Capt. Buzz Rickson (
Steve McQueen) commands a B-17 bomber in Britain during World War II. On a mission over Germany, Rickson's commanding officer, Col. Emmet (
Jerry Stovin), aborts the bomber group's attack due to cloud cover. Instead of obeying his superior, Rickson dives under the clouds and completes the mission. He believes Emmet will tolerate his insubordination because he's the group's best pilot. And although the group's flight surgeon is uncertain whether Rickson is hero or psychopath, Rickson's crew, especially his co-pilot, Lt. Ed Bolland (
Robert Wagner), trust his intuitive flying skills. Between missions, Rickson and Bolland meet a young Englishwoman, Daphne Caldwell (
Shirley Anne Field). Although she is attracted to both pilots, she chooses Bolland. They soon fall in love. Meanwhile, Bolland becomes increasingly disillusioned with Rickson. The crew's popular navigator, Lt. Marty Lynch (
Gary Cockrell), is pressured to transfer to another crew after he questions Rickson's behavior. Lynch even tells Bolland, "Give Rickson a bomber and a machine gun, and he could be on either side." Lynch is soon killed in action. Bolland takes it hard and blames Rickson. Later, while on liberty, Rickson makes a move on Daphne, visiting her in her London flat after Bolland has returned to the base. Daphne rejects his forceful advances, telling him she loves Bolland. The next morning, on a mission over Germany, Colonel Emmet's plane is shot down, making Rickson group commander. Rickson's plane drops its bombs on target, but there's a cost. The plane is badly shot up by Messerschmitts, killing one of the crew. Further, its bomb bay doors are stuck open with one armed bomb still on its rack. As the plane nears the English coastline, an air-sea rescue team is contacted and the crew bails out - all except Rickson, who is determined to bring the bomber back to base. Instead, he crashes into the white cliffs on the Kent coast. Afterwards, Bolland reports Rickson's death to Daphne in Cambridge. She concludes, "It's what he always wanted." The lovers walk away together.
