Smithsonian TV Guide — Friday TV Listings & Schedule

Browse the full Smithsonian TV guide for Friday, 9 October 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

S10 · E1 · Lancaster True

Lancaster

The flying machine that ultimately helped secure victory for the Allied Forces, with almost perfect symmetry it's equipped to cause damage and destruction.
01:00 1h

Air Warriors

S11 · E3 · B-17 Flying Fortress True

B-17 Flying Fortress

The USAF's deadliest bomber in World War II campaigns in Europe and the Pacific, the B-17 Flying Fortresses were used by the Women Airforce Service Pilots.
02:00 1h

Air Warriors

S11 · E9 · Stuka Dive Bomber True

Stuka Dive Bomber

Experts and veterans discuss the high-speed dives and pinpoint accuracy of the Junkers Ju-87 Stukas became a symbol of German power.
03:00 1h

Air Warriors

S6 · E8 · Spitfire True

Spitfire

An analytical look is taken at the Supermarine Spitfire and the obstacles the aircraft faced before it could take on the Luftwaffe and dominate the skies.
04:00 1h

Air Warriors

S10 · E5 · Little Bird True

Little Bird

Narrators Beau Weaver and Bob Naughton investigate how Little Bird helicopters that started as hunter-killers became life-saving rescue aircrafts.
05:00 1h

Air Warriors

S11 · E7 · Hawker Hunter True

Hawker Hunter

Narrators Beau Weaver and Bob Naughton talk about Britain's flagship super jet during the Cold War and its most thrilling flights in the late 20th century.

Morning

06:00 1h

Air Warriors

S1 · E4 · F1-11 True

F1-11

The F-111 bomber jet was a Vietnam-era failure that became vital in Libya and the Gulf War.
07:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E28 · Alabama Travel

Alabama

A flight over the Cotton State reveals much more than cotton fields, with a popular NASCAR speedway and the historic sites of many civil rights battles.
08:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E11 · South Carolina Travel

South Carolina

With prominent Civil War and Revolutionary War landmarks as well as Sullivan Island, the point of entry for slaves, the Palmetto State is full of history.
09:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E61 · Roadside Attractions Travel

Roadside Attractions

A road trip in the air soars above the Oregon Trail, the fields of Gettysburg, Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon and other popular sightseeing destinations.
10:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E59 · New England Travel

New England

An aerial tour of New England passes over the Massachusetts harbors where America's first acts of rebellion took place and the pristine lakes on Maine's border.
11:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E13 · Georgia Travel

Georgia

Viewed from the sky, the Empire State of the South offers views of natural wonders such as the Appalachian Mountains as well as the imposing skyline of Atlanta.

Daytime

12:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E10 · Oregon Travel

Oregon

An aerial tour of the Beaver State reveals a lake in the cone of a long-dormant volcano and a mountain range with four of the highest peaks in the U.S.
13:00 1h

Aerial America

S1 · E70 · Boston 24 Travel

Boston 24

The revolutionary history surrounding the city of Boston is examined as an in-depth look is taken at the individuals who founded the city.
14:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S14 · E6 · The Death of JFK Jr. Documentary

The Death of JFK Jr.

When John F. Kennedy Jr.'s Piper Saratoga crashed in July 1999, speculation was rampant all over the world, and the NTSB was under pressure to find answers.
15:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S3 · E13 · Ocean Landing True

Ocean Landing

After Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 is taken over by three crazed political fugitives, the heroic pilot tries an emergency landing.
16:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S21 · E8 · Pitch Black True

Pitch Black

A pilots mishandling of an electrical problem causes Air Illinois Flight 710 to crash into an open field in poor weather, killing all 10 passengers on board.
17:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S20 · E2 · Impossible Pitch True

Impossible Pitch

A report is shared on the accident of a West Air Sweden Flight near Lake Akkajaure in Sweden during a cargo flight, which killed both crew members.

Evening

18:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S9 · E6 · Cold Case Documentary

Cold Case

An Air Ontario flight crashed in 1989 because wing icing kept it from taking off properly; three years later, a USAir flight failed in the same manner.
19:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S1 · E2 · Racing the Storm True

Racing the Storm

An American Airlines captain tried to land in a thunderstorm in Little Rock, Arkansas and failed to engage its ground spoilers, losing control of the craft.
20:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S12 · E1 · Fight for Control True

Fight for Control

While flying over the Aleutian Islands, one of an aircraft's four propellers comes off and tears a hole in the cabin, causing decompression and loss of control.
21:00 1h

Ice Airport Alaska

S1 · E1 · Winter is Coming Other

Winter is Coming

As winter approaches, the wildlife, airfield and maintenance teams at the Ted Stevens International Airport must keep equipment running and uphold safety.
22:00 1h

Ice Airport Alaska

S1 · E2 · Struck by Lightning Other

Struck by Lightning

Airport staff are challenged by dangerous weather conditions on Thanksgiving weekend, including dense traffic, heavy snowfall and a lightning strike.
23:00 1h

Ice Airport Alaska

S1 · E3 · Lights Out Other

Lights Out

An electrical failure, a wild moose and a need for supplies in the Alaskan wilderness pose problems for the staff and pilots at Ted Stevens Airport.