Ok, here's a real one:
Month or so ago, one of the rotations through the Equinox map. Major action going at one of the fields on the northernmost island (A7, I think). A bunch of guys I usually tag along with were hitting one of the vehicle bases in the eastern part of the island, and I took off from the wrong base (in my defense, it's where they suggested upping from, and was close in number to where they probably meant--A8 rather than A18) so was trailing really far behind.
Anyway, I get over 7 and figure I'd join the furball since I didn't see any other action. I singled out a Spit heading away from the fight below me, so I roll in, aiming to get onto his 6-low (love doing that in an F4U with 450mph IAS, can shoot up like a rocket into their blind spot, did that to an ElGay once, starting at his 3 o'clock high, perfect low-yo put him right into my convergence as I pulled up
). As I'm accelerating, I see another dot, and as I enter con range it's ddewil (can't remember how to spell your handle, dude!) in a Goon headed for the vehicle base, unaware of the Spit closing in on his six.
Well, the Spit sees me and breaks, and we enter a brief looping fight. He's warping so bad, though, (had some connection issues taking off that hadn't quite smoothed out yet) and even when I get a shot I'm not able to pull the trigger. However no worries, 'cause he augered himself (funny how those hills can just jump up at you like that
). I give dd the news (was a bit too wrapped up in the fight to warn him, seeing as the Spit broke off to fight me, anyway) and the guys are pretty concerned that they've been spotted.
The rest of the way in I stick close to the Goon, although so far no trouble. As we near the base we con a 190 (a D9) coming in, he's above us and diving in (I think he was on the far side of the Goon, and far enough above me I couldn't climb up). dd manages to dodge his first pass and I try to swing in on him, but he's pretty far out by now in a zoom climb and I'm trying to catch up. sac4 had come into range at about the same time as the 190 and was now diving in a HO on him, but he goes down, leaving just me between the Dora and the Goon.
As the 190 comes back in I manage to swing in behind him and we really get into it, first an extended yo-yoing/looping fight, then into a scissors (insane the way those Doras can roll). I'm in behind him, just keeping up with his scissors (Hogs can roll, too
) and taking pot shots when he crosses my guns. Most of them miss, but I start landing a couple pings and picking pieces off him.
I don't know whether he was low on gas or ammo, or if I'd hit something critical, (I have no time for channel 200) but he breaks off and starts running relatively level for a second. Even that brief pause gave me the time to spit him in my convergence and finish him off.
Had a close call with a train right as I was pulling away, and rejoined the attack on the V-base. I died later trying to get the manned ack so the Goon could get in, but we took that base right after I reupped. Twice I saved that Goon when there was no one else around, and it's probably the only time I've provided a truly meaningful contribution to a capture effort (beyond being just another target to shoot down). I wonder if anyone got that on film, I didn't.
