FAQ

Few aeroplanes would attack aiming their noses at their targets (as dive-bombers would); the majority would fly across their targets, raking their targets as they passed overhead. As may be seen from actual photographs of Dunkirk, many soldiers did shoot back, but hitting a flying target, even with thousands of bullets, is very difficult. It's why it takes practice to hit game-birds during a shoot, and that's with shotguns. The aeroplanes' speed and height give illusions of easy targets. As well, aeroplanes could be hit numerous times in non-vital spots (or even vital spots) and not suffer irreparable damage. Also, the distance the planes are from the shooter, its likely the bullet would reach terminal velocity and simply bounce off the Hull of the plane with no kinetic energy left behind the bullet.

Each of these refers to the separate storylines that end up converging at the evacuation of Dunkirk.

The Mole starts a week before the evacuation. The story of the soldiers trying everything they can to secure a ride back to England. Along with the officers trying to figure out how to get the troops off the beach and back home.

The Sea takes place a day before the evacuation. This story focuses on the father and son taking their yacht to Dunkirk to help evacuate the troops.

The Air takes place one hour before the evacuation, with the fighter pilots doing their best to defend the skies against the German Air attacks.

As with most war films, they are fictional or heavily dramatised stories based on actual events. The character of Dawson, who set sail on his private yacht with his son to rescue soldiers at Dunkirk is indeed heavily inspired by Charles Lightoller. Who survived the sinking of the Titanic, commanded a Battleship during World War I, and during World War II, took his yacht to Dunkirk to help rescue the soldiers. Also, Lightoller's son was in the RAF - as is Dawson's older son in the film - and Dawson was forced to steer his ship to avoid air attacks as did Lightoller.