The Planes That Built Britain with Rob Bell

Rob Bell introduces us to the Sopwith Camel and reveals the historic significance of this legendary war plane. This episode also explores the rapid evolution of aircraft in warfare as air superiority became an essential requirement for victory in battle. It takes to the skies to demonstrate how difficult these early fighter planes were to control for the young and inexperienced pilots of the newly formed Royal Air Force. It also relives the crucial battles of World War One in which the Sopwith Camel played such a vital role, and we look at how the plane took on German flying aces such as the infamous Red Baron. You will also get to meet the modern-day enthusiasts and restorers who continue to keep this iconic aircraft in the skies, and we learn the techniques and skills behind the plane’s construction.

In the second episode, Rob Bell reveals why the Spitfire became the most famous fighter aircraft that Britain has ever produced. The iconic war plane was an engineering triumph created by Southampton-based aircraft manufacturer Supermarine. It led the fight against the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain and sits alongside other WWII greats such as the Hurricane and the Lancaster bomber. Rob explores what made the Spitfire such a formidable fighter: its unique design and powerful Merlin engine gave it superior handling in the close-quarter dogfights that took place across the skies in the crucial period of 1940 that became known as the Battle of Britain. We meet veteran pilots and hear what it was like to fly the Spitfire, often after just a very brief period of training. We also learn about the civilian war effort that went into the production of this aircraft and how restorers today continue to keep its memory alive.

During the winter of 1940 the future of Britain hung in the balance, with 40,000 lives lost as its citizens faced the nightly onslaught of The Blitz. Our own fighter planes were too small and didn’t have the power to fly 600 miles to hit back at Germany, so things were looking bleak. Then up stepped genius Roy Chadwick, who designed the magnificent Lancaster bomber, with four powerful engines, three gun turrets and a 33ft bay for carrying twice as many bombs as usual. "It was the most fearsome weapon of war the British ever unleashed," says Rob Bell, who presents this series. "The British bombers started to strike back at the Nazis, avenging the horrors of the Blitz. Cities like Hamburg, Cologne and Berlin were pounded night after night with incredible accuracy."

Rob Bell tells the incredible story of the Harrier Jump Jet. The innovative Harrier was the first operational aircraft to employ vertical take-off and landing, or VTOL.