 109s
488
00:26:30,889 --> 00:26:34,491
HEADING STRAIGHT
FOR HIS BOMBERS.
489
00:26:34,559 --> 00:26:36,560
Anderson:
MY WINGMAN HOLLERS OUT,
490
00:26:36,629 --> 00:26:40,664
"HEY, WE GOT BOGIES,
UNIDENTIFIED AIRPLANES,
491
00:26:40,732 --> 00:26:43,700
COMING AT US
FROM 5 O'CLOCK HIGH,"
492
00:26:43,769 --> 00:26:46,503
SO THEY'RE COMING
RIGHT DOWN OUR TAIL.
493
00:26:46,571 --> 00:26:48,739
WE WERE VERY, VERY VULNERABLE.
494
00:26:48,807 --> 00:26:51,508
IT WAS OBVIOUS
THAT THEY WERE ATTACKING US.
495
00:26:51,510 --> 00:26:53,777
AND AS SOON AS WE SPOTTED
THOSE ENEMY AIRPLANES
496
00:26:53,846 --> 00:26:55,512
COMING AT US LIKE THAT,
497
00:26:55,514 --> 00:27:01,084
WE DROPPED OUR TANKS
AND MADE THIS STEEP TURN.
498
00:27:01,153 --> 00:27:03,587
WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING
ON THE DEFENSE,
499
00:27:03,655 --> 00:27:06,857
OR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
RIGHT UP OUR TAIL.
500
00:27:06,859 --> 00:27:09,793
Narrator: THE GERMANS
HONE IN ON BUD,
501
00:27:09,795 --> 00:27:15,198
WHO DOES THE ONLY THING HE CAN
TO STAY OUT OF ENEMY SIGHTS.
502
00:27:15,267 --> 00:27:21,271
Anderson:
WE GET INTO A CIRCLE LIKE THIS.
503
00:27:21,340 --> 00:27:24,675
I PRETTY WELL KNEW,
AFTER ONE TURN,
504
00:27:24,743 --> 00:27:26,210
THAT WE HAD THE ADVANTAGE.
505
00:27:26,278 --> 00:27:30,881
I COULD SEE WHERE I WAS
GAINING ON THEM ALL THE TIME.
506
00:27:30,949 --> 00:27:35,152
THE MUSTANG DEFINITELY
HAD A SPEED ADVANTAGE
507
00:27:35,154 --> 00:27:38,555
AND A TURNING ADVANTAGE
AT ALTITUDE,
508
00:27:38,623 --> 00:27:40,758
SO AFTER TWO TURNS
509
00:27:40,826 --> 00:27:43,927
I'M GETTING A LITTLE CLOSER
TO GETTING ON THEIR TAIL.
510
00:27:43,995 --> 00:27:49,099
THEY SEE THAT,
AND THEY ROLL OUT.
511
00:27:49,167 --> 00:27:51,001
THEY'RE IN TRAIL NOW.
512
00:27:51,069 --> 00:27:55,939
YOU KNOW, 1, 2, 3, 4,
IN A LINE,
513
00:27:56,007 --> 00:27:59,242
SO WE ROLL OUT RIGHT BEHIND THEM
514
00:27:59,311 --> 00:28:01,979
AND, YOU KNOW, CHASE THEM.
515
00:28:02,047 --> 00:28:04,214
Narrator: BUD CLOSES IN
ON AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT
516
00:28:04,282 --> 00:28:05,782
AND SHOOTS.
517
00:28:05,851 --> 00:28:07,517
[GUNFIRE]
518
00:28:07,586 --> 00:28:09,853
Anderson:
I GET HITS ALL OVER HIM,
519
00:28:09,922 --> 00:28:12,856
AND HEAVY BLACK SMOKE CAME OUT,
520
00:28:12,924 --> 00:28:15,959
AND HE JUST FELL OUT OF CONTROL.
521
00:28:16,027 --> 00:28:20,798
Narrator: HIS SIXTH
CONFIRMED KILL FOR THE WAR.
522
00:28:20,866 --> 00:28:24,668
BUT THEN, A BF 109
LOCKS ON TO HIS TAIL.
523
00:28:28,673 --> 00:28:30,674
Anderson: THIS IS NOT TRAINING,
524
00:28:30,676 --> 00:28:32,876
IT'S NOT A VIDEO GAME
WHERE YOU CAN SET, RESET,
525
00:28:32,944 --> 00:28:35,212
AND GO BACK AND FIGHT AGAIN.
526
00:28:35,214 --> 00:28:37,748
IT'S REAL STUFF.
527
00:28:37,750 --> 00:28:42,619
Narrator: BUD'S ONLY CHOICE
FOR ESCAPE IS A STEEP CLIMB.
528
00:28:42,687 --> 00:28:45,956
THE BF 109 FOLLOWS.
529
00:28:46,024 --> 00:28:49,459
BOTH PLANES PUSH THEIR LIMIT
IN A NEAR-VERTICAL CLIMB
530
00:28:49,528 --> 00:28:53,497
ALREADY CLOSE TO SIX MILES HIGH.
531
00:28:53,565 --> 00:28:54,675
Anderson: AND HE'S COMING.
532
00:28:54,699 --> 00:28:56,699
YOU KNOW,
HE'S TRYING TO GET UP THERE,
533
00:28:56,735 --> 00:28:57,855
AND SO I'M JUST PULLING.
534
00:28:57,903 --> 00:28:59,436
WE'RE BOTH GOING LIKE THIS.
535
00:28:59,538 --> 00:29:01,105
AND SOMEWHERE IN HERE,
536
00:29:01,173 --> 00:29:04,808
SOMEBODY'S IS GOING TO LOSE
THEIR AIRSPEED AND STALL OUT.
537
00:29:04,876 --> 00:29:07,316
AND THE FIRST GUY THAT DOES THAT
IS GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE.
538
00:29:10,982 --> 00:29:13,083
Narrator:
BUD IS JUST A FEW SECONDS AWAY
539
00:29:13,151 --> 00:29:16,386
FROM TAKING A DIRECT HIT.
540
00:29:16,454 --> 00:29:19,856
JUST THEN, HIS PURSUER'S ENGINE
STARTS TO VIBRATE.
541
00:29:19,925 --> 00:29:22,593
IT SPUTTERS AND STALLS.
542
00:29:22,661 --> 00:29:24,327
THE TABLES ARE TURNED,
543
00:29:24,330 --> 00:29:29,132
WITH BUD NOW CHASING THE GERMAN
IN A SIMILAR VERTICAL CLIMB.
544
00:29:29,135 --> 00:29:34,337
BUT THIS TIME, BOTH PILOTS KNOW
WHO HAS THE BETTER AIRCRAFT.
545
00:29:34,340 --> 00:29:36,673
Anderson: BOOM,
I'M RIGHT BACK ON HIS TAIL.
