West Point of the Air

At Randolph Field, Texas, Master Sergeant Big Mike Stone sets his sights on Little Mike becoming a professional aviator. He envisions his son following in his footsteps and carrying on the family military legacy. This ambition is launched after Little Mike graduates from West Point and begins pilot training.

Little Mike and his best friend Phil Carter enroll in pilot training at Randolph Field under General Carter's supervision. The cadets begin learning to fly and face the demanding pace of military aviation. The early days foreshadow the internal and external pressures to come.

Little Mike keeps a childhood sweetheart, Skip, while Dare Marshall pursues him, creating a budding love triangle. The personal drama unfolds alongside the rigors of flight training. The competing affections raise the stakes for the cadet's focus and decisions.

The morning after a late date with Dare, Little Mike's car accident coincides with Phil Carter's solo flight, resulting in a crash that leaves Phil with a missing leg. The tragedy shocks the training corps and tests the cadets' nerve. The incident triggers a harsh response from leadership.

To prevent a loss of nerve after Phil's crash, General Carter orders all flying cadets into the air. The bold move aims to steady the trainees and keep the program moving despite fear and grief. The episode tests discipline, duty, and the survivors' resolve.

During a flight check, Little Mike loses control while landing in a cross-wind and damages his landing gear. The same training period sees Jasky Jaskarelli's aircraft crash in flames, underscoring the peril of the course. The incidents deepen fear but also the fighters’ determination to prove themselves.

Big Mike takes to the sky to bring his son back safely, but in the course of the rescue he strikes Little Mike during a moment of hysteria. The act leads to a court-martial and a dishonorable discharge from the service for Big Mike. The family’s pride is crushed, yet a spark of defiance remains.

Having lost his nerve and considering resignation, Little Mike grapples with a fading career. He encounters his father, now a drunk mechanic, broken by the consequences of past choices. The two men face a difficult rekindling of trust and purpose.

To help his son, Big Mike steps into a flare-dropping mission piloting a beat-up war surplus airplane. The dive tests the old airframe and the pilots’ nerve alike. The mission becomes the ultimate test of whether either man can redeem their honor.

The old plane disintegrates under the stress of the dive and Big Mike crashes into the water. Little Mike plunges into the depths to make a daring underwater rescue of his father. The rescue marks a turning point, revealing the son’s true mettle and commitment.

The Secretary of War recognizes both men's valor and orders Big Mike reinstated to his former rank. He is allowed to resume his duties and Little Mike is permitted to graduate. Their courage reconciles the past with a renewed future.

Dare disapproves of Little Mike staying in the army, but he rejects her and realizes that Skip is his true love. The film closes on a note of personal victory and duty chosen over romance. The arc ends with the two men committed to each other and to their roles as aviators.