Air Warriors (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 3 - P-51 Mustang - full transcript

Narrator: IT'S
AN ALL-AMERICAN FIGHTER PLANE

THAT ROMANCES THE SKIES.

Man: THE SOUND OF A MUSTANG
IS UNMISTAKABLE

WHEN YOU HEAR ONE FLYING OVER.

[ROARING]

Man: IT WAS A HOT LITTLE BABY.

IT COULD REALLY GO.

Narrator: THE P-51 MUSTANG'S
UNRIVALED STAMINA

WAS A GAME-CHANGER.

Man: ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL
MOMENTS IN WORLD WAR II

WAS WHEN THIS AIRPLANE
CAME ON THE SCENE.



Man: THIS WAS
THE AIRPLANE OF AIRPLANES.

IT JUST WAS THAT POWERFUL,

THAT QUICK.

Narrator:
DESPERATE INNOVATIONS...

Man: YOU'D LIKE TO THINK
IT WAS BY BRILLIANT PLANNING,

BUT IT WASN'T.

Narrator: AND FATAL FLAWS.

Man: ONE LUCKY HIT
TO THE BELLY OF THIS AIRPLANE,

AND YOU'RE DONE.

Narrator: BUT AN ICON THAT
BREAKS RECORDS EVEN TODAY.

¶

MAY 23, 2013.

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA.

A LONE PILOT
WILL ATTEMPT THE UNTHINKABLE--



A FLIGHT TO 41,000 FEET
IN A SINGLE-ENGINE PROP PLANE.

THAT'S TWO MILES HIGHER
THAN MOUNT EVEREST

IN AN UNPRESSURIZED COCKPIT.

IT'S A DANGEROUS ENDEAVOR.

AVIATION AUTHORITIES
KEEP CLOSE WATCH.

ON MEDICAL ADVICE,
THE PILOT BREATHES PURE OXYGEN

FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF
BEFORE THE FLIGHT.

Man: WE'RE TRYING TO GET UP
TO AT LEAST 38,000 FEET

TO BREAK, UH,
FOUR DIFFERENT RECORDS.

Narrator:
THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK--

FORMER NAVY OFFICER
AND STUNT PILOT DOUG MATTHEWS.

Doug Matthews:
WE'RE TRYING TO SEE

HOW HIGH WE CAN REALLY GO
WITH THIS AIRCRAFT

BEFORE THE ENGINE JUST,
NOT FAILS,

BUT FAILS TO PRODUCE SUFFICIENT
POWER TO SUSTAIN A CLIMB SAFELY.

Narrator: MOST REMARKABLE IS
MATTHEWS' CHOICE OF AIRCRAFT--

A P-51 MUSTANG FIGHTER PLANE
FROM WORLD WAR II.

BOTH THE PILOT AND THE AIRCRAFT
ARE 68 YEARS OLD.

Matthews: SOMETHING MORE SAFE?
WHERE'S THE SPORT THERE?

Narrator: MATTHEWS
HAS FLOWN THIS P-51 MUSTANG

FOR NEARLY A DECADE.

HIS AIRCRAFT HAS HAD NO
SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS,

AND IT CARRIES
MORE THAN 200 POUNDS

OF REPLICA WEAPONS
AND AMMUNITION.

Matthews: THERE'S NO
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM,

MEANING THERE'S
NO PRESSURIZATION,

THERE'S NO HEAT.

AM I GOING TO START
FREEZING SO BADLY

AND SHAKING SO BADLY,
I CAN'T CONTINUE?

WE'RE USING
THE ORIGINAL OXYGEN SYSTEM.

IS THE 1941 OXYGEN REGULATOR
GONNA STOP FLOWING OXYGEN TO ME,

AND AM I GONNA PASS OUT?

BUT I HAD ABSOLUTE TRUST
IN THE MACHINE.

Narrator: IF SUCCESSFUL,

MATTHEWS WILL MAKE HISTORY
IN A PIECE OF HISTORY...

THE P-51 MUSTANG.

[ENGINE SPUTTERS]

[ENGINE STARTS]

MATTHEWS FIRES HER UP.

HE'S SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS
RESEARCHING AND PREPARING

FOR THIS MOMENT.

ALL RUNS SMOOTHLY

AS MATTHEWS SOARS
ABOVE 30,000 FEET.

Narrator:
HIS MODERN-DAY CHASE PLANE

CAN'T KEEP UP.

IT CAN ONLY RELAY MESSAGES
TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.

Matthews: ...EIGHT-FIVE.
FUEL LOOKS GOOD.

ALL THE INSTRUMENTS LOOK GOOD.

THAT IS JUST AMAZING,

500 FEET PER MINUTE
ALL THE WAY UP THERE.

Man: HE'S KILLING US.

Matthews: HOLY [BLEEP]

Narrator: THEN, SUDDENLY,

MATTHEWS' CONTROLS
START TO FREEZE.

HE'S IN TROUBLE.

Matthews:
THEY FROZE TO THE DEGREE

THAT I COULDN'T MOVE MORE THAN
PERHAPS A HALF-INCH IN ANY AXIS.

I'M RETHINKING
MY ENTIRE STRATEGY

AS WELL AS MY LIFE EXPECTANCY.

Narrator: A MUSTANG HASN'T BEEN
PUSHED TO THE BRINK LIKE THIS

SINCE WORLD WAR II,

WHEN THERE WERE
JUST AS MANY QUESTIONS

ABOUT ITS CAPABILITIES.

TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MAY OR
MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO TODAY,

YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT
WAS UP AGAINST IN THE PAST.

[SIREN BLARES]

JANUARY 1944.

WORLD WAR II RAGES ON.

LUFTWAFFE,
THE GERMAN AIR FORCE,

IS AS STRONG
AND AS EXPERIENCED AS EVER.

THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT
THEIR ABILITY IN THE AIR

WILL COMPROMISE
THE PLANNED D-DAY INVASION.

Jeremy Kinney: THE GERMANS
HAD WORLD-CLASS FIGHTERS.

Narrator: DR. JEREMY KINNEY
IS THE CURATOR

FOR AMERICAN MILITARY AVIATION
FROM THE 1920s TO WORLD WAR II

AT THE NATIONAL
AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.

Kinney: THEY HAD THE BF 109.

AND IT'S LEGENDARY.

IT'S CAPABLE OF CLIMB, DIVE,

IT HAS CANNONS,
IT HAS MACHINE GUNS.

Narrator:
THE ALLIES DESPERATELY NEED

TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE SKIES.

THE BRITISH RECOGNIZED
THE NEED FOR AN AIRCRAFT

TO MATCH OR BETTER
LUFTWAFFE FIGHTERS

AS EARLY AS MARCH 1938,

AND THEY TURNED
TO AMERICA FOR HELP.

MOST MANUFACTURERS
ARE ALREADY TOO BUSY

BUILDING WAR AIRCRAFT
USING EXISTING DESIGNS,

BUT A NEW COMPANY,
NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION,

TAKES THE REQUIRED
SPECIFICATIONS

AND ROLLS OUT A PROTOTYPE
ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1940--

JUST 102 DAYS
AFTER SIGNING A CONTRACT.

