Thunderbirds Are Go!
Halloween Specials 2021 Edition
Disclaimer: All rights reserved. I do not own Thunderbirds or any affiliated characters with the show.
The Ghost Flight
By Kayo Kyrano
A very unusual thing happened to me today, so unusual that I've had to do some research to satisfy my nagging curiosity. It was a very quiet afternoon on Tracy Island and the family were busy lounging about as they often did. I was sitting out by the pool dipping my feet in the cool water when I could hear a commotion coming from the main lounge. I didn't think it was anything serious or anything but had to be of some significance that I had to check it out for myself. Jeff Tracy along with Alan and Gordon huddled around the main table where John's figure floated before them. As I entered the room, I managed to catch the tail end of their conversation.
"It's strange isn't it, Father," John said with a bemused look on his face. "At least three different tracking stations report the same thing. A low flying aircraft made no noise whatsoever and when they tried to raise the pilot, they received nothing but static. What do you think is going on?"
Jeff shrugged. "Beats the hell out of me, Son. It could be a simple case of misidentification. Perhaps it's a bird or something. Did they say where it was heading?"
"Just that it was heading for the US coast from Japan, Father," John replied. "One of the tracking stations were concerned about the pilot. That's why they called us? They wondered if we could fly out there and take a look for ourselves."
Jeff huffed and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "No, Son. We can't afford to go and chase ghost planes. We're a fully operational rescue organisation. A call could come through at any time."
I could see a smirk form across John's face. "I told them you'd say that. I'll keep in touch."
Alan and Gordon found the whole thing amusing too. They were enthusiastic about going to check it out, but Jeff resisted their attempts to change his mind.
"Oh come on, Dad. What harm can it do?" Alan said and pressed the issue further. "Surely we could spare an hour or two to go and check it out?"
"No, Alan!" Jeff huffed again. "I don't know what you boys got up to while I was away, but we can't afford to spare a minute chasing up bizarre sightings. I suggest you two drop it and go and find something productive to do."
Gordon nudged Alan on the arm and together, the pair of them left their father to his work. As I stood there, a compelling thought swept over me. What if I went to check it out? The fact was at the time, Thunderbird Shadow hadn't been out on duty since she had new engines fitted. I had spent the better part of two weeks accompanying Virgil on call-outs should he need the help. I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to take my bird for a spin. I approached Jeff's desk and stood there informally. His eyes rolled up from the scattered pile of papers on his desk and met mine, but he didn't regard me with a smile like he usually would.
"What's up, Kayo?" he asked me impatiently.
"Mister Tracy, I've been waiting for a moment to test out Thunderbird Shadow's new engines." I began. "I was wondering if I could take her out for a spin, perhaps to look at this ghost plane?"
I could hear a faint grumble under his breath, but I managed to finish my proposal before he could utter a response.
"It wouldn't require any of the boys or the other Thunderbirds," I continued. "At least this way, we can satisfy our curiosities and not waste time with the boys?"
Jeff paused in thought. Instead of a dismissive grunt, he let out the chuckle of a man who just caved in. He flashed the smile I had grown accustomed to and nodded.
"Alright, Kayo, you got it," he said. "I envy your negotiating skills. Alright. Away you go, but I want you back here by dinner time. I'll get John to send you the details."
I smiled at him with a wink as I turned and headed for my launch station. I spotted the bemused faces of Alan and Gordon out of the corner of my eye as I went. Both of them would have to wait patiently for the details. Within a record-breaking three minutes, I took off from Tracy Island and headed off, using the coordinates John had given me. The area reference brought me towards the vicinity of Pearl Harbour, a significant naval base in Hawaii that marked the moment when the United States entered World War 2. in 1941 on the 7th of December, the base was attacked by Japanese planes which left a trail of devastation in their wake. In the decades that followed, it served as a memorial to all those servicemen and women who perished. I write this because it has some significance to the bizarre events I am about to share with you.
