Here thought ya'd enjoy re-reading this old story from our AW days;
a true story...
Diving on a helpless F4U, half thinking about were my next victim would be when, behold, a dot appears along the horizon.
For reasons I cannot explain, I was overcome by a strange feeling about this single dot en-route to the aid of his weary countryman. Curiosity turned into obsession.
I aborted my dive & left the F4U no doubt wondering why his life had been spared. I felt my throat go dry and swallowed deeply as I started to climb.
While climbing that strange feeling became stronger & stronger as the dot became closer & closer. "Who was this curious bogie?" I asked myself. "I have been in this situation hundreds of times yet why did this one seem different?"
He closed in with great confidence and speed, yet cautious & aware. It was obvious his intention was to see me flaming into the depths of the Pacific.
I know that particular flight personality of only a few...I knew he was in the arena as reported from squad intelligence..."could it be him?...after all there were 80 or so enemies up, what are the odds?"...the
arena chatter & rumble of my engines fell silent as my blood drew cold.
As we closed in at high speed it was nearly a half a second later when our moment of truth
arrived...my head to head encounter was proceeded by a quick glance into his cockpit directly into cold glazed eye of my enemy.
That half second seemed like an eternity as I noticed his assuming & devilish grin, he had kill marks on his fuselage from my fallen comrades & a picture of his three legged dog Sparky next to his altimeter.
It was only a half a year earlier, I was as green as the grass on a warm summer day. He took me under his wing & taught me the ways of the AIRWARRIOR. As we exchanged glares, memories of the time we spent ruling the skies together were uprooted for a moment. As fate would have it, we are now enemies.
I know there was a second of hesitation on his part, as I felt. After all we were once friends. But the instinctive nature of the fighter pilot took over as did the number one rule of battle; kill or be killed.
I remembered those kill markings of my past wingmen & the time "Sparky the three legged dog" pissed all over my rug. Quickly hesitation turned to hatred.
I turned my head quickly to check six,
only to see his head facing the same direction as our eyes met for the last time.
He pulled up...I followed suit and did the same, again we meet only this time inverted. He pulled a high yo-yo unsuccessfully attempting for my blind spot.
A mistake on his part as he burned E in the
maneuver. Fear turned into excitement & a feeling of relief as now I knew it was only a matter of time.
I had the advantage as long as I don't make a mista.........THE F4U!!! I FORGOT ABOUT THE
F4U!! as we moved into hard right turns, I quickly inverted. I noticed my helpless F4U, is no longer helpless. As I turned with my enemy, I can only watch as the F4U quickly climbs almost within range.
In a split second I had to choose. As to not disappoint him I aggressively elected to pursue my old friend. As I closed on his six, being an experienced pilot, he renders himself unpredictable in a apparent high yo-yo, reverses in mid maneuver and banks in the opposite direction.
A very effective yet difficult move that I rarely see, it can be costly. I follow suit with ease, but burn energy as he does and start to dive.
I instantly realize I cannot dive for that would put me directly in gun sight of
the F4U!
I abort the dive, anticipating a mistake by either one with no avail.
My air speed dropped to 150knts. Unable to dive I lose advantage and begin to jink then I......Silence, my cockpit 1 second earlier once filled with emotion & excitement has turned an eire red, the color of death.
I repeatedly cuss at myself not because of my flying, but realizing I should of taken out that F4U when I had the chance.
Then after a moment or two, I giggled to my self realizing; Someday...someday, its inevitable.
Though fate separated us, fate will provide another chance to prove to my old friend that he has taught me well.
Until that day I wait. Recklis
***Sparky is old and has a bladder problem, plus only havin' 3 legs he can't balance well when peeing, so don't be angry with me that he peed on your rug, cuz' you laughed like the devil when he lost his balance and fell over on his side.***