FOR A SHORT TIME,
A VERSION OF THIS NEW AIRCRAFT

IS CALLED "INVADER"
AS WELL AS "APACHE."

BUT SOON IT'S UNIVERSALLY KNOWN
AS THE MUSTANG.

John Davidson:
THERE'S NO ARGUING

WITH THE RESULTS
OF WHAT THE AIRPLANE DID.

YOU JUST HAD AN AIRPLANE

LIKE THE WORLD HAD NEVER
REALLY SEEN BEFORE.

IT WAS JUST
A PHENOMENAL MACHINE.

Narrator: PILOT JOHN DAVIDSON
ALSO FLIES MUSTANGS TODAY

AND GIVES PUBLIC TOURS
FOR THE COLLINGS FOUNDATION.

THE MUSTANG'S ALL-ALUMINUM
FUSELAGE MAKES IT LIGHT,

EVEN BY TODAY'S STANDARDS.

AND SOME OF ITS FEATURES
WERE AVIATION FIRSTS,

INCLUDING
THE SHAPE OF ITS WINGS.

Davidson:
AS THE WING COMES BACK,

YOU'LL SEE IT GETS
THICKER AND THICKER,

AND RIGHT ABOUT HERE
IS WHERE IT'S THICKEST.

A TRADITIONAL AIRFOIL

THAT PRETTY MUCH EVERY AIRPLANE
USED PRIOR TO THAT

WOULD HAVE BEEN THICKEST
SOMEWHERE IN THIS VICINITY.

IT WAS VERY UNIQUE.

NO FIGHTER BEFORE HAD EVER HAD
A WING LIKE THIS INSTALLED.

Narrator:
IT WAS A SUBTLE CHANGE,

BUT A FIRST-OF-A-KIND INNOVATION
THAT GIVES THE MUSTANG AN EDGE.

THIS SHAPE MAKES THE MOST
OF A PHENOMENON

CALLED LAMINAR FLOW.

PREVIOUS WING PROFILES
CREATED TURBULENCE

WHERE THE WING STARTED TO THIN.

THAT TURBULENCE MEANS
LESS LIFT AT HIGH SPEEDS.

MOVING THE THICKEST PART
OF THE WING FURTHER BACK

MAKES IT MORE STREAMLINED
AND MEANS LESS TURBULENCE,

AND THEREFORE MORE LIFT.

THE MUSTANG'S WING IS THE FIRST
TO BE MATHEMATICALLY DESIGNED

TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS
OF LAMINAR AIR FLOW.

Davidson: AND THIS WING
MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE

IN THE PERFORMANCE
OF THIS AIRPLANE.

HAD THIS PLANE
NOT HAD THIS WING,

IT PROBABLY NEVER WOULD HAVE
BEEN THE PLANE THAT IT WAS...

THE LEGEND THAT IT BECAME.

Dick Anderegg: THE AIRPLANE
CAME OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE,

AND IT WAS A HOT LITTLE BABY.

IT COULD REALLY GO.

Narrator: DICK ANDEREGG SERVED
AS A FIGHTER PILOT FOR 30 YEARS

AND WAS THE DIRECTOR

OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE
HISTORY AND MUSEUMS PROGRAM.

Anderegg:
THOSE ORIGINAL AIRPLANES

WENT OVER TO GREAT BRITAIN.

THE RAF WAS PLEASED
WITH THE AGILITY,

THE MANEUVERABILITY,

AND THE RANGE OF THE AIRPLANE,

BUT THEY WEREN'T PLEASED

WITH THE ALTITUDES
THAT IT COULD ATTAIN,

PARTICULARLY ITS PERFORMANCE
ABOVE 15,000 TO 20,000 FEET.

Narrator: BRITISH ENGINEERS

SUGGEST SWAPPING
ITS ALLISON V-1710 ENGINE

FOR THE MORE POWERFUL
ROLLS-ROYCE MERLIN ENGINE

THEY USE IN SPITFIRE AIRCRAFT.

Kinney: THE DIFFERENCE IS
THE USE OF A SUPERCHARGER

THAT INCREASES
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MERLIN

AT ALTITUDES ABOVE
15, 20, 25,000 FEET.

AND SO THE MERLIN PROVIDES
BETTER ALL-AROUND PERFORMANCE,

ESPECIALLY AT HIGH ALTITUDES.

Narrator: THE MERLIN ENGINE

MAKES THE MUSTANG
MORE FUEL-EFFICIENT,

AND IT INCREASES
THE PLANE'S SPEED

FROM 380 MILES AN HOUR TO 440.

BY LATE 1943,
BRITISH AND AMERICAN FORCES

HAVE MORE THAN 4,000 MUSTANGS
AT THEIR DISPOSAL.

BUT HOW WILL THE MUSTANG
HOLD UP IN COMBAT?

ONE MAN IS ABOUT TO FIND OUT.

JANUARY 11, 1944.

LEGENDARY AMERICAN PILOT
MAJOR JAMES HOWARD

FINDS HIMSELF THE SOLE DEFENDER
OF A BOMBER FORMATION...

WHEN SOME 30 ENEMY FIGHTERS
BREAK THE HORIZON.

WITHOUT HESITATION,
HOWARD ZOOMS IN.

THE ODDS OF HIM SINGLEHANDEDLY
SAVING HIS BOMBERS

FROM AN ENTIRE NAZI ARMADA,
AND SURVIVING,

ARE ASTRONOMICAL.

IT'S A SUICIDE MISSION.

Narrator:
HIGH OVER NAZI GERMANY,

JAMES HOWARD'S P-51 MUSTANG

SINGLEHANDEDLY FACES
SOME 30 ENEMY FIGHTERS.

HOWARD CHARGES, GUNS BLAZING.

SOMEHOW HE MUST PROTECT
THE BOMBERS BEHIND HIM

FROM ATTACK.

BUT HE'S A LONE PILOT
IN AN AIRCRAFT NEW TO COMBAT.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT,
AS DOCUMENTED BY BOMBER CREWS,

HAS BEEN CALLED
THE GREATEST FIGHTER PILOT STORY

OF WORLD WAR II.

Kinney: THESE B-17 CREWS
ARE WATCHING THIS ONE MUSTANG

GO AFTER UPWARDS
OF 30 LUFTWAFFE FIGHTERS.

[GUNFIRE]

Narrator: HOWARD'S SOLO BATTLE
RAGES ON FOR HALF AN HOUR

AS HE PLUCKS OFF
ENEMY FIGHTERS ONE BY ONE.

[GUNFIRE]

WHEN HE RUNS OUT OF BULLETS,

HE CONTINUES TO USE
THE P-51'S SPEED AND AGILITY

TO BLUFF THE GERMANS
AND FORCE THEM TO RETREAT.

HE DOWNS AT LEAST SIX AIRCRAFT,

SAVES THE BOMBERS,

AND SUFFERS ONLY ONE BULLET HOLE
IN HIS WING.

