Smithsonian TV Guide — Friday TV Listings & Schedule

Browse the full Smithsonian TV guide for Friday, 7 August 2026. 24 programmes listed , including 6 tonight. US listings updated daily — scroll down to tonight's highlights or use the day tabs above to browse the weekly schedule.

Early Morning

00:00 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.

01:00 1h

Air Warriors

S3 · E3 · Drones True

Drones

Unmanned aircraft have been used since World War II, and they have evolved to become a powerful tool in military life for defensive and attacking maneuvers.

02:00 1h

Air Warriors

S6 · E4 · F - 22 Raptor True

F - 22 Raptor

The undetectable spy plane known as the F-22 Raptor is examined as Air Force pilots share what it's like to dominate the skies with the sneaky aircraft.

03:00 1h

Air Warriors

S7 · E3 · Top Gunships True

Top Gunships

A celebration of the world's top close air support aircrafts, which are designed to enter battles at a moment's notice to cover troops.

04:00 1h

Air Warriors

S5 · E2 · KC-135 Stratotanker True

KC-135 Stratotanker

The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker has served in Vietnam and in all U.S. conflicts since then, refueling American military aircraft in mid-air.

05:00 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.

Morning

06:00 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.

07:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E23 · Colorado Travel

Colorado

The state defined by the Rocky Mountains has some of America's tallest peaks and highest sand dunes, and it is home to the U.S.' largest single-site brewery.

08:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E44 · Nebraska Travel

Nebraska

Nebraska's desert plains have become the cornfields and cattle ranges that help feed the planet, and it has given the world Johnny Carson and Warren Buffett.

09:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E54 · Wisconsin Travel

Wisconsin

The state known for its production of beer and dairy products has family-owned farms, golden autumnal forests, limestone outcroppings and a rich history.

10:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E2 · Hawaii Travel

Hawaii

The show's team flies over the islands, capturing footage of big-wave surfers, pineapple plantations and a live, close-up overhead look at an erupting volcano.

11:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E55 · Puerto Rico & US Virgin Islands Travel

Puerto Rico & US Virgin Islands

A flight over Puerto Rico and the Virgins reveals the stunning beauty of the Caribbean islands' towering mountains and dazzling beaches.

Daytime

12:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E21 · Michigan Travel

Michigan

Michigan's elements changed the world, from assembly lines that made it possible for everyone to own a car to a record company that shaped popular culture.

13:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E67 · The Wild West Travel

The Wild West

From the skies, the American West is full of natural and man-made wonders such as St. Louis' Gateway Arch and the vast, pristine Alaskan wilderness.

14:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S5 · E3 · Behind Closed Doors Documentary

Behind Closed Doors

In 1972 a McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 flying from Detroit to Buffalo, N.Y. loses a cargo door and decompresses; two years later another DC-10 has the same problem.

15:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S3 · E9 · Runaway Train True

Runaway Train

A calculation error leaves the crew of a freight train unaware of its true weight and leads them to underestimate the amount of braking force it needs.

16:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S20 · E3 · Explosive Touchdown True

Explosive Touchdown

Investigators search the wreckage of an MD-90, which suffered a sudden explosion upon landing in Hualien, Taiwan, to uncover the cause of the tragedy.

17:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S20 · E7 · Atlantic Ditching True

Atlantic Ditching

When a helicopter carrying workers offshore ditches into the ocean, an investigation reveals a flaw in the chopper's design.

Evening

18:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S1 · E4 · Flying Blind True

Flying Blind

A 1996 Aeroperu flight headed for Chile turned back just after takeoff when the pilots realized all the aircraft's instruments were giving false readings.

19:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S18 · E2 · Blown Away Documentary

Blown Away

On July23, 2014, TransAsia Airways Flight 222, crashed into buildings while on approach from Kaohsiung to Magong Airport on Penghu Island in the Taiwan Strait.

20:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S19 · E6 · Perilous Payload True

Perilous Payload

Three out of balance planes confirm the need for critical backup systems.

21:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S25 · E5 · Powerless Plunge Documentary

Powerless Plunge

Just moments after takeoff, a Loganair cargo flight from Edinburgh loses both engines and crashes into the icy North Sea.

22:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S5 · E1 · Invisible Killer Documentary

Invisible Killer

At Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the pilots of Delta Flight 191 fly through an isolated thunderstorm and encounter rapidly shifting downdrafts.

23:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S9 · E4 · Cleared for Disaster Documentary

Cleared for Disaster

In Los Angeles, a controller sent a commuter plane onto a runway for takeoff just as a Boeing 737 was landing there, and their collision killed 37 people.