Luftwaffe Oberst (Colonel) Josef "Pips" Priller and his wingman Heinz Wodarczyk were some of the only Luftwaffe air forces to attack the Normandy beaches on June 6th, 1944 during the D-Day landings. Despite recovering from a hangover brought on by heavy drinking the previous night and extensive Allied air presence, Priller and Wodarczyk managed to strafe Sword Beach in their Focke Wolfe FW190 fighters (Messerschmitt Bf 108 trainers in the film) before making their way back to base. The bellies of their FW190s were covered in scrapes from treetops due to them flying so low to avoid Allied aircraft. Wodarczyk was later killed in action on Jan. 1, 1945, but Priller survived the war with 101 confirmed aerial victories and opened and managed a brewery after the war until his death in 1961.

Scenes are from "The Longest Day" (1962). Priller is portrayed by Heinz Reincke and Wodarczyk (oddly named "Bergsdorff" in the film) by Hartmut Reck.

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