Mounting aerial losses cause their commanding general to order the flight into forward action, to engage the Germans and protect the reconnaissance aircraft. Alan gets a Lewis gun fitted to his aircraft, and a new French engine.
German Zeppelins are making bombing raids across Britain, and the unit are ordered to forget aerial combat and bomb the Zeppelin sheds in Belgium. They have to learn bombing techniques, first.
Triggers has to drop a female British spy behind enemy lines and their plane suffers engine failure. They are captured, and are scheduled to be shot at dawn, as spies.
Charles crashes and loses his nerve. Triggers posts him to Britain as an instructor. In his London family home he joins a dinner with a government minister. Charles gives frank views on the BE2's shortcomings and, later, why he is back.
Charles is training new pilots in the south of England but rules forbid him teaching anything potentially dangerous. New pilots cannot even fly in slightly adverse weather conditions. Charles doesn't follow the rules, and a tragedy follows.
Alan is still in occupied territory, and plans an escape. A German attack on Sainte Marie means all but one of their planes are destroyed, and several men are killed.
Alan is recommended for a commission, but does not receive a lot of support from either the other officers or the NCOs, apart from Triggers, who recommended him. His conduct in shooting down observation balloons affects the result.
Soldiers from a battalion stationed nearby break into Sainte Marie and steal the pilots' rations. These mutineers set up their own camp and have to be dealt with.
The unit is put under French command, to help fight large numbers of German Eindeckers. Charles is shot down, but manages to gather some important intelligence.
