Spitfire!

by Don Patterson

  Returning his concentration to the clipboard, Captain Simms signed his name one last time. With a theatrical stroke of the pen, he finally completed the volume of forms. Stretching his arms in front of him, Simms then began to chide the two young RAF pilots.

  "A trip with you two lads is like..."

  But Simms' scolding was cut short by a thundering explosion from just ahead. Startled and confused, the three men looked at each other. Then a second explosion ripped through the countryside.

  "The airfield!" shouted Gainey. "That came from the airfield. Come on Hyatt, hurry up and get us back to the base!"

  "He's right, Hyatt. Let's move!" Simms ordered.

  Hyatt stepped hard on the gas pedal. In response, the truck lurched forward, rushing the passengers the last long mile back to Hampton Airfield. The loud blasts they heard were joined by more earth shaking explosions as they passed through the front gate. Screeching to a halt in front of the Operations Building, the three pilots and Harry jumped from the truck and surveyed the chaotic scene.

  The base was under attack! German Me 109 fighter planes and deadly Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers, called Stukas by the British airmen, were descending on the base with a rain of machine gun fire and bombs.

  Surprised by the German attack, the RAF ground crews scurried to their appointed battle stations. Most of them took positions manning anti-aircraft guns surrounding the airfield. Within moments, the British guns were spitting rounds into the sky, trying to ward off the ferocious German planes.

  "Simms!" Colonel Harrison shouted from the steps of the Operations Building, "I need you, Gainey and Hyatt in the air! Now!"

  Simms called back to the Colonel, "Where's the rest of the squadron?"

  "They were scrambled to Dover just over an hour ago," Harrison informed the startled Captain. "If you don't get in the air soon, they won't have much to come back to. Now make for your planes, and we'll provide cover while you take off !"

  Then Colonel Harrison noticed Harry beside the truck. "Simms," a strict but concerned Harrison shouted, "send the Winslow boy home! He'll be safer at his house. Get him away from the field. Now!"

  Simms saluted to acknowledge his Colonel's commands. The deafening roar from the punishing enemy planes drowned out any further attempt to speak.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  THE HURRICANES ARE LOST

  Following Colonel Harrison's orders, Simms turned and grabbed Gainey and Hyatt by their arms. Directing them toward the airfield, he shouted, "Go on, men! We need to scramble our planes! Now!"

  Captain Simms knelt down to speak to Harry, "Run home, Harry! Run as fast as you can! Hurry!"

  Frightened, Harry nodded to Simms. Then he bolted across the field, racing toward the hedgerow fence and the safety of home.

  In front of the maintenance hangers, the three remaining Hawker Hurricanes were waiting for their pilots. Members of the ground crew feverishly finished loading the machine guns with as many rounds of ammunition as possible.

  Another group of men started the fuel-thirsty engines. Simms watched the propellers spin faster and faster, signaling that the rugged fighters were ready. Rushing across the field toward their planes, the three pilots were handed their flight vests and headgear by Hyatt's flight mechanic. Quickly adjusting their equipment on the way, the brave fliers were undaunted by the scream of diving enemy aircraft, crack of gunfire, and thunder of explosions that enveloped the airfield.

  Less than fifty yards from the awaiting planes, Simms stopped the two younger pilots.

  "Okay lads," he explained in a winded voice, "the south end of the field looks in the best shape. Now, once you're off the ground, climb like mad. We'll need altitude if we're going to out flank the German fighters." Simms looked into the eyes of other two pilots and demanded, "Got it?"

  Gainey nodded his head while he finished tightening the straps of his flight vest.

  Hyatt snapped the chin strap on his head gear and replied with a simple, "Roger, old chap!"

  "All right, the planes are ready!" shouted Simms.

  Captain Simms surveyed the airstrip one last time, but was horrified when he saw the slender frame of young Harry out in the middle of the field suddenly caught between attacking enemy planes and exploding bombs.

  "Oh heavens above!" Simms yelled, "Hold up men, I have to get Harry!" Dropping his parachute to the grass, he tore down the field calling back, "I have a promise to keep."

  Simms ran as fast as he could to save the petrified Winslow boy. Looking up, he saw a German Me 109 diving on the field toward Harry. Racing across the battered turf, Simms was still too far away to help. The veteran pilot could only watch the scene unfold.

