Airwolf
Stringfellow Hawke (played by Jan-Michael Vincent), a recluse who lives in a cabin in the mountains, spending most of his time alone with his priceless collection of paintings, and serenading eagles with his equally priceless Stradivarius cello. His only real friend and mentor is the older, eternally cheerful Dominic Santini (Ernest Borgnine).
Hawke was a testpilot for Airwolf, a helicopter, but it’s no ordinary helicopter, it's an advanced supersonic helicopter with stealth capabilities and a formidable arsenal. Hawke is called upon by a man code named Archangel – the leader of "the FIRM", a covert branch of the CIA that built Airwolf – to steal Airwolf back from its inventor, Doctor Charles Henry Moffet, who had taken it to Libya.
Hawke chooses not to return it. Instead, Hawke and Santini hide Airwolf in an extinct volcano. Hawke refuses to return Airwolf until the FIRM can recover Stringfellow's brother who has been missing in action since Vietnam. To take advantage of using Airwolf, Archangel offers Hawke protection from other government agencies who will try to recover Airwolf in exchange for flying missions of national importance for the Firm.
All of which is better explained in the opening description:
"This briefing is from file A56-7W. Classified Top Secret. Subject is, Airwolf.
A Mach 1+ attack helicopter with the most advanced weapons system in the air today. It’s been hidden somewhere in the Western United States by it’s test pilot Stringfellow Hawke. Hawke has promised to return Airwolf only if we can find his brother, St. John, an MIA in Vietnam.
We suspect that Archangel, deputy director of the agency that built Airwolf is secretly helping Hawk in return for Hawke flying Airwolf on missions of national concern.
Stringfellow Hawk is 34, a brilliant combat pilot. His only friend is Dominic Santini, who’s air service is the cover for their government work.
With Hawk and Santini working as a team and flying at speeds rivalling the fastest jets, maxed by unmatched firepower, Airwolf is too dangerous to be left in unenlightened hands. Finding it is your first priority."
Devised by Donald Bellisario, who had previously created Magnum, P.I. so you knew it was going to be good,
I used to have arguments over who would beat who in an airfight. My friends always chose Blue Thunder but I liked Airwolf.
Links:
IMDB: Airwolf