546
00:29:36,741 --> 00:29:38,875
I FIRE A BURST,
547
00:29:38,878 --> 00:29:42,612
AND I SAW A TRACER
KIND OF GO OFF HIS LEFT WING,
548
00:29:42,615 --> 00:29:45,015
SO I GAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT
OF LEFT RUDDER,
549
00:29:45,017 --> 00:29:49,252
AND THEN I GOT HITS
ALL OVER HIM.
550
00:29:49,321 --> 00:29:53,390
Narrator: THE GERMAN MACHINE
PLUMMETS SOME 30,000 FEET.
551
00:30:00,131 --> 00:30:02,599
Anderson: YOU KNOW,
IT'S KILL OR BE KILLED,
552
00:30:02,667 --> 00:30:04,968
AND YOU'RE TRYING TO DO
THE SAME THING TO HIM
553
00:30:05,036 --> 00:30:06,603
THAT HE'S TRYING TO DO TO YOU.
554
00:30:06,671 --> 00:30:09,639
AND WHEN IT'S ALL OVER,
THEN YOU SAY, "OH, MY GOD."
555
00:30:09,708 --> 00:30:12,176
YOUR FEET MIGHT SHAKE
ON THE RUDDERS.
556
00:30:14,113 --> 00:30:16,513
Narrator: THE P-51 MUSTANG
557
00:30:16,515 --> 00:30:19,516
HAS PURSUED AND OUTPERFORMED
ITS ARCHRIVAL
558
00:30:19,584 --> 00:30:22,385
IN A ONE-ON-ONE BATTLE.
559
00:30:22,388 --> 00:30:25,055
IT'S A GAME-CHANGER.
560
00:30:25,057 --> 00:30:26,500
Kinney: THE ABILITY
TO HAVE AN AIRPLANE
561
00:30:26,524 --> 00:30:28,258
THAT CAN RISE TO MEET THE ENEMY,
562
00:30:28,260 --> 00:30:30,171
THAT'S A BASIC TENET
OF FIGHTER DOCTRINE
563
00:30:30,195 --> 00:30:32,396
IS DON'T RUN AWAY
FROM YOUR ENEMY,
564
00:30:32,464 --> 00:30:34,542
DON'T DIVE AWAY
UNLESS YOU NEED TO GET AWAY.
565
00:30:34,566 --> 00:30:35,643
IF YOU WANT TO ATTACK THEM,
566
00:30:35,667 --> 00:30:37,579
YOU RISE TO THEM
AND YOU MEET THEM.
567
00:30:37,603 --> 00:30:39,203
AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S ABLE TO DO
568
00:30:39,271 --> 00:30:42,005
ON SEVERAL INSTANCES OVER
THE COURSE OF THIS DOGFIGHT
569
00:30:42,074 --> 00:30:46,243
IN WHICH HE GETS THE ADVANTAGE.
570
00:30:46,311 --> 00:30:48,545
Anderson: TWO THINGS
HAPPENED IN EUROPE:
571
00:30:48,647 --> 00:30:52,282
THE ARRIVAL OF THE MUSTANG
AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME
572
00:30:52,351 --> 00:30:56,119
AND GENERAL JIMMY DOOLITTLE'S
DECISION.
573
00:30:56,187 --> 00:31:01,925
I THINK THOSE WERE SIGNIFICANT
FACTORS IN HOW THE WAR WAS WON.
574
00:31:04,729 --> 00:31:07,764
Narrator: GERMAN COMMANDERS
LATER STATE THE SAME...
575
00:31:07,833 --> 00:31:10,634
THAT THE DAY THE MUSTANGS
TOOK AN OFFENSIVE APPROACH
576
00:31:10,702 --> 00:31:13,036
IS THE DAY GERMANY
LOST THE AIR WAR.
577
00:31:18,310 --> 00:31:21,745
WITH ITS LONG-RANGE AND
HIGH-FLYING DOGFIGHT ABILITIES,
578
00:31:21,813 --> 00:31:25,048
THE MUSTANG IS A PLANE
DESIGNED TO DOMINATE THE SKIES
579
00:31:25,116 --> 00:31:28,518
AND HELP END THE WAR IN EUROPE.
580
00:31:28,586 --> 00:31:31,221
BUT IN THE PACIFIC,
THE MUSTANGS ARE CALLED UPON
581
00:31:31,289 --> 00:31:34,124
TO DO MORE THAN
THEY WERE BUILT TO WITHSTAND.
582
00:31:37,395 --> 00:31:39,796
MARCH 1945.
583
00:31:39,798 --> 00:31:42,999
THE JAPANESE ISLAND OF IWO JIMA.
584
00:31:43,002 --> 00:31:47,537
U.S. FORCES TAKE SOME OF THEIR
HEAVIEST LOSSES OF WORLD WAR II.
585
00:31:47,606 --> 00:31:52,008
BUT AFTER FIVE WEEKS OF BATTLE,
THEY CAPTURE THE ISLAND.
586
00:31:52,077 --> 00:31:55,779
THERE'S HOT DEBATE OVER
IWO JIMA'S STRATEGIC VALUE,
587
00:31:55,847 --> 00:31:59,549
BUT THE ARMY AIR FORCE
SEES POTENTIAL.
588
00:31:59,618 --> 00:32:01,596
Kinney: THE PROXIMITY
OF THE IWO JIMA,
589
00:32:01,620 --> 00:32:04,020
BETWEEN THE MARIANAS
AND THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS,
590
00:32:04,089 --> 00:32:07,658
MAKES IT A VITAL ASSET IN TERMS
OF HAVING A FLOATING AIR BASE.
591
00:32:10,829 --> 00:32:12,896
Narrator: IWO JIMA
IS A DOT IN THE OCEAN
592
00:32:12,965 --> 00:32:16,866
SOME 760 MILES SOUTH OF TOKYO.
593
00:32:16,935 --> 00:32:20,904
THE LARGER BOMBERS CAN MAKE
THAT DISTANCE AND RETURN,
594
00:32:20,973 --> 00:32:22,105
BUT EXPERIENCE IN EUROPE
595
00:32:22,107 --> 00:32:24,641
PROVES THAT THERE IS
ONLY ONE FIGHTER PLANE
596
00:32:24,710 --> 00:32:29,579
CAPABLE OF ESCORTING THOSE
BOMBERS THE ENTIRE WAY AND BACK.
597
00:32:29,581 --> 00:32:33,050
Kinney: P-51s ARE INTRODUCED IN
THE PACIFIC IN A LARGE SCALE
598
00:32:33,118 --> 00:32:34,484
AT IWO JIMA
599
00:32:34,552 --> 00:32:39,789
SO THEY CAN FLY ESCORT MISSIONS
FOR THE B-29s OVER JAPAN.
