The Lost Squadron

The Lost Squadron is a 1932 American PreCode action film starring Richard Dix, Mary Astor, and Robert Armstrong, with Erich von Stroheim and Joel McCrea in supporting roles, and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film is about three World War I pilots who find jobs after the war as Hollywood stunt fliers. The muchlater The Great Waldo Pepper 1975 employed a similar theme. The Lost Squadron was the first RKO production to carry the screen credit Executive Producer, David O. Selznick.

Woody introduces his two comradesinarms to his sister, the Pest Dorothy Jordan. She worries constantly about him, as von Furst utilizes dangerously wornout aircraft and Woody drinks a lot. Both Gibby and Red are attracted to her. Gibby misinterprets her concern for him when he barely survives a crash caused by parts of his aircraft falling off as love. When Red impulsively asks the Pest to marry him, she agrees, and Gibby accepts the situation with grace.Meanwhile, von Furst is aware that his wife still has strong feelings for Gibby. He sabotages the aircraft Gibby is to fly for a dangerous stunt, secretly applying acid to a control wire, not only out of jealousy, but also to add to the realism of his film with a real crash. However, unbeknownst to him, Woody decides to do the stunt in Gibbys place. Red sees von Furst tampering with the wires and alerts Gibby. Gibby takes off in another aircraft and catches up to Woody, but cannot make himself understood over the roar of their engines. The cable breaks, and Woody crashes and is killed. ........

Source: Wikipedia