It was September of 1943, and United States Army Air Forces servicemen were puzzled by the strange aircraft silhouette approaching the airfield at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio.

It had an airframe unlike any other employed by the US Army, but was marked by American flags and insignia. The men behind the antiaircraft guns were uncomfortable at the sight of the unidentified warplane, and prepared for the worst.

Once it got closer, the crews were able to identify the warplane as a Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 88, except it looked more imposing and powerful with its three cannons located in the mosquitoshaped cockpit.

The men didn’t know it by then, but it was the first captured Junkers Ju 188, a new multirole fighter bomber that was also the first German combat aircraft to ever cross the Atlantic and land in the US.

Fortunately, it was being flown by an American crew…



Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, topsecret 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.