I GO DIVING DOWN part 5:
It was one of those lazy summer days in /MO 4. In fact I felt
pretty safe as the only dots I could see had little green icons
just like mine. I was just lifting off the runway when unusual
things started to happen. This time the messenger of death
arrived with a friendly greeting.
*6666 Hey! Is that you Scav?
*4444 Scav's Up!
*3999 Hey,Scav
Reluctantly my eyes left the horizon and moved downward to the
little black place where the messages come from. It was a place
I have ignored as being new meant NO RADIO MESSAGES! Raising the
gear was forgotten as I tried to recall the radio procedure.
Lets see I am already on Ch#1 so if I just type / and then the
reply, yes that's it just / reply.
/YUP
I type the shortest message I can think of, then my hand races
back to the view keys and my eyes back to the horizon as the
aircraft begins to buffet. I push the nose back down and then I
stab at the views but they no longer work. I am now blind in
every direction but forward.
*6666 We sure like reading your posts Scav!
*4444 Yea,They are pretty funny.
*3999 Switch to CH2 Scav!
A cold sweat begins to form on my brow. The airspeed
indicator is now going down not up. The buffeting is now
being complemented by the stall indicator light as it
joyfully blinks on and off. I don't want to be rude, yet I want
to live. To fly, to roll and go diving down on some
unsuspecting prey. Instead I am less than 200 ft. off the ground
rapidly approaching a mountain, staggering on the
verge of a stall, landing gear down, views out trying to write a
letter with my left hand and fly with my right just because some
guy said Hi Scav! Is that you?
I am thinking fast. Why are the views out. My eyes travel to the
message line.
/Yup
sits there waiting to be............... Entered, that's it I
have to hit enter to send. I quickly hit the enter and then my
hand races back to the views. They work again. Why is my
airspeed so low? Oh my God! The flaps are down. I must have hit
the flaps when I was pounding on the views trying to get them to
work. Flaps Up. Air Speed starts to crawl back up toward
100IAS. The buffeting subsides and the stall light quits
blinking. Something is still not right the airspeed is going up
but too slowly. Oh, the gear is still down. I think its damaged.
I am getting awfully close to that mountain...
I have absolutely no idea who shot me down. I never saw him.
Just just as I was trying to type the commands to switch to
Channel #2 there were those red flashs going off all over the
cockpit as someone put and end to my misery.
I am sure that sending messages back and forth can really
be fun. One hand whipping the stick to and fro a roll here and
immelman there while with the left hand one sends
messages of encouragement, friendship or even invitations to a
duel of death. I will learn this. Someday I too will wait high
above some DWEEB I will radio Hi Dweeb, Having Fun!!! When he
reaches out with that left hand I will see his aircraft begin to
wobble. Then, I WILL COME DIVING DOWN!! hehehehehehe
But,For me,today, it was sort of like having the mailman show up
just as I am trying to put out a fire in my house. I am naked
and running around trying to figure out what room holds the dog
and the cat. I hear the fire engines in the distance. They are
NOT going to get here in time.
The mailman arrives, holding out a packet of mail and says just
sign here. I say excuse me but my house is on fire here! He
doesn't go away. He smiles sweetly and says they really enjoy
reading your letters.
Reluctantly I reach into my pocket for my pen
but I have no cloths on. The dog is howling, the neighbors are
watching and I am wishing the fire would come and just take me
quickly away.
* Numbers have been changed to accurately represent the
confusion
SCAVENGER aka [RADIO MAN]
=================================================================
I GO DIVING DOWN PART 6 Eagle Day
T-30 I report to my assigned Attack Sqd. #609 and present my log
book; I receive a hearty welcome and a pleasant round of jolly
good banter.
