Masters of the Air is an upcoming Apple TV war drama that fans expect to be historically accurate. But are its characters all historical figures? Is John Bucky Egan a real person, for instance?
Who Plays John Bucky Egan? Meet Actor Callum Turner
In Masters of the Air, John Bucky Egan is portrayed by Callum Turner, a 33-year-old British actor.
You might remember him from roles such as Theseus, Newt Scamander's brother in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022).
He has also portrayed Allistair in the 2015 Victor Frankenstein movie and he had the lead roles of Bill Rohan in Queen and Country (2014) and Eli from Glue (2014).
On the 22nd of January 2024, Turner appeared in Masters of the Air's London premiere alongside co-stars Austin Butler (Major Gale Cleven) and Barry Keoghan (Lt. Curtis Biddick) to promote the Apple TV show.
Who Was John Bucky Egan? Real Person Inspiration Explained
Like all major characters from Masters of the Air, John Bucky Egan who is portrayed by Callum Turner was a real person who fought in WWII.
According to the American Air Museum's webpage dedicated to him, Major John Clarence Egan, best known by the nickname "Bucky" was an American pilot in the 418th Bomb Squadron of the 100th Bomb Group.
He was one of the original members of the 100th Bomb Group whose WWII activity is explored in Masters of the Air.
The American Air Museum's entry describes Egan as "the epitome of the devil-may-care wartime bomber pilot," who was a role model for the recruits who joined the 100th Bomb Group at Thorpe Abbotts.
Masters of the Air's trailer already teases such a characterization.
Egan was shot down on the 10th of October, 1943 was a war prisoner for the remainder of WWII.
He survived the war and was able to return to the US in 1945, continuing to serve in the Air Force.
He died of a heart attack in 1961 at the age of 45.
While Masters of the Air will likely portray a dramatized version of Egan's WWII activity, the series is expected to be as true to its real-life inspirations as possible.