Smithsonian TV Guide — Thursday, 23 April 2026

Early Morning

00:00 1h

S1 · E1 · War Beneath the Waves Documentary

War Beneath the Waves

In-depth interviews with crewmembers and never-before-seen archival footage detail the development and evolution of submarines through history.

01:00 1h

Combat Ships

S1 · E7 · Cold War Warriors Documentary

Cold War Warriors

The submarines and warships that undertook operations in Soviet waters, Cuba and Vietnam during the Cold War are examined in great detail.

02:00 1h

Combat Ships

S4 · E3 · Hidden Figures Documentary

Hidden Figures

An enslaved teenager winds up in the middle of the Seven Years' War; during World War II a Black Merchant Marine forces the Navy to integrate his ship.

03:00 1h

Combat Ships

S4 · E7 · Record Breakers Documentary

Record Breakers

Over the centuries, technological advancements have led to bigger and faster combat ships and altered maritime warfare.

04:00 1h

Combat Ships

S3 · E4 · Gulf War Warriors Documentary

Gulf War Warriors

Persian Gulf naval conflicts including Desert Storm, the Iran-Iraq War and present day.

05:00 1h

Combat Ships

S1 · E8 · The Smallest Ships Documentary

The Smallest Ships

Stories about the USS Philadelphia and the M33 gunboat are shared as an analytical look is taken at how small wartime vessels made an impact of battle.

Morning

06:00 1h

Combat Ships

S3 · E5 · Sunk Documentary

Sunk

A sunken WWI cruiser and WWII submarine are found by a series of high-tech missions.

07:00 1h

Combat Ships

S3 · E6 · Top Guns Documentary

Top Guns

Exploring naval armaments throughout history featuring cannon armed sailing ships, to revolutionary weapons technology.

08:00 1h

Combat Ships

S4 · E1 · Courageous Captains Documentary

Courageous Captains

Four remarkable captains that have gone above and beyond the call of duty throughout naval history.

09:00 1h

Combat Ships

S3 · E8 · River Raiders Documentary

River Raiders

Examination of river warfare from the story of Harriet Tubman's victorious gunboat raid to the high-speed river Patrol Boats in Vietnam.

10:00 1h

Air Warriors

S3 · E1 · C-17 True

C-17

The C-17 Globemaster has been the primary cargo hauler for the U.S. Air Force for decades, but its critics in Congress almost halted its development.

11:00 1h

Air Warriors

S5 · E3 · U-2 Dragon Lady True

U-2 Dragon Lady

The U-2 Dragon Lady reconnaissance airplane's very existence was denied until the Soviet Union shot one out of the sky and set off an unpleasant conversation.

Daytime

12:00 1h

Air Warriors

S4 · E1 · F-16 True

F-16

The General Dynamics F-16 is fast and nimble, and since the Vietnam War, it has evolved to become the U.S.' primary multirole warplane.

13:00 1h

Air Warriors

S9 · E1 · Top Ten WWII True

Top Ten WWII

The Allies used flying weapons in the fight against Nazi Germany, from the dogfighters like the P-51 Mustang and British Spitfire to the Hellcat dive-bomber.

14:00 1h

Air Warriors

S6 · E3 · F - 4 Phantom True

F - 4 Phantom

Military personnel share the history behind the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom and discuss how the aircraft has been in use since the Cold War.

15:00 1h

Air Warriors

S7 · E2 · Top Choppers True

Top Choppers

A look at some of the world's most functional and powerful helicopters includes the Huey aircraft that was used in Vietnam as a rescue helicopter.

16:00 1h

Air Warriors

S10 · E6 · Galaxy True

Galaxy

An aircraft has projected U.S. military power all over the world by transporting war machines and American troops wherever they need to be.

17:00 1h

Air Warriors

S6 · E5 · OV - 10 Bronco True

OV - 10 Bronco

Military members discuss the history behind the OV-10 Bronco and how it functions as both a helicopter and a jet in difficult environments.

Tonight's Highlights

18:00 1h

Air Warriors

S6 · E6 · MiG True

MiG

The history behind the MiG is revealed from the moment it took flight in World War II to fighting against American aircrafts in Iraq.

19:00 1h

Air Warriors

S8 · E4 · Messerschmitt BF 109 True

Messerschmitt BF 109

Experts share an inside look into Nazi Germany's premier fighter, which has been credited with aiding the Nazis in thousands of victories over Allied pilots.

20:00 1h

Air Warriors

S8 · E5 · B-24 Liberator True

B-24 Liberator

Experts share how the B-24 Liberator went from concept to combat in months and how it became the most mass-produced military airplane in history.

21:00 1h

Air Warriors

S11 · E2 · PBY Catalina True

PBY Catalina

The PBY Catalina seaplane served multiple roles during WWII, primarily for air-sea rescue missions, cargo transport, convoy bombing and anti-submarine warfare.

22:00 1h

Air Warriors

S11 · E4 · Mosquito True

Mosquito

Narrators Beau Weaver and Bob Naughton take a closer look at the de Havilland Mosquito which was used as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft.

23:00 1h

Air Warriors

S8 · E3 · Hawker Hurricane True

Hawker Hurricane

An exploration of Britain's use of the Hawker Hurricane aircraft in World War II battles highlights how the aircraft became the secret weapon they relied upon.