This One's For You Bricks

I fly online with a virtual WWII squadron, AG51. We operate as a team and imagine what it must have been like. Many of our fathers served during the war. This is for all the American and Japanese pilots who gave their all! http://www.airgroup51.com/forum

 

 

Barney Fulton (we always said it real slow- “full-ton”) had been my wingman since flight school. His call sign was “Bricks” on account of his last name. I had worked that out right after we signed up.

We had flown together for a long time and we made a swell team. We always watched out for the other fella. I’d known Barney since High School.

 

It had been a routine mission. We escorted a flight of Avengers and TBM’s to a Japanese base, we hadn’t met any resistance. The bombers had made their drops and we were all headed back to the ship. It had been a good day.

 

We were just fifty miles from the boat when we got jumped. The bombers were safely ahead of us and we figured we were home free when I saw the tracers fly over my right wing. I instinctively pulled back on the stick and kicked in right rudder while I called out to Barney we had company. As I rolled around to the right I saw the two Zeros pass under me, they were going after Barney. I shouted to him to watch his six just as I pulled the trailing Zero into my sights. As soon as I got a good fix on him I let him have it and his plane exploded in a fireball, something Bricks and me had seen many times. The Japanese airplanes could turn on a dime but they couldn’t stand any hits at all. We counted on that!

 

As I leveled out I called to Barney again, the lead Jap plane was making shape on him and I still wasn’t close enough for the shot. Barney broke right and kicked it into a roll but the Jap was right on him. I saw the canon rounds hitting Barney’s plane and I told him to hang on, I was almost “in”. It was just then that Barney’s plane blew up. I pulled up to avoid the debris and I watched as Barney went down. I tried to raise him on the radio but he didn’t answer. I hoped a round had caught him and made it quick because his plane was nothing but flames. I looked for a chute but he didn’t get out.

 

As I rolled around level I saw the Japanese fighter making a run for it on the deck. I still had enough ammo for him so I slammed the throttle forward and pushed my Hellcat's nose down… he was gonna pay!

 

I caught up with the Jap at about fifty feet above the waves and I saw that his engine was smoking. Maybe a chunk of Barney’s plane had hit him. I figured me and Barney would team up together one last time…

I kicked in a little left rudder as I felt the trigger under my finger… just a little more…

I called out to Barney that I was “in” even though I knew he couldn’t hear me. Two more seconds… one more second… I saw the Jap look over his left shoulder just as I whispered "this one's for you Bricks" and pulled the trigger…

 

It was supposed to be a routine mission…

Author's Note

Please enlarge the photo near the title, it's a screenshot from the mission that inspired this story.
Please visit the link to the AG51 web site... http://www.airgroup51.com/forum

Reviews

[J]

Ah gees, D. Why do you always do that? I can't see through this blur . . . You caught me with the first line and I was "on your 6" the entire way. You are getting so darn good at this, I'm running out of ways to praise your burgeoning skills. This reminds me so much of the very few stories my daddy told me ~ and it took 100 years for him to be able to finally do so.

This is beyond, my friend. Your lingo and realism authenticate the whole sortie. One of these days, I'm going to join your squad!

Thanks for this!
Love,
me

[Zooker]

Blue skies, Pilgrim. I flew your wing many times and enjoyed every moment. I'd be your wingman anytime. Live the dream, man, live the dream.

[An Ordinary Woman]

This story is a beauty Ak. I wasn't sure what it was about according to the title but after the first line I was in. Having several close military friends of course this really touched me this morning. A slice of life for many, you did this story and Bricks very proud. I enjoyed this very much, excellent writing. :+)