“Lords of the Air”: the real story of the Apple TV+ series

If there was anything surprising about the miniseries Blood Brothers 2001 was its severity. At the same time, the way the production carefully examines the events of World War II without losing sight of its characters. The result is a bloody, gripping and meticulous story that has become a landmark in the always controversial genre of historical fiction. But the producing team, led by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, managed to avoid the pitfalls of inaccuracy and, in particular, melodrama. The result is a smart, brilliant and well-told story.

The same thing happens with the spiritual continuation of the work, the current Masters of the air with Apple TV+. Here, with the same executive direction as the previous production, the series tells the story of the war that devastated Europe. But emphasizing humanity. Moreover, the commitment of a group of American pilots was essential to achieving success in the fight against the deadly German Luftwaffe.

Thanks to a thorough visual section that almost immersively recreates the main air battles, the story does something else. Shows the importance of pilot experience This is something the brigades had to deal with most of the time, finding themselves at a numerical and technological disadvantage.

Interesting and well thought out story

But what’s true and what’s not true about what the show is telling? In fact, most of his arguments are based on concrete facts. Like Blood Brothers, the Apple TV+ series spends a lot of time giving real-life context to its story. This allows the production to not be just an approximate recreation. It’s also an unusual perspective that delves into how the war became the impetus for new technologies. This, without forgetting the courage and bravery of the pilots who facedThe worst conditions and achieved decisive victories in the bloodiest period of the world confrontation.

Masters of the air adapts the novel Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought in the Air War Against Nazi Germany Donald L. Miller. The text, marked by its author’s historical accuracy as well as a direct tribute to the surviving and fallen pilots of the group, is the main source of the script. But at the same time, the series has a team of historical chroniclers who managed to recreate it in a coherent narrative. The result is a compelling story. It’s very close to the truth what happened to one of the most brutal air teams in history.

The 100th Bomb Group, known as the Bloody Hundred, originated at Army Base Orlando, Florida.. On June 1, 1942, by special presidential decree, 230 soldiers and 24 officers were called up in various positions to create a specific army. The group subsequently met on October 27, although without a specific mission. It was November 14, 1942, when the group received instructions from Colonel Darr Alkire, its first commander.

Both the book and the series highlight the care, dedication and demands that the group had to live up to. Apart from the fact that they were excellent pilots, proven in various missions, at the same time it was necessary that they could demonstrate special courage and bravery. Most of them will fly missions by air, which will require all the skill, as well as the knowledge that they were on the verge of death.

How was the Bloody Hundred organized?

After the callouts were completed, the squadron consisted of 37 crews of ten people each. But organizing such a deployment of pilots and flights that needed to be directed towards a single goal was not easy. In fact, one of the first reconnaissance flights, on April 20, 1943, ended in alarming failure. It was a short trip from Kearney, Nebraska to Hamilton Field, California. But confusion between orders led to all sorts of mishaps, so Darr Alkire was relieved of his post.

By April 26, Howard Turner took command of the group. His first decision was to devote more than twenty days to advanced training. But in particular, make sure the team can collaborate in a harmonious and orderly manner. By May 25, 1943, the final complement of 35 crews departed for England. A few weeks later they were at the famous Station 139 in Thorpe Abbotts, England. The Bloody Hundredth would remain in place until the end of World War II.

The Lords of the Air: Their Great Deeds

Despite the skill of the pilots and the fact that they had the most advanced military technology, the truth is that the group suffered significant losses in its missions. Hence his nickname. Often 12 to 13 aircraft were required per attack. After the first – an air attack on German targets in Brenham – Howard Turner was replaced. This time Neal B. Harding (James Murray in fiction) would take command, and would hold it until early 1944.

The Bloody Hundred sought to destroy German airports, submarine construction facilities and aircraft parts. His work was considered so successful that he was awarded a Distinguished Service Award for his efforts. By the end of the war, according to a website compiling his various missions, From its initial assignment in 1943 to its final assignment in 1944, the unit flew a total of 306 missions.

And all this with a very high level of success. At least 261 German aircraft were shot down, including a resounding success in destroying the ME-262 fighter, one of Germany’s most formidable gunnery aircraft. Which makes the group not only a look at a completely new part of the Second World War, but, at the same time, an example of courage.