Smithsonian Channel Documentaries

In March 1999, during the Kosovo War, as Lieutenant Colonel Dale Zelko piloted his F-117, he saw two missiles punch through the bottom of the clouds. The unbelievable had happened: A Serbian surface-to-air missile had locked on to his aircraft. Zelko was able to eject, and was rescued shortly after, but Serbian television immediately began broadcasting shots of the wreckage of the F-117 around the world. The U.S. military was stunned. How had the seemingly invulnerable stealth aircraft been targeted and brought down? A recent Smithsonian Channel special, titled Stealth: Flying Invisible, recounts the history of stealth from the advent of radar to the Lockheed Martin F-35, and beyond. Covered are the World War II origins of stealth; the cold war's stealthy U-2 reconnaissance aircraft; and the development of Lockheed's SR-71. (During the Vietnam War, the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa was said to have a sign about the SR-71 that read: "Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I shall fear no evil, because I'm at 80,000 feet and Mach 3.") After the success of the SR-71, the goal became to build a fighter that was undetectable: hence the F-117. And stealth would ultimately change the battlefield. As Colonel David A. Moore, vice commander of the 49th Fighter Wing says in the episode, "There are some things that the F-117 does that are very unique. I like to describe it as going in to find the needle in the haystack...and then kill it. That is our job."

Picture a spectacular vampire attack at the tomb of an Austrian princess. A scene from Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series? No. It's the deleted opening to Bram Stoker's "Dracula," a horror classic that many experts believe was actually based on a woman. Archaeologists, historians, and forensic scientists revisit the days of vampire hysteria in the eighteenth century Czech Republic and re-open the unholy grave of dark princess Eleonore von Schwarzenberg. They uncover her story, once buried and long forgotten, now raised from the dead.

This is the definitive story of the world's first and last supersonic passenger jet, exploring the defining moments in Concorde's history and revealing the untold story behind the devastating crash of Flight AF4590 in 2000. Ten years on arguments still rage about what caused the crash that helped seal Concorde's fate, but could Concorde still be flying today? What really destroyed the most ambitious dream in aviation history?

A vacation along Panama's Pearl Islands led archaeologist James Delgado to an astounding discovery, the world's first working submarine, rusting on a remote beach, forgotten for over 135 years. We follow Delgado as he uncovers the mystery surrounding this maritime treasure. How did the vessel work, what killed its inventor and crew, and why did it end up here in this deserted archipelago? We also trace the amazing life of German engineer Julius Kroehl and how he invented a diving craft that was half a century ahead of its time.

A vacation along Panama's Pearl Islands led archaeologist James Delgado to an astounding discovery, the world's first working submarine, rusting on a remote beach, forgotten for over 135 years. We follow Delgado as he uncovers the mystery surrounding this maritime treasure. How did the vessel work, what killed its inventor and crew, and why did it end up here in this deserted archipelago? We also trace the amazing life of German engineer Julius Kroehl and how he invented a diving craft that was half a century ahead of its time.

Chris Rainier is a photographer with a passion for tattoo culture. He has traveled across the world to document was tattoos mean to different people. He has discovered that tattoos are used for an expression of identity. He now visits the Indonesian island of the Mentawai people, where the ancient ritual of tattooing fading away.

Embark on an epic journey of Hope. The legend is as massive and multifaceted as the gem itself, spanning one billion years, three continents and leaving a trail of intrigue, envy and death.We uncover the science and secrets of history's most famous jewel by visiting different countries and getting expert opinions from forensic scientists and history scholars. Learn why the Hope Diamond has inspired superstition, passion and interest since its discovery, and witness the unveiling of Hope in its new limited-edition setting, designed by Harry Winston and chosen by the American public.

Watch "pilots of the puny" use their extraordinary ingenuity to create remarkable one-man flying machines. What motivates these seemingly average men, and why do they risk their lives? Soar upwards of ten thousand feet in these impressive machines, and enter the minds of these daredevil designers, builders, and pilots who create and fly the tiniest aircrafts in the world.