Kinney: HE IS AWARDED
THE MEDAL OF HONOR

IN RECOGNITION OF THAT
ONE FLIGHT ON JANUARY 11th.

IT'S INDICATIVE OF THE ABILITY

OF A GOOD PILOT
AND THIS GREAT AIRPLANE--

WHAT THEY CAN DO
AGAINST THE ENEMY.

Narrator: HOWARD GIVES
THE MUSTANG AN A-OKAY,

BUT HE HAS TWO COMPLAINTS.

THE MUSTANG CANOPY IS TOO LOW
AND FORCES HIM TO BEND HIS NECK.

Kinney: THEY'RE CALLED
RAZORBACK AIRPLANES.

THEY HAVE WHAT'S
THE CHICKEN COOP CANOPY ON THEM.

Narrator: THE RAZORBACK DESIGN

ALSO CREATES A BLIND SPOT
TO THE REAR.

Davidson: WHEN YOU LOOKED BACK,
YOU HAD AIRPLANE BEHIND YOU.

THE FUSELAGE WAS STICKING UP AS
HIGH AS THE TOP OF THE COCKPIT,

SO YOU DID NOT HAVE VERY GOOD
VISIBILITY TO THE REAR.

Kinney: AND WHAT DOES A FIGHTER
PILOT NEED TO BE DOING?

LOOKING ALL AROUND ALL THE TIME
TO SEE WHERE THE ENEMY IS

AND MAKE SURE
HE ISN'T BEING ATTACKED.

Narrator: ENGINEERS RESPOND

AND MODIFY THE AIRCRAFT
TO A BUBBLE CANOPY.

THIS GIVES PILOTS MORE SPACE
AND ALLOWS THEM A CLEAR VIEW

WHEN THEY LOOK
OVER THEIR SHOULDER.

Anderegg: THIS BUBBLE CANOPY
WAS A GREAT ADDITION

AND HAS BEEN USED EVER SINCE.

Narrator: THE MUSTANG HAS MADE
AN IMPRESSIVE DEBUT.

BUT NEXT TIME THE GERMANS
WILL NOT BE SO SURPRISED,

AND THEY STILL HAVE
SUPERIOR NUMBERS.

THE ALLIES CANNOT
GAIN CONTROL OF EUROPE

UNTIL THEY DESTROY
THE VERY WAR MACHINE

THAT KEEPS THE LUFTWAFFE FLYING.

SO THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN
PLAN SEVEN DAYS OF BOMBING

ON GERMANY'S AVIATION
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.

THEY CALL THE MISSION
"OPERATION ARGUMENT,"

BUT IT SOON BECOMES BETTER KNOWN
BY ANOTHER NAME.

Reporter: A SERIES OF OPERATIONS

WHICH FREE PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS
REMEMBER AS THE BIG WEEK.

Kinney:
BIG WEEK IS A DIRECT LEAD-IN

TO THE INVASION OF NORMANDY
IN JUNE 1944.

IT IS THE FIRST STEP
TOWARDS THE GAINING

OF REAL AIR SUPERIORITY
OVER EUROPE,

WHICH MEANS, ONCE YOU HAVE
CONTROL OF THE AIR,

YOU CAN ACTUALLY INVADE
CONTINENTAL EUROPE

AND INITIATE THE ALLIES' PLANS
TO DESTROY NAZI GERMANY.

Narrator: ALLIED BOMBERS
HAVE THE ABILITY

TO REACH THOSE TARGETS
DEEP IN GERMANY,

BUT THEY NEED FIGHTER PLANES
TO ESCORT AND PROTECT THEM.

AND NO FIGHTER IN THE FLEET
HAS THE RANGE.

THE SOLUTION:

MODIFY A MUSTANG
FOR LONG DISTANCE.

IT ALREADY GETS
A SURPRISE BOOST

FROM THE SCOOP UNDER ITS BELLY.

Davidson: THEY DISCOVERED
THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE...

WITH THE PROPER SHAPE,

YOU WOULD ACCELERATE THE AIR
THROUGH THE RADIATOR,

AND WHEN THE HEAT FROM THE
RADIATOR WAS ADDED TO THE AIR,

IT EXPANDED THE AIR,

WHICH SORT OF ACCELERATED IT
OUT THE BACK,

ALMOST LIKE A VERY CRUDE JET,
YOU COULD ALMOST SAY.

AND THIS RESULTED
IN THIS RADIATOR ACTUALLY ADDING

A TINY AMOUNT OF THRUST
TO THE AIRPLANE.

ALL RADIATORS PRIOR TO THAT

HAD PRETTY MUCH RESULTED IN
NOTHING BUT SLOWING YOU DOWN.

THIS RADIATOR ACTUALLY
PROVIDED A LITTLE THRUST

WITH NO MOVING PARTS.

Narrator: BUT IT NEEDS MUCH MORE

TO ESCORT ALLIED BOMBERS
ALL THE WAY TO GERMANY.

THE ARMY AIR FORCE
MUST ADD MORE FUEL TANKS.

Davidson: THE P-51 HAD
92 GALLONS OF INTERNAL FUEL

IN THE INBOARD PORTION
OF THE WING, ON EACH SIDE.

IN ADDITION,

THERE WAS AN 85-GALLON FUEL TANK
WENT IN THIS VICINITY,

WHERE THE SEAT NOW IS.

IN ADDITION TO THAT,
UNDERNEATH THE WINGS

IT WAS CAPABLE OF CARRYING
SOME EXTERNAL FUEL.

AS SOON AS THAT WAS DEPLETED,

YOU WOULD DROP THOSE
AND GET RID OF THEM

BECAUSE YOU REALLY COULDN'T
ENGAGE OR DOGFIGHT OR ANYTHING

WITH THESE TANKS HANGING OFF
THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRPLANE.

Narrator: AN EXTERNAL TANK,
ONCE DROPPED,

WOULD BE NEAR IMPOSSIBLE
TO RECOVER.

BUT NO PRECIOUS WARTIME METAL
WAS SACRIFICED,

THANKS TO ANOTHER
CLEVER INNOVATION.

Bud Anderson: BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
THEY'RE MADE OUT OF PAPER.

Narrator: BUD ANDERSON
WAS A P-51 FIGHTER PILOT

WHO SERVED OVER EUROPE
DURING THE WAR.

Anderson:
THE BRITISH MADE THEM.

AND IT'S PAPER AND RESIN--

LIKE GLUE, I GUESS.

AND, UH, THEY WERE PERFECT.

Narrator:
WITH THE ADDITIONAL TANKS,

THE P-51 HAS SEVEN
OR EIGHT HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME--

ENOUGH TO GIVE IT A RANGE

PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT IMPOSSIBLE
FOR A FIGHTER PLANE--

SOME 1,200 MILES.

THE MUSTANG GIVES
"THE BIG WEEK" BOMBING MISSION

THE BEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS.

BUT IT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.

THE THREAT TO ALLIED AIRCRAFT
IS GREATER THAN EVER.

[GUNFIRE]

Narrator: FEBRUARY 19, 1944.

