Based on the play of the same name by Georgi Mdivani. In September 1941, lieutenant Ilya Streltsov, who graduated from the flight school, was assigned to the fighter aviation regiment guarding the sky of Moscow. He meets in part the nurse Zoya, with whom he grew up in the same yard and with whom he has long been in love. During the first training flight on the "Seagull", lieutenant Streltsov shot down a German plane and received the nickname "Lucky." Streltsov is jealous of the squadron commander to nurse Zoya, believes that he is finding fault with him. For a whole month he is not allowed to fly sorties. In October 1941, lieutenant Streltsov made his first sortie, he shot down one plane and rams the second. For this battle, he is awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

After several days of the offensive, the Red Army detachment settles down to rest. At a halt, the warrior Kuregen tells his comrades-in-arms the story of the feat of the legendary Kazakh batyr Tolagai, who sacrificed his life for the people's good a thousand years ago.