Anybody got eyes on the bombers?
Uh...
We are all by our lonesome, Red One. Think we screwed up.
Right on target, and according to my reckoning, 32 seconds early.
We're here. They're not.
Maybe the bombers turned back.
Damn! Maybe they went on without us.
Red One, there they are.
Nine o'clock low.
Junior, head on over to the bomber leader.
Let him know we're friendlies.
Roger that.
Bogies! Three high.
CAPTAIN: Everybody, on your guns.
Counting close to 70 chicks. We got one coming dawn.
Hold your fire. They're ours.
Red tails? I don't recognize the markings.
He's colored.
CAPTAIN: Yeah, right.
Hell if I'm joking! Look.
CAPTAIN: Jesus Christ. They can't all be colored.
One fighter group of all Negro pilots? I don't believe it!
What the hell do we do?
Tacoma One to all planes. Everybody's eyes open.
I don't think our fighter escort is gonna be much help this trip.
(IN GERMAN)
Flying Fortresses! At least a hundred!
Decoy Squadron, move in and draw off those fighters.
Fighters, four o'clock.
EASY: They're not attacking. Let them go.
Let them go?
Our orders are to stay with the bombers.
Uh. What? What? You're breaking up.
You heard Colonel Bullard. Forget the prize, save the lives.
God, I hate this war.
LEAD BOMBER: Look at that. Those Red Tails are staying put.
CAPTAIN: They're giving up glory to save our asses.
(IN GERMAN)
We'll have to do this the hard way...
...Break!
EASY: Here we go, Lightning.
Right behind you.
Where'd this jackass come from?
Get out of there, Lightning! Come on, get out of there!
Don't you worry about me. I'm just playing with him.
Stop fooling around! Damn it, I'm coming.
LIGHTNING: No, you're not. Stay put.
I'm gonna show him a little trick I learned.
Whoo! Ha-ha!
Lightning, when are you gonna learn this is not a game?
Coming up on anti-aircraft guns.
(IN GERMAN)
Back off! We'll get 'em on the way back...
Break! Break!
Those Jerries are hightailing it out of here.
Flak's getting thick.
Break off. Circle clear of the flak until the bombers return.
Good luck, bombardiers!
All bombs away! Let's get the hell out of here.
Here they come. Form up.
(IN GERMAN)
Move in...
...Concentrate on the stragglers!
Hey, Junior! You got a bandit on your left! Get out of there. I'll take him.
Junior, get out of there!
Where is he? I can't see him!
Ah!
Junior, where are you? Are you all right?
I'm all right!
Junior, you're an fire!
Junior, get out of the plane!
Junior!
Come on, Junior, bail!
Geronimo!
We didn't lose a single plane.
Well, that's a first.
Red One, Deke's trailing fuel!
Don't look good.
Deke, talk to me. What's your status?
I'm all right.
I got gas spraying everywhere, but I think I'm gonna be okay.
I'm a little dizzy, but other than that, I'm fine.
All right, listen up.
I'll give escort to Deke. Everybody else head back to base.
No, I'll stay. I'm his wingman. I'll stay.
Let me take him, Easy. God, I hate this mask!
It's my call, Lightning.
Your calls have been a little off lately.
What? What are you talking about?
Junior shouldn't have been up here.
You got a problem with the way I'm running this squad,
you talk to Bullard about it, all right?
Until then, I'm in control.
And my order for you right now is to head back to base.
Damn!
All right, Deke, you'll be all right. I'll see you back at the ranch.
You got Black Jesus with you, boy!
Thanks, Smokey.
Well, get me home, Easy.
No, sir. You're going to get yourself home.
What the hell put the Captain in such a bad mood?
He gets like that sometimes.
He knows good and well he shouldn't have let Junior fly.
That boy was half blind.
CAPTAIN: We're almost home.
I hope we meet up with those Red Tails next time.
Listen, boys, the bombers have passed their safe point.
Our mission is over. Let's head back to base.
You guys are taking the long way.
