When Japan attacked Malaysia in January 1942 the RAF forces weren’t equipped with the newest fighters like the Spitfires and had to fight the mighty Japanese Navy and army planes with Hawker Hurricanes MK. I and a few Gloster Gladiator biplanes.
So it wasn’t a mistake that Flight Lieutenant Randolph Foskett in his Hurricane and Flying Officer Barry Wilson in a Gladiator were sent out to care for air cover of the movement of an unescorted battleship that left Singapore for a save harbour in India.
The Far East RAF command had information about some fatal blows that Japanese navy dive bombers dealt out to Allied surface warships.
A pair of Mitsubishi Zeros were on a combat air patrol and spotted the unequal RAF flight.
Immediately the Japs attacked and the first shot hit the Gladiator and wounded Wilson in his Gladiator.
“I’m afraid this bloody bastard hit me”, shouted Wilson in his radio.
„Keep calm, Barry“ , answered Foskett and had a stressed grin on his face when he exchanged bullets with the second Japanese fighter.
„Let’s stay with me old chap and concentrate on this gentlemen“ ordered Foskett and he turned around in a half loop to follow his opponent.
The more agile Gladiator turned sharp around and the combined fire set the first Zero in flames.
A first shared victory.
This quick defeat of his comrade made the second Jap a little bit nervous and he curved beside Foskett’s Hurricane without being able to hit it.
Wilson used his chance with his out-dated biplane.
Bit by bit he scratched the Zero with his 7,7 mm twin machine guns.
Then the planes turned away from each other and the Zero get around to come in a better attacking position.
But the RAF pilots outmaneuvered it and started a combined attack again.
The Mitsubishi wasn’t able to resist the bullet rain for much more then a second and followed the first Zero down into the waves of the Strait of Malacca.
Another shared victory for the RAF pilots and the battleship was still undetected.
Bookmarks