Midway Rising Part I
Lt. Commander Robert Schneider (commanding officer of VF-8 based on the CV USS Hornet) and Lt. Chapman were on a combat air patrol near the Midway Atoll when a huge wave of Japanese Mitsubishi Zero fighter planes headed for the Islands. There were no bombers in the formation, so the Japs seemed to claim simply the air superiority over Midway.
Lt. Co. Schneider thought a second how to attack the superior enemy fighters and called for support via radio.
Then they spot a single USAAF P40 Warhawk, that headed for the Jap formation too and so the Navy pilots gave full speed to reduce the distance to the own plane, to attack the Zeros together.
They catched up with the P40 and commenced the attack.
Surprised by the maneuver of the US pilots, the Japs blocked themselves the line of sight, but the salvos the leading Zeros exchanged with the US pilots were heavy enough.
Lt.Co. Schneider became a light damage because he managed to evade the bullets a little bit and damaged the enemy badly, but the P40 took the whole power of the leading green Zero’s cannon armament.
The Lt.Co. did an Immelmann – unfortunately his misjudged speed and maneuverability of his well-trained opponent and had now an enemy in the uncomfortable 8 o’clock position.
Lt. Chapman did the best to keep this Jap busy with his Grumman FM-1 Wildcat and avoided a bigger damage from the return fire.
A hard dogfight begun, but it was too close for some fighters to come in a good shooting position.
The F4F-4 of the squadron commander received heavy damage from another Zero, that took the advantage from the too early performed Immelmann maneuver.
The brave USAAF P40 finished of the Zero, that was already damaged by Lt. Chapmann. The Lt. himself had great luck, that a closing in zero was too near to make a save shot at him.
The smoking red Zero felt into the sea…
Still smashing through the enemy fighters, the P40 damaged another Zero.
The planes detached oneself from the others, but now the Japanese stroke back.
Outmaneuvered by the more agile Zero the P40 was shot down over the Atoll.
This moment Lt.JG. Hunter’s red nosed Wildcat F4F-3 joined the fight and raised the chances for the US boys.
The situation was a little bit crazy at the moment, when Lt. Chapmann fought versus the leading green Zero, Lt. Co. Schneider was still on his way to the P40 that was shot down.
…and so it happened, that the Zero that shot down the P40 catched the squadron commander’s Wildcat in a perfect angle and shot him down, too.
Unable to do help, Chapaman and Hunter saw their commander’s plane tumbling to the ground.
With no time to check the fate of Lt.Co. Schneider, the remainig Wildcats did their best to survive.
Lt. Chapman used his pilot abilities and finished an Immelmann turn with a slight curve to assist his comrade, but there was no need.
Angry about his shot down commander, Lt.JG. Hunter maneuvered his Wildcat in a perfect shooting position and gave the Jap no chance to return fire.
"However this combat will end, you will not celebrate this kill...", thought Hunter.
The shot down Commander was avenged when the camouflaged Zero crashed into the sea.
End of Part I
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