I'm going to take a shortcut down the coast.
Come on now, Lightning. Ain't no need to get all crazy.
You know you got to stay with your squadron.
You stay with the slow-ass squadron. I'm running low on fuel.
And what if you turn up missing? Then I'll have to break it to Major Stance.
- Well, break it to him gently. JOKER: - Great, great, great!
One's a drunk, and the other one does whatever the hell he wants to do.
Smokey, stay with him.
And keep him out of trouble.
Don't worry. I'll stick with him.
My head, it hurts.
We're almost there, Deke.
Stay with me.
Easy, I got blood all over me, but I'm not bleeding.
EASY: You 're gonna be okay. I'm right above you.
Captain, I'm getting real dizzy.
I need to rest a minute.
No, no. Stay alert, Deke. I'm here with you.
I can't really see anything!
Everything's all blurred! I got double vision.
You're slipping, Deke! Deke, you're slipping! Steady up!
All right.
You're diving, Deke. You need to pullback on your stick.
Pull up, Deke, pull up!
Deke, listen to me! Pull back on your stick now!
Pull up, Deke, pull up!
Pull up?
Oh, I'm pulling up! I'm pulling up!
Come on!
I must have passed out!
I need you to stay with me, okay? Stay with me.
- Just keep talking. - All right.
Lightning, look! German destroyer, moving to the north!
I still got ammo. How about you?
Nah. You need about a 500-pound bomb to put a dent in that thing.
Plus, that baby got very, very big guns.
Just watch me.
Lightning, no, all right? Don't be crazy.
If the big guns don't kill you, your plane will get messed up,
and Coffee is gonna kill you.
Relax, Smokey. Worrying too much will kill you.
(SHOUTING IN GERMAN)
(SCREAMING)
All right! That was fun! Okay, come on now, time to go home.
Just one more pass.
(LAUGHING)
How do you like that, Mr. Hitler?
Lightning, you a damn fool! But I love you! Come on.
Ramitelli to Subsoil Red One. Do you read?
EASY (OVER RADIO): I got Red Four with me, he's busted up pretty bed.
Stay alert, Deke. Stay alert.
Ramitelli, have a fire truck standing by. He's leaking fuel. I repeat, he's leaking fuel.
This is Major Stance.
Circle a half-mile out and have Red Four bail.
Flight surgeons will be there waiting.
EASY: Copy that.
You're gonna put it into a left bank, and you're up and out. All right?
I can't get the canopy open!
Easy!
Listen, Deke, the only thing between you living and dying is that canopy.
Now, get it open!
I can't open it!
Red Four cannot open his canopy. I repeat, he cannot open his canopy.
I'm gonna have to bring him in.
AIR CONTROLLER: Roger that.
Sweet Jesus,
don't let this happen to me.
Okay. Okay.
EASY: All right, Deke. Flaps down.
Flaps down.
There you go.
(PANTING)
Level off, level off!
I'm leveling.
Help me, sir. I'm covered in fuel!
I'm coming around behind you, Deke.
All right, now get your gear down.
Easy! I think I'm coming in too hot!
I don't want to die! I'm not ready!
Just relax. Level off, Deke.
Too fast. I'm going too fast!
Nose up! Nose up!
(STRAINING) Come on!
Drop your throttle! Nose down!
Nose down!
No! No!
Shit!
(SIREN WAILING)
Deke!
Smoke cloud on the left.
You don't think that's Deke, do you?
- Who was it? - Deke.
It was Deke.
- Oh, shit. - An engine fire.
Gas leak must have caught on the landing.
But I talked to the medics, they said he's gonna be all right.
Must have been a spark.
What?
You've been drinking.
- You're going to blame this on me? - Tell me you haven't been drinking.
- I got him down! - Say it!
I got him down alive! You don't blame this on me!
I did everything I could do!
Joe! Joe!
All back, Colonel.
The good news is Lieutenant Watkins survived the fireball landing.
He's in critical.
Do they think he's gonna make it?
Yes, sir.
