During the darkest hours of World War 2, there emerged a remarkable aircraft that defied all odds while engaging in battles on the high seas. An unsung champion of the skies, the flying boats of the Pacific Theater accomplished the impossible, hunting enemy submarines beneath the treacherous waves and braving the roughest waters to land in the most inhospitable environments.
Among them all, one beast reigned supreme: the formidable Japanese Kawanishi H8K, hailed by historian René Francillon as: (QUOTE) “The most outstanding water-based combat aircraft of the Second World War.”
As the war’s largest and most fearsome flying boat, the H8K struck terror into the hearts of Allied pilots. However, the true genius of the aeronautical marvel lay in its staggering range, a feature that would be pushed to its limit in March 1942 when the massive flying boats were tasked with traveling thousands of miles to deliver a second, crushing blow to US forces in Pearl Harbor…
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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.
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They should produce a video on the U.S.' "biggest secret bomber of WW2" and fill it with stock footage of the B-17.
Don't forget to mention the H8K on the bottom of Chuuk Lagoon, shot down with an admiral on board (he and two others survived the crash). It's an easy scuba dive. I was privileged to touch the control yoke that the pilot held till the last. There's also one at Saipan that can be dived on.
now its descendant , the US-2 modern flying boat
The flying boat tradition continues in Japan with excellent designs flown by superbly trained crews that have rescued innumerable downed airmen, sailors, and civilians under very adverse conditions.
The background music sounds really brainwashy…
Excellent
Sheesh, flying boats..what's not to like
Just saying boats that fly awsome
When I was going to ASW school at FAETULANT NAS Norfolk October to December 1966, I noticed several huge crates along the steam pipes that heated the barracks. These crates were marked "Emily" and were a complete H8K. I understand that after many years the crates were loaded aboard a ship and returned to Japan. I know there is now a complete H8K on static display somewhere in Japan. I trust it is the one I saw crated in Norfolk.
Big fan of the channel. What’s with the super loud music at the first half?
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The "Cat" PBY was no slouch …………. just sayin' 🙂
Saw some flying boats looking like borrowed yech from Sikorsky.
Shoutout to President Ronald Regan which actually appeared in this video at 7:23.
The usual multiple repetition of the same clips . . .
The Brewster Buffalo sucked ball s
You do know that the "Emily" was based on the Short Sunderland that Britain madee?
formidable,not if a brewster buff could knock it down,it was outdated and probably the worst US fighter in WW2.
And the failed second attack on Pearl Harbor had the Navy blaming the Army Air Corps.
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