The Dawn Patrol (1938 film)
The Dawn Patrol is a 1938 American war film, a remake of the preCode 1930 film of the same name. Both were based on the short story The Flight Commander by John Monk Saunders, an American writer said to have been haunted by his inability to get into combat as a flyer with the U.S. Air Service. The book of short stories, War Patrol by A.S. Long published in the 1930s also bears a striking resemblance in plot and characters to the FlynnNiven version of the film, although it is never credited as a source.
When Brand announces the next days dawn patrol, Courtney tells Brand he does not have enough men. Brand retorts that more replacements are on their way. From the four green pilots, Courtney picks the two with the most flying hours to go on the mission. Only four return this time Scott has been lost along with the two new men. Courtney tells a sympathetic Brand that Scott went down saving Hollister. Just then, British troops bring in the German who downed Scott, Hauptmann Von Mueller Carl Esmond. Courtney overcomes his initial rage when Brand informs Von Mueller that it was Courtney who shot him down, and the German graciously acknowledges him. Courtney then offers the German a drink. The guiltridden Hollister tries to attack the prisoner, but is restrained. Then, a grimy Scott appears. His fighter crashed, but he survived.B Flight is mauled next. Just after its wounded leader, Captain Squires Michael Brooke, informs the squadron that the dreaded Von Richter is now their foe, an enemy aircraft flies low over their airdrome and drops a pair of trench boots. Attached is a taunting note telling the British pilots that they will be safer on the ground. Brand warns his men that the boots are intended to incite inexperienced pilots into trying to retaliate. He forbids any takeoffs without his express orders. Courtney and Scott disregard the prohibition, taking off in the dawn mist after stealing the boots from Brands room. They fly to Von Richters airfield, where the blackpainted fighters are being readied for the day. Courtney and Scott bomb and strafe the field, destroying most of the German aircraft, and shoot down two which try to take to the air. Courtney then drops the boots. Von Richter retrieves them and shakes his fist at the departing British. Courtney is shot down recrossing the lines, then rescued by Scott, whose aircraft is also hit by antiaircraft fire. When leaking oil blinds Scott, Courtney talks him down to a crash landing behind their own trenches. .....
Source: Wikipedia