  Aware of the threatening German plane sweeping down on him, Harry fell to his knees, defenseless. But while Harry crouched helplessly on the grass, the diving Me 109 pulled up, without firing a shot. A moment later, Simms reached Harry and fell on top of the twelve year old sprawled on the field.

  Huddling over Harry, Simms shouted in an anxious voice, "Harry, are you all right?"

  The terrified boy collected himself and nodded his head, yes.

  "Perhaps now you understand why Colonel Harrison can't risk having unauthorized visitors on the base."

  Struggling to put on a brave face, Harry was unable to hold back his tears. "I might be unauthorized, but they're unwelcome!" he cried pointing up at the German planes. Still shaken from the incident, Harry embraced Simms and shouted, "That German pilot could have killed me!"

  Simms held the boy as tight as he could and said, "Yes, Harry, he certainly could have fired, but he didn't."

  Captain Simms scooped Harry up into his arms, and started to run back to where Gainey and Hyatt were standing. On the way, Simms continued, "Remember, Harry, enemy or not, German pilots have honor, just as we do. It's not our job to shoot at twelve year old boys."

  Meanwhile, the German Stukas persisted to rain terror down onto the airfield. The menacing gull winged attack planes were the picture of German air power. When the Stukas dived to drop their bombs, sirens fastened to the wings screamed to the ground below for the sole purpose of terrifying their victims. Even the hardened veterans were frightened by the pitch of the siren and the knowledge that a deadly bomb would soon follow.

  The end of Simms' message to Harry was drowned out by the roar of another thunderous explosion. Dangerously close to the point of impact, the other two pilots waiting for Simms were knocked to the ground by the furious concussion.

  Shaken, Gainey and Hyatt climbed back to their feet. Regaining their senses, the combat pilots couldn't believe their eyes when they looked at their planes. In front of them, the three Hawker Hurricanes, ready for flight just an instant before, were now nothing more than hulks of burning, twisted metal, spewing thick black smoke into the air.

  Simms finally reached the other two stunned pilots. Trying to catch his breath, he set Harry down and stared at the smoldering planes.

  "Blast those devils! The Hurricanes are lost!" he screamed.

  Gainey looked at Captain Simms and shook his head, "It's a good thing you ran for Harry, or we would have been in those planes when they were hit!"

  "Blast those devils! The Hurricanes are lost!" Simms screamed.

  "He's right, Captain," agreed Hyatt. "We can all thank Harry for that. But what should we do now?"

  "We might as well get behind one of our antiaircraft guns and try to shoot some of the buggers down," Gainey suggested in a resigned voice.

  The men scanned the field looking for cover while the German planes regrouped to continue their attack on the base. Anger and frustration flamed inside them, but the three RAF pilots seemed frozen. All they could do was watch their planes continue to burn out of control.

  Frightened and dazed, Harry struggled to remember something he knew was important, especially now. Sergeant Pendleton had given him an order earlier. Something about keeping a cat in a bag. Then Harry realized the important point wasn't about cats or bags, it was about the Spitfire
s!

  Through the din of explosions a familiar small voice pierced the air. "The Spitfires!" Harry shouted. "You still have the Spitfires!"

  CHAPTER NINE

  FIRE UP THE SPITFIRES

  Harry continued shouting over the rumbling explosions and gunfire, "Captain Simms, you still have all three Spitfires! The Germans can't see them through the trees on the far side of the field. Look over there. The Spitfires are still in the blast pens, just waiting for you!"

  Harry's message ringing in their heads, all three pilots turned in the direction of the three new Spitfires.

  "He's right, Andy!" Lieutenant Gainey yelled over the fighting. "The lad's right. We can fire up the Spits!"

  "The Spitfires aren't ready!" barked Simms. "By the time we get them prepared, the Germans will be long gone and the field will be ruined."

  Gainey and Hyatt hung their heads. They were fighter pilots without planes.

  Harry looked at the frustrated men. He knew the Spitfires were ready, but telling the pilots would be disobeying Sergeant Pendleton's orders. Observing the chaos on the airfield Harry realized that regardless of what was said earlier, Sergeant Pendleton wouldn't want the airfield destroyed. Harry decided it was best to let the cat out of the bag. Saving Hampton was definitely a good reason.