T-20 I am quizzed on my experiences with AWTA; My hours with
instructor Bushwacker; and My flying experience in general;
T-18 Everyone gathers in good fellowship to hear my response; I
reply that; Actually old chaps, I only took one session with
Bushwacker and the ruddy AWTA before my Uncle Dowding pulled me
out the class and sent me here; The Sqd seems to gather more
closely as I answer more questions about flying the Spit;
T-15 My log book and responses are collected
T-10 I am put under close arrest until someone from intelligence
arrives;
T-09 I am strip searched and required to explain the rules of
cricket;
T-07 They are finally satisfied I wasn't parachuted in by the
Luftwaffe to sabotage an attack Sqd;
T-06 Someone from Group HQ. escorts me away from the good ole
chaps in #609 and flies me over to Patrol Sqd. 610
T-08 Sqd 610 Welcomes me and asks a few questions while examining
my log book; They ask me to look at my map and discuss the
defence sectors; They listen closely to my answers;
T-06 I am strip searched and required to explain why Edward gave
up the Crown
T-04 I am given back my uniform but no parachute and no side arm;
T-03 I am climbing out of B-33, a grin on my face, guns armed,
heading for the English Channel to do battle;
T-02 Hdqs requests that I return to the field as Eagle Day has
not started yet;
T-01 I am strip searched and required to explain Cromwell's
tactics at the Battle of Waterloo.
T-00 The Sqd leader escorts me to my patrol sector
T+1:30 I have seen one enemy aircraft, have not fired my guns and
flew 1:30 min on the fence line. The only British casualty in my
sector occurs at T+90 when ole man Herms, at the Dairy, looks up
to see my plane, trips and falls on his hayfork.
But Gentlemen it was Eagle Day and I was there!!
=================================================================
I GO DIVING DOWN PART 7
Because of these the technical articles I have written for Air
Warrior-----I am getting requests for more detailed
source material. Some of these books will be available
from the AWTA Library.
Thirty Seconds Over Anywhere
also titled Shortest Raids in History
The history of the DooLittle or nothing raids by
Scavenger
Covers the 30 second raid over the B-Land Carriers
The 12 second raid on an A-26
The 9 second raid on A-16
and much much more.
To Fly and Die
The Eagle Day sequel to Thirty Seconds over Anywhere
Reach for the Ground
The true story of a mentally disadvantaged DWEEB
Augernaut
The day to day diary of Americas first Augernaut.
One Brief Shining Moment
As told to Wm Manchester by Scavenger
A series of recollections just before the wheels left the
ground.
Unsafe at any Speed
As told to Ralph Nader by Scavenger
A series of recollections just after the wheels left the
ground
Fighter Combat
In depth discussion of combat tactics between Scavenger and
Robert DeNiro*
Low YoYo
High YoYo
Walking the Dog
Around the World
Are you talking to me?
The Bridges at Yoko Ono
Imagine there are no countries, and no radar too.
I hope these selections will help prepare your mind for the
tough days ahead.
*Robert Shaw (Mouse) was invited but gratefully declined.
=================================================================
I GO DIVING DOWN 7
Dweebering, oops, During the battle of Munda I, at last, had an
opportunity to exit the rands of Dweebdom. The enemy bomber
formation tried to sneak around the my patrol route. I caught
them redhanded and radioed command where to vector the entire
Japanese force to intercept. Only problem was I radioed the wrong
sectors and then got shot down. When asked to explain the misshap
I wrote the following to command at Christmas 1993.
THE NIGHT BEFORE MUNDA
It was the night before Munda, when all through the house.
Not a creature was stirring,... no spoons and no mouse.
The maps and sectors were put in to place.
In hopes that the Scav would make no mistakes.
The Scav was nestled all snug in his bed.
While visions of enema danced in his head.
The take off next day was at T-ZERO.
The Scavenger hoped he'd soon be a hero.
His mission was to be a good scout.
His comrades awaited the sound of his shout.
The time passed slowly as onward he flew.
The moments grew tense, his anxiety grew.
When all of a sudden there arose such a sight.
The enema Bomber wing in all of their might.
Then down came the fighters they lanced through the sky.
Scav. must report, for soon he would die.
The radio came on, the message was fast.
"Come Kotoshi and Bebop, on Twisted and Crash.
To the top of my sector I'm in 2 comma 2.
Hurry Grey Eagle, and Bushwacker too.
The fighters came down, their tracers flashed red.
Scavenger knew, he soon would be dead.
The flames then burst from the front of his Zero
Yes, he would die, but die as a hero.
As he started to burn he heard so much chatter
He listened to hear what could be the matter.
The radio broadcasted, the words he most feared.
Scav, reported the wrong sector, no bombers are here.
His earphones turned red as his Commander exclaimed
This could cost us the battle, God, Dweebs are a pain!
_____________________________ _________________________
Does that clear things up a bit?
