D III 38 (1939)

Directed by: Herbert Maisch and Hans Bertram

Produced by: Fred Lyssa

Written by: Wolf Neumeister and Hans Bertram

Music by: Robert Küssel

Cinematography: Georg Krause and Heinz von Jaworsky

Edited by: Carl Otto Bartning

Production company: Tobis Film

Distributed by: Tobis Film

Release date: 26 October 1939

Country: Germany

Language: German

Starring:

Christian Kayßler: First lieutenant Mithoff

Otto Wernicke: Senior mechanic Bonicke

Heinz Welzel: Corporal Fritz Paulsen

Hermann Braun: Corporal Robert Eckhard

Adolf Fischer: Corporal Zeissler

Horst Birr: Mechanic Hasinger

Karl Martell: Lt. Ludwig Becker

Fritz Eberth: Radio operator Lindner

Carsta Löck: Farm girl Lina

Paul Otto: General

Paul Bildt: Staff doctor of the flight squadron

Hans Bernuth: Pilot

Ernst Dernburg: Adm. during the maneuver

Erich Dunskus: Farmer

Heinz Engelmann: Lt. Frank

Ilse Fürstenberg: Farmer woman

Malte Jäger: 1-st. Radio operator

Ferry Reich: 2-nd. Radio operator

Josef Kamper: Farmhand

Hilde Land: Cantinero woman

Guenther Markert: Naval officer

Hans Meyer-Hanno: Cantinero

Egon Vogel: Paramedic

Eduard von Winterstein: Country doctor

Wolfgang Staudte: Naval officer

Walter Gross: Radio operator

Theo Brandt: Fliegeroffizier

D III 88 is a 1939 German drama film directed by Herbert Maisch and Hans Bertram and starring Christian Kayßler, Otto Wernicke and Heinz Welzel. It was the last of a series of National-Socialist aviation films to be made before the outbreak of World War II. It was one of the most commercially successful films released during the National-Socialist era. Dr. Joseph Goebbels praised the film as “an irreproachable film of national destiny”. The title, referring to the serial number of the Albatros D.III flown by one of the characters in the World War I, was an attempt to reinforce the link between the modern Luftwaffe and that of World War I.

Plot

Two extraordinary young pilots engage in a competitive rivalry and also fight over the same girl. In an effort to show off both fly into a dangerous storm, damaging their planes and are suspended from duty. They are finally convinced by their commanding officer, a veteran of World War I, to use their talents in a more disciplined way for their country.