600
00:32:39,858 --> 00:32:42,325
OPERATING FROM IWO JIMA
WAS VERY DANGEROUS
601
00:32:42,394 --> 00:32:44,505
IN THE SENSE THAT YOU HAVE
LARGE POCKETS OF JAPANESE
602
00:32:44,529 --> 00:32:47,064
WHO COULD ATTACK THE AIRFIELD
AT ANY TIME,
603
00:32:47,132 --> 00:32:49,532
AND WHICH
THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
604
00:32:49,601 --> 00:32:51,746
AND SO IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS
EXISTENCE FOR THESE PILOTS
605
00:32:51,770 --> 00:32:54,404
WHO ARE FLYING OVER
LONG STRETCHES OF THE PACIFIC,
606
00:32:54,406 --> 00:32:56,940
FLYING OVER JAPAN, COMING BACK,
607
00:32:56,942 --> 00:33:01,177
AND THEN THEY COULD BE ATTACKED
ON THE AIRFIELD ITSELF.
608
00:33:01,246 --> 00:33:04,681
Jerry Yellin:
WE LANDED ON A DIRT AIRSTRIP
609
00:33:04,750 --> 00:33:08,084
THAT HAD POCKMARKS OF BOMBS,
610
00:33:08,153 --> 00:33:13,623
AND THEY REPAIRED THAT AIRSTRIP
SO THAT WE COULD LAND.
611
00:33:13,692 --> 00:33:16,693
Narrator: FORMER MUSTANG PILOT
CAPTAIN JERRY YELLIN
612
00:33:16,762 --> 00:33:23,100
WAS STATIONED ON IWO JIMA
WITH MORE THAN 500 OTHER PILOTS.
613
00:33:23,168 --> 00:33:24,178
Jerry Yellin:
IT JUST FLASHED THERE...
614
00:33:24,202 --> 00:33:25,335
THIS IS JAPAN!
615
00:33:25,403 --> 00:33:28,438
YOU KNOW, I'M OVER THE HOMELAND
OF OUR ENEMY.
616
00:33:28,507 --> 00:33:34,711
I WAS PART OF A FORCE THAT WAS
GOING TO DESTROY JAPAN.
617
00:33:34,713 --> 00:33:36,813
Narrator:
THE FLIGHTS TO JAPAN AND BACK
618
00:33:36,881 --> 00:33:39,082
ARE ALMOST ENTIRELY OVER WATER
619
00:33:39,150 --> 00:33:41,217
AND MORE THAN EIGHT HOURS LONG,
620
00:33:41,286 --> 00:33:46,656
PUSHING THE MUSTANG'S RANGE
TO THE ABSOLUTE LIMIT.
621
00:33:46,724 --> 00:33:49,793
Yellin: 8 HOURS AND 3 MINUTES
UP AND BACK.
622
00:33:49,795 --> 00:33:51,661
WE RAN INTO HEADWINDS.
623
00:33:51,663 --> 00:33:55,865
THERE WERE ONE OR TWO GUYS
THAT BAILED OUT ON THE APPROACH.
624
00:33:55,934 --> 00:33:58,134
I HAD SEVEN GALLONS
OF FUEL LEFT...
625
00:33:58,203 --> 00:34:01,938
ENOUGH TO GO AROUND
IF I MISSED A LANDING.
626
00:34:02,007 --> 00:34:04,341
IT WAS VERY, VERY TIGHT.
627
00:34:04,409 --> 00:34:07,010
Narrator: THESE ARE THE LONGEST
FIGHTER MISSIONS OF THE WAR
628
00:34:07,079 --> 00:34:10,880
AND TOUGH ON THE PILOTS,
WHO MUST ALL FLY SOLO.
629
00:34:10,883 --> 00:34:13,416
THEIR BATHROOM IS A TUBE.
630
00:34:13,419 --> 00:34:16,619
THEY GET NO RELIEF FROM
THE ENGINE'S CONSTANT ROAR,
631
00:34:16,622 --> 00:34:19,122
NOR ANY ESCAPE
FROM THE CRAMPED COCKPIT.
632
00:34:23,162 --> 00:34:24,627
Yellin: I COULDN'T
GET OUT OF THE AIRPLANE
633
00:34:24,630 --> 00:34:27,431
AFTER SITTING THERE
FOR EIGHT HOURS.
634
00:34:27,499 --> 00:34:30,634
I MEAN, YOU'RE JUST
FULL OF ADRENALINE,
635
00:34:30,702 --> 00:34:33,703
AND THEN WHEN YOU COME OFF
THE TARGET AND YOU COME BACK,
636
00:34:33,705 --> 00:34:37,373
THERE'S A COMPLETE
LETDOWN AND A LOW.
637
00:34:37,442 --> 00:34:40,477
THEY GAVE US A BENZEDRINE,
WHICH IS AN UPPER,
638
00:34:40,545 --> 00:34:45,449
AND I TOOK THAT
EVERY TIME I FLEW A MISSION.
639
00:34:45,517 --> 00:34:48,751
I WENT FROM 155 POUNDS
TO 120 POUNDS.
640
00:34:48,820 --> 00:34:52,656
[EXPLOSION]
641
00:34:52,724 --> 00:34:54,724
Narrator: YELLIN WAS IN IWO JIMA
642
00:34:54,792 --> 00:35:00,530
WHEN THE U.S. DROPPED NUCLEAR
BOMBS ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI.
643
00:35:00,599 --> 00:35:03,066
BUT A WEEK AFTER
THE ATOMIC DEVASTATION,
644
00:35:03,068 --> 00:35:06,803
THE JAPANESE STILL
HAD NOT SURRENDERED.
645
00:35:06,805 --> 00:35:09,873
Yellin: THE JAPANESE
WERE NOT RESPONDING AT ALL
646
00:35:09,941 --> 00:35:13,943
TO THE NEGOTIATIONS,
647
00:35:14,012 --> 00:35:18,014
SO THE MISSION WAS TO SHOW THEM
THAT THE AMERICAN MILITARY
648
00:35:18,083 --> 00:35:20,684
WOULD CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THEM
AS THE ENEMY
649
00:35:20,752 --> 00:35:23,286
UNTIL THEY SURRENDERED
UNCONDITIONALLY.
650
00:35:23,354 --> 00:35:26,656
THAT WAS THE PURPOSE
OF THE MISSION ON AUGUST 14th.
651
00:35:29,627 --> 00:35:31,494
Narrator: AUGUST 14th.
652
00:35:31,497 --> 00:35:36,366
YELLIN COMMANDS
A SORTIE OF FOUR MUSTANGS.
653
00:35:36,434 --> 00:35:40,170
BUT THIS TIME, THEY WILL NOT
BE ESCORTING BOMBERS.
654
00:35:40,172 --> 00:35:43,740
IT'S AN ENTIRELY
DIFFERENT KIND OF MISSION.
655
00:35:43,808 --> 00:35:45,909
THEIR ORDERS
ARE TO FLY LOW AND FAST
656
00:35:45,977 --> 00:35:51,781
AND USE LOW-LEVEL STRAFING FIRE
TO DESTROY A JAPANESE AIRFIELD.
