Plot
Prior to America's entrance into the war, a group of young Americans go to France, for different personal reasons, to fight in the French Air Service, L'Aéronautique militaire, during World War I . One of them, Blaine Rawlings (James Franco) faced with the foreclosure of his family ranch in Texas, decides to enlist after seeing a newsreel of aerial combat in France. Dilettante Briggs Lowry (Tyler Labine) joins because of his overbearing father. African-American boxer Eugene Skinner (Abdul Salis), who had been accepted as an athlete in France, was motivated to "pay back" his adopted country. These American recruits were under the command of French Captain Georges Thenault (Jean Reno), while the veteran fighter ace Reed Cassidy (Martin Henderson), a fellow American, takes over as their mentor.
During their training, each pilot struggles with the demanding flying; later, they have to face the aerial dogfights that dominate the front line missions. Rawlings meets a young woman named Lucienne whom he courts despite her hesitations about his risky profession.
On their first mission to escort two bombers to attack a German ammunition depot, the rookie pilots are ambushed by Germans and two are killed while flying; another pilot is forced to make an emergency landing. While on the ground this American pilot is shot and killed by the German ace The Black Falcon who returns to altitude and is met by the more chivalrous German pilot Franz Wolferd who shakes his head in disapproval.
During an attack on a German Zeppelin, Reed Cassidy is mortally wounded by the Black Falcon but, as his final act, destroys the Zeppelin by crashing into it. Rawlings reunites with Lucienne before she leaves for Paris. Before Rawlings leaves for another battle, his plane is presented with an eagle, Cassidy's former insignia, and Rawlings is promoted to Commander. Their next mission is to escort four bombers which are being sent to bomb the same supply depot from the first mission. During the battle Franz Wolferd is shot down as well as a few of the American pilots, including Briggs Lowry, who shoots himself with his sidearm rather than be burned alive in his stricken plane. Nevertheless, the mission is a success and the German supply depot is bombed.
Upon returning from the bombing mission, Rawlings takes off again to exact revenge on the Black Falcon, followed soon after by the rest of the Lafayette Escadrille. A melee between Rawlings and his American pilots and the Black Falcon and his German squadron ensues. During the final battle, despite having jammed guns and being wounded, Rawlings evades his enemy and fatally shoots the Black Falcon with his pistol. The rest of the Germans either retreat or are shot down. Rawlings and three other pilots (Jensen, Skinner and Beagle) survive the encounter and return to base.
Read more about this topic: Flyboys (film)
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