Successful WWI pilot Luciano Serra has problems adjusting to an ordinary life in peace, so he leaves his family and becomes a pilot in America. In the 30s, his son in Italy wants also to become a pilot, and Luciano accepts an offer of a double dealing agent for a flight from Rio to Rome, but his plane crashes in the Atlantic. For the world Luciano Serra is missing, but he has entered the Italian army under a new name to fight in Ethiopia. The train in which his unit travels is attacked by Ethiopian soldiers, his son flying a reconasaince mission is shot down and wounded by the same attacking enemies. Will Luciano be able to fly the plane back, to get close air support for the outnumbered Italian troups?

Luciano Serra è un padre di famiglia che per amore del volo rischia di alienarsi l'affetto dei suoi cari. La moglie infatti l'abbandona. Serra viene dato per morto in un incidente aereo. Invece è vivo e, dopo quasi vent'anni, si arruola volontario per la guerra d'Africa. Lì ritrova suo figlio e gli salva la vita a prezzo della propria.