  "But they are ready!" Harry shouted to Captain Simms. "Sergeant Pendleton was going to get them prepared before we left for Chester! If Sergeant Pendleton said he was going to ready those planes, you can bet they're ready."

  Simms was amazed. "I don't know how you know these things, lad," he said, "but I'm glad you're one of us!" Then he turned to Gainey. "Go get Pendleton and turn over the engines to the Spitfires. We're taking them up!"

  Like a bullet, Gainey ran off toward the maintenance hanger to find Sergeant Pendleton and collect a crew to start the brand new Spitfires. Simms and Hyatt watched him shout and point to a group of men helping with an anti-aircraft gun by the last hanger. The makeshift crew quickly organized. Gainey signaled back to Simms with a thumbs up gesture.

  Amid the sod and shrapnel hurling through the air, Colonel Harrison ran across the field to reach Captain Simms and the others.

  "Andy," Harrison called out, "it's no use. Let's get to the shelter!"

  "Colonel," Simms replied, "we're going to scramble the Spitfires."

  Harrison snapped at the idea. "They're not ready, and you haven't had any Spitfire flight training. You'll get killed just trying to take off!"

  While Simms and Hyatt argued with Colonel Harrison, Lieutenant Gainey, Sergeant Pendleton, and the crew drove to the Spitfires at the far end of the airfield. Pendleton directed the men through the shortest preflight preparation necessary to put the Spitfires into the air. In less than a minute, the planes were ready, confirmed when the engine of each Spitfire turned over on Thomas Pendleton's command.

  Puffs of white smoke spewed from the exhausts of the Spitfires. The spinning propellers chopped at the air. Sergeant Pendleton had brought life to the once quiet combat fighter planes.

  "Colonel, look!" Simms pointed at the idling Spitfires. "It's just stick and rudder. You were one of the best. Of all people, you should know that's all there is to flying any plane."

  Harrison was amazed to see the Spitfires prepared for flight, but still disagreed with Simms' plan to fly them. Regardless of the ready condition of the planes, Harrison knew Simms played down the danger of piloting untried aircraft. The safety of his men was always the Colonel's top priority.

  Simms continued, "Colonel, if we don't take them up, those Stukas will destroy them where they stand, as well as everything else on the base!"

  The ground shook as Simms' message was reinforced by a series of explosions from the German dive bombers.

  After a brief pause, Colonel Harrison shouted over the roar of more gunfire, "Go on men, take the fight to them! Your chances up there or down here are the same. At least up there, you can help us all."

  Then Harrison grabbed Harry Winslow and ran for shelter. Simms and Hyatt scrambled to the waiting Spitfires.

  Already strapped into the cockpit of one of the planes, Lieutenant Gainey watched the other two pilots make their way across the field. When Simms and Hyatt reached the idling Spitfires, Gainey called out, "This one is mine. You two can toss a coin for yours!"

  Hyatt jumped into the plane next to Gainey, and Simms mounted the last Spitfire.

  "I hope you can drive this better than that lorry!" Gainey yelled to Hyatt.

  Hyatt looked at Simms and then turned back to Gainey, "Stick and rudder, Brian! That's all it is, just stick and rudder."

  Gainey nodded his head at Hyatt's brave comment, and closed his canopy. Hyatt and Simms followed suit, shutting the canopies to their Spitfires in preparation for take off.

  Strapped in his seat, Simms plugged in his radio and called to the other two pilots, "Are you with me lads?"

  Simms was relieved to know the radio worked when his headset crackled with both Gainey's and Hyatt's response.

  Gainey and Hyatt followed their Captain...into the smoke filled sky.

  "Yes, sir!" they chimed in unison.

  "All right," Simms continued, "we get one chance at take off, then remember to climb as quickly as possible. When the Germans see us, they'll come with a vengeance, I'm afraid. Just stay with me and climb."

  Captain Simms pushed the throttle forward and his Spitfire responded with remarkable power. Hyatt and Gainey followed Simms' lead. The three new RAF fighters lurched from the safety of the hidden blast pens and raced down the airfield at a breakneck pace.