With 60% third-degree burns. We're sending him back home.
I brought the background on the captured flyer, Lieutenant Ray Gannon.
His mother's name is Dorothy. Father is Thomas.
His wife's name is Thelma. They have a little girl, Adele.
In particular, Ray loved to fly.
More than any pilot we have, he loved to be in the air.
(WHISTLE BLOWING)
(IN GERMAN)
You must be Lt. Gannon.
Welcome to Stalag 18.
You're the first of your kind we've had here.
I hope your stay will not be cut short.
Here is the new prisoner your captain requested,
Lieutenant Ray Gannon.
A pilot with the 332nd.
Where the hell did you come from?
Lieutenant!
Sit down.
So, I bet you're wondering why I picked you to bunk with us.
It's not something I care to think about.
Don't worry.
It's not so we can hang you or anything.
I chose you because I know you can't be a German spy,
being colored and all.
We're in the middle of a rather delicate operation,
and we don't need any new white faces.
You'll be treated no differently than any other man here.
Any problems, you tell me.
Come on! Let's go! Move, move, move!
Line it up! Let's go!
I welcome you to the 332nd Fighter Group. You're a long way from home.
(CHEERING)
LIGHTNING: Jerry's going down!
SMOKEY: I'm telling you, Lightning sunk it.
JOKER: That is a destroyer. Shit, Lightning's crazy!
Here it comes!
Whoo!
I came around for a second pass. Watch this.
(ALL CHEERING)
ALL: We fight! We fight!
We fight! We fight! We fight!
Mmm.
(IN ITALIAN)
My best friend.
He...
He almost caused the death of one of our pilots.
I don't know what to do.
I am so glad I found you.
I want you to stop, Easy.
Stop what?
You can't drink on duty.
I told you, what happened to Deke wasn't my fault, all right?
No one cares what you do when you're in town.
How you relax is your business.
This coming from a guy who flies like he has got some kind of death wish.
You're a piece of work, Joe.
You ignore me up there, then all of a sudden,
you expect me to listen to you down here.
All right, all right, all right.
Tell you what. I'll make you a deal.
You promise to ditch the bottle,
I'll promise to fly right.
And follow my orders.
And follow your orders.
Happy?
Very happy.
JOKER: I can't wait to hear her sweet singing!
You guys can go chase skirt. I'm going to Sofia's.
SMOKEY: What did you say, about three miles?
- Odds of us getting pinched? - I won't even take that action.
CHESTER: Hey, flyboys!
That trouble. Keep walking. Come on.
CHESTER: Don't just walk away from me.
- He picked the wrong day. - Let's go.
Hey, come over here!
What?
You guys.
You're the Red Tails, right?
You know, Red Tails? Colored boy flyers?
Well, I wouldn't necessarily say it like that, but who's asking?
Chester Barnes, 98th Bomb Group.
You guys flew a little top cover for us about a month ago.
A little run over Ploiesti?
It was the best goddamn flying I've ever seen, gentlemen.
And we guys, well, we feel that we owe all you boys a drink.
Why don't you come and join us? Come on.
Come and join them?
What's he saying?
Come on. Drinks are on us.
Well, I'll be damned.
I guess the dance hall will have to wait.
- How you doing? - Much obliged.
(BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY PLAYING)
He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way.
He had a boogie style that no one else could play.
He was the tap man at his craft.
But then his number came up and he was gone with the draft.
He's in the army now a-blowin' reveille.
He's the boogie woagie bugle boy of Company B.
They made him blow a bugle for his Uncle Sam.
It really brought him down because he couldn't jam.
The captain seemed to understand.
All right, boys, listen up!
These fellas are the Red Tails.
They're the guys who have been giving us an escort.
First drink is on me, fellas. Whatever you'd like.
Hanson, Travis J.
Samuel George.
Me and the boys over here are with the 463rd Bomb Group.
Glad to meet you, man.
You flew with us over Brux. Appreciate you getting us home.
CHESTER: Hey, have you guys run into any of those new jet pursuit fighters?
