Warplane Workshop — Season 3

Putting viewers in the cockpit of the planes that wrote history, the third series of Warplane Workshop traverses the globe to find rare aircraft and meet the people who are saving them. From the USA to New Zealand, and from the landing grounds of Normandy to the killing fields of Arnhem, its stars include two iconic Spitfires and the First World War biplane that made the first landing on an aircraft carrier at sea. We jump into action with American, French and Dutch parachutists recreating one of World War II's most daring operations aboard a transport plane that's still scarred by bullet holes from the real raid. And we meet some of the veterans who braved the lethal skies over the D-Day beaches 80 years ago. The opening episode follows a Spitfire that made history in 1944 by becoming the first Allied plane to land in liberated France. MK912 is rebuilt by engineers at Biggin Hill, and it's a tense mission for the test pilot assigned to conduct its first flight...

Putting viewers in the cockpit of the planes that wrote history, the third series of Warplane Workshop traverses the globe to find rare aircraft and meet the people who save them. From New Zealand to the USA, the landing grounds of Normandy and the killing fields of Arnhem, its stars include two iconic Spitfires and the First World War biplane that made the first landing on an aircraft carrier at sea. In this episode, a C47 transport plane that was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire while dropping British paratroopers in 1944 returns to the scene of the ill-fated Arnhem landings. And the iconic Drag 'em Oot's pilots and crew face the challenge of keeping her flying long enough to drop hundreds of modern parachutists who are anxious to mark the 80th anniversary of the ill-fated raid on the real-life Bridge Too Far.

Putting viewers in the cockpit of the planes that wrote history, the third series of Warplane Workshop traverses the globe to find rare aircraft and meet the people who save them. From New Zealand to the USA, the landing grounds of Normandy and the killing fields of Arnhem, its stars include two iconic Spitfires and the First World War biplane that made the first landing on an aircraft carrier at sea. In this episode, pilot and engineer Richard Grace stages a major airshow at the airfield where he's restored dozens of rare warbirds. But the crowds are unaware that he's fighting a personal battle for survival against a terminal illness. It means he may not survive to see the big day.

The story of a group of Scottish pensioners who spent 25 years building a replica First World War biplane. The original Sophie the Sopwith Strutter made history by becoming the first plane to land on Britain's prototype aircraft carrier - but for her modern pilot, flying a 110-year-old design is fraught with danger.

The makeover of an iconic Spitfire becomes unexpectedly controversial as the UK re-assesses its main military alliance. Lady Ellen III was one of dozens of RAF fighters given to the US Army Air Corps during the Second World War and emblazoned with America's stars and bars. And the restoration team discover that their Spitfire's wartime pilot was a celebrated US civil rights activist.

On an airstrip in Kent, engineer Nicky Wood and her team rebuild an RAF Tiger Moth biplane - one of 8000 that played an unsung role in winning The Great War. Outdated and barely able to reach 100 miles an hour, they gave tens of thousands of allied airmen the skills to fly and fight.