Smithsonian TV Guide — Thursday TV Listings & Schedule

Browse the full Smithsonian TV guide for Thursday, 29 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

Mayday: Air Disaster

S16 · E8 · River Runway Documentary

River Runway

Garuda Indonesia Flight 421 encountered a severe thunderstorm, causing a flameout in both engines, the Boeing 737 ditched into a shallow river.
01:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S16 · E3 · Disaster at Tenerife Documentary

Disaster at Tenerife

On March 27, 1977, two Boeing 747 passenger jets collided, in a thick fog, on the runway at Tenerife North Airport, in the Canary Islands, killing 583 people.
02:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S4 · E1 · Desperate Escape True

Desperate Escape

After a difficult landing in a severe thunderstorm, Air France Flight 358 skids off the runway and crashes, causing a fire to start in the left engine.
03:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S13 · E11 · Getting Out Alive True

Getting Out Alive

Flight crews and passengers who have lived through airplane crashes share tips for survival, explaining whether the front or the back of the plane is safest.
04:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S20 · E9 · Cockpit Killer Documentary

Cockpit Killer

Investigators conclude that a pilot deliberately wrecked his aircraft after LAM Mozambique Airlines Flight 470 nosedives and crashes in Namibia.
05:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

Design Flaws True

Design Flaws

Investigators hunt for answers after a failure reveals a weak spot in every Boeing 767 when a plane nosedives into a Thai jungle.

Morning

06:00 1h

Mayday: Air Disaster

S2 · E1 · Blow Out True

Blow Out

A maintenance worker's mistake while replacing a cockpit window causes the window to pop out in flight, and the captain is sucked partway through the hole.
07:00 1h

Combat Ships

S1 · E5 · Torpedo Boats Documentary

Torpedo Boats

The history of self-propelled torpedoes is shared as old ship designs are examined to see how the Navy accompanied the additional weapon.
08:00 1h

Combat Ships

S2 · E5 · Secrets of the Sea Documentary

Secrets of the Sea

A close look is taken at the sinking of the Lusitania, the war games of Gilbert Roberts, and the Pentagon's capture of a sunken Soviet nuclear submarine.
09:00 1h

Combat Ships

S3 · E2 · The Battle of Trafalgar Documentary

The Battle of Trafalgar

The Battle of Trafalgar, one of the greatest battles in naval history, includes nimble frigates and large ships like the HMS Victory.
10:00 1h

Combat Ships

S1 · E9 · Secrets and Lies Documentary

Secrets and Lies

A world of deception and double-dealing unfolds as an analytical look is taken at the ways Britain's Royal Navy out-witted German U-boats.
11:00 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.

Daytime

12:00 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.
13:00 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.
14:00 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.
15:00 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.
16:00 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.
17:00 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.

Evening

18:00 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.
19:00 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.
20:00 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.
21:00 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.
22:00 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.
23:00 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.