EASY: We haven't been that lucky.
Well, we've been that unlucky.
Those babies go so fast you can't even see them.
(ALL CHATTING)
You know,
we say "colored."
But that's not what you prefer?
SMOKEY: No, no. The word is...
PILOTS: "Negro."
When you get upset, when you get mad, you turn red, right?
When you get envious or sick, you turn green.
When you become cowardly, you turn yellow.
And y'all got the nerve to call us colored.
(PEOPLE LAUGHING)
(IN ITALIAN)
I want to ask you an important question.
Um...
(IN ITALIAN)
Will you marry me?
(IN ITALIAN)
(SIGHS)
Uh...
Time to think.
Oh.
Okay.
MILLER: When you get to the other side, don't wait.
Just run for the woods, okay? Go!
Remember, run for the woods!
MIKEY: it's Ray Gun, he's back with the batteries.
Any problems?
JUNIOR: They won't even know they're missing.
MILLER: Divide the batteries among those who have flashlights.
You've been a great help, Ray Gun.
I guess there's a lot more to you coloreds than I thought.
We want you to travel with us.
Oh, I can't. I'll stick out like a pig in a poultry shop.
I'll draw attention to you guys.
Thank you.
I'll go alone. But...
Here, take my dog tags.
Get them back to my unit.
You're a wily sucker, Ray. At least they won't see you in the dark.
Good luck, Lieutenant.
- Safe journey, Captain. - Good luck, Ray.
MAN: Good luck.
Remember, run for the woods.
Okay, let's go.
(DOG BARKING)
(SHOUTING IN GERMAN)
JUNIOR: Run, Miller, run! GUARD: Halt!
(GUNSHOTS FIRING)
Halt!
Halt, halt!
(SINGING) Hot tamales, and they're red hot Yes, she got them for sale.
Hot tamales, and they're red hot Yes, she got them for sale.
I got a girl, she's long and tall.
Sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall.
Sticks on metal ain't music. It ain't.
I like music.
Aww! Coffee, were you always mean as hell,
or you just get like that with old age?
I once was a happy man. Never did not have a smile on my face.
That was before you guys started tearing up my beautiful planes.
I could tolerate the P-40s.
But these new babies getting beat up? It breaks my heart.
Come on, Coffee. I only came back with two holes this time.
Uh. Six. Six holes.
Well, that ain't nothing compared to what's gonna happen to you
when you run into those jets those bomber jockeys was talking about.
I ain't afraid of no jets.
Don't go trying your old tricks, Lightning.
If you end up too close behind one of those jets,
the turbulence alone will blow your black ass right out of the sky.
Trust me, I'm gonna be the first one to shoot one of those things down.
And I'll be the second.
My advice is, you see one, run like hell.
The only thing in life that makes me want to run like hell is you, Coffee.
(LAUGHING)
That's gonna get you killed out there. I'm not dancing with you.
The target is a tank factory on the outskirts of Berlin.
Shut that down, you shut down Jerry's ability to shore up a Berlin defense.
General Campbell's wing will be leading the bombardment.
You have recon on the area?
In the air, we're expecting everything the Luftwaffe's got, 100s, 109s, 190s.
A possibility of 262s, German jet fighters.
- Jet fighters? - The boys are gonna love this one!
The target area isn't your concern.
The 52nd will escort the General's planes into Berlin.
Is there a reason, sir?
Sixteen hundred miles to Berlin and back. The fighters need to take it in stages.
With external fuel tanks, the 51s can make it.
I guarantee our pilots can.
I'd prefer the Red Tails take the leg where we need protecting.
Our first major air offensive over Berlin.
From a propaganda point of view,
a lot of attention gonna be paid to this and a lot of ink spilled.
And Negro pilots aren't part of that story.
Colonel, A.J.
This is coming from way above me.
If you didn't have my respect, I wouldn't be talking to you face to face.
But we don't win this war, all my regard,
everything that you and your men have done,
none of it means a thing.
