The tables may be turning in the air war in Europe. The P-51 has arrived, with the promise of providing escort to the B-17s all the way to the heart of Germany. The first 18 are assigned to Gallagher's 918th, but his gunners manage to accidentally shoot one down on the very first mission. This sets a very bad tone between Gallagher and the fighter commander, Col. Troper, who are thrown together to make the new system work. Troper, already an ace with 22 kills, chafes at the need to protect the bombers at the cost of being able to hunt down the Luftwaffe fighters, and his resentment builds to a dangerous and destructive intensity.