657
00:35:51,850 --> 00:35:57,887
Yellin: WE WERE SHOWN HOW TO PUT
EIGHT ROCKETS ONTO OUR WINGS.
658
00:35:57,956 --> 00:35:59,355
SO WE COULD CARRY EIGHT ROCKETS
659
00:35:59,424 --> 00:36:02,726
AND SHOOT THE ROCKETS
FOUR AT A TIME OFF OF OUR WINGS,
660
00:36:02,794 --> 00:36:07,330
OR ALL EIGHT AT ONE TIME.
661
00:36:07,398 --> 00:36:09,499
SO WE WENT IN
ON STRAFING MISSIONS,
662
00:36:09,567 --> 00:36:12,001
AND WE ROCKETED FACTORIES,
663
00:36:12,070 --> 00:36:15,371
AND WE STRAFED SHIPPING
AND WE STRAFED AIRFIELDS.
664
00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:21,144
WE STRAFED ANYTHING THAT MADE
JAPANESE WAR MATERIALS.
665
00:36:21,213 --> 00:36:28,184
[GUNFIRE]
666
00:36:28,253 --> 00:36:30,486
Narrator:
THE FOUR PILOTS TAKE OFF,
667
00:36:30,489 --> 00:36:33,556
HOPING AT ANY TIME
TO HEAR THE CODE WORD "OHIO"
668
00:36:33,559 --> 00:36:35,758
OVER THEIR RADIOS.
669
00:36:35,827 --> 00:36:38,228
THIS WOULD BE
THE SIGNAL FROM BASE
670
00:36:38,296 --> 00:36:41,565
THAT JAPAN HAD SURRENDERED
AND THE WAR IS OVER.
671
00:36:41,633 --> 00:36:45,302
BUT THE CODE WORD NEVER COMES.
672
00:36:45,370 --> 00:36:48,605
Yellin: WE CAME IN
FROM 8,000 FEET
673
00:36:48,673 --> 00:36:51,708
AT AN ANGLE, A VERY SHARP ANGLE.
674
00:36:51,710 --> 00:36:53,710
WE WERE STRAFING EVERYTHING...
675
00:36:53,778 --> 00:36:55,812
AIRPLANES ON THE GROUND,
676
00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:58,648
HANGARS AND ALL OF THE THINGS,
SMOKESTACKS.
677
00:36:58,717 --> 00:37:02,885
WHATEVER WAS AROUND THERE,
WE WERE STRAFING.
678
00:37:02,954 --> 00:37:07,457
Narrator: THEY PASS OVER TARGETS
EXTREMELY FAST AND LOW...
679
00:37:07,459 --> 00:37:12,495
WELL WITHIN RANGE OF AN ENEMY
DETERMINED TO BRING THEM DOWN.
680
00:37:12,563 --> 00:37:14,197
Yellin: WE HAD GROUND FIRE
681
00:37:14,265 --> 00:37:17,166
FROM THE MOMENT WE STARTED OUT
ON OUR STRAFING RUNS.
682
00:37:17,235 --> 00:37:20,870
YOU COULD SEE THE BULLETS
COMING UP AT YOU, THE TRACERS,
683
00:37:20,938 --> 00:37:23,340
YOU COULD SEE PUFFS OF SMOKE.
684
00:37:23,408 --> 00:37:26,543
YOU'RE GOING VERY FAST...
400 MILES AN HOUR.
685
00:37:26,611 --> 00:37:31,180
AND YOU JUST HAD FRACTIONS OF
SECONDS TO SHOOT AT THE TARGET.
686
00:37:31,249 --> 00:37:32,549
YOU GAVE THEM QUICK BURSTS...
687
00:37:32,617 --> 00:37:35,018
A TWO- OR THREE-SECOND BURST,
688
00:37:35,086 --> 00:37:37,720
AND YOU HAD
THOUSANDS OF ROUNDS OF BULLETS
689
00:37:37,789 --> 00:37:41,758
GO OUT OF YOUR SIX
.50-CALIBER MACHINE GUNS.
690
00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:43,760
Narrator:
ONCE OUT OF AMMUNITION,
691
00:37:43,828 --> 00:37:47,997
YELLIN AND HIS WINGMAN CLIMB
FAST TO ESCAPE THE GROUND FIRE.
692
00:37:48,066 --> 00:37:50,300
AROUND 14,000 FEET,
693
00:37:50,368 --> 00:37:52,313
THEY GIVE EACH OTHER
THE THUMBS UP,
694
00:37:52,337 --> 00:37:55,472
AND SIDE BY SIDE,
ENTER A CLOUD BANK.
695
00:37:58,710 --> 00:38:02,011
Yellin: WHEN WE CAME OUT
OF THE CLOUDS,
696
00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:04,058
THERE WEREN'T
FOUR AIRPLANES IN MY FLIGHT;
697
00:38:04,082 --> 00:38:05,382
THERE WERE THREE AIRPLANES.
698
00:38:05,450 --> 00:38:07,250
ONE GUY WAS GONE.
699
00:38:07,319 --> 00:38:08,818
HE WAS FLYING ON MY WING,
700
00:38:08,886 --> 00:38:10,119
AND WHETHER HE SPUN OUT
701
00:38:10,188 --> 00:38:13,923
OR WHETHER HIS AIRPLANE WAS HIT
OR WHETHER HE WAS HIT,
702
00:38:13,925 --> 00:38:15,325
NOBODY WILL EVER KNOW.
703
00:38:19,530 --> 00:38:22,465
IT TURNED OUT TO BE
THE VERY LAST MISSION
704
00:38:22,467 --> 00:38:25,368
FLOWN IN WORLD WAR II.
705
00:38:25,436 --> 00:38:26,736
WHEN WE LANDED ON IWO JIMA,
706
00:38:26,805 --> 00:38:29,605
WE FOUND OUT THAT THE WAR
HAD BEEN OVER FOR THREE HOURS,
707
00:38:29,707 --> 00:38:34,177
WHILE WE WERE STRAFING
THE AIRFIELDS NEAR TOKYO.
708
00:38:34,245 --> 00:38:36,746
Narrator: THE TRAGIC LOSS
OF YELLIN'S WINGMAN,
709
00:38:36,815 --> 00:38:39,182
19-YEAR-OLD SECOND LIEUTENANT
PHILIP SCHLAMBERG,
710
00:38:39,250 --> 00:38:41,284
IS GIVEN LITTLE ATTENTION.
711
00:38:43,388 --> 00:38:45,455
THE WAR IS OVER.
712
00:38:47,992 --> 00:38:51,361
MUSTANGS HAVE FLOWN
MORE THAN 200,000 SORTIES
713
00:38:51,429 --> 00:38:54,831
AND DESTROYED MORE THAN
9,000 ENEMY AIRCRAFT,
714
00:38:54,932 --> 00:38:58,501
WITH ALLIED LOSSES
OF LESS THAN A THIRD OF THAT.
