As Steven Spielberg’s latest masterpiece, Masters of the Air, takes flight on Apple TV+, viewers are immersed in the heart-pounding world of World War II aerial combat. Now the talk of the town, the nine-episode miniseries drama focusing on World War II bomber pilots debuts on Apple TV+ on January 26. Serving as a sequel to the acclaimed Band of Brothers and The Pacific, the series chronicles the daring missions of the Eighth Air Force – a team of American bombers whose courage played a vital role in changing the course of the war. However, the question arises: how much of his story is based on reality?
The real history behind Masters of the Air
Masters of the Air goes far beyond simply showcasing intense aerial battles and conflicts, highlighting the lesser-known stories of individuals such as Major Gale Cleven and Major John Egan. It details the emotional impact experienced by these young men. The series is reportedly based on the true story of the U.S. Eighth Air Force, a group of bomber pilots who served from 1942 to 1945 during the war.
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Although the show often introduces fictional characters to move the plot along, it largely stays true to the real-life experiences of its American heroes, drawn from Air Force records and interviews with veterans. .
Is it taken from the book Masters of the Air?
Yes, the film, produced by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks, was influenced by the book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany, written by biographer Don Miller.
Are the characters in Masters of the Air real?
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the book’s author shared more details about the narrative. Miller emphasized that all the major roles in the miniseries are based on real persons, notably Austin Butler as Major Gale Cleven, Callum Turner as Major John Egan, Barry Keoghan as Lieutenant Curtis Biddick, Highlights are the main characters portrayed by Anthony Boyle. Lt. Harry Crosby, Nate Mann as Major Robert Rosenthal, and Sawyer Spielberg as Lt. Roy Claytor.
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About real B-17 bomber missions
Miller emphasized that the deadly and intense aerial combat depicted in the story is unparalleled in history. He highlighted that the scenes showing members of the captured bomber group preparing homemade radios and plotting to escape from camps operated by German air force personnel are based on real events. “I don’t think you’ll find combat as intense as these dogfights anywhere in history,” says the book’s author. “You’re in an aluminum tube that’s so thin that a person with a screwdriver could make a hole in it. The Germans (fighter pilots) used to target the pilot and co-pilot and many pilots were decapitated by bullets,” he added.
In a stark figure reported by Time, the Eighth Air Force suffered 26,000 casualties, nearly 50% of all U.S. Army Air Forces casualties and more than the entire number of Marine deaths (24,511).
