New York –-(Ammoland.com)- Season two of the Smithsonian Channel original series THE WEAPON HUNTER shines a light on true American heroes as series host, history buff and restoration expert Paul Shull partners with veterans to spotlight iconic moments and artefacts in military history. This is history that leaves a mark. From a Vietnam era gun truck and a World War II B-25 bomber, to a giant 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannon and more, THE WEAPON HUNTER is history up-close and personal. Season two of the six-episode series premieres Sunday, February 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Paul Shull returns on his quest to get his hands on some of the world’s rarest and most remarkable pieces of military history. To do so, Paul calls on his network of military artifact collectors who have amassed collections that rival those found in the world’s great military history museums. This season, Paul also calls upon combat veterans – including a 96-year-old eyewitness to the Pearl Harbor attack , veterans from Vietnam, and Marines recently returned from Afghanistan and Iraq.
The series premiere, VIETNAM ROAD WARRIOR, takes Paul to rural Tennessee, where he meets Sammy Seay, a Vietnam veteran who is rebuilding a rare vehicle from the Vietnam War known as a Gun Truck. Built to protect supply convoys for American troops during the war, these armor-plated behemoths represent an untold chapter in the conflict’s history. Paul’s ultimate goal is to experience a simulated convoy attack while riding aboard the rebuilt truck with Gun Truck veterans.
Other episodes of THE WEAPON HUNTER:
THE WEAPON HUNTER: BIG BAD B-25 – Premieres Sunday, February 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Paul is looking for the final missing piece of a World War II B-25 bomber, which is being restored by the United States Commemorative Air Force. The piece in question is the heart of this flying weapons system – the Norden bombsight. Paul’s search takes him into the arid Californian desert. Then he heads on to a unique flight school where he learns to fly a B-25 and to use the World War II targeting scope to drop a bomb.
THE WEAPON HUNTER: PEARL HARBOR PAYBACK – Premieres Monday, February 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT
Paul attempts to rebuild a weapon that helped America move on from the devastation of Pearl Harbor, the 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannon. While hunting down parts for this kamikaze-killer, Paul meets a Navy veteran who describes the carnage of Pearl Harbor. He also experiences the deadly capabilities of a vintage Japanese Zero fighter plane, all in a bid to understand how and why the Oerlikon cannon helped turn the tide in the Pacific theatre.
THE WEAPON HUNTER: WORLD’S FASTEST WEAPON – Premieres Sunday, March 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Paul sets out to fix and fire the fastest gun ever built: the Minigun – a rotating six-barrel monster that can fire up to 6,000 rounds per minute. Teaming up with Vietnam helicopter pilot Fred Behrens, Paul must track down the parts they need to get Fred’s vintage weapon firing again. Along the way, Paul investigates the evolution of machine gun speed, from hand-cranked Gatling guns, through the Nazi’s MG42, to the present day.
THE WEAPON HUNTER: D-DAY DETONATOR – Premieres Sunday, March 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Paul intends to reconstruct the entire experience of D-Day from the point of view of a GI on the front lines. His focus is four key elements: the airborne attack; the Naval bombardment; the tank assault; and the massive infantry invasion. He finds and fires the classic weapons of the Normandy Invasion, and he speaks to WWII veterans who provide personal insight into these events. And with the help from a world-renowned explosives expert, Paul builds his very own Bangalore torpedo, a device critical to the bloodiest battle of the invasion, the landing at Omaha beach.
THE WEAPON HUNTER: IWO JIMA FRANKEN-GUN – Premieres Sunday, March 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
In the season finale, Paul rebuilds a one-of-a-kind World War II machine gun, the Stinger. Built by Marines during the invasion of Iwo Jima, the unique firearm was made from the internal mechanisms of three different weapons. Now Paul must track down parts from each one in order to bring it to life. During his quest, he discovers why and how this franken-gun came into being, and he learns the heroic story of Tony Stein, the American Marine who won the Medal of Honor with The Stinger slung at his side.
THE WEAPON HUNTER is produced by Cream Productions for Smithsonian Channel. David Brady is the Executive Producer for Cream Productions. Tim Evans, David Royle and Charles Poe serve as Executive Producers for Smithsonian Channel.
Smithsonian Channel, owned by Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between Showtime Networks Inc. and the Smithsonian Institution, is where curiosity lives, inspiration strikes and wonders never cease. This is the place for awe-inspiring stories, powerful documentaries and amazing entertainment across multiple platforms. Smithsonian Channel combines the storytelling prowess of SHOWTIME with the unmatched resources and rich traditions of the Smithsonian, to create award-winning programming that shines new light on popular genres such as air and space, history, science, nature, and pop culture. Among the network’s offerings are series including Aerial America, Million Dollar American Princesses, Polar Bear Town, The Weapon Hunter, The Lost Tapes, Mighty Ships, Mighty Planes and Air Disasters, as well as critically-acclaimed specials that include Building Star Trek, The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima, MLK: The Assassination Tapes, and The Day Kennedy Died. Smithsonian Networks also operates Smithsonian Earth
, through SN Digital LLC., a new subscription video streaming service delivering spectacular original nature and wildlife content. To learn more, go to www.smithsonianchannel.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
PAUL SHULL – BIO
Entrepreneur, impresario and competitive fencer, Paul Shull is a renaissance punk whose passion for history started at the tender age of eight. Growing up listening to his great-grandfather’s stories of fighting in both World Wars, Shull quickly developed a fascination for history, militaria, and artifacts. By his teens, he started collecting World War II medals and exploring the riveting stories behind them. Today, Paul has a wide collection of precious swords, dating as far back as the 1700s, but it’s still the tales behind these weapons that continue to fascinate him more than anything.
Before Shull became the host of ‘The Weapon Hunter,’ he circled the globe, working at some of the world’s largest music festivals as a promoter with acts like The Used, Gold Finger, and the Bloodhound Gang. When he’s not on television, Shull restores some of Canada’s oldest homes and chairs the Canadian Fencing Federation’s Historical Committee. Beyond music, fencing, and historic homes, Paul also has a passion for military technology. As a weapons enthusiast, he tempers his love of firepower with compassion and deep respect for those who’ve lost their lives in battle.