The Last Flight (The Twilight Zone)

"The Last Flight" is the 25th episode of the first season of the American anthology television series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on February 5, 1960, on CBS. Written by Richard Matheson and directed by William Whitney, the episode features Kenneth Haigh as Lt. William Terrance Decker, a Royal Air Force pilot from 1917 who inexplicably finds himself transported to a modern (1959) American airbase.

The plot centers on Decker's disorientation and initial disbelief at his situation. He is discovered landing a First World War-era Sopwith Camel on a US Air Force base. Air Force personnel, initially skeptical, gradually come to believe his story. As they investigate the plane and attempt to understand the anomaly, Decker grapples with the implications of being thrust so far into the future.

The episode explores themes of time travel, disbelief, and the potential for redemption. Decker, initially portrayed as somewhat jaded and possibly cowardly, is ultimately given a chance to alter his past and potentially improve his future by returning to his own time with foreknowledge of events. The ending is left somewhat ambiguous, suggesting the possibility of Decker acting on his newfound knowledge to change the course of history.

"The Last Flight" is noted for its strong central performance by Haigh, its evocative atmosphere, and its use of classic Twilight Zone themes of the unexplained and the transformative power of extraordinary events. It remains a popular and frequently discussed episode within the series' canon.