Anyway, It was a relatively short flight towards the area as I arrived at Pearl Harbour within the hour. The USS Arizona memorial shone in the sunlight below as its visitors scurried about like ants. It seemed weird at the time that a ghost plane sighting would be linked with this location. Everything seemed serene and calm. Visibility was clear and the new engines purred like a happy kitten. I flew over the area for another hour when John called through to me again. He had picked up the elusive aircraft. This time, however, he managed to trace it himself. It appeared to be phasing in and out like it wasn't fully there. Without hesitating, I changed course and flew for the vicinity of the trace. A few minutes elapsed when I caught my first glimpse of the mysterious aircraft. It looked like a small bird, fluttering in the distance. Every so often, the sun would gleam off its hull as it blipped in and out of the blue haze. As I closed in on it, I adjusted my height and airspeed to match this aircraft. It was difficult trying to fly slower than Shadow's operative speed. I tried to listen out for its engines as it passed under me, but I couldn't hear anything. When I banked to get alongside this thing, the mysterious details presented themselves.
The plane was an old P-40, used during the attack on Pearl Harbour in '41. It sported the white star shield on its wings and tail which appeared to be slightly transparent against the sky blue canvas. Its fuselage had been torn to shreds by bullet holes, possibly from anti-aircraft shells. Its rudders ripped to shreds and its wings suffered from gashes that split them in two. I was puzzled as to how this thing was still flying. Its front propeller spun wildly at full power, but it didn't emit any sound. The plane's colours were stained in black as if it had been consumed by fire. The horrific part about this happened to be in the cockpit. The glass canopy itself had been shattered all over and inside the cockpit itself, sat a featureless figure, dressed in an old flight jacket and helmet. The figure sat slumped behind the controls. His leather flight jacket was stained in blood. The blood looked fresh as if he had just been shot, which made my blood run cold. What had happened to this guy?
Suddenly, the plane began to bank sharply towards the coast and I quickly followed suit. I followed the plane towards a small unmarked island that was densely populated with trees and underbrush. It looked as if it was about to land, but a quick survey of the island didn't show any signs of a suitable landing spot. The plane continued to descend when I watched its undercarriage flip open. The wheels dropped and expertly, the plane touched down upon the shoreline towards the jungle clearing. I remained in the sky, bewildered by the expert handling of the craft. I was adamant that the pilot was dead inside. I tried to rationalise it on the spot, but it didn't make sense to me whatsoever. My immediate suspicion was that the plane was controlled remotely and that this was a prank of some kind, but that would quickly wash away when I touched down minutes later. I set down Thunderbird Shadow alongside the plane which now sat idol along with the clearing. Cautiously, I stepped towards the plane and peered into the damaged cockpit. My heart thumped like a beating drum when I found it to be empty. The pilot had vanished except for a trail of blood that stained the seat.
Streaks of blood stained the edge of the canopy which left a trail that ran down the side of the craft, dripping onto the foliage beneath. The stench of blood and flesh, mixed with the oil fumes invaded my sinuses. Honestly, I wanted to throw up. I couldn't comprehend what was going on. When I stumbled away from the plane, the sound of rustling caught my attention. I turned round to see the faceless pilot standing there, upright but inert. The wind rustled the trees around him, but his clothes remained still. Blood dripped from his hands but they didn't collect in a puddle on the ground. Instead, the blood droplets evaporated. The man's blank face shifted for a moment when suddenly, it turned away from me. I dragged its heels through the grass and bushes as it faded away amongst the dense forest. Within seconds, it had vanished. I looked over my shoulder towards the wrecked plane. It too had vanished, leaving behind the impressions in the ground where its wheels had been. Dumbfounded, I struggled to form the words needed to report this in. What could I tell them? Had I witnessed the ghost of a fighter pilot who was gunned down by the Japanese during the attack at Pearl Harbour? Had I followed a legitimate ghost plane?
I don't remember flying home. I guess the shock had taken its hold over me, but I remembered sharing my encounter with Gordon and Alan. Gordon laughed it off, accusing me of having him on, but Alan believed me. As I write this, I haven't shared this with anyone else. I'm a trained observer, I've had numerous years of flying experience under my belt so I know when I've seen something out of the ordinary or not. That mostly applies to UFO sightings, but ghost planes are something else. I don't know if I'll ever encounter another one, but I can tell you that I don't want to. It makes you wonder how many phantom flights are out there, destined to repeat their fatal flights over and over again. I got a first-hand look at the horror of war and I hope that one day the pilot will, at last, find peace.