John Frazer has always known his destiny is to be a Royal Air Force pilot. As a young man, he zealously studies vast amounts of technical information on ships and aircraft and their operation. By the time he is trained to fly in Rhodesia, it is July 1951, and John is ready for anything-or so he thinks.

As John trains over the vast grasslands of Africa, he feels far removed from Europe, where storm clouds are gathering and a Cold War is brewing. After John graduates at the top of his flying class and wins an aerobatic prize, he moves on to serve in his first tour of duty as a fighter...