My Little Pony: Storm of Steel
Chapter 5: Knights of the Air (Part 1)
Build quality is everything for a weapon, or a weapon system. Wartime production in the Kingdom of Aquila focuses on making a high quality weapon, and keeping those high quality standards while maintaining mass production. It's a tall order. Such a mantra can be seen in something as simple as a rifle or combat knife and as complex as an aircraft
Some of the best aircraft were being built, and coming off the assembly lines in the factories of Aquila. The Royal Air Force of Aquila or the 'Regia Aeronautica' was well-stocked with aircraft. The 'Regia Aeronautica' has 3 models of fighter plane protecting her skies in the Fiat G.55 Centauro, the Macchi C.205 Veltro, and the Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario.
To the 'Regia Aeronautica', bombing is an artform. Their use of 'precision bombing' is not like those used some air forces where their bomber squadrons will just drop the bombs on a city to pound it into submission. Instead, they aim for the heart or the vital areas of a city. The one carrying a payload with a fighter escort is the Caproni Ca.405 Procellaria
Armed with 3 Breda-SAFAT 7.7mm machine guns and 2 Breda-SAFAT 12.7mm machine guns with her payload of 1600kg of bombs, this medium bomber is beloved by bomber-birds and is nicknamed 'La Regina Del Cielo' or 'The Queen of the Sky'. For that 'extra punch' on enemy air and ground forces, they call on the Macchi-Bellomo M.B902 Tempesta
A great air force is not without it's aces among the fighter pilots. They are twin sisters named Isabella and Serafina "Good to see you two are well" said the old General
"Likewise General" the twin sisters saluted, the sisters are both gyrfalcon hippogriffs with dark grey mare halves and honey-colored eyes "what can we do for you today?"
"I just need for you two to keep doing your part in this war, for this war is not a war of attrition, the ponies are fighting a war of extermination" said the General
The General in charge of the airbase in the coastal city of Sparviero is named Lorenzo. He is a bald eagle and brown stallion hippogriff "When you are in the air, shoot to kill"
"The ponies are going to do the same to us, so we will fight fire with fire by the machine gun and the cannon" General Lorenzo informed his two best pilots. The general wore a grey dress uniform with brass buttons with his medals on the upper right side of his chest and on his upper right pocket. His grey peaked cap has a black visor and gold thread.
The pilots wore a similar grey uniform with a woolen flight jacket to protect them from the cold up in the high altitude. Their goggles and breathing apparatus also help out in the cockpit while high up in the heavens. The two twin pilot-mares saluted the General "Carry on" he said, and went back to his office. Suddenly, there came the hum of engines
Serafina looked up, and her eyes widened as she saw the dark blue circle and the white star "General! Take cover!" she yelled, she and her sister tackled him
The .50 caliber Browning machine guns kicked up lines of dust with shards of cement as a line of machine gun fire nearly missed them "Come on, Isabella! Andiamo!"
The air raid siren sounded, and pilots were scrambling to get to their planes. A squadron of Vought F4U Corsair fighters launched a preemptive strike on the airbase. The engines roared to life in the hangers as two Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario fighters came out armed and ready with the other pilots on the base, and they took to the skies over Sparviero
The first kill in the counterattack came from soldiers at a 12.7mm machine gun nest on a roof, and shot down a Mustang by killing the pilot-pony "Cider is on me!"
Isabella gave chase to a P-51 Mustang, and pressed down the guns to shoot off a wing. The fighter spun and ricocheted off a clock tower and exploded "Al diavolo te!"
Serafina was flying over the coast, and saved a pilot by shooting down an F4U Corsair. The burning wreckage exploded into the side of a cliff "Send my regards to Celestia!"
With their masks on and goggles down, they looked down and saw citizens running for it and making their way to the air raid shelters while going into a turn to engage the invading Equestrian fighters. With three 20mm cannon, and two 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, six Sagittario fighters are a match to four Corsairs and four P-51 Mustangs
She noticed that the pony-pilots were preparing to make a second strike on the airbase. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. The rookie pilot named Angelo notched his first kill as he chased down a P-51 that was looking to press down his guns on the airfield. With a burst from a 20mm nose cannon, he clipped the plane's wings
The Mustang landed nose first into the runway, and tumbled into a burning wreck. Even those on the ground manning the Breda Modello 35 took down a couple. With nearly half their aircraft being destroyed and losing the element of surprise while the hippogriffs did not lose a single plane, the pony-pilots turned away and toward their own airbases
Angelo got out of his fighter plane. The booted eagle and brown stallion hippogriff with a black tail was greeted with congratulations along with group hugs and nuzzles from Isabella and Serafina for notching his first kill as a pilot in the 'Regia Aeronautica' "Remember Angelo, stay on your talons and hooves, always be prepared for action at any time"