Educational Media Reviews Online

Last Flight to Berlin is an excellent addition to any collection of aviation or military history. In addition to its value as a record of World War II aviation, Robert Linnell's film is a moving tribute to his father, his mother, and the entire generation that fought World War II.

The story of Lloyd Linnell's final bombing raid on the night of January 29, 1944 naturally provides dramatic tension because the Canadian military had doubts about the Halifaxes they flew, and because the 434 squadron's bomber crews had a notoriously low survival rate. Interviews with men who survived the same raid heighten the sense of loss: that night, their squadron lost more men and aircraft than ever before. Even more remarkable is that Robert Linnell not only located, but interviewed on camera, the anti-aircraft gunner (“Nightfighter”) who shot down his father's plane. Hauptmann Friedrich Tober explains in detail how the Germans identified and pursued Allied planes, but he is also a sympathetic character. He beautifully summarizes his feelings about that night and perhaps the entire war: “There is little room to think about whether one returns the next day unscathed. That was a thing of destiny.”

Last Flight to Berlin has high production values, which make it an appealing film for both classroom and home viewers. Overall, its strongest feature is its balance of historical detail and storytelling, which peaks when Robert sees the site of his father's crash: a clearing persists because the phosphorus from the bombs his plane carried prevents anything from growing, even 60 years later.