Plot

The adventures of the Lafayette Escadrille, young Americans who volunteered for the French military before the U.S. entered World War I, and became the country's first fighter pilots.

Before the United States enters World War I, some American youths volunteer for the French military. Subsequently, they become the first U.S. fighter pilots and form a squadron known as the Lafayette Escadrille, whose exploits and heroism become the stuff of legend. This fictional version follows a laconic Texas rancher, an eager Nebraska kid, a Black boxer already in France, and a New York swell, as they arrive green for training, get their baptism by fire when German planes ambush them on their first mission, and graduate to heroics. Rawlings, the Texan, falls in love with a young woman he meets at a brothel.—<[email protected]>

In 1916, a group of young American volunteers join the French Air Force under the command of Captain Georges Thenault to fight the Germans in World War I. They are trained by the veteran pilot Reed Cassidy, who lost all his pals, and after a couple of missions, the survivors become the respected Lafayette Escadrille. Meanwhile the Texan fighter pilot Blaine Rawlings meets the gorgeous French Lucienne and despite the difference of languages and culture, they fall in love with each other. Who will survive the war?—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In 1916, a group of young Americans go to France to serve in the French Air Service, L'Aéronautique Militare during World War I. The recruits are under the command of French Captain Georges Thenault (Jean Reno), with veteran flying ace Reed Cassidy (Martin Henderson) as their mentor.

The pilots struggle with the demands of flying, preparing for the aerial dogfights that dominate missions to the front lines. Pilot Blaine Rawlings (James Franco) (A Texan faced with the foreclosure of his family ranch in Texas, who decides to enlist after seeing a newsreel of aerial combat in France and the sheriff gives him 30 mins to escape town before he would be arrested) courts a young woman named Lucienne (Jennifer Decker) (A French girl who lives with her orphan nephews and niece in a whorehouse), despite her hesitations about his risky profession. Rawlings plane ran out of fuel, and he crashed into the countryside and was rescued by Lucienne and that's how he met her. He initially thinks she is a whore as well. Briggs Lowry (Tyler Labine) is a Dilettante who joins the French army because of his overbearing father, to live up to the Lowry family name. The US volunteers are given palatial accommodations. Reed tells the ever-eager pilots that the life expectancy of fighter pilot is 6 weeks. The team will fly the Neiuport 17, the latest French fighter aircraft. They are trained with rudimentary techniques, using whatever equipment is available.

Reed trains the pilots in more practical matters, like using a hammer when the engine stalls. Or if the engine catches fire, the pilot has 3 options, stay and burn, jump (parachutes have not been invented), or kill self. Rawlings learns the Luciene was at the whorehouse just exchanging supplies. He is relieved and starts seeing her. He learns that she is afraid that he would die very soon in battle.

On their first mission, escorting bombers to attack a German ammunition depot, the rookie pilots are ambushed by Germans. Two are killed in the air, and a third is forced to make an emergency landing and is killed on the ground by ruthless German pilot "The Black Falcon" (Gunnar Winbergh); the more chivalrous German pilot Franz Wolferd shakes his head in disapproval. German planes have 3 wings (hence more lift), 125 BHP engines and 9 mm machine guns with twice the ammo as the French.

During a later battle, Rawlings' machine gun jams; Wolferd - the pilot he was chasing - flies beside him and salutes before banking away, sparing his opponent's life and showing a code of honor absent from the Black Falcon. A fellow pilot Beagle (David Ellison) comes under suspicion of being a spy as he has never shot down a German plane, but his knowledge of German machinery is very high. Turns out Beagle is A petty thief (he robbed a bank with a toy gun. He dropped most of the money and escaped with $12.36) who joined up in hopes of evading repercussions. Reed leaves the decision to Rawlings and his squad, and they decide to continue trusting Beagle with their lives. In a later encounter Rawlings kills Wolferd when the German dives after another American. Beagle's plane is shot and lands in the no man's land between the trenches of the 2 armies. Rawlings lands the plane in a nearby spot and saves Beagle (he has to cut Beagle's hand as it was pinned under the plane) at a great risk to his own life.

Learning that German forces will invade Lucienne's village, Rawlings rescues Lucienne, her nephews, and niece all by himself. Returning to base, he is praised by the commander and awarded the Croix De Guerre medal for bravery. Lucienne is injured during the escape, but lives and is taken to a hospital at Riems to recover. Attacking a German Zeppelin (which was on its way to attack Paris), Reed Cassidy is mortally wounded by the Black Falcon, but crashes into the Zeppelin, destroying it. Rawlings reunites with Lucienne at Reims before she leaves for Paris with her family. Rawlings' plane is presented with an eagle, Cassidy's insignia, and he is promoted to Squadron Leader.

After escorting another bomber run on the ammunition depot, Rawlings takes off to exact revenge on the Black Falcon. He is followed by Jensen (Philip Winchester) (An American man from Lincoln, Nebraska. Coming from a military family, he tries his best to make his family proud) (Jensen was recovering from a severe case of PTSS after surviving an earlier aerial fight), who saves Rawlings. The Ammunition depot is destroyed and the fleet returns to base, but Rawlings goes back again after the Black Falcon and challenges him for an aerial duel. His friends follow, with Beagle learning to fly a plane with a hook.

Wounded and with his guns jammed, Rawlings evades his enemy and fatally shoots the Black Falcon with his pistol. Rawling, Jensen, Skinner (Abdul Salis) (An African American boxer, who has been accepted as an athlete in France, and is motivated to "pay back" his adopted country), and Beagle (David Ellison) survive the encounter and return to base.

Jensen flies for the rest of the war; returning to Nebraska, he receives a hero's welcome. Skinner enlists in the US Army but is kept from flying due to his race; he later joins the Airmail Service. Beagle marries an Italian woman and starts a flying circus. Rawlings goes to Paris but does not find Lucienne. He builds one of the largest ranches in Texas, but never flies again.