  All three pilots were anxious to get airborne in order to avoid the craters and holes that now scarred the runway. Pulling back on the yoke, Simms felt his Spitfire readily pitch up. Gainey and Hyatt followed their Captain on his rapid climb into the smoke filled sky.

  CHAPTER TEN

  SPITFIRES DEFEND HAMPTON

  As soon as the three Spitfires were airborne, Captain Simms radioed the other two pilots, "Get a feel for the controls now, while we're climbing. When we reach six thousand feet, we're going to roll and dive to engage the Messerschmitts."

  Simms noticed Hyatt and Gainey working the flight surfaces of their Spitfires while they gained altitude. A veteran pilot, Captain Simms was surprised at how well his new airplane responded to his control.

  "Captain," Gainey radioed to Simms," this thing handles like a dream!"

  "Bloody well does, Captain," Hyatt confirmed.

  "Well, gentlemen, I'm glad you feel you're experienced Spitfire pilots after simply climbing to six thousand feet," Simms sarcastically called back to the other two young pilots. "But now the time has come to dive in and prove our worth. Break on my mark!"

  Simms threw the control stick over and rolled his Spitfire into a dive. Gainey and Hyatt followed. As they dove for the German Me 109 fighters, Simms had a clear view of the airfield below, and suddenly realized just how much damage had been done.

  Smoke was rising from the hardstand area at the north end of the field, mostly from the three destroyed Hurricanes. One hanger had collapsed to the ground and was burning, threatening to start the other hangers on fire as well. At the south end of the field, several fuel trucks and field equipment had also been hit by the enemy Stuka dive bombers. Worst of all, the landing strip itself had been reduced to a treacherous stretch of craters and rubble.

  The three powerful Spitfires immediately closed on a group of four Me 109 fighters firing on the airfield. Surprised by the RAF fighters, the squad of German planes instinctively split up. Rolling left to follow one of the Me 109s, Simms was pleased with the sheer power of his Spitfire, especially when he lined up right behind his target. Simms quickly maneuvered, trying to place his opponent in the crosshairs of his gun sight.

  "She is a little lighter on the touch than my Hurricane," Simms thought to himself. "But stick and rudder just the same."

  Skillfully stalking the German fighter directly in front of him, Simms murmured under his breath,
"Come on...come on. Got em!"

  Simms let loose a burst of machine gun fire that smashed through the tail and fuselage of the Me 109. When the German plane turned to clear the rain of bullets, Simms fired more rounds into the wings and engine of the enemy fighter. The damaged Messerschmitt lurched, trailing smoke, and then slid along an uncontrolled path to the ground below.

  Chasing the second Me 109, Lieutenant Hyatt tested his new plane. The German pilot dove for the tree tops and Hyatt rolled his Spitfire in pursuit, just as in the training flight with Captain Dawson the day before. For a brief instant, Hyatt's gun sight filled with the black cross painted on the side of the German fighter. Triggering the red button on his control stick at the precise moment, the guns in Hyatt's plane trained on the enemy in front of him.

  In a desperate move, the pilot of the Me 109 tried to climb out of danger, but to no avail. Hyatt's guns had damaged the plane's engine, leaving it choking for fuel and powerless. As Hyatt raced by, he watched the crippled Messerschmitt stall in the air and fall back into the tree tops at the south end of the airfield.

  Meanwhile, the other two Me 109s had turned to pursue Lieutenant Gainey. A natural pilot, Gainey found himself using every ounce of power in his 1500 horsepower Merlin engine, as well as every piloting trick he knew, to outrun the enemy fighters. Streams of tracer bullets ripped past his cockpit while he rolled and twisted in a desperate attempt to shake the Germans.

  "Lets try climbing," Gainey thought to himself, and pulled back on the control stick of his plane.

  Instantly, Gainey was pushed back in his seat as the Spitfire pitched up in a steep climb. But the two Me 109s closely followed Gainey's move.

  "All right," he thought, "let's try a dive."

  Gainey threw the yoke forward. Pitching down, the Spitfire hurtled earthward. Still, bright tracer bullets continued to fire past the canopy of his plane. Leveling out and rolling right, Gainey began to turn.