Planes That Never Flew

Season 1

Planes That Never Flew is a Discovery Channel documentary series about experimental aircraft projects that never flew. Over four one-hour episodes, the series examined the history behind aborted projects to build two jet fighters, a supersonic transport, and a nuclear-powered long range bomber.

4 Episodes

The Last Rocket Fighter
E1
The Last Rocket FighterThe British-designed Saunders-Roe SR177, an advanced rocket plane that, though capable of climbing to the very edge of space, fell victim to sabotage by a rival aircraft company.
The American SST
E2
The American SSTA documentary on the SST, America's answer to Concorde in the competition between Europe and the United States to build a supersonic airliner.
America's First Jet Fighter
E3
America's First Jet FighterThe history of 1950s icon the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, designed by engineer Clarence `Kelly' Johnson, who had previously failed in an attempt to create a supersonic fighter.
The Atomic Bomber
E4
The Atomic BomberThe story behind plans for an atomic bomber that failed to progress from the drawing board.