With perfect flying formation,the Spitfires and A-20 Boston's flew towards their target,determined to destroy it.
It wasn't a massive amount of airpower,but they could certainly do plenty of damage,provided they could get past the fully expected,German fighter counter-attack.
In command of the fighter escort for the Boston's,was Squadron Leader Jennings.Jennings was young,just past his twentieth birthday,and was a very popular man amongst his pilots.
Jennings was also highly experienced in fighter v fighter combat.He'd participated in plenty of dogfights,and was an ace,credited with ten confirmed kills.
Like all the men under his command,Jennings could fly very well.Rigorous training and hardened battle experience had made him this way.
Jennings had taken part in the Battle for Britain,and he was pleased to sense the atomosphere amongst his people,that they'd beaten the Germans off.It was now their turn to mount their offensive,which was of course,to bomb and strafe any enemy military targets in mainland Europe.
The missions were exciting,but were also highly dangerous.Jennings knew the Germans always put up a highly skilled,ferocious defence,and losses were high.
Despite that,Jennings was still determined to keep up the attack.The Germans were the invaders,and he was going to help liberate those people suffering under the cruel Nazi regime.
He then saw the target airfield in the distance.It was home to the much respected 'Abbeville Boys' a crack unit of German fighter pilots,under the highly skilled leadership of Adolf Galland.Beating them wasn't going to be easy.
He checked his gun switches,and flicked them open,ready to fire,and that's when he saw the distant black flecks in the sky up ahead.
'Blue Leader to Blue Flight,'Jennings informed his squadron of the incoming threat.'Enemy at Angels 15.Proceed to Angels 20.Stand by.'
Jennings flew his Spitfire up,and moved to a position ready to attack.He was lucky this time.It was a perfect,sunny day,and they had the Sun behind them.Perfect for an ambush.
He checked his squadron,and was pleased to see his pilots staying with him.He knew it had to be a damn good first move,so they could knock out as many as enemy fighters out of the sky as possible.
The Bostons had now already began to make their bombing runs on the airfield.Jennings could see the bomb blasts on the ground,just as he banked his Spitfire over to attack the Germans.
He could see the usual Messerschmitt 109's,but he also noticed the dreaded Focke-Wolf 190 aircraft.Jennings knew if these planes had a highly skilled pilot,they'd all be in serious trouble.
Nevertheless,he was committed,and he kept calm,lining up his firing sight on his chosen target:one of the Focke-Wolf 190's.
His Spitfire's armament consisted of four .303 Browning machine guns,and he had two 20mm cannons included too.This was what he used to fire.
Whoever the enemy pilot was,Jennings had no idea,but after a couple of seconds firing,he knew the German had never seen him.The Focke-Wolf exploded into a brilliant fireball,forcing Jennings to break violently.He never saw a parachute from the enemy plane.
Another two German fighters were successfully destroyed by his pilots,before the enemy reacted,now fully aware of their presence.
The whole German group took violent,evasive action,and the sky was now full of airplanes,either engaged in furious dogfights,or desperately trying to get away from being the hunted to the hunter.
Jennings had to admit he was lucky here.Having successfully destroyed a German fighter,he'd managed to shoot down another two,but his wingman then warned him two more Germans were coming in behind them,and they had the upper hand over them.
Quickly,Jennings countered,turning his Spitfire,just in time too.He saw the vapour trails of the Germans cannon fire going over his cockpit.He knew from the angle of the shells if they'd hit his aircraft,it would have been disastrous.
Fortunately,he'd successfully evaded the Germans fire,and turned to check on the enemy's position.His face was still grim,seeing them still on their tails.This was going to a tough fight.
However,Jennings was eager to meet the challenge,and both he and his wingman now engaged into a savage dogfight.
Jennings had to admit these two German pilots really knew their stuff.They hung onto his every move,but Jennings was also highly experienced,determined to get the upper hand.
However,as they battled on through the sky,Jennings knew he couldn't stay in the dogfight forever.He would still need fuel to get back home,and this was now entering his thoughts.
Just then,the two German fighters broke away.
Jennings was slightly taken aback by this.The dogfight had been in their favour,so why had they left? Perhaps they were running short of fuel,just as Jennings knew he was too.It was time to head back home.
He pointed his Spitfire into the direction of England,and he began to increase his speed.
Checking his altitude,Jennings could see he was very low.The French countryside looked peaceful,but he did see a small motorised German coloumn not too far off.He even recognised the Nazi flags placed on the front of the cars.
Just for a second,he thought he saw a pretty girl,bound and gagged in the backseat,and a very beautiful,but cold faced woman dressed in the dreaded Gestapo uniform,sitting next to the girl.
All thoughts of getting back home vanished instantly in him,as he was determined to help that girl tied up in the car.He had seen the utter fear in her eyes on his flypast.
Grimly,he began to line up his firing sight on the German coloumn,and he commenced firing.
The attack was a success,as he destroyed the German infantry there,as their troop carriers burst into flames.Jennings had seen all the troops jump out from their vehicles,but he had nailed them.
A couple of the German cars made a break for it,but Jennings kept his eye on the vehicle with the girl inside.He just had to wait for the right moment.There was a good chance the driver might lose control,but Jennings badly wanted to keep the girl alive.The last thing he wanted,was for his bullets to send that car out of control.
Grimly,he pulled the Spitfire up,wanting to check the area where the car might head too.
It was then,that disaster struck.
Jennings suddenly felt the whole aircraft shudder violently,and he heard cannon shells tearing into his fuselage.He cursed himself violently.Why the hell hadn't he checked for more enemy?
He'd instantly knew what had hit him.A mobile anti-aircraft unit,and Jennings could see he was in deep trouble.
A sheet of flame suddenly began to emerge from his wing,and Jennings knew he had to abandon the aircraft.
He was far too low to bail out.To do so,meant death,so he began to prepare for a crash landing.
Jennings prayed he wouldn't blow up on impact,or at the very worst,being burned alive,trapped in his cockpit.He could still remember the screams of the men he'd lost in battle.Shot down,but unable to escape their disintergrating planes,their final moments of terror had never left Jennings.He had a faint feeling if it was his turn to die.
Grimly,the fields loomed up in his cockpit,and with clenched teeth,Jennings then landed his Spitfire.
As his plane hurtled forward,Jennings anxiously checked the flames on the wing,and was alarmed to see the flames bigger.His ammunition and fuel were in that wing,and it could blow any second.Jennings knew he had only moments.
More to follow...
