Smithsonian TV Guide — Today's TV Listings & Schedule

Browse the full Smithsonian TV guide for today. 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

Mayday: Air Disaster

S20 · E1 · Headline News True

Headline News

After three plane crashes make the front page of all the newspapers, the media starts putting pressure on the authorities to uncover the cause of these crashes.

01:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S19 · E2 · Rookie Errors True

Rookie Errors

After a cargo jet crashes into the Swedish Arctic, a team of investigators pours over the evidence and discovers a terrifying picture of chaos and confusion.

02:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Fight to the Finish True

Fight to the Finish

Even when they're pushed to the limits of their training and willpower, three flight crews try to land their crippled aircrafts despite the impossible odds.

03:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S5 · E8 · Mixed Signals Documentary

Mixed Signals

In 1996 a Boeing 757 carrying returning vacationers back to Germany crashes soon after takeoff as the pilot's air speed indicator gives spurious readings.

04:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Frozen Wings True

Frozen Wings

Experts analyze the crash of American Eagle Flight 4184 that got caught in icy conditions near Roselawn, Ind.

05:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S23 · E6 · Cockpit Catastrophe Documentary

Cockpit Catastrophe

When an Airbus A319 cockpit window explodes, investigators try to understand the freshly serviced aircraft was released with a fatal flaw.

Morning

06:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S20 · E8 · No Warning Documentary

No Warning

Safety systems are tested after a turbotop aircraft crashes into a mountainside before its approach to Papua, Indonesia and all 54 people on board are killed.

07:00 1h

Combat Ships

S2 · E6 · Galleons and Privateers Documentary

Galleons and Privateers

A look is taken galleons, multi-decked sailing ships first used as armed cargo carriers, and privateers, private ships with a government commission.

08:00 1h

Combat Ships

S3 · E7 · The Fast and Furious Documentary

The Fast and Furious

Featuring the revolutionary steam turbines, discover how speed has been used to give the advantage to ships and smaller vessels in naval battles.

09:00 1h

Combat Ships

S2 · E3 · Doomed Vessels Documentary

Doomed Vessels

An examination of vessels doomed by human errors, including the Vasa, a 17th century combat ship that sank on its maiden voyage, is conducted.

10:00 1h

Combat Ships

S1 · E2 · Metal War Ships Documentary

Metal War Ships

Designers use archival footage, detailed interviews and explore surviving ships to explain the evolution of ironclad vessels and their role in history.

11:00 1h

Combat Ships

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.

Daytime

12:00 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.

13:00 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.

14:00 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.

15:00 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.

16:00 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.

17:00 1h

Air Warriors

S4 · E2 · B-52 True ▶ Now

B-52

Boeing's hulking B-52 has been the bomber of choice for the U.S. Air Force since the mid-1950s because of its outstanding range and payload capability.

Tonight's Highlights

18:00 1h

Air Warriors

S3 · E2 · Chinook True

Chinook

The Chinook CH-47 has been the Army's favorite helicopter for heavy cargo hauling since the Vietnam War, and continual design improvements have kept it so.

19:00 1h

Air Warriors

S2 · E1 · A-10 Warthog True

A-10 Warthog

The ungainly-looking A-10 Thunderbolt fighter plane, affectionately called the "Warthog," protects American ground troops and outguns its competitors.

20:00 1h

Air Warriors

S4 · E3 · P-51 Mustang True

P-51 Mustang

North American Aviation's P-51 Mustang fighter was requested by Britain's Royal Air Force, and its superiority helped to end World War II sooner.

21:00 1h

Air Warriors

S8 · E1 · F-86 Sabre True

F-86 Sabre

A look at one of America's first fighter jets, includes tales of its battles against the Soviet MiG jet during the Korean War and beyond.

22:00 1h

Air Warriors

S9 · E3 · Top Ten 21st Century True

Top Ten 21st Century

Experts examine the best aircrafts of the 21st century, from stealth fighters to drones, and feature the combat of the A-10 Warthog against the AC-130 gunship.

23:00 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.