Introduction

Masters of the Air is a 2024 American war drama streaming television miniseries created by John Shiban and John Orloff for Apple TV+.

It is based on the 2007 book of the same name by Donald L. Miller and follows the actions of the 100th Bomb Group, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber unit in the Eighth Air Force in eastern England during World War II.

The series serves as a companion to Band of Brothers (2001) and The Pacific (2010). It is the first series to be produced by Apple Studios in cooperation with Playtone and Amblin Television and stars Austin Butler, Callum Turner and Anthony Boyle as part of an ensemble cast.

Outline

Masters of the Air recounts the story of the 100th Bomb Group during World War II and follows bomber crews on dangerous missions to destroy targets inside German-occupied Europe.

The show portrays the intensity of war, the dangers that the airmen face, and the friendships and relationships that develop.

Cast

• Main:
  • Austin Butler as Major Gale “Buck” Cleven
  • Callum Turner as Major John “Bucky” Egan
  • Anthony Boyle as Lieutenant (Lt.) Harry Crosby
  • Barry Keoghan as Lt. Curtis Biddick
  • Nikolai Kinski as Colonel Harold Huglin
  • Stephen Campbell Moore as Major Marvin “Red” Bowman
  • Sawyer Spielberg as Lt. Roy Frank Claytor
  • Isabel May as Marjorie “Marge” Spencer
  • James Murray as Colonel Neil “Chick” Harding
  • Nate Mann as Major Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal
  • Kai Alexander as Sergeant (Sgt.) William Quinn
  • Laurie Davidson as Lt. Herbert Nash
  • Joanna Kulig as Paulina
  • Louis Hofmann as Lt. Ulrich Haussmann
  • Jamie Parker as Dr. Huston
  • Bel Powley as Alessandra “Sandra” Wesgate
  • Sam Hazeldine as Colonel Albert Clark
  • Josiah Cross as Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt.) Richard D. Macon
  • Branden Cook as 2nd Lt. Alexander Jefferson
  • Ncuti Gatwa as 2nd Lt. Robert Daniels
  • Jerry MacKinnon as Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
  • Josh Dylan as Lt. George Niethammer

• Recurring:
  • Darragh Cowley as Lt. Glenn Graham
  • Matt Gavan as Lt. Charles Cruikshank
  • Jonas Moore as Captain (Capt.) Frank Murphy
  • Jordan Coulson as Lt. Howard Hamilton
  • Ben Radcliffe as Capt. John D. Brady
  • David Shields as Major Everett Blakely
  • Edward Ashley as Major Jack Kidd
  • Raff Law as Sgt. Ken Lemmons
  • Adam Long as Capt. Bernard DeMarco
  • Elliot Warren as Lt. James Douglass
  • Samuel Jordan as Sgt. John J. “Winks” Herrmann
  • Harry Ames as Capt. August H. Gaspar
  • Bailey Brook as Sgt. Charles K. Bailey
  • Louis Greatorex as Capt. Joseph “Bubbles” Payne
  • John Hopkins as Dr. Wendell “Smokey” Stover
  • Nathen Solly as Lt. John Hoerr
  • Josh Bolt as Lt. Winifred “Pappy” Lewis
  • Ian Dunnett Jnr as Lt. Ron Bailey
  • Thomas Flynn as Barr
  • James Frecheville as Major Bill Veal
  • Jonathan Halliwell as Sgt. William J. DeBlasio
  • Dean John-Wilson as Lt. Clifford Milburn
  • Tom Joyner as Cpt. “Stormy” Becker
  • Riley Neldam as Sgt. Michael V. Boccuzzi
  • Adam Silver as Lt. David Solomon
  • Ben Spong as Major Ollie Turner
  • Spike White as Lt. Charles A. Via