715
00:38:58,503 --> 00:39:01,838
IT'S AN AIRCRAFT
TO BE CELEBRATED.
716
00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:05,274
NOW THE MUSTANG
HAS NEW FRONTIERS TO CONQUER.
717
00:39:05,343 --> 00:39:08,645
AND AFTER THE WAR,
SURPLUS MUSTANGS GO CHEAP.
718
00:39:12,384 --> 00:39:13,460
Anderegg:
DURING THIS WHOLE TIME,
719
00:39:13,484 --> 00:39:16,519
YOU COULD BY A P-51
FOR A DOLLAR.
720
00:39:16,555 --> 00:39:19,155
AND SO A LOT OF THOSE AIRPLANES
721
00:39:19,223 --> 00:39:22,325
WERE BOUGHT
BY AVIATION ENTHUSIASTS
722
00:39:22,393 --> 00:39:25,695
WHO WANTED TO FLY P-51s.
723
00:39:25,763 --> 00:39:31,734
THEY BECAME THE AIRPLANE
OF CHOICE FOR AIR RACING...
724
00:39:31,737 --> 00:39:34,637
FAST, EASY TO MAINTAIN,
725
00:39:34,705 --> 00:39:37,473
EASY TO SOUP UP AND GET
EVEN MORE POWER OUT OF IT.
726
00:39:37,476 --> 00:39:39,319
Kinney: AND THEN THERE'S
AN EXTREME SEGMENT
727
00:39:39,343 --> 00:39:42,512
OF THIS WARBIRD COMMUNITY
WHO TAKE MUSTANGS,
728
00:39:42,580 --> 00:39:44,414
THEY MODIFY THE MERLIN ENGINE,
729
00:39:44,416 --> 00:39:47,317
CRANKED UP FROM 1,500
TO 4,000 HORSEPOWER.
730
00:39:54,759 --> 00:39:56,703
Narrator:
TWO YEARS AFTER THE WAR,
731
00:39:56,727 --> 00:40:00,163
FAMED AVIATOR CHARLES F. BLAIR
BUYS A MUSTANG
732
00:40:00,165 --> 00:40:04,767
TO ATTEMPT THE INCONCEIVABLE.
733
00:40:04,836 --> 00:40:07,737
MAY 29, 1951.
734
00:40:07,805 --> 00:40:09,883
BLAIR ATTEMPTS A FLIGHT
OVER THE NORTH POLE
735
00:40:09,907 --> 00:40:12,942
FROM NORWAY
TO FAIRBANKS, ALASKA.
736
00:40:14,579 --> 00:40:17,213
THE AIR FORCE REFUSES
TO LEND HIM SUPPORT,
737
00:40:17,281 --> 00:40:20,850
SAYING THE MISSION
IS IMPOSSIBLE.
738
00:40:20,919 --> 00:40:22,185
Anderegg: TO THE UNINITIATED,
739
00:40:22,253 --> 00:40:25,855
THE FIRST PART OF THAT
THAT SEEMS SO DANGEROUS IS
740
00:40:25,923 --> 00:40:28,725
IF THE ENGINE QUITS,
YOU'RE AT THE NORTH POLE.
741
00:40:28,793 --> 00:40:32,395
THE HARD PART IS
COMPASSES DON'T WORK UP THERE
742
00:40:32,463 --> 00:40:35,097
BECAUSE YOU'RE SO NEAR
THE MAGNETIC NORTH.
743
00:40:35,166 --> 00:40:38,301
BUT HE HAS A WAY OF MEASURING
WHAT THAT ANGLE IS,
744
00:40:38,369 --> 00:40:40,002
OF THE SUN TO THE HORIZON,
745
00:40:40,071 --> 00:40:42,872
AND FURTHERMORE, WHAT THE ANGLE
OF THAT SUN IS TO HIS AIRPLANE,
746
00:40:42,874 --> 00:40:45,942
LEFT AND RIGHT.
747
00:40:45,944 --> 00:40:48,845
Narrator: BLAIR MAKES
THE FLIGHT IN TEN HOURS.
748
00:40:48,913 --> 00:40:50,413
THE REAL RESULT...
749
00:40:50,481 --> 00:40:52,749
HE SINGLEHANDEDLY
UPS THE STAKES
750
00:40:52,817 --> 00:40:55,952
IN AMERICA'S COLD WAR
WITH RUSSIA.
751
00:40:55,954 --> 00:40:57,787
Kinney: BOTH NOW REALIZE
752
00:40:57,855 --> 00:41:01,023
THAT IF A SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE
CAN FLY OVER THE NORTH POLE,
753
00:41:01,026 --> 00:41:04,694
THEN BOMBERS ARMED
WITH ATOMIC BOMBS CAN AS WELL.
754
00:41:04,762 --> 00:41:06,729
AND SO IT OPENS UP
A VULNERABILITY
755
00:41:06,797 --> 00:41:13,169
AND CREATES A NEW FRONT LINE
IN THE COLD WAR OVER THE ARCTIC.
756
00:41:13,171 --> 00:41:16,506
Narrator: WITHIN THREE YEARS,
THAT COLD WAR TURNS HOT
757
00:41:16,574 --> 00:41:20,910
AND THE MUSTANG IS AGAIN
CALLED TO THE BATTLEFIELD.
758
00:41:20,912 --> 00:41:24,213
NOT OVER ALASKA
OR EVEN RUSSIA.
759
00:41:24,282 --> 00:41:25,982
BUT KOREA.
760
00:41:26,050 --> 00:41:29,752
AND THIS TIME, IT'S MISSION
WILL PROVE ITS DOWNFALL.
761
00:41:32,690 --> 00:41:35,992
JUNE 25, 1950.
762
00:41:36,060 --> 00:41:37,727
WAR BREAKS OUT IN KOREA
763
00:41:37,729 --> 00:41:40,196
WITH COMMUNIST CHINA
BACKING THE NORTH
764
00:41:40,264 --> 00:41:44,600
AND UNITED NATIONS FORCES
SUPPORTING THE SOUTH.
765
00:41:44,669 --> 00:41:48,337
U.S. COMMANDERS RECALL MUSTANGS
FROM THE COAST GUARD
766
00:41:48,406 --> 00:41:50,239
AND PUT THEM ON ACTIVE DUTY.
767
00:41:50,308 --> 00:41:52,119
Anderegg: SO WE STARTED DRAGGING
THEM OUT OF MOTHBALLS,
768
00:41:52,143 --> 00:41:53,476
REFITTING THEM,
769
00:41:53,478 --> 00:41:57,013
AND STARTED USING THEM IN KOREA
AS A GROUND, CLOSE AIR SUPPORT,
770
00:41:57,081 --> 00:41:59,615
OR GROUND ATTACK.
OR ATTACK AIRFRAME.
