Dive Bomber

During a prewar bombing run from a carrier off Hawaii, Lt. Swede Larson blacks out during a high-speed dive and crashes. The immediate aftermath tests the crew's morale and foreshadows the medical challenges that will follow.

At the Honolulu base hospital, Lieutenant Commander Joe Blake worries that Larson will not survive. Dr. Doug Lee convinces the senior surgeon to operate, but the pilot dies on the operating table.

Blake blames Lee for rushing the surgery, straining their relationship. Lee resolves to become a naval flight surgeon and receives training at the U.S. Naval Air Station in San Diego under multiple instructors, including Blake.

A subplot introduces Linda Fisher, a divorcee, who becomes a love interest for both Blake and Lee. The dynamic adds personal tension to their professional rivalry.

On completion of his flight training, Lee is posted as assistant to Commander Lance Rogers, the senior flight surgeon. This places him at the forefront of the squadron's medical and flight research work.

Lee and Rogers conduct experimental research into possible solutions for pilot blackout. They push the boundaries of flight medicine and begin testing new theories.

Blake resents Lee's judgment and grounds an old friend, Lt. Tim Griffin, who is suffering from fatigue. Griffin resigns from the Navy and joins the Royal Air Force in Canada, and he dies later when misjudging his approach during an attempted landing.

Blake finally accepts that Lee is trying to help pilots survive dangerous high-altitude flying and volunteers as a guinea pig for aerial experiments. The collaboration marks a turning point in their relationship.

The first flight test of a pressurized cabin nearly ends in disaster when the aircraft ices up and Blake passes out, forcing Lee to take over. The incident underscores the dangers of the new technology.

Ground testing of the pressure suit reveals serious concerns; Blake is told he did not pass his most recent flight physical and will be grounded. The warning reinforces the risk involved in their work.

Without permission, Blake conducts aerial testing of the new suit. The oxygen regulator fails, Blake loses consciousness, and crashes fatally.

Blake's notes are salvaged from the wreckage, enabling the mass production of the suit. The invention continues despite his death, reflecting his pioneering spirit.

In the final scene, Blake's sacrifice is acknowledged while Rogers and Lee are honored for their pioneering work in protecting pilots at high altitude. The team is recognized for saving countless lives through their experiments.