Blazing Angels - A Story of Aerial Commandos
Chapter 1
Dunkirk: Aftermath
'Journal of Marcus Johnson, Wardog 4 "Blaze". June 2, 1940. It didn't take long before the Germans had us overrun. We fought bravely, but… it was a massacre… So many dead, many more dying and wounded, and... the hospital ship was sunk by Stukas earlier in the evacuation... All we could do now is run for Great Britain with our tails between our legs. We're joining a fellow American squadron called VF-Alpha in escorting what's left of the British Expeditionary Force across the English Channel. Here's hoping we have what it takes to see the boys home safe.'
Over the English channel. June 2, 1940.
"Say, Captain Bartlett. Didn't y'all say something about your family in North Dakota or whatever?" Joe asked over the radio.
"Yeah, what about them?" Bartlett asked in response.
"Well, I've got a sweetheart in Louisiana myself. She's prettier than a lamb on a hill." Joe replied, almost daydreaming.
"Sheesh, and I thought the Brits were weird…" Chopper groaned.
"Cut the chatter. Remember, we have to protect the BEF while they make transit across the channel." Tom interjected.
"Ah let the kids have their fun.." Frank said, intervening in the conversation. There was silence, before Marcus noticed something on the horizon to their right.
(Soundtrack: Rendezvous from Ace Combat 5)
"Heads up, we've got a lot of company inbound, coming in fast from the east." he announced.
"This is Edge. Looks like Messerschmitts; Me-109s and Me-110s. They're coming in for an attack run on the fleet." Rokuroh Nagase, a Japanese-American pilot, announced as he scanned the skies.
"Alright, nuggets. Wardog squadron, break off and engage." Bartlett commanded, and Wardog Squadron broke off to engage the Messerschmitts coming in from the east.
"Wardog Three, roger." Chopper responded.
"Edge, engaging." Nagase announced.
"Blaze, engaging." Marcus announced soon after. The flight of four P-40C Warhawks, now painted in RAF colors, sped towards the hostiles, while the Spitfires flown by VF-Alpha remained in position above the fleet. Marcus shot first, firing on an Me-109 directly in his path. Three bullets slammed into the canopy, and the Me-109 fell out of the sky. The aircraft plunged into the ocean.
"Good kill, Blaze!" Nagase called out as he looped around behind another enemy aircraft. Opening up on his guns, the Me-110 he trailed suffered critical damage, and it too fell into the English Channel. "Edge, splash one!" he announced.
Tom kept his head on a swivel as he held position above the fleet. Then he noticed several large aircraft coming in from behind. "Bombers. I count three, incoming in at one eight zero, directly behind us." he called out on the radio.
"Heinkels. They look to be ready to deliver a bomb load on the passenger liners carrying the wounded." Bartlett added.
"VF-Alpha will handle the bombers. You focus on the enemy fighters attempting to strafe the fleet." Tom said as he and his wingmen broke away from the fleet to intercept the He-111s. He flew head-on and opened fire. The Spitfire's guns ripped through the canopy of one of the bombers, killing the pilot, co-pilot and forward gunner. Without someone to pilot the plane, the He-111 fell into the sea.
"Nice kill, Tom!" Frank shouted. He flew in at high speed and pulled left sharply, flying past the canopy in an attempt to startle the pilot. His ploy worked, and the bomber nearly careened into the other one on his right. He went in and opened fire on both bombers consecutively, hitting their engines. With a loss of power, the heinkels began to nosedive into the channel. They slammed into the ocean surface moments later. "Scratch those targets!" Frank shouted.
"We're halfway across the channel, Yanks. Not much further now." a British captain announced. Chopper performed a Split-S and got behind an Me-109, before opening up. The Warhawk's six .50cal machine guns ripped into the tail section of the german fighter, and it split in half spectacularly. He'd watch in amazement as the crippled plane went into an uncontrollable death spiral, forcing the enemy pilot to bail out.
"Target is bailing." he announced.
