March 1940 story
The German Blitzkrieg has begun with the invasion of France and Belgium. The squadron celebrates a double wedding as Fitz and Gordon marry their respective partners. The happy reception is brutally interrupted by a German air-raid that causes considerable damage. Rex is badly wounded by shrapnel but conceals his injuries from the other pilots but the painkillers he takes render him euphoric and overconfident. Recklessly ordering his men to attack a much larger German formation, Rex dives down to his death whilst Barton orders the others not to follow. Now squadron leader, Barton leads what remains of the squadron against the overwhelming German invaders. Sticky is killed and Patterson is nearly undone by fear and abandons his still-intact aircraft by parachute. Gordon's wife Nicole is killed by German air-attack whilst fleeing as a refugee but Fitz's wife Mary reaches England. The surviving pilots are likewise evacuated.
14 total · 1 choice · 6 major · 7 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| World War II | choice | The episode is set in the early part of the Second World War and tells the story of a squadron of Spitfire pilots as they take on the German Luftwaffe. Featured is the onset of the German invasion of France as seen through the eyes of the Spitfire pilots and those connected to them. |
| coping with the death of someone | major | Various people, most notably Rex, died at the hands of the invading Germans. The remaining heroes of the Hornet Squadron reacted to this in assorted ways. |
| leadership | major | The story concerns Rex trying to maintain order and morale among the men in his fighter squadron. Barton took over as squadron leader after Rex perished in an engagement with the German Luftwaffe. Among Barton's first act as leader was to take the men out for a fancy dinner, one gathers in part to keep up morale in the squadron. |
| life in late modern Europe | major | The viewer is shown what it might have been like to serve in the air force of the United Kingdom in the Second World War. The story focused on Hornet Squadron, now stationed in northern France, getting their fannies handed to them by the formidable German Luftwaffe. |
| military related work | major | The viewer is shown what it might have been like to serve in the air force of the United Kingdom in the early stages of the Second World War. The story focused on Hornet Squadron, now stationed in northern France, getting their fannies handed to them by the formidable German Luftwaffe. |
| romantic love | major | Fitz and Mary were head over heels in love, as were were Flash and Nicole. |
| the horrors of war | major | A point of the story is to contrast the jovial pre-hostilities behavior of the Hornet Squadron heroes, and their hangers-ons, with the morally devastated and somber lot who remained alive some time after the Battle of Britain had begun in earnest. |
| boyfriend and girlfriend | minor | Fitz and Mary pillow talked about holding a double wedding. |
| delivering bad news | minor | Squadron Leader Rex prepared a next-of-kin notification letter regarding Trevelyan's death. |
| marriage ceremony | minor | The German's crashed a double wedding that saw Fitz and Gordon marry their respective partners. |