An American Eagle 1916-1917 relates the odyssey of Alex Sutton, a brilliant American aeroplane designer and pilot who, while still in his early twenties, enlists with the Royal Flying Corps to serve as a fighter pilot in France along the Western Front. There, Sutton flies an F7, a fast, rugged twin-gun biplane that he designed and tested himself. Sutton soon thrives and becomes an Ace. But more importantly, he manages to survive and overcome all sorts of adversity whether in aerial combat or within his own squadron.