Masters of the Air: is Austin Butler’s series based on real-life events, who were the Bloody Hundredth?

“Masters of the Air” has arrived on AppleTV+ today in the United Kingdom, with the cast having attended the London premiere of the new series earlier this week. The series marks the first work for Austin Butler to appear on our screens since his Oscar-nominated role in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” back in 2022 - bar for a few festival patrons when “The Bikeriders” was on the 2023 festival circuit. 

The series, which also boasts Irish talent Barry Keoghan, chronicles the heroic efforts of the notorious Bloody Hundredth, a bombardment group under the 8th Air Force that carried out daytime bombings over Nazi Germany, and details exactly how and why they earned their nickname “the Bloody Hundredth.”

The first two episodes have already been released on streaming services, and early reviews regarding the series, produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, have been positive. Steven Ross, TV and Film critic for NationalWorld, spoke highly of the series during the most recent episode of the Screen Babble Podcast, while it currently holds a “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an 83% score.

With this being a historical drama though rather than a documentary regarding the events of the Bloody Hundredth, how much of “Masters of the Air” is based on real-life occurrences, and how much of it was fictionalised for dramatic purposes?

Is “Masters of the Air” based on real-life events or fictionalized?

Given that dramas based on historical events are entitled to poetic license in the name of entertainment and narrative, producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks of course wanted the series to be as historically accurate as possible regarding some of the events and the background of the European theatre at that stage in the war.

Their source material for the series was Donald L. Miller’s series of books, “Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany,” which presented interviews, oral histories and other archival facts from many American “bomber boys” that participated in the campaign feature in the AppleTV+ series. It is considered the most authoritative work regarding the topic and became an international bestseller upon its release.

“Masters of the Air” also marks the second collaboration between Spielberg, Hanks and Miller, as the historian worked as a consultant for the HBO series, “The Pacific.” 

Who were the 100th Bomb Group?

Much like it’s depicted on screen, the 100th Bombardment Group (now known as the 100th Air Refuelling Wing) was part of the Eighth Air Force and was known for its involvement in the strategic bombing campaign against Nazi-occupied Europe. They operated from various bases in England during its service, including Thorpe Abbotts.

The group was activated on June 1, 1942, at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida. It was initially equipped with B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft. They earned the unfortunate nickname, "The Bloody Hundredth" due to the high casualty rate it experienced during its early missions.

The 100th Bombardment Group primarily flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, a heavy bomber widely used by the Eighth Air Force in strategic bombing campaigns. Their success saw them receive a Distinguished Unit Citation for their actions during a mission to Regensburg on August 17, 1943.

After World War II, the 100th Bombardment Group was inactivated on October 7, 1945. The unit was later reactivated as a reserve unit in the United States Air Force. It has since become the 100th Air Refuelling wing - the only permanent U.S. air refuelling wing in the European theatre.

How can I stream “Masters of the Air” in the United Kingdom?

The first two episodes of “Masters of the Air” are now available on AppleTV+, with new episodes arriving weekly (subscription required)