Author's Longer than Normal but Lovingly Crafted Forward
Capable of attaining an altitude of 83,000 feet and a speed of Mach 2, the state-of-the-art helicopter code named AIRWOLF was the creme-de-la-creme of the aviation world. Carrying fourteen offensive and defensive options ranging from radar jamming to the most powerful and deadly missiles in the United States arsenal, Airwolf was slated to become the first of a series of airborne assault vehicles which would give the United States tactical superiority over any nation on the planet.
On the very day of her final test, her mentally unstable creator, Charles Moffett, stole the prototype gunship and flew her to Libya, where he intended to sell her to Mohammar Quadafy for a cool 5-million dollars. In desperation, the Government agency known euphemistically as 'the Firm' contacted Airwolf's former test pilot, a bitter young recluse by the name of Stringfellow Hawke. Hawke agreed to retrieve Airwolf in return for the Government's assistance in locating his brother, Saint John Hawke, who'd been a Prisoner of War in Southeast Asia since before the close of the Viet Nam War. With the assistance of Hawke's friend and foster father, Dominic Santini, the mission was accomplished; distrustful of the bureaucracy, however, Hawke refused to turn over control of the powerful gunship until his brother was located. The Firm, over a barrelhead, continued its search, while Stringfellow Hawke retained possession of Airwolf, flying missions for the Government upon the request of their liaison, the mysterious Archangel.
One and one-half years later this arrangement came to an untidy end. An ex- SAS mercenary, Colonel Ray Buchard, had unearthed Saint John Hawke and brought him to his camp inside Burma. The plan was to use the older Hawke brother as a bargaining chip against Stringfellow in the powerplay for possession of Airwolf. In an additional assault, a bomb was placed in one of Dominic Santini's helicopters; both he and Stringfellow were caught in the blast, Santini seemingly killed and Hawke badly injured. Archangel's replacement, Jason Locke, called upon Air Force Major Mike Rivers to locate Airwolf, only to find that Santini's niece, Jo, has already found the gunship and was preparing to use it to rescue Saint John. This too is accomplished, and the team continues its work under secret Government auspices, flying missions under the Firm's control.
In January 1984, CBS premiered "Airwolf," produced by the inimitable Donald Bellisario; it starred Jan Michael Vincent as Stringfellow Hawke, Ernest Borgnine as Dominic Santini, and Alex Cord as Archangel. Jean Bruce Scott joined the cast in the second season as pilot Caitlin O'Shaunnessy. After the third season, there were major revisions in both storyline and cast. Barry Van Dyke took the role of Saint John Hawke, Anthony Sherwood as Jason Locke, Michele Scarabelli as Jo Santini, and Geraint Wyn Davies (of Forever Knight fame) became Major Mike Rivers. The series lasted one additional season on the USA network in this format before cancellation.
It long annoyed me that USA Network could make such drastic changes in a series I enjoyed without providing the viewers with the courtesy of explaining those changes, or even making an effort at continuity. I took it upon myself to do so in a series of three novels. This first story, "To Soar Like A Hawke," reintegrates the original series with the new one.
Enjoy!
CindyR April, 1995
Capable of attaining an altitude of 83,000 feet and a speed of Mach 2, the state-of-the-art helicopter code named AIRWOLF was the creme-de-la-creme of the aviation world. Carrying fourteen offensive and defensive options ranging from radar jamming to the most powerful and deadly missiles in the United States arsenal, Airwolf was slated to become the first of a series of airborne assault vehicles which would give the United States tactical superiority over any nation on the planet.
On the very day of her final test, her mentally unstable creator, Charles Moffett, stole the prototype gunship and flew her to Libya, where he intended to sell her to Mohammar Quadafy for a cool 5-million dollars. In desperation, the Government agency known euphemistically as 'the Firm' contacted Airwolf's former test pilot, a bitter young recluse by the name of Stringfellow Hawke. Hawke agreed to retrieve Airwolf in return for the Government's assistance in locating his brother, Saint John Hawke, who'd been a Prisoner of War in Southeast Asia since before the close of the Viet Nam War. With the assistance of Hawke's friend and foster father, Dominic Santini, the mission was accomplished; distrustful of the bureaucracy, however, Hawke refused to turn over control of the powerful gunship until his brother was located. The Firm, over a barrelhead, continued its search, while Stringfellow Hawke retained possession of Airwolf, flying missions for the Government upon the request of their liaison, the mysterious Archangel.
One and one-half years later this arrangement came to an untidy end. An ex- SAS mercenary, Colonel Ray Buchard, had unearthed Saint John Hawke and brought him to his camp inside Burma. The plan was to use the older Hawke brother as a bargaining chip against Stringfellow in the powerplay for possession of Airwolf. In an additional assault, a bomb was placed in one of Dominic Santini's helicopters; both he and Stringfellow were caught in the blast, Santini seemingly killed and Hawke badly injured. Archangel's replacement, Jason Locke, called upon Air Force Major Mike Rivers to locate Airwolf, only to find that Santini's niece, Jo, has already found the gunship and was preparing to use it to rescue Saint John. This too is accomplished, and the team continues its work under secret Government auspices, flying missions under the Firm's control.
In January 1984, CBS premiered "Airwolf," produced by the inimitable Donald Bellisario; it starred Jan Michael Vincent as Stringfellow Hawke, Ernest Borgnine as Dominic Santini, and Alex Cord as Archangel. Jean Bruce Scott joined the cast in the second season as pilot Caitlin O'Shaunnessy. After the third season, there were major revisions in both storyline and cast. Barry Van Dyke took the role of Saint John Hawke, Anthony Sherwood as Jason Locke, Michele Scarabelli as Jo Santini, and Geraint Wyn Davies (of Forever Knight fame) became Major Mike Rivers. The series lasted one additional season on the USA network in this format before cancellation.
It long annoyed me that USA Network could make such drastic changes in a series I enjoyed without providing the viewers with the courtesy of explaining those changes, or even making an effort at continuity. I took it upon myself to do so in a series of three novels. This first story, "To Soar Like A Hawke," reintegrates the original series with the new one.
Enjoy!
CindyR April, 1995
