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Masters of the Air pays homage to the brotherhood forged among the US Air Force during WWII. Produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, this nine-episode drama series delves into the true events of the 100th Bomb Group that joined the US Army’s Eighth Air Force, named the “Bloody Hundred” — a unit of American bomber pilots who fought from 1942-1945.

The series is adapted from historian Donald L. Miller’s novel of the same namewhich focuses on the group that was formed in 1942 in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. Their mission: To build a powerful bomber unit to speed up the Allies victory by crippling Germany’s economy. But the pilots faced extreme conditions: High casualties, unheated planes that led to frostbite, and enemy fire that spared no one.

Masters of the Air portrays the pilots as a tense yet close-knit group, which put a focus on John Egan (Callum Turner) and Gale Cleven (Austin Butler), celebrated for their flying prowess and budding bromance, amidst the perilous missions they encounter. The series is immersive, the cinematography spectacular — particularly the aerial battle scenes. As the episodes progress, you find yourself rooting for the young pilots and their missions against the Nazi Germany.

Unlike most WWII series, Masters of the Air also focuses on the mental health and the psychological toll on the pilots, writes Variety.One review referred to the high-grossing series as “ aim[ing] high — and bombs ” because it does not address more of the issues mentioned in Miller’s book — which we can blame on time and budgetary constraints (the first three episodes cost a whopping USD 300 mn).

WHERE TO WATCH IT- You can watch Masters of the Air on AppleTV+

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