Skies of Steel: Chapter 1: The Distress Call
Date: September 21st, 1940
Location: Off the Coast of Southern Great Britain
Time: 0200 Hours (2:00 AM)
Squadron: 59th Squadron (USAAF)
In the wee morning hours of September 21st, 1940, 59th Squadron was in the air and heading towards the last known coordinates of the escort fleet. All 12 of them were sending radio messages repeatedly to the missing escort fleet, with no response from the fleet or its Royal Air Force escorts in return, only radio static. The suspicion that the escort fleet was sunk grew with every unanswered radio call and every minute spent trying to locate the escort fleet, which had seemingly had vanished into thin air.
"I can't believe it, Heathrow," radioed Mikasa, who was bewildered, "How can a fleet composed of some of the best warships in the world disappear into thin air? It's a mystery, you know."
"We've been trying to contact them for 2 hours straight," radioed Heathrow, "but no response. So I agree with you."
As they drew closer to the last known coordinates, suspicion turned to fear as they weren't within any range of radio contact with an allied unit. They started to fear that whatever, or more accurately, whoever destroyed the missing fleet would hit them next.
"I don't like this at all," radioed Tori with a worried expression, "It's too quiet out here. Way too quiet."
"Focus on the mission Tori," radioed Heathrow with a determined attitude, "The sooner we get done with this mission, the sooner that we will return to the United States."
"I sure hope so," radioed Tori nervously, "All this radio silence is driving me insane."
Just as Tori finished, Heathrow's radio buzzed to life with a garbled message he couldn't make out.
"Woah!" radioed Link who was shocked from hearing the message, "What the hell was that?!"
"I heard it as well!" radioed Naruto. "What the heck?"
"I don't know what I just heard," radioed Miku, "but whatever it meant, it ain't good."
Heathrow's radio then flickered to life again, but the voice was still garbled and not understandable. But Heathrow was able to make out a few distinguishable sounds, like fast bursts of machine-gun fire and the tell-tale repeating blasts of an Anti-Air Gun. That was when he knew that they were in trouble.
"59th Squadron!" radioed Heathrow, "We have received a possible distress signal from the Interception Fleet. Repeat, we have received a possible distress signal from the inter-"
Heathrow was rudely interrupted by an exploding anti-air shell that narrowly missed his plane by mere inches.
"Evasive Maneuvers!" yelled Heathrow. The planes started to move erratically as the pilots controlling them tried to evade the incoming anti-air fire coming from below them.
"What the fuck is shooting at us?!" radioed Zelda, who was terrified. "I don't want to die!"
"Look down below!" radioed Heathrow, "I think that you'll get your answer from there!"
Zelda took a single glance from her cockpit, screamed in terror, and felt her heart skip a couple of beats. Down below, the Germans were unleashing a cloud of anti-air fire so dense that they couldn't get close enough to counter-attack. Junko winced as a German AA shell narrowly missed her engine. Another AA shell missed Link's tail by mere inches. Similarly, an AA shell narrowly missed Naruto's cockpit by mere centimeters.
"Heathrow!" yelled Junko, who was terrified, "What are we going to do? We're going to get picked off one by one!"
"I'm trying to think of something, Sidewinder!" radioed Heathrow, "Hold tight!"
As Heathrow was trying to think of a way out of this sticky situation, his radio flicked to life yet again, but this time, the distress message that came through was clear.
"Mayday! Mayday!" radioed an RAF pilot in desperation, "We are under heavy fire and need reinforcements! Repeat, we are under heavy fire and need reinforcements! Any allied units in the area, rally to our location! We are being picked off one by-" The message was cut off as whatever was shooting them killed the sender, as a loud explosion followed.
"Fuck!" radioed Heathrow. "All wings, safeties off. Get ready to fight your way through!"
As all the pilots turned their gun safeties off, they arranged their planes into a finger-four formation while evading the incoming AA fire. As they pressed on, Heathrow saw something in distance. In the distance, the interception fleet was being hammered on all sides by the Germans. Seeing that the allied fleet was in trouble, Heathrow knew that it was time to counterattack.
"Broken Arrow!" radioed Heathrow, "Broken Arrow! All wings, counterattack!"
As 59th Squadron swooped, Miku sensed something coming in from behind them.
"Bogies on our six! Repeat, bogies on our six!" radioed Miku, "12 Luftwaffe fighters, closing in on our position!"
"Shit," radioed Heathrow, "All wings, break off the attack and prepare to engage!"
"What about the escort fleet?" radioed a concerned Annie, "We can't leave them there to be blown apart by the Germans!"
"I know that Annie," radioed Heathrow, "But if we try to go and save the escort fleet first, the enemy fighters will pick us off in minutes. Besides, for being obsolete, those escort ships can take quite the punishment."
59th Squadron then turned to face the enemy squadron, which was barreling towards them, head-on. As they drew closer, they could finally see what was attacking them. 12 Messerschmitt BF-109 fighters, their bullet-like airframes screaming towards them like meteors.
"Pick your targets wisely," radioed Heathrow, "I don't want what happened last time to happen again right now."
"What do you mean, Lieutenant?" radioed Tori.
"I can't tell your right now, Hanson," radioed Heathrow, "but when this mission is over, I'll tell all of you."
After he said that, Heathrow reminded his squadron to pick their targets.
"I'm taking plane #2 in the leading formation," radioed Junko. "What targets are you picking, lieutenant?"
"The squadron leader's usually the first plane in the leading formation, Sidewinder," radioed Heathrow, "So I'm targeting that plane. Besides, a squadron becomes ineffective without its commander."
"I'm taking the plane #2 in the right flanking formation," radioed Ash, "The squadron's second in command that plane, so that's the target I'm aiming for."
"If that's what your attack plan is, Ash," radioed Tori, "I'm targeting the 4th plane in the leading formation."
"I'm taking the first plane in the right flanking formation," radioed Miku, "Judging by how it flies, it's safe to say that the pilot flying it is the most inexperienced of them all, making plane #1, in my eyes, the perfect target."
"I'm taking the third plane in the left flanking formation,'' radioed Mikasa, "The pilot that's flying the plane is the second-least experienced of the bunch."
"If that's what you 2 are doing," radioed Tori, "I'm targeting plane #2 in the left flanking formation."
"Give me plane #4 in the right flanking formation," radioed Link, "I can take care of that bastard."
"Intimidator!" radioed Heathrow with urgency in his voice.
"What is it, sir?" Jaune radioed back.
"I need you to take out plane #3 in the leading formation," radioed Heathrow, "The pilot that's flying that bucket of bolts is an essential part of the enemy squadron. Can you do that for me?"
"I'm on it, sir." radioed Jaune. "That plane will be scrap metal when I'm done with it."
"I'm taking plane #1 in the left flanking formation,'' radioed Ezekiel.
"Plane #4 in the left flanking formation is open, so I'm targeting that plane." radioed Annie.
"Huntress!" radioed Heathrow.
"What do you need to be destroyed, Sir?" Zelda responded.
"Oni!" radioed Heathrow.
"Reporting in, sir." radioed Naruto.
"You 2, I need you to target plane #2 and plane #3 in the leading formation, respectively."
"On it, sir," radioed Zelda.
"Got it, sir." radioed Naruto.
"All wings," radioed Heathrow, "let's show these bastards why 59th Squadron rules the skies!"
Will 59th Squadron come out on top? Or will they be 12 new casualties in the war? Find out in chapter 2 of: Skies of Steel.