771
00:41:59,618 --> 00:42:01,484
IT WAS NOT THE BEST,
772
00:42:01,486 --> 00:42:03,887
NEVER WAS THE BEST KIND
OF AN AIRFRAME TO DO THAT,
773
00:42:03,955 --> 00:42:06,355
BUT THAT'S WHAT WAS AVAILABLE.
774
00:42:06,457 --> 00:42:09,592
Narrator: THEY FIT THE MUSTANGS
WITH 500-POUND BOMBS,
775
00:42:09,660 --> 00:42:12,128
ROCKETS, AND MACHINE GUNS.
776
00:42:12,196 --> 00:42:15,164
THERE IS NO NEED
FOR LONG-RANGE FUEL TANKS HERE.
777
00:42:15,232 --> 00:42:17,900
THE FRONT IS JUST MINUTES AWAY.
778
00:42:17,903 --> 00:42:20,803
Charles McGee: IN THE EARLY PART
OF THE WAR,
779
00:42:20,871 --> 00:42:28,044
IT WAS ONLY A 10- OR 15-MINUTE
FLIGHT TO THE TARGET AREA.
780
00:42:28,046 --> 00:42:29,478
Narrator: COLONEL CHARLES McGEE
781
00:42:29,547 --> 00:42:32,281
WAS ONE OF THE FAMED
TUSKEGEE AIRMEN.
782
00:42:32,350 --> 00:42:36,285
HE FLEW A RECORD-BREAKING
409 FIGHTER COMBAT MISSIONS
783
00:42:36,354 --> 00:42:38,120
IN THREE WARS...
784
00:42:38,189 --> 00:42:41,624
MOST OF THEM IN MUSTANGS.
785
00:42:41,692 --> 00:42:43,059
McGee: IN WORLD WAR II,
786
00:42:43,127 --> 00:42:47,096
IT WAS HIGH-ALTITUDE
AND LONG-RANGE FLYING.
787
00:42:47,164 --> 00:42:50,733
IN KOREA, IT WAS LOW-ALTITUDE
788
00:42:50,735 --> 00:42:55,938
TO PROVIDE SUPPORT
FOR OUR TROOPS ON THE GROUND.
789
00:42:55,941 --> 00:42:57,773
Narrator: AT LOW ALTITUDE
790
00:42:57,842 --> 00:43:00,443
THE MUSTANG EXPOSES
ITS ACHILLES' HEEL,
791
00:43:00,511 --> 00:43:04,046
PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT AN ASSET.
792
00:43:04,115 --> 00:43:08,084
IT'S THE SCOOP-SHAPED RADIATOR
ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE.
793
00:43:08,152 --> 00:43:10,219
Davidson:
YOU HAD ALL OF YOUR COOLANT
794
00:43:10,221 --> 00:43:12,088
ON THE BELLY OF THE PLANE,
795
00:43:12,090 --> 00:43:15,391
SO IT WAS VERY
SUSCEPTIBLE TO GUNFIRE.
796
00:43:15,459 --> 00:43:18,227
ONE LUCKY HIT
TO THE BELLY OF THIS AIRPLANE,
797
00:43:18,296 --> 00:43:19,695
AND YOU'RE DONE
798
00:43:19,731 --> 00:43:21,141
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO KEEP THE ENGINE COOL.
799
00:43:21,165 --> 00:43:22,498
IF YOU CAN'T KEEP
THE ENGINE COOL,
800
00:43:22,500 --> 00:43:25,635
THE ENGINE
WILL NOT KEEP RUNNING.
801
00:43:25,736 --> 00:43:27,856
IT HAD THE POTENTIAL
TO GET YOU IN TROUBLE.
802
00:43:32,910 --> 00:43:35,445
Narrator: SEPTEMBER 16, 1951.
803
00:43:35,513 --> 00:43:38,080
CHARLES McGEE'S 40th MISSION.
804
00:43:38,149 --> 00:43:39,849
HE TARGETS A RADAR INSTALLATION
805
00:43:39,917 --> 00:43:44,487
PROTECTED BY A GUN EMPLACEMENT
ON THE SIDE OF A HILL.
806
00:43:44,555 --> 00:43:46,722
McGee: IT WAS OUR TARGET
807
00:43:46,791 --> 00:43:49,058
TO JUST DESTROY THOSE DEFENSES
808
00:43:49,060 --> 00:43:52,495
THAT KEPT OUR TROOPS
FROM MOVING ON NORTH.
809
00:43:52,563 --> 00:43:55,965
WE'RE FIRING,
AND THEY'RE FIRING BACK.
810
00:43:56,033 --> 00:44:02,638
OF COURSE MY CONCENTRATION IS ON
THE TARGET THAT I WAS FIRING ON,
811
00:44:02,707 --> 00:44:07,443
AND ONE OF THEIR SHELLS
HIT ME IN THE LEFT WING.
812
00:44:07,511 --> 00:44:09,879
IMMEDIATELY, AS I RECALL,
813
00:44:09,947 --> 00:44:14,283
MY REACTION WAS TO GET OUT
OF THE LINE OF FIRE.
814
00:44:14,285 --> 00:44:17,687
Narrator:
McGEE PULLS UP AND TURNS HOME,
815
00:44:17,755 --> 00:44:19,989
NOT KNOWING
THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE,
816
00:44:20,057 --> 00:44:21,624
OR IF HE'LL MAKE IT.
817
00:44:21,693 --> 00:44:23,959
McGee: THE FOCUS
IS ALL ON THE JOB
818
00:44:24,028 --> 00:44:26,629
AND NOT SO MUCH
OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.
819
00:44:30,735 --> 00:44:32,702
Narrator:
THE SKELETON OF HIS LEFT WING
820
00:44:32,704 --> 00:44:35,104
IS IRREPARABLY SHREDDED,
821
00:44:35,106 --> 00:44:37,039
BUT THE FLIGHT HOME IS SHORT,
822
00:44:37,108 --> 00:44:39,642
AND HE MAKES IT.
823
00:44:39,644 --> 00:44:41,243
McGee: I'M A LUCKY GUY.
824
00:44:41,246 --> 00:44:44,847
IT COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SPOT,
SUCH AS THE COOLANT,
825
00:44:44,916 --> 00:44:48,984
THAT I MIGHT NOT BE HERE
TO TALK ABOUT IT.
826
00:44:48,987 --> 00:44:52,989
Narrator:
OTHERS ARE NOT SO LUCKY.
827
00:44:53,091 --> 00:44:54,935
Kinney: THERE ARE INSTANCES
WHERE ENTIRE TAILS
828
00:44:54,959 --> 00:44:56,059
ARE ACTUALLY SHREDDED,
829
00:44:56,160 --> 00:44:57,493
BUT THE AIRPLANES MAKE IT BACK.
830
00:44:57,561 --> 00:45:00,463
WING TIPS ARE HIT,
THE AIRPLANE MAKES IT BACK.