Colonel.
Please see to it that the General gets to his plane.
Sir.
You like it?
I want you
stay in Italia.
You want me to stay?
Does that mean...
Does that mean you'll marry me?
Yes. Marriage.
I love you.
I can't believe it.
I'm getting married.
Okay, we're going to throw it, all right? There you go.
There you go. All right. Throw!
(LIGHTNING LAUGHING)
I'm looking for Captain Julian.
Right here.
You the one they call Easy?
I guess some people do. What can I help you with?
I'm Captain Miller. I was in prison with Lieutenant Gannon.
He asked me to give his tags to you.
Four of us got out.
The deal was, if we made it and he didn't, I'd get his dog tags back to his unit.
Ray was a good man.
To whoever it matters, you tell them from me.
Ray was the best soldier I ever met.
Thank you.
A moment, Colonel.
What is it, Captain?
EASY: Ray Gannon's dog tags, sir.
A soldier brought it by today. He and Ray were prisoners together.
They got out from under the Germans,
but Ray didn't make it.
Sir, Ray Gun wasn't fit when I put him back in rotation.
The Flight Surgeon wouldn't clean bill him, so I talked my way right past him.
I just don't feel like I'm fit to lead the squad any more.
I've made so many mistakes.
No, you've made one big mistake.
That self-pity of yours, that's your weakness.
But it ends right here, right now.
You man up, you lead your squad.
Every decision that you make isn't gonna always be the right one.
STANCE: All right, this is it.
For the first time, the bombers are going all the way to Berlin.
They'll be up against 109s and 262s the new jet fighters.
(ALL CHEERING)
Unfortunately, we're only going to escort them on the first leg of their mission,
so I don't expect you'll see much action.
You will rendezvous with the relief escorts at 0830.
I know this is disappointing to you. It's not the job you wanted.
But those are your orders.
- Understood? - ALL: Yes, sir!
Full briefing at 0400. On the flight line at 0530.
Spread the word, gentlemen.
Julian. A moment.
Captain, if your relief doesn't arrive, as squadron leader, it's your call.
If you think you can make it.
Sir.
That is all, son.
CAMPBELL: We're past the rendezvous point.
Tail gunner, has the 52nd squadron arrived?
No, sir. No sign of them.
Anybody got eyes on our relief fighters?
SMOKEY: Not a dang thing, Red One.
Are we going all the way, sir?
EASY: Fuel-wise, we're looking good.
But I'm guessing the hours there and back, it'll definitely be one for the record books.
Come on, Easy. It's Berlin.
Let's go. We can make it.
All right, gentlemen. Brace yourselves. We're going the distance.
Yeah! We fight!
Ha-ha! Watch out, Hitler, here we come!
Just remember, we're here to protect the bombers.
Under all circumstances, we stay on mission.
What's that about?
I think we've got the Red Tails for the duration.
WINKY: By my reckoning, we're deep into Germany.
It's a little creepy we haven't seen any fighters yet.
Maybe they found out we were flying escort
and decided not to show up. (LAUGHS)
That'd be nice.
Wouldn't mind that, would you, baby?
Colonel! It's from Mission Control.
The 52nd didn't make the rendezvous. They didn't join up with the 5th.
Did our boys turn back?
No, sir. They're headed on to Berlin.
I gave Captain Julian the option.
Headquarters wants to know if we're gonna call them back.
Yes, sir!
(IN GERMAN)
Show no mercy.
Oh, shit! Jets! We got jets!
(FIRING)
What the hell?
What? Oh, no!
Maurice!
Mama!
Break! Break! Break!
LIGHTNING: Here we go.
Nine o'clock low!
I see them.
We're losing them!
I got the throttle wide open! They're too damn fast!
Son of a bitch! Those babies are gone.
(STRAINING)
I'm losing power!
Stay left! I'll get him!
This is for Maurice!
(SCREAMING)
Yeah!
Brilliant! Smokey, brilliant!
Easy, we got one crossing in front of us. Start firing, he'll fly right into it.