ALLIED AIR CREWS PREPARE TO BOMB

AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURING
AND SUPPORT PLANTS

DEEP INSIDE GERMANY.

AMONG THE ESCORT FIGHTERS
IS THE NEW WEAPON--

THE LONG-RANGE P-51 MUSTANG,

EXPECTED TO FLY
HIGHER AND FARTHER

THAN ANY OTHER FIGHTER PLANE
ON THE PLANET.

THE BRITISH LEAD THE FIRST
ATTACK OF BIG WEEK AT NIGHT

WITH AN ENORMOUS FLEET
OF 823 BOMBERS.

BUT THEY ENCOUNTER
A GERMAN FIGHTING FORCE

OF SOME 300 AIRCRAFT

AND LOSE A DEVASTATING
78 BOMBERS.

BUT NO ONE IS SHIRKING
THE TASK AT HAND.

Kinney: THE HEAVY LOSSES
THAT THE RAF EXPERIENCES

ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF BIG WEEK

IS NOT SEEN AS A DETERRENT
TO WHAT'S GOING TO OCCUR

OVER THE COURSE
OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

Narrator: THE AMERICANS
DEPART FOR EUROPE

WITH A RECORD-BREAKING FORMATION
OF 1,008 BOMBERS

AND 835 FIGHTERS TO DEFEND THEM.

THE MUSTANG PILOTS DROP
THEIR EMPTY EXTERNAL TANKS

AND PLUNGE INTO THE FIGHT,

ALL THE WAY
TO THE GERMAN HEARTLAND.

IN UNSEASONABLY CLEAR SKIES,

THERE IS NO HIDING;

ONLY FIGHTING.

THE GERMAN AIRCRAFT HAVE
RECENTLY ADDED MORE FIREPOWER,

BUT THEIR NEW WEAPONS
WEIGH THEM DOWN

AND THE MUSTANGS
EASILY OUTMANEUVER THEM.

Kinney: IT'S A SURPRISE
FOR THE LUFTWAFFE

IN TERMS OF, ONCE AGAIN,

THERE ARE AMERICAN
ESCORT FIGHTERS THERE.

AND THE LOSSES START TO BUILD
FOR THE LUFTWAFFE

ON THAT FIRST DAY.

SO THEY'RE LOSING FIGHTERS THAT
HAVE BEEN MODIFIED AND DEVELOPED

TO ATTACK SLOW, HEAVY BOMBERS,

AND NOW THERE ARE THESE
MANEUVERABLE FIGHTERS

GOING AFTER THEM.

[GUNFIRE]

Narrator: WHEN DAY ONE
OF THE MISSION IS OVER,

THE STATISTICS
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

OF THE 1,008
AMERICAN BOMBERS THAT LEFT,

ONLY 21 DID NOT RETURN...

WHILE THE GERMAN AIR FORCE LOSES
AN ESTIMATED 127 FIGHTERS.

OF THE ALLIED FIGHTERS LOST,
ONLY ONE IS A MUSTANG.

[GUNFIRE]

THE TIDE BEGINS TO TURN

IN THE BATTLE FOR
AIR SUPERIORITY OVER EUROPE,

AND MORE MUSTANGS
ARRIVE FROM AMERICA

EVERY DAY
OF THE BIG WEEK CAMPAIGN.

Kinney:
THE PRESENCE OF THE MUSTANG

IN BRINGING UP THE LUFTWAFFE
AND DESTROYING THEM

AND PROTECTING THE BOMBERS

HAS AN IMMEDIATE PAY-OFF.

Anderegg: AND THAT CHANGED
EVERYTHING FOR THE AIR FORCE--

BEING ABLE TO HAVE LOSSES SUCH
THAT THEY WERE LIVABLE LOSSES.

Narrator: MOST DEVASTATING
TO THE LUFTWAFFE--

THE LOSS OF AIRMEN.

434 KILLED THROUGHOUT
THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.

SOME 17% OF THEIR PILOTS.

Anderegg: WE HAD KILLED
MANY, MANY, MANY

OF THE EXPERIENCED
GERMAN FIGHTER PILOTS,

SO THEIR FORCE BECAME
VERY INEXPERIENCED VERY FAST,

AND THE RESULTS SHOWED.

Anderson: THEN ONCE WE KILLED
SO MANY OF THEIR PILOTS

THAT WE GOT CONTROL OF THE AIR,

THEN THAT MADE THE BOMBING
THAT MORE EFFECTIVE.

Narrator:
ARMY AIR FORCE COMMANDING
GENERAL JIMMY DOOLITTLE

USES THE BIG WEEK CAMPAIGN
TO EXPERIMENT WITH A NEW TACTIC.

Man: THE 8th FIGHTER COMMAND

WILL GIVE FIGHTER COVER
TO TARGETS.

Anderegg: DOOLITTLE TOLD THEM,

I DON'T WANT YOU
TO FLY IN FORMATION

WITH THE BOMBERS ANYMORE.

WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO

IS SWEEP THE SKIES
IN FRONT OF THE BOMBERS,

ENGAGE THE GERMAN FIGHTERS

BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE
TO EVEN GET TO THE BOMBERS.

Narrator: FROM NOW ON,

THE MUSTANGS WILL TAKE
THE FIGHT TO THE GERMANS.

IT'S A BOLD AND RISKY
EXPERIMENT.

Anderson: OUR MISSION
WAS TO DESTROY THE LUFTWAFFE.

WE DIDN'T JUST DRIVE THEM AWAY
AND COME BACK.

WE FOLLOWED THEM

AND TAKE THEM TO THE GROUND
AND KILL THEM.

IT WAS CALLED
"PURSUE AND DESTROY."

Narrator: MAY 27, 1944.

D-DAY IS JUST TEN DAYS AWAY.

BUD MUST ESCORT
A SQUAD OF B-17 BOMBERS

TO LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY.

THEY ALL MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE.

BUD FLIES
JUST ABOVE THE FORMATION

AND SCANS THE SKIES
FOR ENEMY AIRCRAFT.

Anderson: NO RADAR WARNINGS
OR ANY METHOD

TO TELL US WHEN
THEY WERE TAKING OFF,

WHERE THEY WERE,

SO WE WOULD STAY
FAIRLY CLOSE TO THE BOMBERS

TO SEE THEM COME IN.

Narrator: THEN BUD SEES IT.

A FORMATION OF FOUR BF 109s

HEADING STRAIGHT
FOR HIS BOMBERS.

Anderson:
MY WINGMAN HOLLERS OUT,

"HEY, WE GOT BOGIES,
UNIDENTIFIED AIRPLANES,

COMING AT US
FROM 5 O'CLOCK HIGH,"

SO THEY'RE COMING
RIGHT DOWN OUR TAIL.

WE WERE VERY, VERY VULNERABLE.

IT WAS OBVIOUS
THAT THEY WERE ATTACKING US.

AND AS SOON AS WE SPOTTED
THOSE ENEMY AIRPLANES

COMING AT US LIKE THAT,

WE DROPPED OUR TANKS
AND MADE THIS STEEP TURN.

WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING
ON THE DEFENSE,

OR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
RIGHT UP OUR TAIL.

Narrator: THE GERMANS
HONE IN ON BUD,

WHO DOES THE ONLY THING HE CAN
TO STAY OUT OF ENEMY SIGHTS.

Anderson:
WE GET INTO A CIRCLE LIKE THIS.

I PRETTY WELL KNEW,
AFTER ONE TURN,

THAT WE HAD THE ADVANTAGE.

I COULD SEE WHERE I WAS
GAINING ON THEM ALL THE TIME.

THE MUSTANG DEFINITELY
HAD A SPEED ADVANTAGE

AND A TURNING ADVANTAGE
AT ALTITUDE,

SO AFTER TWO TURNS

I'M GETTING A LITTLE CLOSER
TO GETTING ON THEIR TAIL.

THEY SEE THAT,
AND THEY ROLL OUT.

THEY'RE IN TRAIL NOW.

YOU KNOW, 1, 2, 3, 4,
IN A LINE,

SO WE ROLL OUT RIGHT BEHIND THEM

AND, YOU KNOW, CHASE THEM.

Narrator: BUD CLOSES IN
ON AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT

AND SHOOTS.

[GUNFIRE]

Anderson:
I GET HITS ALL OVER HIM,

AND HEAVY BLACK SMOKE CAME OUT,

AND HE JUST FELL OUT OF CONTROL.

Narrator: HIS SIXTH
CONFIRMED KILL FOR THE WAR.

BUT THEN, A BF 109
LOCKS ON TO HIS TAIL.

Anderson: THIS IS NOT TRAINING,

IT'S NOT A VIDEO GAME
WHERE YOU CAN SET, RESET,

AND GO BACK AND FIGHT AGAIN.

IT'S REAL STUFF.

Narrator: BUD'S ONLY CHOICE
FOR ESCAPE IS A STEEP CLIMB.

THE BF 109 FOLLOWS.

BOTH PLANES PUSH THEIR LIMIT
IN A NEAR-VERTICAL CLIMB

ALREADY CLOSE TO SIX MILES HIGH.

Anderson: AND HE'S COMING.

YOU KNOW,
HE'S TRYING TO GET UP THERE,

AND SO I'M JUST PULLING.

WE'RE BOTH GOING LIKE THIS.

AND SOMEWHERE IN HERE,

SOMEBODY'S IS GOING TO LOSE
THEIR AIRSPEED AND STALL OUT.

AND THE FIRST GUY THAT DOES THAT
IS GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE.

Narrator:
BUD IS JUST A FEW SECONDS AWAY

FROM TAKING A DIRECT HIT.

JUST THEN, HIS PURSUER'S ENGINE
STARTS TO VIBRATE.

IT SPUTTERS AND STALLS.

THE TABLES ARE TURNED,

WITH BUD NOW CHASING THE GERMAN
IN A SIMILAR VERTICAL CLIMB.

BUT THIS TIME, BOTH PILOTS KNOW
WHO HAS THE BETTER AIRCRAFT.

Anderson: BOOM,
I'M RIGHT BACK ON HIS TAIL.

I FIRE A BURST,

AND I SAW A TRACER
KIND OF GO OFF HIS LEFT WING,

SO I GAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT
OF LEFT RUDDER,

AND THEN I GOT HITS
ALL OVER HIM.

Narrator: THE GERMAN MACHINE
PLUMMETS SOME 30,000 FEET.

Anderson: YOU KNOW,
IT'S KILL OR BE KILLED,

AND YOU'RE TRYING TO DO
THE SAME THING TO HIM

THAT HE'S TRYING TO DO TO YOU.

AND WHEN IT'S ALL OVER,
THEN YOU SAY, "OH, MY GOD."

YOUR FEET MIGHT SHAKE
ON THE RUDDERS.

Narrator: THE P-51 MUSTANG

HAS PURSUED AND OUTPERFORMED
ITS ARCHRIVAL

IN A ONE-ON-ONE BATTLE.

IT'S A GAME-CHANGER.

Kinney: THE ABILITY
TO HAVE AN AIRPLANE

THAT CAN RISE TO MEET THE ENEMY,

THAT'S A BASIC TENET
OF FIGHTER DOCTRINE

IS DON'T RUN AWAY
FROM YOUR ENEMY,

DON'T DIVE AWAY
UNLESS YOU NEED TO GET AWAY.

IF YOU WANT TO ATTACK THEM,

YOU RISE TO THEM
AND YOU MEET THEM.

AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S ABLE TO DO

ON SEVERAL INSTANCES OVER
THE COURSE OF THIS DOGFIGHT

IN WHICH HE GETS THE ADVANTAGE.

Anderson: TWO THINGS
HAPPENED IN EUROPE:

THE ARRIVAL OF THE MUSTANG
AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME

AND GENERAL JIMMY DOOLITTLE'S
DECISION.

I THINK THOSE WERE SIGNIFICANT
FACTORS IN HOW THE WAR WAS WON.

Narrator: GERMAN COMMANDERS
LATER STATE THE SAME--

THAT THE DAY THE MUSTANGS
TOOK AN OFFENSIVE APPROACH

IS THE DAY GERMANY
LOST THE AIR WAR.

WITH ITS LONG-RANGE AND
HIGH-FLYING DOGFIGHT ABILITIES,

THE MUSTANG IS A PLANE
DESIGNED TO DOMINATE THE SKIES

AND HELP END THE WAR IN EUROPE.

BUT IN THE PACIFIC,
THE MUSTANGS ARE CALLED UPON

TO DO MORE THAN THEY
WERE BUILT TO WITHSTAND.

Narrator: MARCH 1945.

THE JAPANESE ISLAND OF IWO JIMA.

U.S. FORCES TAKE SOME OF THEIR
HEAVIEST LOSSES OF WORLD WAR II.

BUT AFTER FIVE WEEKS OF BATTLE,
THEY CAPTURE THE ISLAND.

THERE'S HOT DEBATE OVER
IWO JIMA'S STRATEGIC VALUE,

BUT THE ARMY AIR FORCE
SEES POTENTIAL.

Kinney: THE PROXIMITY
OF THE IWO JIMA,

BETWEEN THE MARIANAS
AND THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS,

MAKES IT A VITAL ASSET IN TERMS
OF HAVING A FLOATING AIR BASE.

Narrator: IWO JIMA
IS A DOT IN THE OCEAN

SOME 760 MILES SOUTH OF TOKYO.

THE LARGER BOMBERS CAN MAKE
THAT DISTANCE AND RETURN,

BUT EXPERIENCE IN EUROPE

PROVES THAT THERE IS
ONLY ONE FIGHTER PLANE

CAPABLE OF ESCORTING THOSE
BOMBERS THE ENTIRE WAY AND BACK.

Kinney: P-51s ARE INTRODUCED
IN THE PACIFIC IN A LARGE SCALE

AT IWO JIMA

SO THEY CAN FLY ESCORT MISSIONS
FOR THE B-29s OVER JAPAN.

