Break it Down: Super Jets

This compilation deconstructs (literally) two very different beasts. The Boeing 747 changed air travel forever when it first hit the skies over 50 years ago. Now a plane that has made more than 12,000 trips around the world touches down on the tarmac for the last time. With 6 million parts and 73 tons of material, it is the biggest breakdown job the team has ever faced. The Phantom F-4 is one of the most accurate and lethal fighter jets in the world-and breaking one down is fraught with danger. The crew spends two and a half tense months unpacking ejection seats with live rockets, twin turbojet engines, and a Vulcan cannon. As each aircraft is stripped down, we get a glimpse inside to see how each part works-from engines to wings to black boxes. Some pieces are tested and recycled for use in active planes, a process each team member takes very seriously. At 30,000 feet, the stakes for these breakdowns couldn't be higher. (National Geographic)