‘Master of the Air’ flies
to screens

Paying tribute to the courage and sacrifices of World War II airmen, AppleTV+ has released its latest war drama mini-series. While Masters of the Air is not a direct sequel to Band of Brothers or The Pacific, it is regarded as a companion piece to the two shows, rounding out the trilogy of war dramas. The nine-part series starts streaming today (26 January 2024).

The show takes viewers on a journey through the harrowing experiences of the 100th Bomb Group, a squadron of airmen who faced the perils of combat high above enemy lines during the Second World War.

The Apple Original Series is produced by the trio of Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman. Inspired by American biographer and historian Donald L. Miller’s book, which itself draws from interviews, oral histories, and various archives, the series portrays the tales of the Bloody Hundredth. It delves into the camaraderie formed through acts of courage, experiences of loss, and moments of triumph.

The narrative, scripted by John Orloff and Graham Yost, weaves a tale of perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany, exposing the airmen of the 100th Bomb Group to frigid conditions, lack of oxygen, and the sheer terror of combat at 25,000 feet in the air. The series aims to portray the psychological and emotional toll paid by these young men as they played a crucial role in dismantling Hitler’s Third Reich.

The cast features Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, and Nate Mann. Masters of the Air was directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Dee Rees, and Timothy Van Patten.

* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and writer for Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter and Threads at @jas2bann.