7. Above and Beyond
Site score: 7, IMDb score: 3 Overall score: 10
Directed by Roberta Grossman
Year: 2014
In 1948, newly established Israel was in dire straits. Surrounded by hostile Arab armies on all side, Israel was outnumbered and outgunned. Its Air force was especially fragile, consisting at the start of the war of only 10 planes, smuggled from Czechoslovakia. Responding to the call for help, volunteer pilots from the USA came to Israel to help their people defend their new homeland. Flying a ragtag collection of airplanes consisting of British, American, French and German machines, these pilots helped turn the tide and secure the existence of Israel. They were called Machal – volunteers from abroad – and they were among the first pilots of the Israeli Air Force.
