The series focuses on the operations of the US Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group during the Second World War.
One of the most highly anticipated series of the year, Masters of the Air, is finally here, with the first two episodes available to stream now on Apple TV+.
The show comes from the team behind Band of Brothers and The Pacific, and follows the operations of the 100th Bomb Group of the US Air Force throughout the Second World War.
Austin Butler, Callum Turner and Barry Keoghan star in the series as pilots and navigators, but are their characters based on real people, and what is the actual history behind the 100th Bomb Group?
Read on for everything you need to know about the true story behind Masters of the Air.
Is Masters of the Air based on a book?
Like Band of Brothers and The Pacific before it, Masters of the Air is indeed based on a non-fiction book.
This series is based on Donald L Miller’s 2007 book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany.
What is the real history of the 100th Bomb Group?
The 100th Bomb Group, who are depicted in Masters of the Air, went on their first mission of the war on 25th June 1943, and were given the nickname ‘The Bloody Hundredth’, in reference to the number of casualties the group sustained.
Each member was required to fly 25 missions before coming home – but very few managed to make it through this number, as many perished along the way.
They waged a daylight bombing campaign against targets in Nazi-occupied Europe from their base of Station 139, near the village of Thorpe Abbotts in Norfolk.
There were originally 35 crews, but by 109 days after their first mission, 27 of these crews had been lost, with replacement crews joining the ranks throughout the war.
In May 1945, the 100th turned from dropping bombs to dropping food supplies into occupied Holland, ending their time in the war on a positive, uplifting note.
The series also follows a group of personnel from the Tuskegee Airmen, which was a group of African American fighter and bomber pilots and airmen making up part of the US Air Force.
With the military and much of American society racially segregated at the time, the Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American aviators in the US military.
Are the characters in Masters of the Air real people?
They are. While there are certainly likely to be a number of fictional characters among those in the show, particularly given how many are featured, most of the central characters are based on real people.
Austin Butler and Callum Turner’s characters, Major Gale ‘Buck’ Cleven and Major John ‘Bucky’ Egan, were both actual pilots in the 100th Bomb Group and were, in real life, best friends.
Other real-life characters include Anthony Boyle’s Lieutenant Harry Crosby, Nate Mann’s Major Robert ‘Rosie’ Rosenthal, Branden Cook’s 2nd Lieutenant Alexander Jefferson and Josiah Cross’s Lieutenant Richard D Macon.
Rosenthal, in particular, became a legend of the 100th Bomb Group, as he flew 52 missions, more than double his required 25, and was shot down twice but never captured.
The first two episodes of Masters of the Air are available to stream now, with new episodes arriving weekly on Fridays on Apple TV+. Subscribe to Apple TV+ now.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.