The Dawn Patrol

In 1915, at a French airfield, Major Brand awaits the dawn patrol with escalating anxiety after losing 16 pilots in the past two weeks. The squadron sits on edge as replacements arrive with little training and no combat experience. The looming mission feels almost like a suicide run.

Courtney and Scotty return from patrol in rough shape as Hollister mourns his friend's death. Brand's nerves fray as 16 pilots have fallen, leaving the squadron with a bleak morale. The replacements' grim fate weighs on everyone at the airfield.

Brand informs the squadron that tomorrow's dawn patrol will proceed despite heavy losses. Courtney selects the two pilots with the most flying hours from the four green recruits to join the mission. The brutal selection underscores the desperation shaping their assignments.

An enemy aircraft drops trench boots with a taunting note, promising safety on the ground. Brand warns that the boots are meant to provoke rash action and forbids takeoffs without explicit orders. The mood tightens as discipline tightens around the forthcoming patrol.

Disregarding orders, Courtney and Scott steal the boots and take off into the dawn mist to strike von Richter's airfield. They bomb and strafe the German field, destroying most aircraft and downing two opponents before dropping the boots. Von Richter retrieves them and glowers as the British depart.

Courtney is shot down while crossing back over the lines, and Scott's plane is also hit. Scott manages a grim rescue, guiding Courtney to a crash landing behind their own trenches despite leaking oil and failing controls.

Brand's outrage over the disobedience softens when headquarters congratulates him on the success. He is promoted to Wing and names Courtney to take command of 59 Squadron, a move that foreshadows Courtney’s own drift toward Brand’s flaws.

When Scott’s younger brother Donnie is posted as a replacement, Scott pleads for a few days of training for him. Courtney refuses, insisting there can be no exceptions. He later tries to plead with headquarters but is turned down.

The next morning, Von Richter shoots Donnie down in flames, leaving Scott to blame Courtney for the lack of training and leadership. The loss deepens the squadron’s wounds and highlights the cost of their command decisions.

Brand assigns a dangerous low-altitude bombing run to destroy a huge munitions dump behind the lines, but bans Courtney from flying. Scott volunteers, and the two reconcile; Courtney arranges for his ally to be too drunk to fly so he can proceed alone.

Courtney flies the mission, detonating the munitions dump. He outflies and shoots down two German planes, including von Richter, but is killed by a third pilot in the air. His sacrifice punctuates the collapse of the leadership he inherited.

With Courtney dead, command devolves to Scott. Five replacements arrive, and he lines up the depleted squad for the dawn patrol, telling A Flight to be ready for action with a quiet, steady resolve.