World's Apart

Flight Of His Life

The voice of Captain Joyce came through the radio "Check fuel Fortis One and Two," 

"Seventy Gallons," Farriers voice crackles across the radio.

Jack taps his gauge and the needle flickers to three-quarters full "Sixty-eight gallons, Fortis Leader," 

"Stay down at five hundred feet to leave fuel for forty minutes fighting time over Dunkirk," Joyce says over the radio.

Jack nods to himself as his eyes scan the skies "Understood. Vector 128, angels point five," 

Joyce's voice sounds over the radio once more "Keep an eye on that gauge, even when it gets lively. Save enough to get back," 

Jack glances down at his fuel gauge before pulling on the stick. In perfect harmony the three planes bank left.

As they level out Jack squints his eyes against the blinding sun. He looks left and right before giving a heavy frustrated sigh "Dunkirk's so far, why can't they load at Calais?"

Jack hears Farrier scoff over the radio before Joyce speaks "The enemy had something to say about it,"

Jack looks apprehensively to the skies above "Down here we're sitting ducks,"

"Keep 'em peeled. They'll come out of the sun," Joyce says knowingly.

The three of them speed through the air, the planes low against the sea water below. Jack's eyes scan the sky when suddenly a whip of dark grey catches his eye. He whips his head round.

"Bandit- eight o'clock," Farriers calls out across the radio "Break!" 

The three planes immediately split off from one another. Jack banks hard to the left as the German plane tails him. Jack dives down and rolls to the left and then the right, glancing back anxiously.

"He's on me!" Jack calls out.

"I'm on him," Farrier assures Jack.

Jack rolls to the left and down again before banking right. He glances into his mirror but the ME 109 is still on his tail.

Farrier's voice sounds out over the radio "On my mark draw him left Fortis Two. Three, two, one, mark," 

Jack pulls hard to the left and watches as the German plane cuts left to follow him. The rapid piercing sound of bullets ricocheting off metal is heard and a moment later a trail of smoke billows from the tail of the ME 109.

"Clear," Farrier announces as he watches the German plane tip down towards the water.

Jack straightens up and cranes his neck to try and see the falling plane "Is he down?"

Farrier watches the ME 109 smash into the water, breaking up in a fiery mess "Down for the count," 

Suddenly tracer fire smashes into Farrier's plane, sparking inside andout. Farrier banks hard right as a second 109 streaks away.He straightens up, shaken by the sudden unexpected barrage. 

"Fortis Leader, one bandit down," Farrier speaks over the radio but no reply comes. "Fortis Leader, do you read?" Again nothing. 

Farrier looks around and spots a Spitfire beside him " Fortis Two, I have you to port - no eyes on Fortis Leader. Over," 

Jack looks either side of him and nods "Understood, Fortis One. Orbit for a look," The two planes bank right together as they circle the area.

As the two planes arc around the wreckage of the ME 109 Farrier spots something bobbing in the water.

"Wreckage below,"

"More of the 109?" Jack asks hopeful.

Farrier squints his eyes and spots a half submerged RAF tail "No it's Fortis Leader. Over,"