As Kyte began his inspection of the Luqa airfield he recalled the words of Air Vice Marshall Maynard to him at the beginning of the month, just after the Illustrious had slipped out of Grand Harbour on its way to Egypt and thence to the repair yards of the United States, he had remarked on the rapidly escalating number of air raids made by the Luftwaffe. "They don't like us Kyte" he remarked with his usual droll sense of humour.
How right he was reflected Kyte, as he watched the tired out Hurricane Pilots of 852 Bulldogs, hurriedly refuelling for the third time that day. Three raids on Valletta already and it was only just past noon, The heat searing off the tarmac and only the end of February.
As he watched, the claxon sounded a warning of another incoming air raid.
Only two Hurricanes responded. The only two so far refueled and armed.
Flight Lt. Jack Walters, and Pilot Officer W J (Timber) Woods rose from the Drome in just over 2 minutes from the alarm being given. Expecting to be directed back to Valletta, Walters was surprised when the RT crackled into life, and the well known reassuring voice came over the airwaves. "Hot Dog to Tango one. Bandits bearing 130 degrees, at 20,000. looks like a couple of 110s heading your way."
"Roger that Hot Dog. Tango one out." Jack replied.
"Did you get that Timber?"
"Got it Jack." Came back the reply in Timbers laconic Somerset burr.
"Let's get them then." Replied Walters, and his RT clicked off.
Both aircraft swung away from the Drome struggling for the height that they knew would be needed to come down on their adversaries like the avenging angels that they were.
Meanwhile, the German aircraft comprising two Me 110s and a JU87 were using the main raids over Valletta as cover for a sneak attack on Luqa airfield.
They were not entirely unobserved, however, as they discovered on crossing the coastline. The Maltese AA batteries were up to their usual standard, and Flack started to fill the sky all around the marauders.
Within a few minutes, they had accounted for the Stuka with a direct hit which sent it blazing down the sky into the cliff face below.
Weathering the storm the pair of MEs pressed on toward the airfield.
Passing over the Harbour they began their dive towards the unsuspecting aircrews refueling the rest of Jack and timbers Squadron.
Having completed their turn but still climbing for height, they both knew that it was going to be a very close call on who arrived first over the Drome.
All four aircraft were approaching the meeting point at their optimum speed.
Just as Jack and Timber crossed the outer perimeter fence, the 110s dropped the incendiaries with which they had been specially equipped for this mission.
With flack again bursting around them, both MEs let fly at the parked aircraft and hangers clearly visible below them.
Even before the bombs hit home Jack and Timber were upon the first German Aircraft.
Diving in, they blasted it from above, wounding the pilot and crippling one of the engines in the first pass. No return fire came in as the Germans had not yet pulled up from their bombing dive.
Then the bombs struck home, interspersed with the staccato rattle of machine gun and cannon fire.
Both tail gunners took the opportunity to take revenge upon the rear of the two receding Hurricanes.
The damage to the Drome was considerable. In that first pass, the main hanger was set on fire at one end, A Maryland was destroyed, one of the accommodation huts was wrecked, and two refuelling Hurricanes were gutted when the fuel bowser was strafed.
Pulling a banking turn, both Hurricanes strove to overhaul the now lighter and faster 110s.
Soon both aircraft were within range, and exchanging fire.
Timber with the wounded bird trying to turn for home, and Jack head on into the other machine which had also executed a banking turn in order to get another run on the airfield.
Whilst Timber started to put the last few nails into the coffin of the hurt ME, Jack was savaged by the superior fire power of his antagonist. his engine began to run rough, and large holes were now visible in both wings. How he survived the storm of lead and shrapnel unscathed he never really understood.
With a smart turn inside the faltering 110, Timber now put it to bed with a sustained burst, and watched as it lost power and slid down the sky into a rough crash landing in a belt of scrub land.
Having got back onto the tail of the other 110, Jack opened fire and jammed its rudder, although return shots from the rear of the German machine added to his woe by starting the already wounded engine smoking as well.
Unable to prevent another strafing attack, Jack had to watch as the 110 calmly destroyed another Maryland and a Stringbag in front of its hanger.
Furious with himself for allowing this second affront, he pursued the enemy aircraft with vitriolic abandon, oblivious to the steadily mounting damage accruing on his already crippled Hurricane.
luck came to him as he tried a long range shot, afraid that his nemesis might yet escape his clutches. A lucky ricochet hit the rear gunner a glancing blow across the forehead, and he lost his vision for a critical few minutes.
Jack now roared over the devastated airfield in remorseless pursuit of the German.
With his engine damage he was only just able to keep within maximum range, but continued to pump in rounds whenever the 110 crossed his sights.
Finally just as the AA resumed its barrage, he hit it in a strategic part, and watched with satisfaction and relief as it dived to earth.
Two parachutes blossoming in its wake, as the rear gunner recovered just in time to bail out with his pilot.
It was now time for Jack to nurse his wreck back to the remains of the airfield and try to get down in one piece between the burning aircraft and bomb craters, without allowing Kyte to witness a prang. If he had but known, at that very moment Kyte was ruefully surveying the large smoking hole in the ground where a few minutes earlier his bike had stood.
The Butchers Bill.
261 Sq. Luqa. (Bulldogs.)
Pilot Officer WJ "Timber" Woods. RTB One Kill. Minor damage.
Flt. Lt. Jack Walters. RTB. One kill. Major structural damage and ****ey engine.
Zerstorergeschwader 26.111Gruppe.
Two Me 110s SD. Crews dead or PoWs.
Luqa Airfield severely damaged.
Destroyed on the ground:-
2 Martin Marylands, two Hurricanes, and one Fairey Swordfish.
One disassociated JU87 SD by AA fire, and one Raleigh bicycle.
Rob.
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