Our leader aircraft responded, and started to intercept it.
The other three of us scattered.
While turning, I was observing what was transpiring.
The leader shot first and broke away horizontally.
The enemy’s aircraft applied the airbrake in the middle of the climbing maneuver. It appeared to enter the stalling phase.
Instead, it raced the engine and blew white smoke. It raised its nose further more. It pointed toward the zenith, and stayed still in midair. It shot at the leader’s aircraft that had just passed by to end up flying above it. After that, the enemy aircraft descended tail first, somersaulted, and dove downward. I started chasing it immediately after that. The leader’s aircraft was emitting black smoke from the bottom part of its rear tip part.
Moonlight and Key Box were lunging at the enemy from the other side while banking their wings diagonally, halfway to the knife-edge orientation. I was descending with my aircraft inverted.
Crimson, our leader, could not fight anymore. It was losing its balance.
It was going down extremely fast.
The enemy aircraft was making a rapid turn below.
It was so risky to the level that its main wings might be bending.
“Key Box, hold it. Let me go first.”
“Okay.”
Moonlight approached it while spiraling downward.
The enemy aircraft pitched upward.
I was getting ready to fly around to get behind it.
“What is this guy?” I heard Key Box’s voice.
I could not see it.
“I got shot.” It was Moonlight.
I could not see it because the direction was hidden in the main wing’s blind angle. By the time I was turning next, Moonlight’s aircraft was rolling in a flame. The enemy aircraft made a stall turn, cut back, and took the position above and behind Key Box.
“Do something!” Key Box shouted while leaning toward the left.
“Key Box, to the right!” I shouted.
I pointed the aircraft nose toward the direction and provided the covering fire, but it was too far out of the range.
The canard wings of Key Box’s aircraft were blown away. It was slowly pitching downward and started to dive.
The enemy was turning toward the right.
I am the only one left now. Three consorts have just been shot down in an instant.
I checked the situation around me. No one else was nearby.
Only streaks of smoke were floating here and there.
I maintained the altitude, let the main wings go vertical, and grasped the enemy’s moves by getting my eye on it.
It was approaching me.
It was climbing up.
It is of an old model, but its engine is likely not to be normal.
The fuselage is thick and looks heavy. It was giving off the impression that it was flying solely with the brute force of raw power.
Its canopy glared with the variation of the sunlight.
Then, I saw the outline of its front cowling.
Only two parts were glaring.
Cat’s eyes?
It is a cat’s face.
I heard a pulse signal. It was the command to withdraw.
But I did not take my eyes off the cat’s airframe.
The circle that it was drawing with its turning maneuver was getting tighter and more compacted.
I cut into the arc to get inside the circle.
It would be all right if I remained careful of its stalling-based maneuvers. My turning characteristic was superior.
I let my back adhere to the seat, and increased the acceleration.
It is getting closer.
I pushed up the throttle lever even more.
Flaps are ready.
Waiting for the proper timing.
How will the opponent start?
While we were both drawing circles, neither one of us made the next move.
The oil pressure was rising. The oil temperature was also high.
The main wings of my aircraft cut through the grey smoke in the air several times.
Come on now!
No action.
I shook the wings once as a feint.
The opponent did not move.
Darn it.
Calm down. If I am impatient and lose the cool, then I lose.
While trusting the efficiency of Sanka, shall I cut into the maneuver pattern quickly?
I simulated the deflections of the control surfaces in my head.
I will deflect four control surfaces six times within two seconds.
I will do it.
I held my breath, and got inside the enemy’s arc.
Simultaneously, the opponent directed its nose toward me.
Right. Skidding.
Left. Flaps down.
High throttle.
With the elevators, I pointed the aircraft nose toward the direction.
Here it comes.
Within the shooting range.
But, it swerved to the left.
That’s fast.
We passed by each other.
What the ...
I pulled it up and made a rapid turn.
I endured the acceleration by bracing myself around my legs.
Dare I say that it was not bad just because at least I was not shot?
The opponent was already about to complete its turning maneuver.
Hesitation.
Half-rolling, then trying to get under the opponent.
But it reacted immediately.
I resumed the turning maneuver.
No.
Behind.
Fast.
I twisted my body and pushed my face against the canopy.
It was approaching.
Not good.
Going up would turn out to be fatal.
I could do nothing but lean toward one side and cut down the aerodynamic lift.
It was coming.
“Dead eye, to the right!”
I leaned the control stick toward the right.
Who was that?
I felt as if I just heard the Kusanagi’s voice.
I am shot.
The edge of the left wing?
Pulling up.
Half-rolling.
Down.
I could not locate the enemy.
The engine breathed. It sounded painful.
Where is it?
I cannot just stop moving.
I deflected the control surfaces desperately.
The surrounding background was spinning around with dizzying speed.
Where is it flying?
Above.
The enemy aircraft was above me. I saw the bottom part of its fuselage.
I made a dive.
Full throttle. Hang on.
I went through the black smoke.
I spotted the image of an aircraft in the distance before me. Is it a consort plane?
Calm down. It is still flying.
I looked back by turning my head to both right and left sides.
Is it coming?
No, I don’t see it.
Where has it gone?
Below me?
I executed the half roll, and checked backward.
Now I see it. It is flying away.
It is going further away. I made the confirmation.
It seemed to be retreating.
Sigh.
I survived.
I brought the aircraft back to the upright orientation. I choked the engine slowly.
Distorted vibration.
I leaned forward and checked the edge of the left wing. The upper half of the vertical stabilizer was missing. It appeared to be torn off. I found a hole on the main wing. A little bit beyond where the fuel tank was. I managed to survive by the skin of my teeth.
I checked the statuses of the control surfaces. The ailerons are fine. The flaps are moving.
However, the rudders were heavy.
I looked downward and checked the pedals.
I should not push myself or luck too much.
My legs hurt.
I do not know why.
I looked around.
Several aircrafts were flying toward the opposite direction in the distance on my right side. Six aircrafts or seven.
I saw another one above me. It was flying in the same direction as mine.
Many aircrafts were in the airspace to the front. About twenty.
Then, on the left side below me, I saw a flock of aircrafts. It was the core wing of the enemy aircrafts flying toward the opposite direction.
Well over fifty. If they are climbing up toward me, that will be all she wrote. I thought.
The aerial combat seems to be over by now.
It is not a matter of will power running out. The fuel is too low.
I took off the goggles and took a deep breath.
Phew, that was outrageous.
The most formidable foe that I have ever encountered.
Rubbing my eyes.
My breath was white.
I broke into a sweat suddenly.
But, I feel cold.
A hole might be punched somewhere.
I was receiving the signal that was commanding us not to use the radio communication.