• Guest (100th Bomb Group):
  • Daniel Briggs as Sgt. William Crabb
  • Freddy Carter as Lt. David Friedkin
  • James Meunier as Lt. Kenneth Lorch
  • Kieron Moore as Sgt. Clifford Starkey
  • Oaklee Pendergast as Sgt. William Hinton
  • Francesco Piacentini-Smith as Sgt. Ray H. Robinson
  • Dean Ridge as FO. Richard L. Snyder
  • Sonny Ashbourne Serkis as Lt. James Evans
  • George Smale as Lt. Raymond Nutting
  • George Webster as Lt. Glenn W. Dye
  • Ben Dilloway as Lt. Col. Bill Aring
  • Luke Coughlan as Sgt. James M. Johnson
  • Jon Ewart as Lt. William Couch
  • Max Hastings as Lt. Kenneth Allen
  • Nitai Levi as Sgt. Paul A. Vrabec, Jr.
  • Fionn O’Shea as Sgt. Steve Bosser
  • Neil Pendleton as Sgt. William Stewart
  • Thomas Perry as Sgt. Harold E. Clanton
  • Charlie Rix as Lt. Glen Van Noy
  • Elliott Ross as Lt. Donald Strout
  • Alex Boxall as Sgt. Monroe Thornton
  • Elan Butler as Lt. Robert Shoens
  • Lino Facioli as Lt. Adams
  • Christopher Lakewood as Col Thomas Jeffery
  • Dimitri Leonidas as Sgt. George J. Petrohelos
  • Phillip Lewitski as Lt. Francis Harper
  • Jojo Macari as Capt. Oran Petrich
  • John Schwab as Lieutenant Colonel (Lt. Col.) James W. Lann
  • Corin Silva as Lt. Col. John Bennett
  • Louis Sparks as Sgt. Lester Saunders

• Guest (Tuskegee Airmen):
  • Kwame Agyei as Lt. Joseph Evans Gordon
  • Tomisin Ajani as Captain Erwin B. Lawrence
  • Bradley Banton as Lieutenant Lee “Buddy” Archer
  • Jonathan Jules as Lt. Shelby F. Westbrook
  • Darryl Mundoma as Lt. Charles M. Bussey
  • Francis Lovehall as Captain Wendell O. Pruitt
  • Rahshan Wall as Lt. Frederick D. Funderburg

• Guest (Other):
  • Nancy Farino as Lil, a barmaid at a pub frequented by the airmen
  • Tommy Jessop as Tommy, a local whom Egan befriends
  • Toby Eden as Billy Taylor, a boy who lives near the airfield, looked after by Lemmons
  • Alfie Tempest as Sammy Hurry, a boy who lives near the airfield, looked after by Lemmons
  • Harriet Leitch as Tatty Spaatz, a volunteer for the American Red Cross
  • Emma Canning as Helen, a volunteer for the American Red Cross who makes a connection with Lt. Nash
  • Ben Segers as Vincent, a Belgian resistance fighter aiding Quinn and Bailey in returning to England
  • Vincent Londez as Jean Achten, a Belgian resistance fighter aiding Quinn and Bailey in returning to England
  • Barney White as Bob, a German spy who attempts to blend in with Quinn and Bailey
  • Bronwyn James as Susie, an attendee at Lt. Dye’s celebration
  • Lauren McQueen as Rose, an attendee at Lt. Dye’s celebration
  • David Austin-Barnes as Stuart O’Neill, a POW at Stalag Luft III
  • Robert Hands as Major Gustav Simoleit, Deputy Commandant at Stalag Luft III
  • Saro Emirze as Hanns Scharff, a Luftwaffe interrogator

Production

In October 2012, there were reports of a third World War II miniseries, in the same vein as Band of Brothers and The Pacific, but focusing on United States Army Air Forces aircrews of the Eighth Air Force, that was being considered by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. In January 2013, HBO confirmed that it was developing the miniseries, based on Donald L. Miller’s book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany, to be adapted by John Orloff. The series would focus on the 100th Bombardment Group of the Eighth Air Force.[8]

In October 2019, it was reported that Apple had made a deal with Spielberg’s and Hanks’s respective production companies to stream the series exclusively on Apple TV+ instead of HBO. In a statement, HBO later confirmed that it had decided not to move forward with the series. The Hollywood Reporter said it would consist of nine episodes at a total cost of $250 million. The series is the first Apple TV+ series to go into production under the technology firm’s in-house production company, Apple Studios.

