Robert Eberwein is Distinguished Professor of English Emeritus at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, author of Armed Forces: Masculinity and Sexuality in the American War Film, and editor of The War Film.

Colonel Robert L. Scott rose to poster-boy fame for his exploits as a member of Claire Chennault's 14th Air Force (a.k.a. the Flying Tigers). Warner Bros. snatched up the rights to Scott's memoirs and put the flag-waving gears in motion. Hal Wallis even considered asking Scott to play himself in the film, but the production crew ultimately settled for employing him as a resident technical advisor. The FMPU briefly came along for the ride as well, proving limited technical assistance during production. The film details the spiritual awakening of a rugged individualist who, while serving as the daring pilot of a P-40 Warhawk in the Pacific Theater, finds that he needs to attribute his success and his against-all-odds survival to a force greater than himself.