The 511th Fighter Group with new P-51s arrives at Archbury to escort the 918 on the home leg of the shuttle mission. On the way, Lieutenant Col. Troper attacks a train, making him 10 minutes late for the rendezvous. The 511th fails to provide the proper recognition codes, and Gallagher's B-17 accidentally shoots down one pilot. On the ground, an angry Troper slugs Gallagher. Gallagher tells Troper to forget about it. They are ordered to train together. In London, Troper gets drunk, insults Gallagher, and takes off with Gallagher's date, Lt. Fay Vendry. Gallagher orders a mission briefing at 0400, but only 12 of the 511th pilots show up. Gallagher has Troper put under house arrest. Merritt leads the fighters, and no bomber is lost.

On a practice for a night mission, Lt. Fay Vendry's unit tracks Col. Gallagher's B-17. They change course and evade successfully, but Capt. 'Chub' Willis has to correct, as he was off target. Chub is distracted by his girl, Kitty. On the actual night mission into Norway to pick up legendary resistance leader Arn Borg, they are told to look for the King Frederick light. It appears to be a trap as the Germans are waiting. The plane gets shot at, lands, and picks up Borg, who brings his son Christian back with him. Gallagher is angry. Back at base, Borg's map is impossible to read. Gallagher is ordered to fly another reconnaissance mission. Borg runs away, so they decide to take Christian to show them the target. Borg comes back and flies the mission. They bomb what seems to be a heavy water storage facility, and the mission is successful. Borg returns to Norway.