831
00:45:00,465 --> 00:45:02,331
BUT USUALLY WHEN
THE COOLING SYSTEM IS HIT,
832
00:45:02,333 --> 00:45:03,877
THE AIRPLANE
IS GOING TO BE DISABLED
833
00:45:03,901 --> 00:45:06,469
AND WON'T BE ABLE
TO GET BACK TO BASE.
834
00:45:06,538 --> 00:45:08,115
Narrator:
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR,
835
00:45:08,139 --> 00:45:12,708
THE U.S. LOSES 114 MUSTANGS.
836
00:45:12,777 --> 00:45:17,379
OTHER U.N. FORCES ALSO SUFFER
FROM THE SAME FATAL FLAW.
837
00:45:17,448 --> 00:45:20,083
SOUTH AFRICA
LOSES 60 OF ITS MUSTANGS
838
00:45:20,151 --> 00:45:23,152
IN JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS.
839
00:45:23,221 --> 00:45:26,722
Anderegg:
ULTIMATELY WE START WITHDRAWING
THE P-51s FROM SERVICE
840
00:45:26,758 --> 00:45:29,925
BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE THEY HIGHLY
VULNERABLE TO GROUND FIRE,
841
00:45:29,994 --> 00:45:34,330
BUT THEY ALSO ARE OLD
AND THEY'D BEEN WELL-USED.
842
00:45:34,398 --> 00:45:37,633
Kinney: THE AIR FORCE IS GETTING
NEWER AND BETTER AIRCRAFT,
843
00:45:37,735 --> 00:45:39,969
AND SO THERE'S REALLY
NOT A NEED FOR THE MUSTANG.
844
00:45:40,071 --> 00:45:43,439
AND IT'S SLOWLY BEING SEEN
AS AN OBSOLETE WEAPON
845
00:45:43,508 --> 00:45:44,840
THAT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A PLACE
846
00:45:44,909 --> 00:45:48,244
IN THE MODERN AIR FORCE
OF THE LATE 1950s.
847
00:45:48,312 --> 00:45:52,381
Narrator: IN A FEW SHORT YEARS,
JET TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES.
848
00:45:52,450 --> 00:45:54,383
BY THE TIME OF THE KOREAN WAR,
849
00:45:54,385 --> 00:46:01,390
THE U.S. HAS DEVELOPED
THE MUCH-IMPROVED F-86 SABRE.
850
00:46:01,458 --> 00:46:04,493
MUSTANGS MAKE A SIGNIFICANT
CONTRIBUTION IN KOREA
851
00:46:04,562 --> 00:46:08,264
AND FLY MORE THAN
60,000 MISSIONS,
852
00:46:08,266 --> 00:46:11,433
BUT THEIR TIME IN ACTIVE SERVICE
FOR THE UNITED STATES
853
00:46:11,502 --> 00:46:14,336
IS THEN DONE.
854
00:46:14,405 --> 00:46:17,173
THE AIR FORCE WITHDRAWS
THE MUSTANGS FROM COMBAT
855
00:46:17,241 --> 00:46:21,744
AND AGAIN FLOODS THE MARKET
WITH P-51s FOR SALE.
856
00:46:21,813 --> 00:46:25,281
OTHER COUNTRIES SNAP THEM UP.
857
00:46:25,349 --> 00:46:26,509
Anderegg: THE BIGGEST THING
858
00:46:26,550 --> 00:46:28,128
FOR A NATION THAT
DOESN'T HAVE A BIG BUDGET
859
00:46:28,152 --> 00:46:30,386
IS NOT ACTUALLY
IN FLYING THE AIRPLANE,
860
00:46:30,454 --> 00:46:31,621
BUT IN MAINTAINING IT.
861
00:46:31,689 --> 00:46:32,922
THAT'S THE HARD THING.
862
00:46:32,990 --> 00:46:35,624
AND THE P-51 WAS A VERY
EASY AIRPLANE TO MAINTAIN,
863
00:46:35,627 --> 00:46:37,271
VERY SIMPLE,
VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
864
00:46:37,295 --> 00:46:40,429
SO THIS WAS
A VERY ATTRACTIVE AIRFRAME
865
00:46:40,531 --> 00:46:43,666
TO SMALL NATIONS
THAT HAD SMALL MILITARY BUDGETS.
866
00:46:43,734 --> 00:46:46,435
Narrator: THE LAST RECORDED USE
OF A MUSTANG IN COMBAT
867
00:46:46,504 --> 00:46:51,240
WAS IN EL SALVADOR
AS LATE AS 1975.
868
00:46:51,309 --> 00:46:56,812
SOME ARE SOLD TO CIVILIANS
FOR AS LITTLE AS $1,500.
869
00:46:56,881 --> 00:46:58,013
BUT IN THE YEARS
870
00:46:58,082 --> 00:47:00,449
SINCE THE AIR FORCE
DUMPED THEM ON THE MARKET,
871
00:47:00,451 --> 00:47:03,920
THE P-51'S VALUE
HAS SKYROCKETED.
872
00:47:03,988 --> 00:47:06,989
TO BUY A WORKING
P-51 MUSTANG TODAY
873
00:47:07,058 --> 00:47:10,193
WILL COST YOU
MORE THAN A MILLION.
874
00:47:10,261 --> 00:47:12,061
THE QUESTION NOW...
875
00:47:12,063 --> 00:47:13,996
IS IT STILL ALL THAT IT WAS?
876
00:47:14,064 --> 00:47:16,566
STILL ABLE TO CONQUER THE SKIES?
877
00:47:19,337 --> 00:47:22,738
MAY 23, 2013.
878
00:47:22,807 --> 00:47:24,573
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA.
879
00:47:24,642 --> 00:47:26,520
FORMER NAVY OFFICER
DOUG MATTHEWS
880
00:47:26,544 --> 00:47:30,012
IS DETERMINED TO FIND OUT.
881
00:47:30,080 --> 00:47:34,750
HE PUSHES HIS VINTAGE PLANE
TO ABOVE 39,000 FEET.
882
00:47:34,819 --> 00:47:36,685
JUST A FEW THOUSAND FEET MORE,
883
00:47:36,754 --> 00:47:38,754
AND HE'LL BREAK
THE ALTITUDE RECORD
884
00:47:38,823 --> 00:47:41,824
FOR A NON-PRESSURIZED
PROP PLANE.
885
00:47:41,826 --> 00:47:44,293
Matthews: 39-5 IN A P-51!
886
00:47:47,699 --> 00:47:50,466
Narrator: THE ALTITUDE
IS GIVING MATTHEWS THE BENDS,
887
00:47:50,534 --> 00:47:53,436
AND HIS CONTROLS HAVE FROZEN.
888
00:47:53,504 --> 00:47:56,105
HIS SITUATION GROWS DESPERATE.
889
00:47:56,107 --> 00:47:58,040
Matthews:
I WAS WEARING A PARACHUTE
890
00:47:58,108 --> 00:47:59,575
AND READY TO BAIL OUT.
