Two IJN scouts locate a section of US Navy FM2s returning from CAP.
8. Jenk…Stay tight...Drop to 9k we'll pick em up... Roger Will Co Nolt...
12. TkTkTkTk… Nolt…Taking heat...rolling to engage...
13. Jenkins fires at the lead Zero...PT PT PT PT PT PT…
15. The IJN pilot’s right arm is wounded by canopy fragments…
16. Nolt joins the salvo...PT PT PT PT… Drop you spotted BitPT PT PT PT…
18. Nolt's engine feels like it’s going to shake apart….
19. The IJN pilot goes black and begins to yaw over…
20. Inverted and… BOOOOM…. Fireworks….
22. Floating debris trail…
23. Nolt's ship is in bad shape...
24. Jenk climbs and rolls over, I've got to get into this fight...
25. That Zero is chasing a kill on Nolt...Not today.... PT PT PT PT PT...
27. The Zero pilot feels his flight controls getting sluggish…
28. Nolt dives to the deck to pick up speed and distance between him and that Zero…
29. Jenkins furiously pulls into Nolt's pursuer…
31. He empties his quad 50s into the violently spinning Zero…
33. Nolt…You up... Jenk... I’m up for now...
34. 40 miles to group…150 lb fuel, and I’m shaking bad…
39. Jenk runs the numbers…I think you got it Hank…
40. Jenk let those engine snipes know that my RPMs were spiking and dropping cyclically at the 43hg manifold pressure mark...
41. Nolt...put that in your de-brief... I see the Hoal in the distance…
42. Hoal… Jenk did they ever fit her with a flight deck...
43. cause I’m only lookin at a 30lb puddle of fuel…
45. I only have enough to clear Hoal...
47. Nolt come on... Hang in there, the Saint Lo is only a mile out...
48. Renault looks at his gauge…
49. That's it Jenk… I have 100 feet per minute descent and dead props... I'm going in...
51. 400…
52. 200…
53. nose up...
54. keep it up...
55. SPLOOSH...
56. Nolt… You Up… Lt. Renault… You up…
57.
58.
59.
60. Denton tells Jenkins... Lets go get some coffee Lieutenant...
Regrettably, Commander Thomas of the USS Hoel (DD-533), personally informed Commander Denton that Hoel's crew had observed the smoking FM-2 stall, knife-in the right wing, and although preparations were initiated to launch a rescue, after 10 minutes the pilot did not returned to the surface.
Taffy 3 is still vulnerable while in the process resupplying, and group is concerned the IJN Zero's were part of a larger Japanese initiative pending minutes.
The End
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