OPERATING FROM IWO JIMA
WAS VERY DANGEROUS

IN THE SENSE THAT YOU HAVE
LARGE POCKETS OF JAPANESE

WHO COULD ATTACK THE AIRFIELD
AT ANY TIME,

AND WHICH
THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

AND SO IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS
EXISTENCE FOR THESE PILOTS

WHO ARE FLYING OVER
LONG STRETCHES OF THE PACIFIC,

FLYING OVER JAPAN, COMING BACK,

AND THEN THEY COULD BE ATTACKED
ON THE AIRFIELD ITSELF.

Jerry Yellin:
WE LANDED ON A DIRT AIRSTRIP

THAT HAD POCKMARKS OF BOMBS,

AND THEY REPAIRED THAT AIRSTRIP
SO THAT WE COULD LAND.

Narrator: FORMER MUSTANG PILOT
CAPTAIN JERRY YELLIN

WAS STATIONED ON IWO JIMA
WITH MORE THAN 500 OTHER PILOTS.

Jerry Yellin:
IT JUST FLASHED THERE--

THIS IS JAPAN!

YOU KNOW, I'M OVER THE HOMELAND
OF OUR ENEMY.

I WAS PART OF A FORCE THAT WAS
GOING TO DESTROY JAPAN.

Narrator:
THE FLIGHTS TO JAPAN AND BACK

ARE ALMOST ENTIRELY OVER WATER

AND MORE THAN EIGHT HOURS LONG,

PUSHING THE MUSTANG'S RANGE
TO THE ABSOLUTE LIMIT.

Yellin: 8 HOURS AND 3 MINUTES
UP AND BACK.

WE RAN INTO HEADWINDS.

THERE WERE ONE OR TWO GUYS
THAT BAILED OUT ON THE APPROACH.

I HAD SEVEN GALLONS
OF FUEL LEFT--

ENOUGH TO GO AROUND
IF I MISSED A LANDING.

IT WAS VERY, VERY TIGHT.

Narrator: THESE ARE THE LONGEST
FIGHTER MISSIONS OF THE WAR

AND TOUGH ON THE PILOTS,
WHO MUST ALL FLY SOLO.

THEIR BATHROOM IS A TUBE.

THEY GET NO RELIEF FROM
THE ENGINE'S CONSTANT ROAR,

NOR ANY ESCAPE
FROM THE CRAMPED COCKPIT.

Yellin: I COULDN'T
GET OUT OF THE AIRPLANE

AFTER SITTING THERE
FOR EIGHT HOURS.

I MEAN, YOU'RE JUST
FULL OF ADRENALINE,

AND THEN WHEN YOU COME OFF
THE TARGET AND YOU COME BACK,

THERE'S A COMPLETE
LETDOWN AND A LOW.

THEY GAVE US A BENZEDRINE,
WHICH IS AN UPPER,

AND I TOOK THAT
EVERY TIME I FLEW A MISSION.

I WENT FROM 155 POUNDS
TO 120 POUNDS.

[EXPLOSION]

Narrator: YELLIN WAS IN IWO JIMA

WHEN THE U.S. DROPPED NUCLEAR
BOMBS ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI.

BUT A WEEK AFTER
THE ATOMIC DEVASTATION,

THE JAPANESE STILL
HAD NOT SURRENDERED.

Yellin: THE JAPANESE
WERE NOT RESPONDING AT ALL

TO THE NEGOTIATIONS,

SO THE MISSION WAS TO SHOW THEM
THAT THE AMERICAN MILITARY

WOULD CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THEM
AS THE ENEMY

UNTIL THEY SURRENDERED
UNCONDITIONALLY.

THAT WAS THE PURPOSE
OF THE MISSION ON AUGUST 14th.

Narrator: AUGUST 14th.

YELLIN COMMANDS
A SORTIE OF FOUR MUSTANGS.

BUT THIS TIME, THEY WILL NOT
BE ESCORTING BOMBERS.

IT'S AN ENTIRELY
DIFFERENT KIND OF MISSION.

THEIR ORDERS
ARE TO FLY LOW AND FAST

AND USE LOW-LEVEL STRAFING FIRE
TO DESTROY A JAPANESE AIRFIELD.

Yellin: WE WERE SHOWN HOW TO PUT
EIGHT ROCKETS ONTO OUR WINGS.

SO WE COULD CARRY EIGHT ROCKETS

AND SHOOT THE ROCKETS
FOUR AT A TIME OFF OF OUR WINGS,

OR ALL EIGHT AT ONE TIME.

SO WE WENT IN
ON STRAFING MISSIONS,

AND WE ROCKETED FACTORIES,

AND WE STRAFED SHIPPING
AND WE STRAFED AIRFIELDS.

WE STRAFED ANYTHING THAT MADE
JAPANESE WAR MATERIALS.

[GUNFIRE]

Narrator:
THE FOUR PILOTS TAKE OFF,

HOPING AT ANY TIME
TO HEAR THE CODE WORD "OHIO"

OVER THEIR RADIOS.

THIS WOULD BE
THE SIGNAL FROM BASE

THAT JAPAN HAD SURRENDERED
AND THE WAR IS OVER.

BUT THE CODE WORD NEVER COMES.

Yellin: WE CAME IN
FROM 8,000 FEET

AT AN ANGLE, A VERY SHARP ANGLE.

WE WERE STRAFING EVERYTHING--

AIRPLANES ON THE GROUND,

HANGARS AND ALL OF THE THINGS,
SMOKESTACKS.

WHATEVER WAS AROUND THERE,
WE WERE STRAFING.

Narrator: THEY PASS OVER TARGETS
EXTREMELY FAST AND LOW--

WELL WITHIN RANGE OF AN ENEMY
DETERMINED TO BRING THEM DOWN.

Yellin: WE HAD GROUND FIRE

FROM THE MOMENT WE STARTED OUT
ON OUR STRAFING RUNS.

YOU COULD SEE THE BULLETS
COMING UP AT YOU, THE TRACERS,

YOU COULD SEE PUFFS OF SMOKE.

YOU'RE GOING VERY FAST--
400 MILES AN HOUR.

AND YOU JUST HAD FRACTIONS OF
SECONDS TO SHOOT AT THE TARGET.

Narrator:
ONCE OUT OF AMMUNITION,

YELLIN AND HIS WINGMAN CLIMB
FAST TO ESCAPE THE GROUND FIRE.

AROUND 14,000 FEET,

THEY GIVE EACH OTHER
THE THUMBS UP,

AND SIDE BY SIDE,
ENTER A CLOUD BANK.

Yellin: WHEN WE CAME OUT
OF THE CLOUDS,

THERE WEREN'T
FOUR AIRPLANES IN MY FLIGHT;

THERE WERE THREE AIRPLANES.

ONE GUY WAS GONE.

HE WAS FLYING ON MY WING,

AND WHETHER HE SPUN OUT

OR WHETHER HIS AIRPLANE WAS HIT
OR WHETHER HE WAS HIT,

NOBODY WILL EVER KNOW.

IT TURNED OUT TO BE
THE VERY LAST MISSION

FLOWN IN WORLD WAR II.

