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| A Quickie Sketch... |
Good "Ack"... It's Monday all ready, y'all.
I finally finished that paperback from long ago called "Thunderbolt!" Of the many stories that abound in the book, the most intriguing to me is of the Polish pilot recruited by USAF group commander Major Francis Gabreski from the British Air Force. The trigger happy pilot, Boleslaw "Mike" Gladych, apparently had a rathered checkered past with the French and Polish Air Force.
One of the stories is about him attacking three German aircraft and downing one of them, but he could not shake the other two which tailed him and shot him up halfway to the coastline.
As Mike tried to out run his pursuers, he, never missing a chance to disturb a few "Krauts", flew low and hard passed a enemy airdrome and decided to attack.
It was common knowledge that in a ground attack, it is the first aircraft that strafes untouched by anti-aircraft fire. But, with the element of surprise gone, it is the other attacking aircraft that takes the shellacking.
The German gunners missed Mike's Thunderbolt, but shot down the two pursuing German aircraft assuming that they were also American Thunderbolts attacking the field.
Pretty quick and slick thinking under duress.
My sketch of the encounter is pretty basic, but I'm impressed with my ability to still be able draw a Thunderbolt from memory.
First "easing into the week" cup!
Copyright 2021/ Ben Bensen III
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