Erik!
It's good to have you back. Are you all right?
- I'm fine. - Down!
They haven't patrolled here before.
It happened three days ago. They're all over the place.
Twenty hostages were shot yesterday...
for a bridge Goth blew up.
You had orders. No attacks.
His sister was raped.
We must bury the chute.
With all the German patrols...
it would be better to wait till dark.
We can't.
The weapons must get through to the other units.
Easy.
Slow down at the barricade.
Go!
Over the bridge! I'll cover you!
Go on! Over the bridge!
What did you do before the war, Roy?
I was a barnstormer.
Barnstormer?
Aerial circuses, aerobatics, things like that.
Now you fly in the war.
Do you hate the Germans?
I never met any.
The only ones I've ever seen have been through a gun sight.
Not the best way to get acquainted.
Why did you enter the war so early?
I had to do something.
The air circus folded, so I joined the Eagle Squadron.
It was different with me.
Where I grew up, everything was very safe.
I got one.
Bring him in before he gets away!
No, he might throw the hook.
The idea is to give him a little bit of play.
It's a sardine!
It's a Norwegian sardine.
How'd he get over here?
All right, little sardine, back to your fjord.
Now, you want to take that over there?
Straighten the line out?
That's it. Get it straight now.
You're very good.
I used to do it for the fishermen.
Sometimes they took me out on the boat with them.
Don, you're up late.
Roy... they've captured Erik.
The Gestapo's got him...
and they've had him since 8:00 this morning.
You know what that means.
They'll work on him...
and they'll break him down and make him talk.
This whole operation's in danger unless we can stop it.
How?
We know the building they've got him in...
Gestapo headquarters in Bergen.
This building must be bombed.
We believe that a single Mosquito...
might get through tonight and stop him.
You want a killer, right?
We need a man to do a job.
You want a killer.
Listen, Roy...
do you remember Charlie, that collie I had?
Remember how we nursed him when he was run over?
But it was no good.
He was in pain, so I had to shoot him.
I don't care about your canine love stories.
We're talking about a man's life.
We are talking about many men's lives!
I'm grounded, remember?
That order can be rescinded in the circumstances.
What circumstances?
If you should volunteer.
Is there a choice?
Yes.
It's a hell of choice.
Who'll be my navigator?
Bissel's volunteered.
Tell him to get my plane ready.
I'll be out in half an hour.
We'll be waiting for you.
Get me The Black Swan.
How are you feeling, Lieutenant?
Very sociable.
Listen to me, Lieutenant.
I'm going to ask you some questions.
You will have to answer them sooner or later.
You will save yourself much pain by answering now.
What were you doing in England, and whom did you see?
I was not in England.
Come, Lieutenant...
those canisters and weapons we found.
I know nothing about them.
You are insulting our intelligence.
We will try something nearer home.
What is the location of your underground headquarters?
I have nothing to say.
Surely you would not deny you are a member?
I have nothing to say.
I'm afraid we shall have to persuade you.
Take off his clothes.
Advise Intelligence one aircraft dispatched...
en route to pre-designated Norwegian target.
Yes. I can be reached here at Sutton Craddock Operations.
We'll wait.
He should be crossing the coast now.
If Bergman talks...
He won't talk.
We'll know soon enough.
Go on, Lieutenant. What else?
Well, Lieutenant?
There's the building.
Blue Leader to Control.
Blue Leader... Control.
Wheels down but one light's showing.
I don't think it's locked.
All crash crews.
All crash crews stand by for emergency landing.
Hang on, Bissel, this might be a little rough.
Oh, my God. Bissel!
Hold it, son!
Get him out of here!
You're quite sure it was Gestapo headquarters?
Yes, sir.
Then we can assume that Bergman is dead.
Yes, sir.
Grant, it may seem ironic to you...
but I'm going to recommend you for an award...
for what you did today.
You may have saved the whole operation.
Shall I break the news to Bergman's sister, Roy?
I shan't mention your part, of course.
No, I'll tell her.
Gentleman, I can't take a chance...
on anything else going wrong.
I'm moving up the operation.
Take off 0330 hours tomorrow morning.
But, sir, what about the bombs?
They'll be here tonight.
Adams, get in touch with the Linge.
Tell them to plan their attack for tomorrow.
Yes, sir. At what time?
Daybreak.
Grant, you'd better get that wound seen to.
Sir?
How's a man going to be without a face and blind?
Awful, isn't it, sir?
I killed him, Hilde.
He was in the building.
And I knew it.
You knew they were torturing him.
You stopped it.
Erik cannot thank you, Roy.
So I thank you for him.
Good-bye, Hilde.
Good-bye?
Another mission?
I will wait for you.
I'm glad.
Please come back.
Please do come back.
We've got a date.
