in him. Meanwhile, Kaeti, the general's wife, is carrying on a discreet affair with her husband's nephew. Soon afterward, Stachel is shot down after rescuing a red Fokker Dr.I from two British fighters. When he returns to the airfield, he is stunned when he is introduced to the man he saved, Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron. Richthofen offers Stachel a place in his squadron. Stachel declines, explaining his desire to "prove himself" with his current squadron. With Stachel temporarily grounded by a minor injury, General von Klugemann orders him to Berlin to help shore up the crumbling public morale. The general invites him to dinner. Later, Stachel and Kaeti have sex. Soon afterward, Stachel and Willi volunteer to escort a reconnaissance aircraft. When British fighters attack, Stachel's guns jam, but Willi downs three enemy planes. While returning to base, Willi challenges Stachel to a flying contest, flying under a railway viaduct. Willi clips the top of a tower and crashes. When Stachel reports his death, Heidemann assumes that the verified victories were Willi's. Stachel impulsively claims them, even though he fired only 40 bullets before his guns jammed. Outraged, Heidemann officially accuses him of lying, but the Air Service backs Stachel. During a strafing mission covering the retreat of the German Army, Stachel disobeys orders and engages enemy fighters. The rest of the squadron follows him. Later, Heidemann confronts him because half his pilots were killed in the ensuing dogfight. Stachel does not care. He has shot down enough aircraft, even without Willi's kills, to qualify for the Blue Max. Enraged, Heidemann submits a report recommending a court-martial. Both men are ordered to Berlin. There, von Klugemann tells Heidemann that Stachel is to receive the Blue Max because the people need a hero. The general orders Heidemann to withdraw his report. Heidemann resigns his command and accepts a desk job. Later that evening, Keati visits Stachel and suggests they flee to neutral Switzerland, since defeat is inevitable. Stachel refuses. The next day, Stachel is awarded the Blue Max by the Crown Prince in a well-publicised ceremony. Field Marshal von Lenndorf telephones von Klugermann to order him to stop the ceremony since an investigation has been opened into Stachel's claim. The general asks how the field marshal knew about that. He turns to his wife and realises that she is responsible. When Heidemann reports that the new monoplane that he