Jiro Horikoshi's love of flight inspires him to become an aviation engineer in Japan, where he designs the A-6M World War II fighter plane. After World War II, Jiro's esteem for the Goodyear blimp stems from its ethereal grace and unwavering performance, but when the fleet is mothballed, he fears the end of his career as well. The arrival of a young American engineer keen to help Jiro redesign the blimp for a modern era offers him a new lease on both his career and dreams.