A Yankee Flier Over Berlin

targets. He was spotting the exact point where his Third Fighter group would have to turn back an

glumly at the map as Colonel H

six." Station six was a

shook his head. "Are t

target are very good." Weat

ack at the Jerries," the c

ld go it alone all the way and shoot down any number of fighters the Germans could send up. Colonel Holt was a strong supporter for fighter cover. He was battling for a flock of longer-range figh

e done about it," he

e building into a drab night. A raw wind stabbed at him, and sent light clouds scudding across the face of the moon. Overhead, a night

up a muddy street and turned off toward the mess barracks. At one-five in the morning the base looked peaceful enough. Shelte

gated iron roof and a cement floor, two fliers sat near

t one of these gadgets burni

the rules," Lieutenant O

ut on us and joining a bomber outfit," Stan growled. "Here we

in a palace with a sure-enough butler to buttle." O'Malley shook his

for the fun of it." Stan jabbed a slab of

e o' them babies. We'll meet up with plenty o' Jerries." O'Malley grinned eagerly, his homely fa

ng time. The Jerries don't get near London any more, and I heard a rumor that the Fo

190's! 'Tis jest propaganda put out by the brass hats

the show. We sit up there and watch." Stan smiled. "But

I'm no good at flying a milk w

're to get our first whack at Je

growled. "I don't think we'll be goin' any place. Them brass hats meet at Operation Headquarters an' the generals call in

tan admitted. "One of these days some fellow will invent a

funny books too much l

as he glanced toward a pile of comic

lley yawned and stretched his arms over his head. The

erlin before the

and, I was itchin' to get into a fight an' it looked like

adly as he spoke. "I hear there are pretty girls i

pie. His big Adam's apple bobbed up and

don't like to see other folks kicked an' slugged

that girl when we fly

n' in the country on our bikes. Ivery lane we'd ride down some guy in a storm trooper unif

British and then with us." Stan poked

If you insist on keepin' the fire goin',

e joint warm,

kicked off his shoes and crawled

oused by an orderly making the rounds calling the crews. The stove was cold and he fumbled with stiff fingers as he lighted it again. When it was

ere they joined a crowd of pilots who were seated on benches staring at a square of transparent talc pinned over a wall map. Red lines showed the route of t

Holt, turned and faced them.

n promised to be our chance to crack the enemy, but unfortunately, Weather reports clouds up to our return point." The Old Man

a snort or two from the pilot

is will be strictly a team job. There wi

e days of the Battle of Britain and later in the South Pacific and then over Africa and Italy. O'Malley always had be

himself. All of the other fliers were trained to this sort of f

derbolts were high fliers and worked best at twenty-three thousand feet or more. That meant

w their Pratt and Whitney twin bank radial engines were turning over smoothly. Exhausts flared blue flames which sent wavering sh

engine hinted at power, though it was rolling over smoothly and effortlessly. Stan remembered other nights many months past when he had sat in a Hurricane waiting for the flash of the lamp and the order from the tower to go up through the blind

eratures." That was the voic

ecked in on

ousand. Stay in c

ch cover shut and opened up his throttle. He jammed down hard on one brake and the Thunderbolt swept around. She poised an instant, then knifed down the slippery runway. Sta

erators and Fortresses. At twenty-five thousand feet the big bombers left broad vapor trails behind them. St

quadron was composed of a first flight of three bombers and a second flight of three bombers. Stan grinned. He knew exactly where hi

ike a football team moving into formation for a screen pass. The bombers roared on toward Germany, keeping tight formation so as to be able to lay out a deadly cross fire from their fifty-cal

sed a bet. As the flight neared the point over Germany where the Thunderbolts were to tu

ummertime." Stan he

O'Malley,"

It blossomed in the sky over the bombers and in the middle of

omber boys were s

awled over the intercom

ead, p

ybody

pilot, hot stu

sir. 190's at eleven o'clock.

ck of Focke-Wulfs at six o'c

fingers. No ammo to waste." Allis

an's headset. "Hey, sure an' we o

Sim snapped. "We have plenty of

is own part of the sky. A glance showed him Sim was correct. A

happen to be outnumbered and you also happen to have the job

hin air, ready to smash any Me daring

ght, ye spalpeens!"

ze that rivaled a Fourth of July celebration. He kept an eye on Allison's Fort

yelled. "'Tis a sad day, thi

d no good. The Me's hung on, waiting for the Thunderbolts to turn back. It was a case of who ran short of gas first. Now "lace-pa

o in," Sim or

wed. "Why not give them

m said. "But any man who stays to pu

w far the Thunderbolts would be able to penetrate. With a burst of speed Stan went up and over. Every Thunderbol

Jerries meant to tease the Thunderbolts deeper into Germany so that they would be sure to run out of gas. It was in

ey're just tricking you

zoomed up and over, then tailed in afte

is stomach. He still was not convinced that the big fellows could take care of themselves. They had a hundred mile

for one slight wound. Sim's ship had picked up a small piece of flak, but it had

ttle!" O'Ma

," Sim sai

t o' one o' yer teet

rs shot down by the big

ved," Sim said. "It will help

the sky. Stan nudged him. "How

ast," he said. "If that cook forgot my pie, he'll be n

quarters, slid one slab out on his fist and began munching, paying no attent

second quarter of pi

eamin' up no

this all down to a science. A flight is reported to their head man and he figures out

undred more miles gas supply." O'Malley g

emergency tanks and d

of his hand. His mouth was op

. We'll see the general about it

superior officer. Let him have

s, the Jerries will sure hear

n't the South Pacific where you just go to your ground crew and ask them to rig

agreed. "We got so many rules here a fel

l barge over and have Allison tell us wh

k. "You're not thinkin' o' askin' f

I doubt that they'd take me. I'v

Allison," O

rves and he can handle a crew." Stan got to his