I know. I got him.
- These jets ain't nothing. - EASY: We need more speed.
Let's get some altitude.
(GROANING)
Easy, right there! Ten o'clock!
Igor him!
CAMPBELL: Now that's how it's done!
(RAPID FIRING)
Smokey! Smokey!
I'm all right. I'm all right!
(LAUGHING)
I'll be damned! They missed me!
No holes in me, baby! Whoo! Come on.
CAMPBELL: Now we're losing power on engine four.
That's it for us, guys. We're turning around.
We got a straggler. Two o'clock.
SMOKEY: Oh, I see him!
I'm on it, Red One. We'll get down there and cover him.
Lightning, form up. I'm going back. We got a crippled bomber to protect.
LIGHTNING: Easy, you got Pretty Boy on your tail. I'm coming around.
Where? I don't see him!
(IN GERMAN)
Die, you...
...foolish African!
(EXCLAIMS) Damn it!
I'm heading right for you!
I've got him! I've got him!
Get out of my way!
What the hell are you doing?
Dive right now! Dive.
Whoo!
That's the end of Pretty Boy!
(GRUNTS)
(GROANS)
Sure got him good!
Ha! You did it!
You got that son of a bitch.
Did you say Lightning shot down Pretty Boy?
Whoo-hoo!
Give 'em hell, Lightning!
You just might be the best pilot that ever lived!
Now get your ass back here and help us with this bomber.
EASY: We 're an our way back to you, Joker. (COUGHS)
It was a crazy move. You almost got yourself killed.
I think I did get myself killed.
What are you talking about?
(GASPING) I don't think I'm going to make it, Easy.
What do you mean, you're not going to make it?
Don't talk like that!
There's a lot... There's a lot of blood.
Listen to me. Just hang in there. I'm gonna get you back, all right?
Just stay focused. I'm gonna help you.
(GASPING)
I can't breathe. I can't breathe.
EASY: Come an now. We've gotten out of worse scrapes than this.
I screwed up.
I don't care about that. I'm right here with you.
We can do this together. Come on.
Easy.
Gruesome Twosome.
Lightning! Lightning, talk to me!
Lightning, don't you do this to me!
Lightning? Lightning, look at me!
I love you.
I'm sorry, Sofia.
Lightning, pull up! Pull back on your stick!
Lightning, pop the canopy! Pop the goddamn canopy!
Get out of the plane, Lightning, that's an order!
Get out of the plane!
Damn you, Lightning!
Easy.
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
Easy, do you readme?
Easy!
Stay on mission!
Do you copy?
We need you back here.
We need you.
For God's sake, tell me you still out there.
I'm okay. I'm on my way down.
Red One.
Lightning's with you, right?
Lieutenant Little is dead.
Lightning?
Marty?
BULLARD: The expectations placed upon you men are high.
Lieutenant Little
exceeded those expectations.
We should not be discouraged by his death,
but be all the more encouraged by his life.
The acts of bravery by him
will make us stronger.
It will inspire us to fight harder,
to make this world free.
Because we are on the side of God Almighty!
Let us pray.
Hey! Hey, guys!
Hey! Guys!
I know you didn't forget about me already!
I've been to hell and back,
so you will no longer call me Junior.
From now on you will address me as the fabulous Ray Gun.
NEON: How'd you do it, man?
SMOKEY: I'll be damned!
(WHOOPING)
- Ray! MAN: - Ray Gun!
JOKER: Boy, you look good.
(CLAMORING EXCITEDLY)
GENERAL: In the name of the President of the United States,
a Distinguished Unit Citation has been conferred upon
the all-Negro 332nd Fighter Group
for outstanding performance of duty in conﬂict with the enemy.
By the conspicuous gallantry, professional skill and determination of the pilots,
together with the outstanding technical skill
and devotion to duty of the ground personnel,
the 332nd has reﬂected great credit on itself
and on the Armed Forces of the United States.
We salute you.
(AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL PLAYING)
English - US - SDH