The World's Most Extraordinary Transport Machines

2016 • Smithsonian Channel
TV-G
Rating
Eligible
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Season 1 episodes (6)

1 Incredible Flying Cars: Just Add Wings Down
4/13/13
Anyone stuck in a traffic jam has had the same wish... to own a car that can lift off of the ground and zoom ahead of the pack. For decades, inventors and engineers have attempted to make that dream a reality, and they're closer than you think. Join us as we examine flying car designs of the past and present: the good, the bad, and the bizarre. See how modern technology has brought us closer than ever to putting cars in the air and flying machines in every garage.
2 Incredible Flying Cars: Vertical Takeoff
4/20/13
Imagine a car that can lift off from your driveway and take you anywhere you want to be. What was once science fiction is now fact thanks to the tireless efforts of designers and engineers, who are redefining what automobiles can be. In this episode, we show how cutting edge VTOLs (Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircrafts) are assisting law enforcement and the military, and may one day change the way we go to work, run errands, or simply go for a joy ride. Thanks to evolving technology and innovative designs, the sky is quite literally the limit.
3 Stealth: Flying Invisible
1/9/10
Season-only
Learn the secrets, strengths, and fatal flaws of the fighter plane that changed the landscape of air dominance in the 1990s-until it all came crashing down. See the first interview with Dale Zelko, the only pilot to ever be shot down in a stealth fighter, and the Bosnian soldier who fired the shots responsible for that crash. And follow the quest for the ultimate undetectable aircraft, from the U-2 to the F-117 Nighthawk, through the eyes of the scientists, historians, and aviators who developed this technology.
4 The Supercar Story
9/26/07
Over the years, what has driven manufacturers like Mercedes to build "supercars," automobiles whose performance far exceeds any reasonable road-going requirements? Automotive expert Simon Kidston takes you behind the wheel of six of the most distinctive supercars in the world and examines what makes these automotive wonders so exceptional...and so expensive. These cars are definite eye-catchers: the Mercedes Benz 300SL, Lamborghini Miura, Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari F40, and the McLaren F1. Take an exclusive look around the high-tech Bugatti factory and their gorgeous $1.5 million Bugatti Veyron.
5 Incredible Flying Jet Packs
7/19/15
When the jet pack took its first flight in the 1960s, it was loud, difficult to pilot, and could stay in the air for about 30 seconds. 50 years later, not much has changed. But visionary engineers are hard at work to make them quieter, safer, and more practical. Will they succeed? See how new approaches with simpler mechanics may allow us to use these futuristic flying machines in ways no one has yet to imagine. Then witness pilot Nick Macomber's attempt to take a jet pack to world record heights, and hopefully make it back down!
6 World's Finest Cars: The Insider's Guide
9/26/07
The annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance car show is where the world's millionaires and billionaires show off some of the most exotic cars on the planet. Winning this competition can add hundreds of thousands to a car's value, but any of these collectors will tell you that it's not about the money-it's about bragging rights.

About this show

Since the emergence of technology, there has always been an allure to the design and capabilities of machines. From mechanical eye-candy to multifunctional proficiency, these transports are moving works of art. Buckle up and explore the remarkable evolution of the way we travel.

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