logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2024
39m 59s

Masters of the Air: WWII's Bloody 100th ...

History Hit
About this episode

Screenwriter John Orloff joins Dan to talk about the new WWII mini-series 'Masters of the Air'. It tells the true story of the 'Bloody Hundredth', an American bomb group stationed in England that fought in the skies over Nazi-occupied Europe.


A decade in the making, John explains how the show works to faithfully recreate the story of these airmen and the trials that they faced.


Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.


Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW sign up now for your 14-day free trial.


We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.


You can take part in our listener survey here.

Up next
Oct 7
Alexandria
This is the story of a city that laid the foundations for our modern world. Sitting at the intersection of East and West, Alexandria has been home to many of humanity's greatest architectural and cultural achievements, like the famous Lighthouse and the storied Great Library. Som ... Show More
31m 43s
Oct 5
The Spanish Civil War
Why did Spain spiral into civil war in 1936? Today, we delve into the grinding class conflicts and ferocious political divisions that split Spain in two, from the dictatorship of the 1920s to the ambitious and divisive government of the early 1930s. We explore why democracy unrav ... Show More
58m 28s
Oct 2
The Battle of Agincourt
In this episode, Dan explains the dramatic story of the Battle of Agincourt when, against overwhelming odds, Henry V’s underdog English army emerged victorious over their mighty French opponents. We explore why the battle happened in the first place, as well as the key characters ... Show More
35m 39s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2023
Vikings in America
What is a Viking? Did they really make it to the United States? And if so, how far did they get? Don speaks to Martyn Whittock about the norse landings in North America. From the Icelandic sagas to the archaeological evidence that supports them, listen as we separate the truth fr ... Show More
40m 28s
Aug 2022
Welcome to American History Hit
Join Don Wildman twice a week for your hit of American history, as he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today. We’ll hear how codebreakers uncovered secret Japanese plans for the Battle of Midway, visit Chief Powhatan as he prepares for war with the Bri ... Show More
3m 12s
Sep 2023
Sabotage & Secret Weapons: The WW2 Dirty Tricks Department
What is a bat bomb? Why would you cover a fox in radioactive paint? And who are the masterminds behind the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA? In this episode, Don is joined by John Lisle to discuss the creations of the Research and Development branch at the O ... Show More
36m 1s
Aug 2023
WW2: Life in Tanks
What was it actually like to operate a tank during the Second World War?In this episode, we explore the iron belly of tank warfare through the eyes of Private Arthur Ibbotson, who enlisted in the war as a young lad in 1942, first joining the Grenadier Guards in London and who end ... Show More
43m 38s
Nov 2023
Love, Lust & Fighting in World War II
It can be hard to comprehend the magnitude of historical events, with World War Two a prime example of this. By 1945, some 3 million British people had served. As such, the rich diversity of masculinity and sexuality of those men is often reduced or hidden from the history books. ... Show More
42m 1s
Oct 2023
The Hundred Years War
For the last several decades, Jonathan, Lord Sumption - former senior judge and medieval historian - has been crafting a monumental, five-volume history of the Hundred Years War, widely considered to be the definitive account of the conflict. The final volume, titled Triumph and ... Show More
39m 43s
Jun 2024
History Daily: The Discovery of China’s Terracotta Army & The Execution of King Louis XVI
I'm on vacation, and I hope you'll get some time away soon, too! Our featured podcast today is one that you'll 100% want to listen to on your summer travels: History Daily. Each weekday on History Daily, host Lindsay Graham (not the senator) takes you back in time to explore a mo ... Show More
36m 7s
Apr 2023
America's Top Secrets: Manhattan Project to Drone Warfare
Much of American history has been redacted. Since the World War 2, the number of secrets the US government has kept has grown exponentially. There are some things they think are too dangerous for the public to know. Matthew Connelly, author of the Declassification Engine, takes D ... Show More
40m 1s
Dec 2022
Start of the Space Race
Space historian Jay Gallentine tells Don how World War 2 weapons paved the way for space rockets, igniting a space race between the USA and the USSR that would see the first projectiles, satellites and people leave Earth’s atmosphere. Produced by Benjie Guy. Mixed by Aidan Lonerg ... Show More
40m 4s
Sep 2023
Oppenheimer: What If America Never Dropped the Atomic Bomb?
The new Oppenheimer movie has everyone asking questions about the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 - were two bombs necessary? Would the war have ended without it? Was there an ulterior motive? Would the Americans have dropped a third if they had it? To answer some of the qu ... Show More
47m 12s