WHEN WE LANDED ON IWO JIMA,

WE FOUND OUT THAT THE WAR
HAD BEEN OVER FOR THREE HOURS,

WHILE WE WERE STRAFING
THE AIRFIELDS NEAR TOKYO.

Narrator: THE TRAGIC LOSS
OF YELLIN'S WINGMAN,

19-YEAR-OLD SECOND LIEUTENANT
PHILIP SCHLAMBERG,

IS GIVEN LITTLE ATTENTION.

THE WAR IS OVER.

MUSTANGS HAVE FLOWN
MORE THAN 200,000 SORTIES

AND DESTROYED MORE THAN
9,000 ENEMY AIRCRAFT,

WITH ALLIED LOSSES
OF LESS THAN A THIRD OF THAT.

IT'S AN AIRCRAFT
TO BE CELEBRATED.

NOW THE MUSTANG
HAS NEW FRONTIERS TO CONQUER.

AND AFTER THE WAR,
SURPLUS MUSTANGS GO CHEAP.

Anderegg:
DURING THIS WHOLE TIME,

YOU COULD BY A P-51
FOR A DOLLAR.

AND SO A LOT OF THOSE AIRPLANES

WERE BOUGHT
BY AVIATION ENTHUSIASTS

WHO WANTED TO FLY P-51s.

THEY BECAME THE AIRPLANE
OF CHOICE FOR AIR RACING--

FAST, EASY TO MAINTAIN,

EASY TO SOUP UP AND GET
EVEN MORE POWER OUT OF IT.

Kinney: AND THEN THERE'S
AN EXTREME SEGMENT

OF THIS WARBIRD COMMUNITY
WHO TAKE MUSTANGS,

THEY MODIFY THE MERLIN ENGINE,

CRANKED UP FROM 1,500
TO 4,000 HORSEPOWER.

Narrator:
TWO YEARS AFTER THE WAR,

FAMED AVIATOR CHARLES F. BLAIR
BUYS A MUSTANG

TO ATTEMPT THE INCONCEIVABLE.

MAY 29, 1951.

BLAIR ATTEMPTS A FLIGHT
OVER THE NORTH POLE

FROM NORWAY
TO FAIRBANKS, ALASKA.

THE AIR FORCE REFUSES
TO LEND HIM SUPPORT,

SAYING THE MISSION
IS IMPOSSIBLE.

Anderegg: TO THE UNINITIATED,

THE FIRST PART OF THAT
THAT SEEMS SO DANGEROUS IS

IF THE ENGINE QUITS,
YOU'RE AT THE NORTH POLE.

THE HARD PART IS
COMPASSES DON'T WORK UP THERE

BECAUSE YOU'RE SO NEAR
THE MAGNETIC NORTH.

BUT HE HAS A WAY OF MEASURING
WHAT THAT ANGLE IS,

OF THE SUN TO THE HORIZON,

AND FURTHERMORE, WHAT THE ANGLE
OF THAT SUN IS TO HIS AIRPLANE,

LEFT AND RIGHT.

Narrator: BLAIR MAKES
THE FLIGHT IN TEN HOURS.

THE REAL RESULT--

HE SINGLEHANDEDLY
UPS THE STAKES

IN AMERICA'S COLD WAR
WITH RUSSIA.

Kinney: BOTH NOW REALIZE

THAT IF A SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE
CAN FLY OVER THE NORTH POLE,

THEN BOMBERS ARMED
WITH ATOMIC BOMBS CAN AS WELL.

AND SO IT OPENS UP
A VULNERABILITY

AND CREATES A NEW FRONT LINE
IN THE COLD WAR OVER THE ARCTIC.

Narrator: WITHIN THREE YEARS,
THAT COLD WAR TURNS HOT

AND THE MUSTANG IS AGAIN
CALLED TO THE BATTLEFIELD.

NOT OVER ALASKA
OR EVEN RUSSIA.

BUT KOREA.

AND THIS TIME, IT'S MISSION
WILL PROVE ITS DOWNFALL.

Narrator: JUNE 25, 1950.

WAR BREAKS OUT IN KOREA

WITH COMMUNIST CHINA
BACKING THE NORTH

AND UNITED NATIONS FORCES
SUPPORTING THE SOUTH.

U.S. COMMANDERS RECALL MUSTANGS
FROM THE COAST GUARD

AND PUT THEM ON ACTIVE DUTY.

Anderegg: SO WE STARTED DRAGGING
THEM OUT OF MOTHBALLS,

REFITTING THEM,

AND STARTED USING THEM IN KOREA
AS A GROUND, CLOSE AIR SUPPORT,

OR GROUND ATTACK.
OR ATTACK AIRFRAME.

IT WAS NOT THE BEST,

NEVER WAS THE BEST KIND
OF AN AIRFRAME TO DO THAT,

BUT THAT'S WHAT WAS AVAILABLE.

Narrator: THEY FIT THE MUSTANGS
WITH 500-POUND BOMBS,

ROCKETS, AND MACHINE GUNS.

THERE IS NO NEED
FOR LONG-RANGE FUEL TANKS HERE.

THE FRONT IS JUST MINUTES AWAY.

Charles McGee: IN THE EARLY PART
OF THE WAR,

IT WAS ONLY A 10- OR 15-MINUTE
FLIGHT TO THE TARGET AREA.

Narrator: COLONEL CHARLES McGEE

WAS ONE OF THE FAMED
TUSKEGEE AIRMEN.

HE FLEW A RECORD-BREAKING
409 FIGHTER COMBAT MISSIONS

IN THREE WARS--

MOST OF THEM IN MUSTANGS.

McGee: IN WORLD WAR II,

IT WAS HIGH-ALTITUDE
AND LONG-RANGE FLYING.

IN KOREA, IT WAS LOW-ALTITUDE

TO PROVIDE SUPPORT
FOR OUR TROOPS ON THE GROUND.

Narrator: AT LOW ALTITUDE

THE MUSTANG EXPOSES
ITS ACHILLES' HEEL,

PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT AN ASSET.

IT'S THE SCOOP-SHAPED RADIATOR
ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE.

Davidson:
YOU HAD ALL OF YOUR COOLANT

ON THE BELLY OF THE PLANE,

SO IT WAS VERY
SUSCEPTIBLE TO GUNFIRE.

ONE LUCKY HIT
TO THE BELLY OF THIS AIRPLANE,

AND YOU'RE DONE

BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO KEEP THE ENGINE COOL.

IF YOU CAN'T KEEP
THE ENGINE COOL,

THE ENGINE
WILL NOT KEEP RUNNING.

IT HAD THE POTENTIAL
TO GET YOU IN TROUBLE.

Narrator: SEPTEMBER 16, 1951.

CHARLES McGEE'S 40th MISSION.

HE TARGETS A RADAR INSTALLATION

PROTECTED BY A GUN EMPLACEMENT
ON THE SIDE OF A HILL.

McGee: IT WAS OUR TARGET

TO JUST DESTROY THOSE DEFENSES

THAT KEPT OUR TROOPS
FROM MOVING ON NORTH.

