The Blue Max

- Up! Up! - Push!

- Come on! - Push!

Move out of the way! Clear the way!

Move! Move!

That was a full bottle, Herr Leutnant.

Yes.

- You've just met Willi von Klugermann. - Yes.

- I see you've heard of him. - Oh. Yes, I have.

- Look at him. - You must be the new...

- He's tearing the wings off that plane! - Let him celebrate, Ziegel!

He shoots them down. Your job is to keep him up there.

You must be the new replacement... Stachel.

Bruno Stachel, Herr Oberleutnant.

- Are you the adjutant? - I fly a desk now!

Anti-aircraft fire!

Still, it could've got me higher up, couldn't it?

Yes.

Wait here. I'll tell the CO you've arrived.

And if I were you, I'd button up that jacket!

Ziegel! How soon can you have us ready again?

Depends on how many of the others have been hit, Herr Hauptmann.

I wasn't the only one.

I can't keep these barges flying forever. I'm a mechanic, not a magician.

No, you are a magician, whether you like it or not!

- Only 11 back, Herr Hauptmann. - Yes. Mueller went down.

He didn't last long.

Fabian, how did we come to lose him?

I gave him the usual instructions.

But he wouldn't stay with me.

Too, uh. Too keen.

By the way, Scholte's replacement's here.

Leutnant Bruno Stachel reporting from 104 Training School.

Your commanding officer... Hauptmann Heidemann.

Ah, yes. Stachel. Come inside.

Herr Hauptmann.

- Stachel. - Yes, sir.

Two years in the infantry.

- Any rank? - Corporal, Herr Hauptmann.

What made you transfer to the Air Corps?

To fly, Herr Hauptmann.

Are you a good flyer?

I'm... comfortable in the air.

"Comfortable". Are you?

- Interesting. - Willi!

Willi!

Very pretty flying.

I wish you would stop it. You'll live longer.

Sorry about that.

I see you are from Wiesbaden.

I've done some hunting around there.

- Who are your people? - Herr Hauptmann?

I want to know something of your background.

What does your father do?

He works in a small hotel, Herr Hauptmann.

Five bedrooms.

Corporal, see the new officer's bags are taken up to the mess.

- Herr Hauptmann. - Come into my office, Stachel.

Close the door, please.

I'm sorry if it bothers you about what your father does.

It doesn't bother me, Herr Hauptmann.

Then why are you so touchy about it?

Well, you're an officer now. Your social problems are no concern of ours.

Take a look at the map, Stachel.

Our operating area is between Arras and Saint-Quentin.

The British also operate the area, as you'll find out.

Uh, what did you train on?

The usual machine, Herr Hauptmann... an out-of-date Pfalz.

- That's what you'll fly here. - But, at flying school, they told us...

"Flying school!"

At flying school, they'll tell you anything.

Up-to-date machines go to experienced pilots.

Those are in short supply.

It's a cruel world, Stachel, huh?

Yes, Herr Hauptmann.

Welcome to the squadron. The truck will take you to the mess with the others.

And, Stachel!

Let's hope you get to like us.

Of course, he could've been lying about the five bedrooms.

His father was probably only a waiter.

Just another snob, in fact.

Willi, there's something I haven't told you.

I have an uncle in the hotel business.

I admit he's a baron and the hotel has 500 bedrooms.

But you do see the position it places me in.

There was a town in Poland

And there a girl we found

- Lovely was she... - Want a cigarette?

- Thank you. - She was the naughtiest maid

That ever we beheld

But do not kiss me please, she said

I never kiss

You've got 18, haven't you?

Squadron rule number one, Stachel...

gentlemen never parade their military achievements.

She was the loveliest maid that ever we beheld

Any rule against saying how long it took you?

I would say that was covered by the same rule.

Wouldn't you?

No, I wouldn't. How many rules are there?

I don't know. None of them have been written down.

She was the haughtiest maid that ever we beheld

But do not kiss me please, she said

I never kiss

She was the haughtiest maid that ever we beheld

But do not kiss me please, she said

I never kiss

Oh.

Seems you're next to me in Scholte's old room.

- That's, uh, number 11. - Scholte?

Oh, your predecessor. He, uh... He didn't last long, unfortunately.

- Unhappy young man! - Yes! He forgot to keep looking over his shoulder!

It's worth remembering! They come fast, out of the sun!

Thank you.

Willi, what do you think of him?

Hmm?

Gonna have a drink?

Ah.

Oh. They haven't removed poor Scholte's card.

Very tactless of them.

I just thought you should know we, uh, don't dress for dinner here.

Von Richthofen, I see!

Your hero?

He's done it all!

Two more kills, and you'll have one of those!

Hmm. A pretty medal, the Blue Max.

It's the only one worth having. People respect it.

The medal or the man?

The usual routine, Fabian!

You know what they are like the first time in combat.

- Of course. - Keep your eye on him.

Here! Isn't it nice to hear the birds again, Herr Hauptmann?

Listen to that.

They won't be here long.

When our offensive starts...

- Good luck, Fabian. - Herr Hauptmann.

What is it?

Stachel. Fly on Fabian's left.

And a little behind him.

- And watch for his signals. - Yes, Herr Hauptmann.

And relax. Get the balloon and come straight back.

You'll find balloons burn beautifully.

Switches on.

Is that army observation? Adjutant, Squadron 11 here.

One of our pilots claims an SE5 shot down in sector five.

- Yes! - Can you confirm, please?

Yes, about, uh, 0700 hours.

- Perhaps Fabian made a forced landing. - I don't know.

Yes? Sector five, on our side of the line.

You did? Fine!

Go on. Uh...

In midair?

- Did yours explode? - No.

Yes, we do have a pilot missing.

- That will be him, I'm afraid. - Ask him.

Thanks. Good-bye.

- But... - Only Fabian. He never got out.

- No SE5. - But somebody must have seen my SE5 go down.

Not necessarily.

It often happens.

No confirmation, no claim.

- That's a squadron rule. - But I saw it! It was a kill!

Then you have the deep satisfaction of knowing you have served the fatherland.

It went down here... our side of the line!

Why couldn't the army look for it?

They have other things to do.

Somebody must have seen it!

Fabian might have seen it.

- Corporal Rupp. - Herr Leutnant.

We're going to search sector five! Get your motorcycle!

- But, Herr Leutnant... - Be at the mess in five minutes.

Herr Leutnant.

Back to the mess, Herr Leutnant?

No! I'm going to search that wood over there!

- You already have, Herr Leutnant. - What?

You searched that wood an hour ago!

Well, we're going to search it again!

What's the matter, Rupp? Too close to the guns for you?

- Thank you, Corporal. - It's been a pleasure, Herr Leutnant.

You have finished your wild goose chase, I hope.

- Yes, Herr Hauptmann. - Found nothing, huh?

No.

If every pilot were to go careering around France,

looking for unconfirmed aircraft.

There'd be no air force left.

And Corporal Rupp has more important things to do.

- Do you understand? - Yes, Herr Hauptmann.

Unconfirmed by army means unconfirmed, and that's final.

Good night, Stachel.

Stachel!

Come and join us!

Ah!

I'll get the next one, Willi!

- Brandy, please. - Champagne, Herr Leutnant.

Willi got his 20th kill today!

- He's being awarded the Blue Max! - Uh-huh!

I see you've had a hard day!

No one's ever done that before about an unconfirmed kill.

Quite novel! You must be in a hurry!

To your Blue Max.

- Blue Max. - Willi.