In October 2020, Cary Joji Fukunaga was announced as director of the first three episodes. In February 2021, Austin Butler and Callum Turner were cast to star. Anthony Boyle and Nate Mann joined the cast in March, with Raff Law, James Murray and Tommy Jessop added in April. Freddy Carter revealed his casting in a May interview, while set photos revealed that Barry Keoghan was also cast. In June, Dee Rees was announced as directing episodes of the series. In July, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck were also announced as directing episodes. Colleen Atwood served as costume designer.

In February 2021, it was reported that production had begun at Dalton Barracks (the former WWII airfield RAF Abingdon) in Oxfordshire, England. Retrospective temporary 12-month planning permission was applied for at Newland Park, Chalfont St Peter, following the construction of a WWII barracks on the site. Filming paused briefly in July due to positive COVID-19 tests. Production also occurred in Hemel Hempstead. The series used on-set virtual production by Lux Machina for cockpit scenes.

Release

Masters of the Air premiered on Apple TV+ on 26 January 2024.

A companion documentary titled The Bloody Hundredth, narrated by Tom Hanks, tells the story of the 100th bomb group that inspired the stories in Masters of the Air. It was released on 15 March 2024, on Apple TV+.

Masters of the Air Series

• Part 01.
• Part 02.
• Part 03.
• Part 04.
• Part 05.
• Part 06.
• Part 07.
• Part 08.
• Part 09.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Cary Joji Fukunaga … (4 episodes, 2024)
  • Anna Boden … (2 episodes, 2024)
  • Ryan Fleck … (2 episodes, 2024)
  • Dee Rees … (2 episodes, 2024)
  • Timothy Van Patten … (1 episode, 2024)
• Producer(s):
  • David Coatsworth … co-executive producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Nick Cuse … consulting producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Justin Falvey … co-executive producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Darryl Frank … co-executive producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Gary Goetzman … executive producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Tom Hanks … executive producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • John Orloff … co-executive producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Kirk Saduski … co-producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Steve Shareshian … co-executive producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • James Smith … line producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Steven Spielberg … executive producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • John Sylva … co-producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Bobby Williams … associate producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Graham Yost … co-executive producer (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Nori Chia … associate producer (8 episodes, 2024)
  • India Flint … associate producer (4 episodes, 2024)
  • Layla Blackman … post producer / post production: co-producer (2 episodes, 2024)
  • Michelle Camp … associate producer (2 episodes, 2024)
• Writer(s):
  • Donald L. Miller … (based on the book by) (9 episodes, 2024)
  • John Orloff … (developed by) (9 episodes, 2024)
  • John Orloff … (written by) (5 episodes, 2024)
  • John Orloff … (teleplay by) (4 episodes, 2024)
  • John Orloff … (story by) (3 episodes, 2024)
  • John Orloff … (writer) (2 episodes, 2024)
  • Joel Anderson Thompson … (teleplay by) (2 episodes, 2024)
  • Joel Anderson Thompson … (story by) (1 episode, 2024)
  • Morwenna Banks … (story by) (1 episode, 2024)
  • Dee Rees … (teleplay by) (1 episode, 2024)
  • John Shiban … (story by) (1 episode, 2024)
• Music:
  • Blake Neely … (9 episodes, 2024)
• Cinematography:
  • Adam Arkapaw … (4 episodes, 2024)
  • Jac Fitzgerald … (2 episodes, 2024)
  • Richard Rutkowski … (2 episodes, 2024)
  • David Franco … (1 episode, 2024)
• Editor(s):
  • Mark Czyzewski … (9 episodes, 2024)
  • Mark Sanger … (3 episodes, 2024)
  • Spencer Averick … (2 episodes, 2024)
  • Carmen Morrow … (2 episodes, 2024)
  • Saar Klein … (1 episode, 2024)
  • Billy Rich … (1 episode, 2024)
• Production:
  • Amblin Television
  • Apple Studios
  • Parliament of Owls
  • Playtone
• Distributor(s):
  • Apple TV+ (United States, 2024)(VOD, video)
  • Apple TV+ (World-wide, 2024)(VOD, video)
• Release Date: 26 January 2024 to 15 March 2024.
• Running time: 48-77 minutes.
• Rating: TV-MA.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Clip(s)