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The Dawn Patrol Overview:

The Dawn Patrol (1938) was a War - Drama Film directed by Edmund Goulding and produced by Hal B. Wallis, Jack L. Warner and Robert Lord.

Academy Awards 1930/31 --- Ceremony Number 4 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best WritingJohn Monk SaundersWon
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The Dawn Patrol BlogHub Articles:

The Dawn Patrol ( 1938 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Oct 15, 2015 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

They roared through the dawn...with death on their wings! Yes indeedee, rip-roaring action abounds in The Dawn Patrol. Where Errol Flynn walks, how can adventure help but follow? It's 1915. In central France the 39th Aerial Squadron of the British Royal Flying Corps is losing men like flies to en... Read full article

The Dawn Patrol ( 1938 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Oct 15, 2015 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

They roared through the dawn...with death on their wings! Yes indeedee, rip-roaring action abounds in The Dawn Patrol. Where Errol Flynn walks, how can adventure help but follow? It's 1915. In central France the 39th Aerial Squadron of the British Royal Flying Corps is losing men like flies to en... Read full article

The Dawn Patrol ( 1938 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Oct 15, 2015 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

They roared through the dawn...with death on their wings! Yes indeedee, rip-roaring action abounds in The Dawn Patrol. Where Errol Flynn walks, how can adventure help but follow? It's 1915. In central France the 39th Aerial Squadron of the British Royal Flying Corps is losing men like flies to en... Read full article

The Dawn Patrol (1938)

By Beatrice on Nov 30, 2013 From Flickers in Time

The Dawn Patrol Directed by Edmund Goulding Written by Seton I. Miller and Dan Totheroh from a story by John Monk Saunders 1938/USA Warner Bros. First viewing Phipps: [sadly] No, not awfully. I really enjoyed the acting in this all-male war film. In 1915 France, Major Brand (Basil Rathbone) comman... Read full article

Warner Archive Wednesday ~ The Dawn Patrol (1930)

By Raquel Stecher on Mar 20, 2013 From Out of the Past - A Classic Film Blog

The Dawn Patrol (1930) is directed by Howard Hawks and stars Richard Barthelmess, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Neil Hamilton. It's an all-male cast which includes Frank McHugh in his debut role. The year is 1915 and we are in the middle of WWI. The Dawn Patrol consists of Commanding Officer Major Bran... Read full article

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The Dawn Patrol Quotes:

Phipps: [Opens package dropped by enemy plane] It's his helmet and goggles. It means a very gallant gentleman died this afternoon. And for what? What have all these deaths accomplished? So many fine chaps have died in this war and are going to die in future wars.
[pause]
Phipps: That's all, gentlemen.
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The Dawn Patrol Facts
As Major Brand, Basil Rathbone is seen wearing the ribbon for the Military Cross. He was awarded this medal for bravery during the First World War as a second lieutenant. Captain Courtney, Errol Flynn and later Lieutenant Scott, played by David Niven are also seen with ribbons but were too young to server in that conflict. Niven attended Sandhurst Military Academy and then served for two years in Malta. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he returned to England and re-joined the army. Flynn was granted a 4-F deferment during then Second World War due to his weak heart. He later stated that his only regret was his non-participation in that conflict.
Most of the aerial footage comes from Warner Bros.' previous 1930 version (The Dawn Patrol).
One of the Nieuports used in the movie is now on display at the Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker Alabama.
The filmmakers needed several shots of the planes taking off and landing. They assembled a squadron of 17 vintage WW1 aircraft, most of them Nieuports. Flying them proved just as hazardous as in WW1. By the time filming ended, stunt flyers had crashed 15 of them.
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