WE'RE FIRING,
AND THEY'RE FIRING BACK.

OF COURSE MY CONCENTRATION IS ON
THE TARGET THAT I WAS FIRING ON,

AND ONE OF THEIR SHELLS
HIT ME IN THE LEFT WING.

IMMEDIATELY, AS I RECALL,

MY REACTION WAS TO GET OUT
OF THE LINE OF FIRE.

Narrator:
McGEE PULLS UP AND TURNS HOME,

NOT KNOWING
THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE,

OR IF HE'LL MAKE IT.

McGee: THE FOCUS
IS ALL ON THE JOB

AND NOT SO MUCH
OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.

Narrator:
THE SKELETON OF HIS LEFT WING

IS IRREPARABLY SHREDDED,

BUT THE FLIGHT HOME IS SHORT,

AND HE MAKES IT.

McGee: I'M A LUCKY GUY.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SPOT,
SUCH AS THE COOLANT,

THAT I MIGHT NOT BE HERE
TO TALK ABOUT IT.

Narrator:
OTHERS ARE NOT SO LUCKY.

Kinney: THERE ARE INSTANCES
WHERE ENTIRE TAILS

ARE ACTUALLY SHREDDED,

BUT THE AIRPLANES MAKE IT BACK.

WING TIPS ARE HIT,
THE AIRPLANE MAKES IT BACK.

BUT USUALLY WHEN
THE COOLING SYSTEM IS HIT,

THE AIRPLANE
IS GOING TO BE DISABLED

AND WON'T BE ABLE
TO GET BACK TO BASE.

Narrator:
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR,

THE U.S. LOSES 114 MUSTANGS.

OTHER U.N. FORCES ALSO SUFFER
FROM THE SAME FATAL FLAW.

SOUTH AFRICA
LOSES 60 OF ITS MUSTANGS

IN JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS.

Anderegg:
ULTIMATELY WE START WITHDRAWING
THE P-51s FROM SERVICE

BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE THEY HIGHLY
VULNERABLE TO GROUND FIRE,

BUT THEY ALSO ARE OLD
AND THEY'D BEEN WELL-USED.

Narrator:
MUSTANGS MAKE A SIGNIFICANT
CONTRIBUTION IN KOREA

AND FLY MORE THAN
60,000 MISSIONS,

BUT THEIR TIME IN ACTIVE SERVICE
FOR THE UNITED STATES

IS THEN DONE.

THE AIR FORCE WITHDRAWS
THE MUSTANGS FROM COMBAT

AND AGAIN FLOODS THE MARKET
WITH P-51s FOR SALE.

OTHER COUNTRIES SNAP THEM UP.

SOME ARE SOLD TO CIVILIANS
FOR AS LITTLE AS $1,500.

BUT IN THE YEARS

SINCE THE AIR FORCE
DUMPED THEM ON THE MARKET,

THE P-51'S VALUE
HAS SKYROCKETED.

TO BUY A WORKING
P-51 MUSTANG TODAY

WILL COST YOU
MORE THAN A MILLION.

THE QUESTION NOW--

IS IT STILL ALL THAT IT WAS?

STILL ABLE TO CONQUER THE SKIES?

MAY 23, 2013.

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA.

FORMER NAVY OFFICER
DOUG MATTHEWS

IS DETERMINED TO FIND OUT.

HE PUSHES HIS VINTAGE PLANE
TO ABOVE 39,000 FEET.

JUST A FEW THOUSAND FEET MORE,

AND HE'LL BREAK
THE ALTITUDE RECORD

FOR A NON-PRESSURIZED
PROP PLANE.

Matthews: 39-5 IN A P-51!

Narrator: THE ALTITUDE
IS GIVING MATTHEWS THE BENDS,

AND HIS CONTROLS HAVE FROZEN.

HIS SITUATION GROWS DESPERATE.

Matthews:
I WAS WEARING A PARACHUTE

AND READY TO BAIL OUT.

I'VE DONE SO BEFORE,
SO I WAS PREPARED IF I HAD TO.

Narrator: MATTHEWS TOPS OUT
JUST ABOVE 42,000 FEET--

WELL ABOVE THE PREVIOUSLY
DETERMINED CEILING

FOR THE AIRCRAFT.

A MUSTANG HASN'T BEEN CLOSE
TO THIS HIGH SINCE THE 1940s.

MATTHEWS STAYS THERE
FOR SEVERAL MINUTES

TO SECURE THE RECORD,

BUT TOO LONG FOR COMFORT.

Matthews: THE CONCERN METER
STARTED PEGGING,

OF WHAT AM I DOING UP HERE,
YOU KNOW?

SO I DIDN'T HAVE
THE TIME TO SAY YEE-HA

AS OPPOSED TO...
I JUST WANT TO GET DOWN.

Man on radio:
HE NEEDS TO GET HIS ASS DOWN.

Man on radio: HE STARTS HURTING,
HE MIGHT START.

HE'S PROBABLY
EVOLVING SOME STUFF,

GET SOME PRESSURE ON HIM.

Man on radio:
BUT HIM ASKING 90 SECONDS.

HE'S BEEN UP THERE
FOR 3 OR 4 MINUTES AT LEAST.

Narrator: AS MATTHEWS DESCENDS,
HIS FROZEN CONTROLS FREE UP...

AND HE TURNS TO MAKE
HIS FINAL APPROACH.

Matthews: JUST AMAZING.

I MEAN, THE AGE OF
THIS AIRCRAFT...

BEING THAT HIGH.

I MEAN, FLYING
CORPORATE JETS AND AIRLINERS,

YOU'RE NEVER AT THAT ALTITUDE.

Narrator:
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE FEAT

FOR ANY SINGLE-ENGINE
PROPELLER AIRCRAFT,

LET ALONE A VINTAGE FIGHTER.

THIS LEGENDARY PLANE
IS THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD,

AND STILL CAN.

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]

Kinney: THE MUSTANG
STILL PERSISTS AS ONE

OF THE FASTEST PROPELLER-DRIVEN
AIRPLANES TODAY.

Narrator: THE MUSTANG'S
BREAKTHROUGH DESIGN

GAVE ALLIED PILOTS
A WINNING EDGE IN WORLD WAR II

AND ELEVATED IT
FROM AIRCRAFT TO ICON.

IT REMAINS A LIVING PART
OF AVIATION HISTORY.

Anderson: IT WAS JUST
A TREMENDOUS AIRPLANE,

AND IT HELPED
SAVE THE WAR IN EUROPE.

Anderegg: I'D GIVE IT MORE

THAN JUST THE PERFECT
DESIGN OF ITS DAY.

I'D SAY IT'S A TIMELESS DESIGN.

Yellin:
BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT AIRPLANE.

Matthews: THIS AIRPLANE
CAN STILL OUTPERFORM

THE MOST MODERN AIRCRAFT
THERE ARE.

Yellin: THE P-51
WAS THE BEST FIGHTER PLANE

THAT WAS EVER BUILT TO DO
THE THINGS THAT YOU HAD TO DO.

THE BEST AIRPLANE EVER.