891
00:47:59,644 --> 00:48:03,445
I'VE DONE SO BEFORE,
SO I WAS PREPARED IF I HAD TO.
892
00:48:03,448 --> 00:48:07,983
Narrator: MATTHEWS TOPS OUT
JUST ABOVE 42,000 FEET...
893
00:48:07,986 --> 00:48:10,519
WELL ABOVE THE PREVIOUSLY
DETERMINED CEILING
894
00:48:10,588 --> 00:48:12,388
FOR THE AIRCRAFT.
895
00:48:12,456 --> 00:48:19,295
A MUSTANG HASN'T BEEN CLOSE
TO THIS HIGH SINCE THE 1940s.
896
00:48:19,363 --> 00:48:21,464
MATTHEWS STAYS THERE
FOR SEVERAL MINUTES
897
00:48:21,532 --> 00:48:23,832
TO SECURE THE RECORD,
898
00:48:23,901 --> 00:48:27,069
BUT TOO LONG FOR COMFORT.
899
00:48:27,071 --> 00:48:29,605
Matthews: THE CONCERN METER
STARTED PEGGING,
900
00:48:29,674 --> 00:48:32,007
OF WHAT AM I DOING UP HERE,
YOU KNOW?
901
00:48:32,010 --> 00:48:34,543
SO I DIDN'T HAVE
THE TIME TO SAY YEE-HA
902
00:48:34,545 --> 00:48:37,480
AS OPPOSED TO...
I JUST WANT TO GET DOWN.
903
00:48:37,548 --> 00:48:39,626
Man on radio:
HE NEEDS TO GET HIS ASS DOWN.
904
00:48:39,650 --> 00:48:41,328
Man on radio: HE STARTS HURTING,
HE MIGHT START.
905
00:48:41,352 --> 00:48:42,685
HE'S PROBABLY
EVOLVING SOME STUFF,
906
00:48:42,687 --> 00:48:44,153
GET SOME PRESSURE ON HIM.
907
00:48:44,155 --> 00:48:46,021
Man on radio:
BUT HIM ASKING 90 SECONDS.
908
00:48:46,024 --> 00:48:48,958
HE'S BEEN UP THERE
FOR 3 OR 4 MINUTES AT LEAST.
909
00:48:52,296 --> 00:48:57,700
Narrator: AS MATTHEWS DESCENDS,
HIS FROZEN CONTROLS FREE UP...
910
00:48:57,768 --> 00:49:00,303
AND HE TURNS TO MAKE
HIS FINAL APPROACH.
911
00:49:03,908 --> 00:49:05,207
Matthews: JUST AMAZING.
912
00:49:05,275 --> 00:49:07,221
I MEAN, THE AGE OF
THIS AIRCRAFT...
913
00:49:07,245 --> 00:49:08,444
BEING THAT HIGH.
914
00:49:08,512 --> 00:49:11,247
I MEAN, FLYING
CORPORATE JETS AND AIRLINERS,
915
00:49:11,315 --> 00:49:12,982
YOU'RE NEVER AT THAT ALTITUDE.
916
00:49:13,050 --> 00:49:16,285
AND HERE I AM IN
A RECIPROCATING ENGINE-POWERED
917
00:49:16,353 --> 00:49:18,387
PROP-DRIVEN AIRCRAFT
918
00:49:18,455 --> 00:49:19,833
WITH NO ENVIRONMENTAL
CONTROL SYSTEM.
919
00:49:19,857 --> 00:49:21,624
YOU KNOW, JUST AMAZING.
920
00:49:23,827 --> 00:49:25,261
I DON'T SEE ANOTHER AIRPLANE
921
00:49:25,329 --> 00:49:27,289
THAT COULD HAVE DONE
ANYTHING ELSE,
922
00:49:27,331 --> 00:49:29,532
AND WE, WE BROKE THE RECORD
SUBSTANTIALLY,
923
00:49:29,633 --> 00:49:32,167
NOT JUST BY A FEW SECONDS
OR A FEW FEET,
924
00:49:32,236 --> 00:49:36,071
BUT QUITE A BIT OVER THE
AIRCRAFT THAT HELD THE RECORDS,
925
00:49:36,140 --> 00:49:37,573
WHICH WERE MORE MODERN AIRCRAFT.
926
00:49:40,811 --> 00:49:42,211
Narrator:
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE FEAT
927
00:49:42,213 --> 00:49:45,114
FOR ANY SINGLE-ENGINE
PROPELLER AIRCRAFT,
928
00:49:45,182 --> 00:49:48,617
LET ALONE A VINTAGE FIGHTER.
929
00:49:48,619 --> 00:49:52,721
THIS LEGENDARY PLANE
IS THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD,
930
00:49:52,790 --> 00:49:54,357
AND STILL CAN.
931
00:49:55,293 --> 00:49:56,592
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]
932
00:49:59,497 --> 00:50:01,897
Kinney: THE MUSTANG
STILL PERSISTS AS ONE
933
00:50:01,965 --> 00:50:05,667
OF THE FASTEST PROPELLER-DRIVEN
AIRPLANES TODAY.
934
00:50:05,736 --> 00:50:07,816
Narrator: THE MUSTANG'S
BREAKTHROUGH DESIGN
935
00:50:07,871 --> 00:50:12,608
GAVE ALLIED PILOTS
A WINNING EDGE IN WORLD WAR II
936
00:50:12,676 --> 00:50:16,712
AND ELEVATED IT
FROM AIRCRAFT TO ICON.
937
00:50:17,981 --> 00:50:21,984
IT REMAINS A LIVING PART
OF AVIATION HISTORY.
938
00:50:21,986 --> 00:50:24,353
Anderson: IT WAS JUST
A TREMENDOUS AIRPLANE,
939
00:50:24,421 --> 00:50:28,924
AND IT HELPED
SAVE THE WAR IN EUROPE.
940
00:50:28,926 --> 00:50:30,086
Anderegg: I'D GIVE IT MORE
941
00:50:30,127 --> 00:50:31,571
THAN JUST THE PERFECT
DESIGN OF ITS DAY.
942
00:50:31,595 --> 00:50:34,530
I'D SAY IT'S A TIMELESS DESIGN.
943
00:50:34,598 --> 00:50:38,667
Yellin:
BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT AIRPLANE.
944
00:50:38,669 --> 00:50:40,414
Matthews: THIS AIRPLANE
CAN STILL OUTPERFORM
945
00:50:40,438 --> 00:50:44,273
THE MOST MODERN AIRCRAFT
THERE ARE.
946
00:50:44,341 --> 00:50:46,942
Yellin: THE P-51
WAS THE BEST FIGHTER PLANE
947
00:50:47,011 --> 00:50:50,813
THAT WAS EVER BUILT TO DO
THE THINGS THAT YOU HAD TO DO.
948
00:50:50,815 --> 00:50:53,282
THE BEST AIRPLANE EVER.
74255
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.