After reluctantly accepting a last tour in Afghanistan in 2006, Ed Macy found himself on the most adrenaline-pumping mission of his 22-year stint aboard one of the globe’s deadliest aerial predators.

Assigned to the cockpit of a cutting-edge WAH-64 Apache attack helicopter, Macy climbed aboard a chariot of destruction of such complexity and might that studies conducted by the United States Army determined only a select few human brains could process the simultaneous tasks required to operate this aircraft. Macy was in that elite circle.

While providing air support for ground troops storming a major Taliban stronghold during Operation Herrick, the unthinkable happened. The troops Macy was guarding walked into a lethal ambush. Even unleashing the full might of the Apache’s M230 Chain Gun, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, and Hydra-70 rockets wasn’t enough; one soldier, Lance Corporal Matthew Ford, was missing in action.

The British ground forces were forced to retreat, defeated; the enemy assembled in hordes, and using RPGs, they fiercely tried to knock the Apache out of the sky. Macy, his team, and their 25-million-dollar war machine became Ford’s last hope. They were about to embark on one of the most audacious rescue operations in modern military history…

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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.