Fighter Squadron Page #5

Happy landing.

Ed!

This is Hamilton. I'm

following him down.

They're gunning him!

Blue leader, I'm going down.

Take over.

Want to play rough, eh?

Burn, you crumb! Burn!

[Speaking German]

[Speaking German]

[Shouting in German]

Mach schnell!

Come on!

I thought you

wanted to get home!

I do!

[Shouting in German]

Schnell!

Comfy, darling?

You ought to go on a diet.

This will be a rough takeoff.

I hope Dolan can

find that cat.

I'd like to express

my gratitude.

First returning groups

now on Baker Three, sir.

Ha! Open the channel!

General.

Thank you.

"Third fighter group...

"Berlin mission...

39 enemy planes destroyed.

Only one lost."

New record.

Staff will be happy.

Have a copy framed and

sent to Colonel Brickley.

Call it, "when our fighters

dropped their tanks."

No, better still, call it,

"Brickley's tactics."

He'll like that.

Hardin said they'd mop up.

Colonel Hardin seems

to be reforming.

Reformed? Yeah, he's reformed.

Now it's his other

two dizzy renegades,

Hamilton and Chappell.

I'm glad they saved

him, though.

I need that man.

Duncan, those boys are

giving the Air Force

some new fighter tactics.

Belly tanks!

Soon, you'll need

smaller numbers.

Or a bigger blackboard,

or the Germans will

need more planes!

Well, look who's back again!

Hooray! Hooray!

Welcome home!

Dolan, you're a genius!

Lucky cat!

Park this cat on the

parachutes every morning.

How did you find it?

I thought, "Where would

a black cat go?"

I went there.

You took it off the field?

It's the same one?

Smell him.

Who says black

cats aren't lucky?

A new record, the

colonel rescued,

and what did we find out?

Where does Paulette live?

29 Rue de Rivoli!

You shouldn't have told

Hardin over the R.T.

He's got to get to

Paris to call her.

When he does, I'll answer!

Here comes the

blushing bridegroom!

My boy!

You ran the show great

today, Tennessee.

Boys got hot without

those tanks.

I felt lost without

you, though.

From headquarters, sir.

Attention!

At ease.

A message from headquarters.

"Effective immediately,

group commanders

"will caution pilots

of the obvious danger

"of attempting to

rescue personnel

"by landings on the continent.

"This message

should not minimize

"Captain Hamilton's gallantry

in his rescue.

"Pilots must be impressed

with the dangers involved

"and the overwhelming

odds against success.

"The probability of the loss

"of two aircraft and

pilots rather than one

will be brought forcibly to

each pilot's attention."

Signed, "Gilbert,

Wing Commander."

I thought you'd rate a D.F.C.

For your last mission.

Thanks.

At least I had the pleasure

of breaking Gilbert's pet

rule once.

So long, Duke.

Have fun.

Ed.

I'll walk out with you.

So long, Stu.

See you, Stu.

Thanks again for

the ride today.

O.K. I'm sorry we

couldn't work this out.

How can we, Stu?

I'm a stubborn guy.

That makes two of us.

Give my best to Ann.

Any message for your father?

Yeah. Tell him I'm just

as tough on my men

as Brickley was.

I'll tell him one of them

had enough tours of Europe

and wanted to get married.

See you in the States.

It's a deal, Stu.

Let's go.

Our loss is 8...

Captains Gallagher and Kover,

Lieutenants Miller,

Dorr, Perry...

Rujesky, Karlen, and Musetti.

Total for March... 147

enemy planes destroyed.

Eight probables, 43 damaged.

The group's made

a fine record.

Two more, you'll be

top-scoring ace.

I'm looking forward to that.

Sanford, I'm going to ask you

to write these letters

to the boys' parents.

I find I'm not Brickley.

Good night.

Good night, colonel.

Stay as sweet as you are.

These shows are

getting rugged.

Funny how you can miss

one crummy pair of boots.

Yeah. Ah, the lucky dog.

What it must feel

like being home.

Wake up with a lovely wife,

nothing to do but relax.

I'd be a fat slob in a week.

Colonel, sir.

Come on in.

I'm Lieutenant Kirk.

A replacement from OTU.

You know Captain Chappell

and Lieutenant Atkins?

Captain. Lieutenant.

Would you answer

a question, sir?

About the girl

you left behind?

No, about flying.

You'd better ask the colonel.

Sit down.

Thank you.

When you're trying for

a deflection shot,

you don't watch

the enemy plane.

What you watch?

I watch his exhaust for smoke.

Cutting his engine

telegraphs his next move.

Then I put on my brakes.

If you do overshoot,

don't be brave.

Look for an empty hunk of sky.

Yes, sir.

Nervous about tomorrow?

I'm scared.

We all get it every day.

Maybe I'll get used to it.

Tomorrow, you'll fly my wing.

A wing man protects

his partner.

You'll do better

than you think.

That's an order.

Yes, sir.

Get some sack time.

Thank you.

Good night.

Were you ever that young?

I was born an old man.

There's your new ship, sir.

Remind me to thank

the taxpayers.

What's he doing?

He was out here before sunup.

He's checked everything

but the paint job.

Like a kid with a new toy.

He'll be all right.

Hurry up. You're

holding up the war.

Thanks for everything

if I don't come back.

If?

This outfit don't

think that way.

I'll be waiting

to put lots of swastikas on

when you get back.

There might be a Jerry

with the same idea.

Forget it!

I've been thinking over

a new fighter tactic,

a low-level mission.

Go in ahead of the bombers

and plaster the airfields.

Get the Jerry planes

on the ground.

Keep them from attacking

our bomber formations.

I talked it over with Ed,

and he suggested...

Ed?

You mean Colonel Hardin?

Ed felt it would be a

tactical advantage

to go down on the deck,

catch them napping.

You know my feeling about

low-level missions.

We have higher losses and fewer

fighters for bomber support.

We've got more planes now.

We should take advantage

of tactical surprise.

They won't expect a

wave of fighters

ahead of the bombers.

I would like to prepare

some facts and figures

to substantiate my opinion

on this type of operation.

No, no, no. This war

is moving too fast.

We've got to listen

to the new tactics

of our younger officers.

Hardin is very

keen about this.

I'm 99% sold on it myself.

I'll think the matter

over and let you know.

That's all, Gil. Thanks.

Haystack to Yardstick.

Yardstick to Haystack.

Go ahead.

Use runway three. Wind

velocity, 10 miles.

Roger.

Well! Looks like they got

a piece of your tail.

Yes, they did, sir.

They shot Lieutenant

Fox's wing off.

I saw you knock down

that 109, Shorty.

You nailed him beautifully.

I think I'm going to be sick.

Sarge, give him a

blast of oxygen.

You guys give him a hand.

He's got a Messerschmitt

that's confirmed by me.

Put it on there.

Yes, sir.

Yep. It's all yours.

Four more, you'll be an ace.

Can't they make it bigger?

17 more, you'll be even

with Colonel Hardin.

I'm going to be sick again.

Some more oxygen?

Yes, sir.

Shorty, better drink

to your victory.

I'd like root beer.

A little warm beer

won't hurt you.

We'll make a man

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