Masters of the Air

This miniseries follows the airmen of the US Eighth Air Force's 100th Bomb Group, nicknamed the 'Bloody Hundredth' for its catastrophic losses, as they fly harrowing daylight bombing missions over Nazi Germany. Several crews are shot down and endure captivity as prisoners of war while others continue flying increasingly dangerous raids.

The 100th Bomb Group suffered exceptionally heavy losses during the 1943 daylight bombing campaign, including catastrophic missions to Regensburg and Münster, before long-range fighter escorts improved survival odds in 1944. Produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks as a companion to Band of Brothers and The Pacific.

Based closely on Donald L. Miller's history and veterans' accounts, though some characters and events are compressed for dramatic structure.

Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (lead director)

Cast: Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Barry Keoghan

Positioned at 1943–1945 within the Strategic bombing of Germany phase of the war, as part of the Eighth Air Force bombing campaign. This is entry 93 of 150 in the chronological archive.

• Eighth Air Force
• B-17
• bomb group
• POW
• Spielberg-Hanks

• 

  Memphis Belle

  17 May 1943

• 

  Twelve O'Clock High

  1942–1943

• 

  Unbroken

  1943–1945

• 

  Stalag 17

  Winter 1943–44

• 

  The Great Escape

  24–25 March 1944

• 

  Band of Brothers

  6 June 1944 – 8 May 1945