"That's a confirmed kill, Chopper. Nice work." Bartlett remarked. He watched as a German eased himself behind Nagase's tail, before opening fire. "Dammit, Nagase!" he groaned as he went to intercept the German's attack. As the Me-109 fired on his wingman, Bartlett closed the distance, before getting himself between his wingman and the German pursuing him. His P-40C caught fire as rounds slammed into his engine and fuel tank. His sudden act of gallantry forced the German to break off to avoid a midair collision.
"Captain!" Nagase shouted, looking back at the flaming Warhawk.
"Hey! Save the waterworks. I'm just going to ditch here. We can replace these things. It's getting the crew back alive that counts." Bartlett remarked, before looking down at the fleet. "You Brits ready to pick me up?" he asked.
"Bring her in, Yank. We'll pick up your pieces." a British boat captain said.
"Roger. I'm coming in." Bartlett replied, gingerly easing his plane into a controlled crash in the English Channel. His P-40C Warhawk shuddered as it hit the water, before coming to a stop. Nagase and Blaze circled overhead, watching as a small fishing boat diverted from the fleet. A young man they guessed to be no older than fifteen swam over and guided him on board, and Nagase breathed a sigh of relief.
"Heads up, additional hostile aircraft incoming, I count ten Stukas and twelve Messerschmitts. Altitude, angels three, bearing one one zero. They're coming in fast." a BEF commander reported.
"We've only got a quarter of the way to go, and we're down one bird. We need to consolidate our defense efforts. Edge, take command of Wardog Flight." Tom suggested.
"This is Edge, negative. You take the lead, Blaze, I'll cover your wing." Edge countered, handing temporary flight lead to Marcus.
"Are you certain about this, Nagase?" he asked.
"Positive." Edge replied bluntly.
"Second Lieutenant Nagase, follow your orders." Tom shouted.
"No. Blaze is leading. I'll protect his six o'clock. And I'm not going to lose another flight lead." Nagase countered.
"Quit screwing around. This is war. The enemy is all over, and they're going to eat you alive." Frank reminded.
"Y'all know anything about leading a fighter wing, Blaze?" Joe asked, unsure of the situation.
"I don't, but I'll give it my damn hardest." Marcus replied, looking to his left. "Edge, form an element. We'll go after the enemy planes and keep them occupied. Chopper, form an element with VF-Alpha Three."
"Understood." Chopper and Nagase replied. Chopper split up from the squadron and formed up with Frank.
"Think you can keep Chopper alive, Frank?" Tom asked.
"No sweat. This'll be easy." Frank said confidently.
"Man, I swear…" Chopper groaned.
"Enemy aircraft are almost in range! You've got to take them out quickly, or we're done for!" the BEF commander shouted.
"Wardog is moving to intercept." Marcus said as he and Nagase turned to intercept the incoming aircraft. Chopper and Frank followed soon after, and both elements spotted the incoming Stukas and Me-109s. They entered the merge and engaged the dive bombers, while Frank and Chopper went to engage the escorts. Frank was the first to engage, shooting an Me-109 that crossed into his firing angle.
"And the horse you rode in on, pal!" Frank said as the enemy fighter slammed into the water.
"Come on, Brits… Just a little longer…" Chopper muttered said, watching a Stuka fall to Nagase.
"Down you go!" Marcus shouted as he shot down another Stuka.
"Good kill, Blaze!" Nagase shouted.
"There you go… Nice and easy…" Chopper said as he eased behind another Me-109. The enemy fighter immediately went evasive, but quickly fell to his guns. "Target down." he announced. He would be astonished as the wreckage fell onto an unlucky German fighter, sending it careening into the channel.
"We can see the cliffside. Not a minute more, and we're home free." the BEF commander said.
"The enemy must know that, too. Enemy dive bombers are reducing altitude and increasing airspeed, they're targeting the RMS Lady of Mann." Marcus announced as he shot down one of the Stukas.
