NOVA: Battle of the X-Planes

Starring:Nova
Studio: Wgbh Boston
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
Inside the high-tech, high-stakes competition to create America's newest fighter plane. NOVA goes behind the doors of the world's two largest aerospace companies to record classified meetings, climbs into cockpits to fly the most revolutionary planes, and examines the high-stakes battle waged between Boeing and Lockheed Martin to build the most capable and versatile fighter ever createdthe Joint Strike Fighter. You're on the front line as the two aerospace giants fight for a contract that will make aviation history and help protect America, and that could provide the winner total domination of the U.S. defense fighter industry. Marking the first time filmmakers have been allowed inside a major weapons competition, NOVA enters Boeing's Phantom Works and Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works, and travels to the flight test centers at Edwards Air Force Base and Patuxnet Naval Air Station to document key moments of the competition. Join military brass, aviation engineers, and test pilots as they race to create a single aircraft that meets three criteriathat the winning plane be stealthy, affordable, and adaptable to the widely varying needs of the Air Force, Navy, and Marines. Filmed over four years, Battle of the X-Planes reveals the breakthrough designs, heartbreaking setbacks, adrenaline-fueled test flights, and one final nail-biting decisionthe winner of the most lucrative contract in military history--the Joint Strike Fighter.

Special DVD features include: bonus video footage of Lockheed fighters; a visit to a "graveyard" for old military planes; materials and activities for educators; outfitting a fighter pilot activity; designing a stealth plane; link to the Battle of the X-Planes companion Web site; scene selections; closed captions; and described video for the visually impaired.

Description

Inside the high-tech, high-stakes competition to create America's newest fighter plane. NOVA goes behind the doors of the world's two largest aerospace companies to record classified meetings, climbs into cockpits to fly the most revolutionary planes, and examines the high-stakes battle waged between Boeing and Lockheed Martin to build the most capable and versatile fighter ever created—the Joint Strike Fighter. You're on the front line as the two aerospace giants fight for a contract that will make aviation history and help protect America, and that could provide the winner total domination of the U.S. defense fighter industry. Marking the first time filmmakers have been allowed inside a major weapons competition, NOVA enters Boeing's Phantom Works and Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works, and travels to the flight test centers at Edwards Air Force Base and Patuxnet Naval Air Station to document key moments of the competition. Join military brass, aviation engineers, and test pilots as they race to create a single aircraft that meets three criteria—that the winning plane be stealthy, affordable, and adaptable to the widely varying needs of the Air Force, Navy, and Marines. Filmed over four years, Battle of the X-Planes reveals the breakthrough designs, heartbreaking setbacks, adrenaline-fueled test flights, and one final nail-biting decision—the winner of the most lucrative contract in military history--the Joint Strike Fighter.

On one DVD9 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: 4X3 full frame.

Customer Reviews:

X-Planes.......2007-05-22

By far the BEST DVD of the Joint Strike Fighters on the market! AWESOME!!!!

Not Technical Enough.......2006-06-14

This program was not technical enough for me. It does not reveal most of the technology used in the building of the planes. I expected to come out after watching this program having more knowledge about jet engines, aerodynamics, flight instruments, etc., but what I got instead was a story about the competition between two aviation giants struggling to build an all-in-one fighter plane for the US government. The challenge was to build a plane that can take off and land vertically, fly supersonically and above all cost reasonably low.

I give this program 3 stars instead of 1 because of the nice footage of the planes in action, even though there were little. I liked the vertical take off tests and the flames coming out of the exhaust nozzle during supersonic tests.

Not Objective Comparison between two company.......2006-05-05

I did watch that and I did not liked cause I know good detailed information about this history. This DVD is making polishing Boeing company instead Lockheed won this techonology war ! It is 2 hours long and Boeing appears most of the times. There is no good explanation how Lockheed is performed that outstanding job. It all talkes about Boeing and at the final it again declares Boeing bla bla good bla bla succesfull at stealth jobs. I think the director was from Boeing Company

Exciting true story? A mere fiction really........2006-03-13

If you are expecting an somewhat fun but FICTIONAL video about the competition for the fighters around 2030, then check this DVD out. However, if you want to know the truth about this competition, might as well just do some research instead, because about 50% of this video is MADE UP. Couple of examples : first of all, on the Boeing's side, none of the guys who acutally have the guts to design the triangular wing were on this video. Most of the footage were interviews to those 'politicans' and the managers. Second of all, some of the events described in this video were just plainly made-up. Boeing took the front nose-piece off not because the plane is too heavy. Acutally the NAVY changed their requirement and the new design was on the way, so that the front nose piece has to be taken off while the plane is tested at the same time. The engineers on both sides spread blood and sweat for this, however, none of the details of at their work were shown.

For me as an aeronautical engineering student, it's a dissapointment.

NOVA: Battle of the X-Planes.......2006-03-10

Exciting--On the edge of your seat--show for all engineer-science types!

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