AREA 88 : “Steinberger ‘76”

In a flashback scene, the West German pilot Hoover (Kfir) saves the Englishman Benditz (A-4E) from certain death after a MiG-21 gets him in his sights. In gratitude, Benditz offers Hoover a bottle of his favourite German wine, a '76 Steinberger.

It's a neat little scene in the Area 88 manga. Hoover later dies, so Benditz (after being discharged) orders a bottle in Paris and drinks in his memory. At first, the French hotelier is a bit offended that someone would order German wine in France... but she does have a bottle stashed away regardless.

The whole chapter is a touching sidebar story actually. We've never seen Benditz up to that point (he's basically created for the story), but this is an unknown story involving the secondary, but well-known, Hoover. The story follows Benditz's successful discharge from Area 88 after serving his full 3 year mercenary contract and his trip home. Everyone calls him lucky because he's never even been hit, his A-4E is in pristine condition (unlike everyone else's). Then, minutes after finally getting off the plane in Heathrow airport in London, he's stabbed in the chest during a random mugging over a couple of pounds and dies on the floor in a puddle of blood. Meanwhile, back at Area 88, everyone is guessing what "lucky Benditz" must be up to, back in the "real world."