A78 is a sector field on the norhtern pizza slot. Last night Bish were gangraping it in numbers. The sector bar was all red and there were something like 7 fighters capping the field, there were evil bish flak:s and pz:ers on the runway (how on earth they got there I have no idea), and a costant stream of red dots otw from the closest bish field to the NE.
Up against these red mongol hordes were one very brave M16 protecting the town, and a handful of brave knight pilots trying to get off the runway. Help was on the way though from a nearby field (77) but 77 is a sector away and there is a significant height difference... In fact the only thing that would be able to get to 78 within reasonable time to help was a 262.
After getting killed twice on the runway of 78 trying to up, I decided to follow the age old wisdom "never try to up from a vulched field, it will only piss you off, and give kills to those that piss you off".
So I rolled a 262 and set cource for 78. The plan was to try to take some pressure off the weary defenders of this mountain base, to buy them some time until the reinforcements could arrive from 77.
When I arrived over 78 it looked like a hornets nest with tracers from our flak going across the sky, red and green dots were swooping around, now and then an explosion rocked the sky. I could see several red ostwinds and panzers on the runway, killing many a brave knight on the spawnpoints. One valliant knight kept the mongol hordes at bay though. In a lone M16 parked near the town he had had enough of running. There he had drawn his line in the sand, not one more step back.
Coming down from 15k I swooped right over the field taking a shot at a P38 diving on a knight fighter trying to roll. I missed naturally, but suddenly I could feel all eyes on me. Most of you know what Im talking about, that feeling when all the fighting stops for a second as every enemy in the sector has got an icon on you...262.
And after me they came, P51s, P38s, Fw190s, A20s, heck I even had a P40 diving down on me from 17k in a desperate attempt to land the mother of all perk loads.
I swooped past them all, and quickly left them behind me. I could see some of them forming a neat line behind me, but others stayed over the field, continuing their dirty work.
Desperately I called on ch2 for help, to no avail "78 is already lost" they said "look at the bar" they continued, "better help over at 214". "Shut up or pay my $15, dweeb general" another one laughed together with his friends.
Apparently most of the valliant knights had given up the hope to up from the utterly vulched base too, at this moment, the only knights in the area was me and that brave M16. But, still there was a line of green coming in towards the field from 77, the closest ones still had something like a sector to go though.
"Help at 78" I yelled at my poor squaddies, probably scaring most of them half to death. "Im in a 262 over the field, spawn gv:s east from 77" I screamed at my friends who up until now had been enjoying some fun furball over some unknown field. I could almost hear a collective sigh from them as they wondered what that lunatic is up to now, as they tried to find 78 on the big big map. "78 will be dead soon", replied one of them. "No NO NO" I yelled as if my words could turn the tide alone. "Steve, can you lower your microphone volume some?" One of them tactfully suggested.
"Ok, ok, I will up a panzer from 77", one called on the vox, and soon others joined him "ok, rolling fighter now..wait there are flak on the runway..no wait NO NO AAARGHH". With a tear in my eye I turned my 262 around for another pass, he would be AVENGED.
Now, help was starting to arrive at the field, as I swooped past the runway once again, I saw HT himself come down from 20k in a shiny new P51D. "If HT is with us", I though, "Who could possibly be against us". Encouraged, I did a 360 turn right over the field, in a fruitless attempt to get a shot in on a Ta152. Meanwhile I could see and hear all the red monsters turn their vile aircraft towards me. At the same time, tracers rose from the ground, stretching their towersending claws towards my little jet.
Suddenly I had P38s at D800 and P51s at D1.2 all spraying like mad in my general direction. I pushed the stick forward, diving towards the ground in a desperate attempt to gain speed. And off I went, this time dragging a long line of vile evil red bish fighters of every kind from P51 to Fw190, from A20 to Ta152...yes, all were there...and all were gunning at me. As I zoomed north, I could hear one of my brave squaddies on the vox yelling "Steve, check 6".
But in Germany they build good airplanes, so I managed to extend once again, and now the green bar in the sector was almost as big as the vile red bar. Could this be success?
But alas, again the tide would turn. Vile evil bish jabo:s had been sent to the surrounding fields to take out all VH:s, now no gvs could spawn within miles of 78. At the same time, more and more red fighters appeared over the field, reinforcing the horrible red flak:s and panzers...making it a hopeless fight.
I turned back once again towards 78, perhaps more in a futile gesture than anyting else. By now, there were almost no green fighters left (I dont know what happened to HT), but still the brave M16 stood there near the town. I saw lots of Typhoons and P38s preparing to dive in on him though, his time would be up soon. What bravery, what hero. I will not desert him, I thought.
In a desperate attempt to save that M16, I jammed my throttle to full, and dived in for one of the P38s attacking him. At D900 I was just about to pull the trigger when he broke hard right, undoubtedly some of his cowardly wingmen had alerted him to my presence. I turned south to get some alt before the next pass when a P51 who had decietfully snook up on me started spraying at D800. I dove to the ground, but I had precious little alt left. I levelled out inches above the ground and looked over my shoulder to see said P51 spray and spray and spray. I was desperately throwing my 262 to the left and right to avoid the deadly stream of .50cal-"tank killer" bullets.
Just 500 yards in front of me is a steep downhill. If I can only get there I will be able to dive to safety. All around me are deadly tracers, I can hear the sound of the near misses.
500 come on come on
.
.
400 P51D is only 450 away now, toejam he is gaining on me
.
.
350 break left, level, break right, level
.
.
300 ...
.
.
BAM Im hit, Im hit
Plane still responding to control input, and one second later I am over the edge and in a 45 degree dive. I could almost hear the P51 jock wet himself with excitement since I was now trailing black smoke from both engines.
oh crap
With trembling fingers I hit ctrl+d to see how bad it is. Engine oil gone in both engines.
Hm...maybe I can survive this.
As I said, in Germany they build good aircraft.
I managed to extend away from the bish fighters, and as I came up on a friendly field the right engine quit. Carefully manuvering my precious jet and watching the needle on the left engine oil move towards 0 I lined up for landing. Soon I realized I was coming in too fast. "Crap" I pumped out two notches of flaps and began a hard turn to the right to bleed speed and altitude. I did that only too well.
Soon the stall horn was screaming and the 262 was wobbling dangerously...more power, ease back on the stick.... oh noo Im heading right for that mountainside, I slam the throttle fully forward and hear the engine scream as I try to squeeze every inch of altitude out of the poor 262. I manage to clear the ground with inches to spare, and now I see the field infront of me. I ease back on the trottle and prepares to set her down. Not on the runway though, I wont be able to make that. I find a nice line on the field that looks clear of ack, fuel, ammo or anything else. "THUMP" the sound is so beautiful when my gears hit the ground. I turn off the engines and brake as hard as I can as Im rolling along. But it is going too fast. And the 262 pulls to the right all the time. No, watch that hangar.
I throw myself on the rudder and despreately try to steer clear of the hangar. And I manage to miss it, but I am going too fast. You know what it feels like when you are turning too fast on the ground and you can feel the plane tilt to one side. Well, there I was in my 262, taxiing on 2 wheels trying to avoid that hangar, and yet not pull too hard and fall over. No no no not like this, I thought.
And the next second it was over. I had cleared the hangar. And I managed to get the third wheel down on the ground safely. I taxiied to the nearest runway and stopped there.
You have landed succesfully
I almost wept.
(What about the squadmate in the Panzer at 78 you ask? Well, he managed to drive off in the wrong direction, and after spending 15 mins climbing the wrong hill he realized his mistake and bailed in disgust (look at the map next time Saw). )