"We're nearly within range of the British air defense network. They'll have to break off soon." Tom said.
"There's no way we can handle them all!" Frank countered.
"Tom! Joe! Get over here and help!" Chopper yelled.
"We're on our way." Tom said as he and Joe changed course to intercept the dive bombers.
"Dive Bombers are on final approach to attack! Intercept them now!" the BEF commander shouted.
"We're doing our best, sir. Jerry's not making it easy." Marcus said as he shot down another two Stukas. The enemy fighters were getting in the way, keeping Chopper and Frank from getting a clean shot, as Tom and Joe crossed into the formation, shooting two Stukas each head on. Both of these dive bombers slammed into each other, before their debris fell into the channel. Despite the heroics, a bomb landed right on top of the Lady of Mann, detonating on her forward deck.
"This is the RMS Lady of Mann. Bomb detonation off our bow. Minor damage sustained." the captain of the stricken ocean liner reported.
"Stukas are turning away. Looks like they're breakin' off." Joe announced as the enemy turned around to head back for Germany.
"The remaining fighters are hanging back. Let's take them out." Marcus said as he turned into a straggling Me-109. He opened up on the German fighter, chewing through the tail until it snapped off, sending it in a death spiral. The Luftwaffe pilot inside found himself unable to bail with the erratic way the plane was flipping around, and so he went with his plane to a watery grave. Marcus wasn't finished yet, as he turned into another Me-109, before shooting its wing off.
"Nice one, Blaze!" Frank exclaimed as he maneuvered one of the last three Messerschmits, before he opened fire. The enemy aircraft burst into flames, before falling into the ocean. This pilot, too, went down with his plane on account of a stuck canopy. Chopper followed the last two as they tried to bug out, opening fire on both of them. Both planes fell one after the other.
"The skies are clear!" the BEF commander.
"This is RAF 15 Squadron. Thanks for covering the fleet, Yanks, we'll take it from here." the leader of an RAF squadron of Hawker Hurricanes said over the radio.
"No sweat. We did good." Frank said.
"One... two... three. One… two… three planes! Take a look, man! We're all back safe! I can't wait to tell the captain, once he returns." Chopper exclaimed.
"Wardog Squadron, this is RAF 15 Squadron. Command orders you to set course to RAF Base Catterick, near Yorkshire. It seems your squadron is being selected for a special task. Once you land, report to Captain Christopher Robinson and the base commander. Good luck, Gentlemen." the captain of 15 Squadron said.
"Understood. Wardog is setting course." Marcus said as he and the rest of Wardog flight ease their P-40Cs into the correct direction.
'We were intrigued at the news that Wardog was selected for something special. Chopper jumped at the chance to make a name for himself and the squadron. Of course, we had no idea what we were getting into. 'Special Ops' in this field often involved doing suicidal tasks. Still, we had orders to follow, and we figured we'd give this a shot. What's the worst that can happen?'
AUTHOR'S NOTES
I apologize for how long it took to get a chapter out for this story. It's been on the backburner for quite some time due to college, but here's Chapter 2. Enjoy.
The reason I went with a Genderswap of Nagase was because in the Second World War, women in the RAF and USAAF were nowhere near as common as they are today in their modern counterparts. The WASPS (Women Airforce Service Programs) did exist, but were not a thing until 1943, and women in war outside of the Soviet Union and China were more often relegated to the Medical Corps or Intelligence services of their respective nations. So, in an effort to follow historic accuracy, a major change to a major character was required. It can be implied that, because Nagase's dialogue hasn't changed, he inevitably comes to see Marcus as a brotherly figure later in the story.
The RMS Lady of Mann, one of many civilian ships involved in the evacuation of Dunkirk, was indeed hit with a bomb during her role in rescuing the BEF, and sustained minimal damage as a result. She continued on to evacuate other ports in France prior to its complete occupation.
You'll certainly be seeing more of the cast from the original Blazing Angels in this fanfic.
That's all, everyone. Happy Hunting!