Fortress

The film opens with the crew learning that airmen must complete 25 combat missions to be sent home. The odds are grim and losses are heavy, with only a fraction expected to survive. This framing establishes the high-stakes environment the Lucky Lass crew faces throughout their tour.

During a raid on Gerbini, Italy, the Lucky Lass takes severe damage. The pilot Pops is killed, and both waist gunners Jake and Joe are lost, marking a brutal blow to the Irish-American crew. The raid underscores the ever-present danger of combat missions.

Five days after the Gerbini raid, Wally takes command of the Lass. Replacements arrive to fill the gaps left by the fallen crew, including co-pilot Michael Schmidt and new waist gunners Tom and Oliver. The crew begins to recalibrate under new leadership.

On patrol, Burt explains the improvised alcohol still he built from bomber parts and scraps. He reveals that ethanol is distilled to boost aviation fuel octane, a resourceful if risky way to keep engines fueled. The crew absorbs this quirky detail as they settle into the new routine.

The Lass is cleared to fly again, and the crew throws a party to celebrate their return while mourning their losses. Most keep to their C-rations, but the mood is a mix of relief and remembrance. The sense of camaraderie begins to re-form despite the ongoing war.

Wally pulls Michael aside and urges him to fit in with the crew, even suggesting he drink with them. The guidance underscores the importance of camaraderie and belonging in a unit under pressure. Michael grapples with earning the crew's trust.

The next mission, pitched as an easy 'milk run,' goes awry as a hungover Wally hands control to Michael. He flies through clouds to avoid flak but loses sight of the rest of the squad, ending up over heavily defended territory near Messina. The crew aborts and returns, shaken by the misstep.

Back at base, Michael contemplates transferring after the failed mission, while the crew hurls quiet barbs behind his back. A fierce sandstorm erupts that night, forcing everyone to take cover. Burt seizes the moment to finish collecting his batch of alcohol but neglects to shut the still down.

Shortly after takeoff on a follow-up flight, oil pressure spikes and engines lose power, forcing another abort. In the chaos, the still explodes in a fiery blast, and the crew initially blames Michael for the mishap. The mission ends in disappointment as the squadron limps home.

In the debrief, officials reveal that fighter protection was diverted and enemy fighters appeared over the target. Wally reassures Michael that aborting the mission may have saved lives, though the crew's trust remains frayed. The incident deepens the strain within the unit.

With the Lass grounded, some crew shift to other aircraft for the next mission. Michael stays on the ground with Caparelli, pressing him to thoroughly re-check the plane. The hold gives the crew time to address the underlying faults and rebuild confidence.

Michael pushes Caparelli to reopen the Lass and inspect the oil pumps, despite it being a recent replacement. They discover the oil lines have been fouled with sand from the last sandstorm, a hidden mechanical fault behind the earlier crash. The crew now has a concrete cause and a plan to fix it.

Charlie is caught stealing liquor, facing a potential court-martial. Michael intercedes by explaining the prior mechanical issues and accepting responsibility for the communication lapse. The colonel pretends to believe Michael and exonerates Charlie, calling him an honorary Irishman, 'O'Schmidt.'

On the Rome mission, Burt is blinded by shrapnel but the crew presses on to drop their bombs. A bomber above them is struck, and the Lass takes damage, clipping a wing and spiraling as it tries to escape heavy ground fire. The ship fights to maintain control while flying low over Rome.

As engines fail, Archie returns to the cockpit and takes control to guide the crew to safety. His parachute is destroyed and he sacrifices himself to allow the others to bail out. The aircraft disintegrates in the air, taking Archie and the navigator with it.

Some time later, back at Narvin, a new replacement checks in as Michael has become the flight commander of a new bomber. The cycle begins anew, with leadership, risk, and sacrifice continuing to define the crew's story. The film closes on a note of resilience amid the cost of war.