1941 Page #2

- Do you hear sirens?

- Captain Birkhead. General Stilwell is here.

- Do I hear sirens?

Ow! Oh!

Sirens!

- What are you doin'? I'm not finished yet.

- Oh!

- Sorry, Captain. Captain, what's your name again?

- Loomis Birkhead.

- Sorry, Captain Birkhead, but that's General Stilwell.

- Wait!

- I've got to get my story!

- I was just giving it to you.

I'll tell ya, DuBois, there are

positive and negative aspects...

...about being a general's aide.

The general couldn't have been

a couple more minutes late, could he?

It is wartime, and we all

have to make sacrifices.

Here he comes!

- You have a telegram from Colonel Maddox, sir?

- Madman Maddox?

- What does he want?

- Troops, sir.

Troops? It's a practice bombing range

in Barstow in the middle of the desert.

What's he want troops for?

Give me that.

"Request emergency troops.

Invasion imminent.

Suspect hidden Jap airfield

in Pomona alfalfa fields."

I blame myself.

I put that lunatic out there.

Jesus H. Christ, DuBois.

Is that the General's new secretary?

Yes, sir.

She came in from G-2 this morning.

- Not bad, huh?

- Not bad? She's a goddess. A goddamn goddess!

That is Donna Stratton.

I knew her back in Washington.

She has got this thing

for planes.

One of those real

high-flyin' types, huh?

I've never seen

anything like it.

She's got planes

on the brain.

His brother had all those political

connections in Georgia. What could I do?

Tell him to hold his position.

I'll send someone up there later.

Where's Birkhead?

He's supposed to have my lunch.

B-17.

Ooh.

No man has ever gotten to first

base with her on the ground.

But get her into a plane, she'll bat

your balls right out of the park.

- You can fly, sir?

- Who said anything about flying?

I just gotta get her into that plane.

I'll fake the rest.

- Hello, Donna.

Donna Stratton, after all this time.

How long has it been?

Not long enough.

You're not still sore,

are you, Donna?

Yes! Ln

a number of places.

Same old Donna.

Listen, I got a great idea.

Why don't we get together for dinner

tonight? We got a lot to talk about.

What could you and I

possibly have to talk about?

Airplanes.

I seem to recall that you always

had a very keen interest in aircraft.

Now, take this B-17,

for example.

A woman like you is bound

to appreciate a plane like the 17.

After all, it's big.

It's the biggest one here.

You know what else?

It's got a lot of range.

- You know what I mean by range, don't you?

- Oh, sure.

It can stay up for a long time.

A very long time.

It's built firm

and solid.

It has to be, because of its

tremendous forward thrust.

And when this baby

delivers its payload...

...devastating.

- Oh, Captain. Let's get something straight.

- Please do.

I don't like you.

I don't like the way you act.

I especially don't like

your immature sexual innuendoes.

- I was just kidding.

- The B-17 happens to be...

- The most valuable strategic air bomber...

- Damn it!

- When I went to flight school, we were taught to secure these.

- in the United States Air Corps.

I didn't know you

went to flight school.

I only logged in a couple of hours

in a little Beechcraft Trainer...

...before I got kicked out-

upstairs to become the General's aide.

- But can you fly the B-17?

- B-17?

- Can you fly the B-25?

- A plane's a plane.

- Can you fly the 24 Liberator?

- Propeller and four wings.

Can you fly

the 38 Lightning?

You can fly one,

you can fly them all.

Sure, I could fly the 17.

I'm sorry, Captain. I didn't realize you

had a serious interest in strategic bombers.

Donna, my interest

is very strategic.

How would you like me

to show you the cockpit?

First let me say the possibility of

the Japs bombing us is, at best, remote.

However, we're installing

antiaircraft batteries all over town.

In addition, we have a vast network of

civil defense volunteer aircraft spotters...

...keeping a constant vigil.

They report their sightings directly

to lnterceptor Command Headquarters.

In the event of a sighting that cannot be

immediately identified by Headquarters...

we go to a condition yellow

as a precaution.

The aircraft maintains its position

and attempts to identify it fail...

we go to a condition blue.

The situation persists, we cannot establish

radio contact, we go to a red alert.

During a red alert,

air raid sirens will sound.

All lights must be turned out. Searchlights

will scan the skies for enemy aircraft.

Gun crews will be at ready.

I hope.

Clear the props!

Boost pump on.

Energize. Engage. Ignition!

Are we cleared for takeoff?

B-17, two, seven, one.

Cleared for takeoff

on runway one-eight.

Winds from the southwest.

- You want the stick?

- Yes, yes, yes. Give it to me.

All right. Now.

We are rolling.

We're rolling

down that runway...

...faster and faster.

- I don't feel any thrust.

- Don't worry. You will!

You will.

All right, all right.

Max power!

We're past the point of rejection.

- Get your nose up!

Pull back on that stick!

- Oh, very good.

Landing gear up.

And now we're leveling off

at 20,000 feet.

Turn the wheel to the right.

Good. We're at 20,000 feet.

Ow!

- What's that?

- Nothing. It was a little turbulence.

We hit an air pocket.

Nothing to worry about.

Objectives in sight.

We peer down

the bomb sight.

We're on target.

We open

the bomb bay doors.

We are getting

closer and closer.

We are

approaching target.

You're almost there.

Here we go, Donna. Here we go.

- Bombs away.

Who's playing in

the cockpit? Goddamn it!

- Mission scrubbed.

- Oh, Donna!

Sorry to have to bail out, Loomis,

but it just won't work on the ground.

I tried it in the simulator once.

It was no good there either.

We've got to be airborne.

But, Donna, listen.

We'll try a different flight plan.

We are divebombing Tokyo.

I'd like to say

one final word about bombs.

The eventuality of an air raid

on this city is highly unlikely.

Oh, Donna. You can't do this to me. You

don't know what I've been through today.

Loomis, my father was a drill

sergeant in the Marine Corps.

He taught me how to defend

myself. Now, leave me alone.

Donna, please-

As long as I am here,

I can assure you...

...there will be no bombs

dropped here.

We think we've located

Captain Birkhead, sir.

- Okay, okay.

Bye! See you later!

Bye-bye!

Maxine, I don't know why

I ever listen to you.

I can't do this to Wally. You know

he's been waiting a long time for this.

- He's even learning how to dance.

- Forget about Wally.

Think of all those soldiers and sailors

we'll be dancing with tonight.

- I can't forget about Wally.

What are you gonna do? Turn your back

on those brave men in uniform...

...so you can dance

with some criminal?

Wally is not a criminal.

He's just- He's just original-

- He stole your father's car.

That's really original.

- Wally? What are you doing here?

- Betty?

Oh, my God. If my father

catches you here, he'll kill you.

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