The bombs you'll be using are earthquake bombs...
and that is literally their purpose...
to cause an earthquake... which will bring down...
the overhanging section and bury that factory...
the Germans have built under that cliff.
Gentlemen, you may return to your seats.
Squadron Leader Adams will continue with the briefing.
This is the flight plan from Sutton Craddock.
By following this dogleg, the chances of losing...
the surprise element over the sea are reduced.
If you are detected...
this route will lead the enemy to believe...
that you're on a coastal shipping strike.
Wing Commander Grant, anything to add?
I would just like to remind the men...
we will drop the bombs within 50 yards of each other...
at ten-second intervals.
The geologists calculate that 12 bombs of this size...
exploding in this pattern, will break loose the overhang.
Skipper, excuse me, I'd like to ask a question.
Go ahead.
Isn't it likely that each plane could be blown apart...
by the explosion of the bomb in front of it?
Not if our calculations are correct.
I hope you've got a good calculator.
With all those gun emplacements...
the flak's going to be murderous, isn't it?
The Norwegian underground will attack at exactly 0630.
Which means you should be entering the fjord...
not earlier than 0655 and not later than 0705.
Squadron Leader Adams.
Time check your watches.
It's coming up 2:47 in...
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, check.
Your call sign is Everest.
The code for the successful completion...
of the operation is Vesuvius.
Sounds like that mountain...
could turn into a bloody big volcano.
Yes, and we hope the Germans will be under it.
Any further questions?
Yes, sir, I've got a question.
Just a bit of curiosity, really...
but what does that factory make?
You'll be told when you get back.
This much I can tell you, though.
No squadron has ever been sent out...
on a more critically important operation.
That's all, gentleman.
Except... good luck.
Thank you, sir.
Well, Roy...
What's that?
I've got Davis' permission and Medical's to come along.
Without a command, of course.
You're a little late, aren't you?
What do you mean?
You haven't been on any practice missions.
We take off in half an hour.
I've studied every detail of this strike.
I know I can follow you in.
Why do you want to risk your neck?
I'm damned if I know, Roy.
OK, Don.
You can take Jones' place. You'll lead Red Section.
Thanks.
How do you feel now?
Scared. And you?
Scared.
Johansen!
They have moved up M-Day.
They want us to attack at 0630 hours.
It is time to send "Matterhorn."
We are starting the attack.
Ambush! Ambush!
Landfall nine minutes, Skipper.
Dead on 0703.
Right.
ETA 0703, sir.
633 Operation Control.
It's for you, sir.
Davis here. Yes.
What?
I see. Thank you.
Intelligence reports Germans ambushed the Linge...
trailed some of the survivors to their hideout...
destroyed everything.
Arms, communications, men... the lot.
- When's their landfall? - 0703.
Send this message to Wing Commander Grant.
"Linge destroyed."
"Enemy anti-aircraft intact.
"You have permission to abort."
- Hoppy? - Abort.
Blue Leader to all sections.
Enemy anti-aircraft intact.
Keep your eyes open. We're going in.
Skipper, I'm gonna recommend you for a medal...
and when it comes, I'll pin it right on your...
- What? - On your tail.
There's Norway.
And you can have it.
We got bandits up ahead, boys.
Bandits up above. Keep down low.
- You all right? - Yeah.
Throw an extinguisher, Reynolds. Reynolds!
Skipper.
Blue Leader to White Section.
I'm coming back in to cover your run.
Roger, Blue Leader!
Hit it!
Four hits.
Three aircraft lost.
Two crews ditched in fjord.
You've got bandits at seven o'clock, Clark.
Dive, Clark!
Green Section, you're way behind.
Come on, Green Section.
Bomb release!
Put it out!
Put the bloody thing out!
Break for the fjord.
Gillibrand, break for the fjord.
- How many hits? - Six.
Send it.
- Won't that mountain ever go? - Send it!
Six... direct... hits.
Nine... aircraft... lost.
One... bomb... left.
I'm coming in on target now with an engine dead.
Now!
Skipper! It's going! It's going!
Vesuvius, sir.
Vesuvius!
All right, Scott, let's get the hell out of here.
You lead, and I'll cover.
Roger, Skipper.
Skipper.
Skipper!
You OK?
Yes, Skipper.
Can you move?
Where does it hurt?
All over.
I can't reach them, sir.
Keep trying!
Yes.
He's coming on the line now, sir.
Davis, here, sir.
Vesuvius, sir.
Complete success.
Thank you, sir.
At least the rockets won't happen.
Of course they'll happen.
But they won't start tomorrow or this month or on D-Day...
and that's important.
what's it all add up to?
All their sacrifice?
A successful operation.
But they're probably all dead...
all 633 Squadron.
You can't kill a squadron.