May 28, 1940
"Pilot Officer Franciszek!" "Yes, Flying Officer Kyte?" "Squadron Leader Barrie Heath gave me permission to take you in my section and we must hurry and get to the briefing room." "Thank you, sir. Are we going on a sortie?" "On a sortie Franciszek?! We'll bloody go on too many sorties these next days." "Right sir."
I must say that I like this Polish chap. Quite calm and understanding. "You'll be my wingman", I've told him. He nodded. As we went up, he seemed to know how to fly a Hurricane like if he had flown it for years. We've crossed the channel and headed for our respective points. The forty-three split as soon as we saw Dunkirk emerge in the horizon. A terribly smoky horizon. I for myself would prefer to maintain squadron strength, but Squadron Leader Heath had other ideas. "Very well boys. Each section to his quadrant", his calm voice on the speakers. And we moved in to our positions. Ten Hurricanes. Our section, Blue Section, a bit undermanned. So just the two of us. I really hoped this Polish was as good as he proclaimed. Eleven kills. We would see the true of that quite soon. We were patrolling around a small village, five or six miles from the harbour when Franciszek saw them. "Sir. Flying Officer Kyte! Three bogeys coming from midland." At least he has good eyes. "They're not bogeys, my boy. They're bandits. Two Messerschmitts and a Stuka. Let's meet them at the door. Stay with me." "Yes, sir."
The fighters moved in to meet us. The Stuka stayed back, moving slowly, heavy with presents. Franciszek was keeping formation with me.
We've crossed the path of one of the Me-109's head to head and too damn fast to fire properly. My eyes were on the Stuka.
The Stuka pilot had a steady steady hand. He fired at me and I felt the bullets of his machine gun raking my plane. Then I pressed the button to fire.
My Hurricane seemed to slow down as my eight machine guns raked the Stuka heavily. He must have felt it but didn't weaver a bit at his controls.
I felt more than saw the Me-109 making an half-loop and putting himself on our backs. I turned sharply right and with some concern I saw my wingman keeping forward and steady. Eleven kills, he said?...
The Hun pounded at him heavily with his cannons and machine guns.
But my wingman made a slip-s manoeuvre that defied everything and suddenly the German lost him as target... just to find me as another one. He made good work on me too...
The Stuka's gunner fired a long burst at Franciszek but failed to connect.
I ended my split-s just to see Franciszek finish his manoeuvre with a side-slip that put him in the tail of the Stuka. Beautiful manoeuvre. But I had my eyes on the Me-109.
The Stuka's gunner trained his weapon on the Hurricane.
Then Franciszek raked the Stuka with lead. His fire was very precise.
I also make a jolly good number of holes in the Messerschmitt.
But the Hun reversed his movement and put himself in a good position. The Stuka endured and was already over the target. "Take the Stuka down" I shouted. And Franciszek replied calmly. "Yes sir."
Then I felt hot lead in my right arm. The Messerschmitt was firing at me and my cockpit was hit. But I had to endure.
Franciszek fulfilled the promise.
And the Stuka went down before dropping his terrible cargo.
We both turned right. My wingman to have a better position, me trying to escape the Messerschmitt. I was starting to feel the pain in my arm.
He fired again and I felt the rudders jammed. This was going to be hard... "Sir. Keep turning, I'll take him. Then get back home, sir." What a calming voice. "I'll try", I gasped pushing my plane to the limit of his ability to turn.
I kept my Hurricane in a tight turn and I saw my wingman's Hurricane turning to come to my aid. And his red nose. I almost laughed. "What about the other Messerschmitt", I asked him.
"Don't worry about him. That one seems to be a rookie. Keep your turn, sir." And I did.
My chaser put himself in my wingman's cross-hair. He must have been wishing to take me down very much to be so unconcerned with the other Hurricane.
Franciszek fired at him with precision.
I was able to put distance between us.
Franciszek kept firing at the Messerschmitt.
The German pilot lost its grip for a moment, unable to escape his pursuer.
And Franciszek went for the kill.
The German jumped on parachutes as his plane went down. Our soldiers on the ground would get him, I guess.
The remaining Me-109 closed in. A bit late, I'd say. "Get back to the base, sir, I'll cover for you." I wanted to say that I'd keep up with him, but the pain in my arm was making me dizzy. "Very well. Don't do nothing stupid and return quickly."
And I left him. Moving away in pain. Trying to maintain focus and attention.
Later he told me that he let the Messerschmitt escape.
That he fired against it and scored heavily. But he was worried with me and tried to scare the other off.
"It wasn't very hard. He was a rookie", he said seated in a chair near my bed at the hospital. "When will you leave?" I laughed. "Today, if I can coerce the doctor." He laughed loudly.
He said that he fired one last shot and then the German opened gas and flown away. "Thirteen kills, right?" He smiled softly. "Just two, sir." But now I knew that those thirteen kills were real. "Call me Kyte", I said.
He came later to take me to the aerodrome. "The boys are treating you well?" He laughed. "Now that I have two kills they are starting to warm up on me." "Do you intend on transferring to a Polish squadron?" He laughed even more. "They might not like my southern accent. Only if you don't want me in your section, Kyte." "Are you joking Joachim?! For the moment, you and me, we are the whole Blue section." "Yes Blue Leader."
"Blue Leader! This is Pilot Officer Joachim Franciszek, coming back to base. I repeat, coming back to base."
Scenario Briefing
1. The Stuka will move at low speed until it drops the bombs.
2. Flying Officer Kyte is an ace with 5 kills and the Ace Combat ability: Sniper.
3. pilot Office Joachim Franciszek is an ace with 13 kills (2 official) and the following 2 Ace abilities: Acrobatic pilot and Perfect Aim.
4. Using the Advanced Solo Charts.
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