started out in the film industry as the assistant to a Literary Agent on Long Island, New York. After being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Reserve National Guard, he moved to Los Angeles to try his luck in Hollywood. Offered extra work on shows like “Tour of Duty” and “China Beach” he realized there was a market for someone who could deliver background actors who knew how to march, salute, handle firearms, etc. and formed VETS Military Advisors. After making a good impression on films such as “Robert Heinlein’s The Puppetmasters” and “Strange Days”, he was hired by Producer Stratton Leopold as the Military Technical Advisor on Fox’s “Courage Under Fire.” Working for director Ed Zwick inspired him to want to work on the more creative side of the business and as he added Technical Advisor credits he also began exploring opportunities to develop and produce his own projects. Aylward put his career on hold in early 2001 when he was asked to come on temporary active duty to conduct Anti-Terrorism courses for the National Interagency Civil-Military Institute in San Luis Obispo, California. He was there on September 11th and knew that his tour would be extended indefinitely. Indeed, he stayed at NICI until he left to serve as a producer on the Hallmark Channel film “Silent Night.” Afterwards he divided his time between the military and film before deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (VIII) where he served as a Civil Affairs Officer on a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Nuristan Province (the setting of the film “The Man Who Would Be King”) and was awarded the Combat Action Badge. He returned from Afghanistan and was asked to help stand up a pilot program for the State Department to train civilians who would be working with the military. Aylward deployed again in the Spring of 2011 to Kunduz Province, where he served as the liaison to a German Provincial Reconstruction Team. He returned home a year later and continued to train both civilian and military audiences. He retired from the Army Reserve in 2013 after 26 years of service.
Fitch and Wooly seek cover between parked police cars, while Eddit keeps shooting and retreating back to the FBI’s line. More troopers fall under the hail of bullets.
Wooly sweeps his machine gun back and forth, shooting more Nazi troopers.
Sinclair pauses, and picks up a German machine gun.
“Careful!” yells Wooly, “He’s got the girl!”
The Luxembourg looms closer to the ground.
“Watch out for that Zeppelin,” says Fitch. “It’s full of hydrogen. One bad shot, and we’ll all fry!”
Valentine continues to shoot at the Nazis while he moves toward the line of police cars. More troopers get shot.
Sinclair reaches the observatory stairway, and begins to climb.
Spanish Johnny and Mike are also firing at the storm troopers, and are back to the Astronmers’ Memorial.
Lothar tugs at Jenny’s hand, leading her up the observatory steps, while Sinclair follows closely behind her. Neville shoots out one of the carbon arc lights.
The Nazi troopers are laying down covering fire, but they’re in full retreat.
“Come on, boys!” says Fitch, “We’ve got ’em on the run!” The FBI men, along with the police, begin advancing on the Nazis, shooting in many short bursts from their machine guns.
Meanwhile, a flexible ladder descends from the gondola of the zeppelin. Lothar continues to shove Jenny toward the ladder. Jenny resists, but Lothar insists.
Sinclair is sweeping the crowd below with his machine gun, then follows Jenny up the ladder to the control room.
The tide has turned in the battle — the FBI agents are advancing while several troopers fall.
Jenny reaches the top of the ladder and is pulled into the control room. Sinclair boards the ship behind her and gets a full status update from the Captain. “Mein Herr…” begins the Captain.
“Get this ship out of range!” yells Sinclair. “Schnell!”
“Klar!” replies the Captain.
The Gestapo Officer on board approaches Sinclair. “Sie haben die rakete nicht? Antworten sie mir! (You do not have the rocket? Answer me)!” says the Gestapo Officer. He repeats in English, “Where’s the rocket?”
“We have the girl,” says Sinclair, removing his hat. “The rocket will come to us.” Searchlights shine through the cabin of the zeppelin.
In This Minute
Bill Campbell as Cliff Secord
Timothy Dalton as Neville Sinclair
Jennifer Connelly as Jenny Blake
Paul Sorvino as Eddie Valentine
Tiny Ron as Lothar
Robert Miranda as Spanish Johnny
Daniel O’Shea as Mike
James Handy as Wooly
Ed Lauter as Fitch
Heinrich James as Nazi Agent
Herman Poppe as Zeppelin Captain
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