The novel by the oldest Russian military writer Ivan Vasilyevich Chernykh is dedicated to the pilots of long-range bomber aircraft who defeated the fascist invaders in the south of our country during the Great Patriotic War. The fates of its three main characters - regiment commander Fyodor Menshikov, crew commander Alexander Tumanov and detective Viktor Petrovsky - extraordinary and strong-willed people are revealed in brutal battles with the enemy and in acute conflict situations. In the most difficult combat situations, their military and commander skills mature, and front-line friendship grows stronger.