Masters of the Air is an American World War II drama that focuses on the “Bloody Hundredth,” a bomber squadron of US soldiers. For history buffs tracing the war’s path through Europe, the real airfields and museums in East Anglia are easy to explore from London by train, as are the Masters of the Air filming locations that brought this Apple TV+ series to life.
Image Credit: Apple TV+
Masters of the Air: what to know about the Apple TV+ series
The latest Apple TV+ series tells another true tale from WWII and features familiar faces.
What is Masters of the Air on Apple TV+ about?
Masters of the Air is an Apple TV+ miniseries about the 100th Bomb Group, a contingent of US Army Air Forces soldiers carrying out dangerous air raids over Nazi Germany. Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg team up again as producers for this third WWII series, following Band of Brothers and The Pacific.
Who is in Masters of the Air?
Masters of the Air features Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Barry Keoghan (Saltburn), Nikolai Kinski, Stephen Campbell Moore, Sawyer Spielberg, Isabel May, James Murray, Nate Mann, Laurie Davidson, Joanna Kulig, Louis Hofmann, Jamie Parker, and Bel Powley.
Is Masters of the Air based on a true story?
Yes, Masters of the Air is based on the book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller. It tells the true story of the bomber squad’s WWII battles.
Image Credit: Apple TV+
Where was Masters of the Air filmed?
Masters of the Air was filmed in England, primarily in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, including:
Bovingdon Airfield Studios
Closest station: Hemel Hempstead
This private movie studio was used for some filming of Masters of the Air, as well as dozens of other films and movies like Argylle, The Crown, See How They Run, Spectre, Paddington 2, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
Trinity Church Square
Closest station: Borough (London Underground)
This square in London was turned into a bomb blast site for Masters of the Air.
Hemel Hempstead
Closest station: Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead’s Old Town didn’t fare much better for Masters of the Air, also being redesigned to resemble bombed-out rubble.
Newland Park
Closest station: Chorleywood | Rickmansworth
Newland Park, which houses the Chiltern Open Air Museum, was used to replicate the real Thorpe Abbotts Airfield in Norfolk for the series.
Image Credit: Apple TV+
Oxford
Closest station: Oxford
You’ll spot a handful of Oxford locations in Masters of the Air, including Catte Street, Radcliffe Square, and the Bodleian Library.
Bray
Closest station: Maidenhead
The Michelin-starred British pub, The Hinds Head, got dressed in its finest 1940s look for Masters of the Air.
Bledlow
Closest station: Princes Risborough
With filming in Norfolk off the table for Masters of the Air, production crews got creative and made this small village resemble one you’d find in Norfolk during the 1940s.
Dalton Barracks
Closest station: Radley | Didcot Parkway
This military base in Abingdon was used for scenes of aircraft taxiing and landing on runways.
Image Credit: Apple TV+
Visit these real Masters of the Air locations in England
Go beyond the series and explore the real locations behind the story.
Thorpe Abbotts Airfield & the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum
Closest station: Diss
The RAF Thorpe Abbotts Airfield is the home of the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum commemorating the history of the “Bloody Hundredth,” including the hundreds of aircraft and airmen they lost in battle.
Halesworth Airfield Memorial Museum
Closest station: Halesworth
The Halesworth (Holton) Airfield Station 365 Memorial Museum was primarily an American base located in Halesworth, just east of the Thorpe Abbotts Airfield. As one of the 50+ American air bases in East Anglia, Halesworth Airfield was home to three other bombing squadrons, including the 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron.
Please note: Halesworth Airfield Memorial Museum is temporarily closed. Please visit the museum’s official website before planning your visit.
And if you’re visiting Masters of the Air filming locations in London, or simply starting your journey through England at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Stansted Airports, check out these military museums in the UK’s capital:
Imperial War Museums (London)
Closest station: Lambeth North (London Underground) | Elephant & Castle (London Underground)
One of the five Imperial War Museums in England, IWM London is a museum dedicated to conflict spanning from the First World War through present-day military engagements.
Churchill War Rooms
Closest station: St. James’s Park (London Underground)
A branch of the Imperial War Museum, the Churchill War Rooms were the secret underground headquarters used by the British government in World War II.
Explore more WWII history through the UK and Europe with help from the Trainline app. Purchase tickets directly on the app and instantly travel to other WWII sites like Normandy’s D-Day beaches and filming locations for Saving Private Ryan.
Header Image Credit: Apple TV+