Hunters in the Sky

A galaxy of international aces are seen in aerial combat as a series to prelude. They describe the qualities of great aces must have, and recall a heritage that begins chivalrous fighter duels of World war I and ends when Luftwaffe pilots hone their skills in Spain during bloody dress rehearsal for World War II.

The German blitzkrieg by the invincible Luftwaffe crushes Poland, France, Denmark and Norway - but a handful of fighter pilots save the Empire during the Battle of Britain.

The Soviet Air Force is all but wiped out by the Luftwaffe - but recovers to fight the invader to a standstill in the most atrocious winter ever encountered.

New fighter aces are born with the emergence of the Flying Tigers. They become the first volunteer American force to battle the Japanese in the Chinese sky.

Americans are outnumbered everywhere, but turn the tide at Midway. The ragged Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal battles against odds over the bitterly contested South Pacific.

Marine valor paves the way for the aerial assault on Japan. During the relentless march westward, the rivalry heats up between top aces Dick Bong and Tom McGuire, and Admiral Yamamoto is the victim of aerial assassination.

After the Great Marianas Turkey shoot, Japanese airpower declines as American fighter pilots in the Pacific reach the zenith of their deadly profession. The final fighter pilot kill of the war is over Japan.

Some of the deadliest Allied aces of the war emerge from international squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Their own nations crushed under the iron heel of a conqueror, desperate and determined men make perilous journeys to England and continue to fight in the skies over occupied England.

Now equipped with long-range fighters, American aces wage a war deep in the heart of the Third Reich while escorting heavy bombers to distant targets. Göring sees P-51s over Europe and admits the war is lost.

From the first to the last, nations frantically seek to give their fighter pilots the winning edge in planes, engines, guns and tactics in combat by day and by night. The German shock the Allies when they win the race for committing jet and rocket fighters to the battle - a race won too late.

The Allies take the offensive as the tide of war turns against the Axis in the Mediterranean and in Europe. The fury of war in the air takes a heavy toll on the attacker and defender alike but the undermanned and outgunned Luftwaffe is defiant in the face of certain defeat.

The final aerial battle between Soviet and German fighter pilots occur. Russian aircraft now equal those flown by the Luftwaffe, whose pilots face incursion from the east as well as the west. The top Russian ace reaches 62 kills, the top German ace is credited with 352.

In this final episode, victors of aerial duels in the skies of every theater of war reach inside memories etched in steel for the skills and relentless purpose that elevated them to the ranks of the great aces.