User Reviews

I couldn't have been more dissatisfied with first 2 episodes. The lack of character development, lack of tension, rushed battle sequences and flat dialogue disappointed me. And I was someone who eagerly anticipated the premiere of this series.

Oh my does that change in episode 3. The tension Is at an all time high with a prolonged battle sequence and due to riding it out with the characters in this sequence, you develop a care for them which will be vital in future episodes.

I'm not sure what they were thinking in first 2 episodes but I'm so happy they got it right in this one! I am happy to be invested in the series again!

The first two episodes contain some action, but this is the first real episode where we see a full battle scene. As I continue to get to know the characters better, my appreciation for the show grows. The action within the bombers is fantastic and I love the way the production team is able to frame conversations within the plane and they can really capture the chaos going on. Further, the added tension in this episode regarding the fact that the bomber group is basically all alone is incredible writing. The whole story of the episode keeps you in constant action, yet you feel like you can understand what is going on anyways. This episode really put you in the shoes of the men in the plane and I felt like I was right along with them as the battle was going on.

Truly a great episode and I can't wait for the next one!

American bombing doctrine was that daylight precision strategic bombing was more effective than the British doctrine of night time area bombing. Americans thought that the heavily-armed and Norden bombsight-equipped B-17s could fight off enemy fighters and hit clearly-defined targets, and that by destroying key industries (fighter aircraft production, oil refining, ball bearing production) enemy war making would be stymied. It turned out that the theory was almost right. Albert Speer, minister of German production, said after the war that if the ball bearing campaign had been maintained, production of heavy machinery would have been greatly suppressed. The Wehrmacht was hindered throughout the war by lack of fuel.

However, in practice, deep penetration of enemy territory without fighter escort was, as the British said in the episode, "Suicide." The Eighth did not try it again until P-51s were available.

This episode of Masters of the Air was very accurate, both as to why and how Schweinfurt-Regenburg went wrong and to why it was tried in the first place. It could be shown in history classes as a vivid lesson.

A brutal and confronting episode as Masters of the Air really hits it's straps. It is August 1943 and the Bloody Hundredth are tasked their most difficult and demanding mission yet, sent on a bombing run deep into German territory. History will record it as the Regensburg-Schweinfurt mission. For the men who flew in it, "disaster" might be a better way to describe what happened there.

The cinematography has been brilliant throughout, but it really shines through in "Part Three", which is a difficult watch at times because of what you're witnessing the crews go through on a mission that eventually takes them to Africa.

This episode about the August 17, 1943, Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission does an excellent job of portraying the horrors of WWII air-to-air combat and of how brave the 8th Air Force crews had to be to fly their missions, while also portraying them as very human with real fears. Ordinarily, I would rate an episode like this an 8 or a 9, but I'm giving it a 7 because of a glaring omission from the story. That is that these long-range missions deep into Germany were so dangerous to fly because the Allied fighter planes of that period of the war in Europe (American P-47 Thunderbolt and P-38 Lightning - British Spitfire) did not have the range to escort the B-17s all the way to the target and back (there actually has been no mention of Allied fighter escorts in the series yet at all). This meant that on these missions the Germans would wait until the fighters escorting the B-17s turned back and then they would attack. The theory was that the B-17s in their formations, where the guns of each plane would support those of the others, would be able to battle through the German fighters without serious losses. Well, when battle theory doesn't work in battle practice, people get killed, and that is what happened here, where the 8th Air Force lost 60 bombers that day, including 9 from the 100th. It would have taken maybe two minutes to clarify this in the episode and would have made for even higher drama. Losses like this are going to continue, but there was a significant development at the end of 1943 that changed things for the better, but I won't disclose this for now.

Why did they not postpone until the next day if it was so important they all took off together as in the briefing, D-Day was postponed at the last minute due to bad weather?

Where was the fighter cover?

Why was there no one to meet them in Algeria, medic's etc?

It's amazing even in American productions the US armed forces are depicted as shambolic.

A World War II series centered around American bomber crews, fails to soar to the heights of its genre counterparts, leaving viewers grounded in a landscape of mediocrity. The show, which promised an intense exploration of the challenges faced by bomber crews during the war, ultimately falls short in both storytelling and character development.

One of the major drawbacks of the series is its inability to capture the emotional depth and historical accuracy required for a World War II narrative. The characters, despite being part of a harrowing war experience, lack the necessary depth to engage viewers on a profound level. The writing struggles to convey the raw emotions and struggles faced by the crew members, reducing them to mere caricatures rather than fully fleshed-out individuals.

Furthermore, the series fails to provide an authentic portrayal of the historical context. Inaccuracies in uniforms, equipment, and dialogue distract from the immersive experience one would expect from a WWII production. Viewers familiar with the era may find it challenging to suspend disbelief, as the series overlooks crucial details that could have enriched the narrative and provided a more authentic feel.

The pacing of "Masters of the Air" is another stumbling block. Episodes meander without a clear sense of direction, leaving the audience disoriented and disconnected from the overarching story. The lack of a cohesive narrative thread makes it difficult to invest in the characters' fates or understand the broader implications of their missions.

The cinematography, while attempting to capture the intensity of aerial combat, falls short of delivering the visceral impact one would expect. The special effects often feel dated, undermining the gravity of the situations faced by the bomber crew. Poorly choreographed action sequences and unconvincing CGI contribute to a sense of detachment rather than immersion.

Perhaps the most significant flaw lies in the series' missed opportunity to explore the psychological toll on the crew members. War is a complex experience that goes beyond the battlefield, yet "Flight into Darkness" fails to delve into the psychological aspects of being a part of a bomber crew. The result is a shallow depiction of the characters' internal struggles, missing a chance to add depth and nuance to the narrative.

In conclusion, "Masters of the Air" struggles to rise above the multitude of World War II series that have set the bar high for historical dramas. Lacking emotional resonance, historical accuracy, and a compelling narrative arc, the series ultimately fails to do justice to the untold stories of American bomber crews during a pivotal period in history.

You would believe that they would know that The Hague Convention was after WWI and the Geneva Convention was after WWII. Which neither the Germans were a part of so they would not have followed the Geneva Convention even if it existed. A very big mistake for anyone who knows basic history. We watching were distracted by this grave error.

As to not give too much away the rest of the episode was pretty solid. It did have some saddening scenes when planes do go down even with the understanding it would happen after the crews get the order to continue mission.

Next time doing a historical movie though there needs to be better research to not cause a loss of focus due to a huge mistake.