Cheap NOVA: Battle of the X-Planes (DVD) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of NOVA: Battle of the X-Planes

State-of -the-Art Fighter competition
No it wasn't the Discovery Channel, Discovery Wings or even the History Channel that scooped this incredible story. NOVA did it with unpresedented access to the twin giants of aircraft manufacturing Boeing and Lockheed. I have waited since 1999 to see an indepth film about the State-of-the-Art military fighter aircraft buisness. NOVA takes the viewer deep inside the ultra top-secret Lockheed Skunk Works and the Boeing Phantom Works design and manufacturing centers. We have a ring-side seat at every step of the developmental process of the Joint Strike Fighter. The only story that is missing in this otherwise supurb DVD, is the extreamly intense intersevice and political battle BEHIND the scenes that is as fascinating and deadly as any air battle in the skies. Not ALL of the military services even wanted the JSF. It was practically crammed down the throats of the Navy for example because they did not want a single engined fighter. The Air Force greatly resented the entire concept of a multiple user "Joint" anything. The Marines were thrilled that they were not being given another hand-me-down aircraft. So in the end it all came down to dollars, common sense, and an extraordinary "one size fits all" fighter. The JSF will be the ultimate and perhaps last manned fighter plane built by the USA, the next generation of fighters will be UNMANNED Air Combat Vehicles or UCAVS.........but that's another story.

---

Amazing!
I watched this when it originally aired on PBS, and was amazed at how quickly the story pulled me in. I'm probably a 4 out of 10 on the techno-geek scale only because I read and enjoy Tom Clancy and Dale Brown novels, but I found the story engaging and compelling. I would recommend it anyone, techno-geek or not, simply because the competition between the two manufacturers, and the evolution of the two planes was so interesting. I plan on purchasing this so I can watch it over again.

---

Very Interesting
I've seen this three times and never cease to be amazed at the technology involved in the world of fighter planes. Although I do wonder how long it will really last as a fighter plane as it seems we are moving into the world of UCAV's (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles). Do we really need pilots to be in the line of fire? Either way it was awe inspiring seeing the Boeing proto-type hovering a couple hundred feet above the ground in Maryland and doing a full 360 degree turn in midair. Taking off vertically, landing vertically, manuvering faster than any other fighter/bomber ever built, stealth, super-sonic flight speeds... Both Lockheed and Boeing run the gammut and turn out excellent aircraft. It's a very interesting two hours watching this film. You won't be disappointed