Here is another story out of the great book "6 O'clock Postion, As Usual"
The Mouse that roared
The Operations girl put the magnets on the board:
Shako
Noiner
One on One dogfight, sector 2
A great fear too over me. The year is 1966, my second year on the Mirage, in the Atalef(Bat) Squadron Tel Nof AFB. Im still on my first steps, a green roockie, that only sits in the back row of the briefing room, and dares not utter a word. Small, thin, with a peach-fuzz mustach, and big innocent eyes. Outside- a hero Mirage pilot with a pilots uniform and shiny wings on the chest: but here, a tail to the lions, the very end of the tail of the lions, the last on the list, the kind that has no first name or callsign- just a last name.
And they put me against shako for a one on one. Lt Col Shako, who is so veteran and well known, no body remembers his real name. A prime pilot, former Mirage squadron commander, with years on the plane. He is visiting the base today, and asked for one flight, somthing simple with out a long briefing. They gave him a dogfight, and Im the victim.
The green Chevy come to a screeching halt in the parking lot, and Shako comes out of it. The squadron commander is watining to receve the honored guest.
"Hi Shako, how you doing?"
"OK, I feel like a flight on the Mirage, you have somthing set up?"
Only the squadron leader speaks to Shako. The rest stand on the balcony, smile politely and shut up. I hide in the office and peek around the door. That is Shako, the famous pilot. What and apearance! Big, strong, big sunglasses, a powerfull expression and a bald head that gives him a look of authority. Wrinkels on his forehead as expected of such an experienced pilot. His pilot wings are faded and wrinkeled, and his para wings are missing because thats how the old timers do it.
"We listed you for a one on one, your opponent is one of the kids"
Shako looks a little disappointed. "Dont you have somone a little more serious?" But the others are buisy.
WE are on the bus going to the aircraft. We had no briefing. Well, a pilot like Shako dosent need a briefing and that sort of b******t. Just a callsign, flight zone, and fule minimum. And now Im sitting quietly on the bus, looking forward, and holding my helmet and gun-camera tight.
Shako looks at me, he feels he needs to break the ice.
"So kid, how long have you been in the squadron?" He is Shako, but I am a "Kid". I have no name. Maybe I will this time. With out waiting for an ansawer, he adds "How is it going?". What am I supposed to say, he will see how I am doing in 10 minutes, through his gunsight, with the aimpoint on my flight-helmet...
Shako broke the ice and returned to looking through the window, pondering things that are probably of great importance.
"Nelson 2, radio check?" Hes voice is unfamiliar on the net.
"5(good"
"Nelson, start your engines"
We meet on takeoff postion. I drive my plane with the front wheel on the white line, not a quarter inch off. Shako is infront, 2 feet off the line. He is allowed. We straighten for takeoff, he looks at me to see if I finished all my checks. Hes eyse seem to be smiling, or is it just me?
Im all tight with fear, Like a scared child about to be beaten by a bully. With a smile.
Takeoff. He runs. Ten seconds and and I let my breakes go too. Run, disengage, and cut hard to get in position. I already lost the fight anyhow, might as well show a proffesional formation flight.
We climb to the training sector. A burst to check our gun-cameras. God, its about to beguin.
"Turn right!" Thats it, the slaughter beguins. 45 degree turn out. Shako is getting smaller on the horizon.
"Turn in!" Shako, that talked calmly and quietly, now sounds cold, sharp, threatning. We turn to each other. Starting a run. I have no idea what to do. No plan. Ill see what he dose. We pass, he pulls and turns. I have somthing better to do? I pull and turn as well. A plan! I was taught I need a plan. But what plan can take down a pilot like Shako. He rolls on his back and decends. Just on time. Oh, and I took a little longer. Thats it. Its lost. He already has hes nose down and gathering speed, and Im stuck up. Go ahead, finish it, take my pictues and lets go home.
Shako goes deep down, gathers speed to mach 0.9 and now he is galloping on a sharp horizontal turn. Every second he is closing an angle on me. Soon hes nose will be on mmy turn, and I still have no ansawer. We just started, no more than a mintue has passed, and he is screwing me already. What a pilot, a real Ace!
I huff and puff, the G suite is blown up tight preassuring my stumech and legs. The helmet weighs a ton. The eyes are running from Shako to the dials. The hand holds the stick tight but gently: too hard a pull will ruin my speed, too gentel- and the plane wont turn. Eye on the fule, going fast, 250 liters per minute, at 800 we stop the fight. Altitude, watch your altitude! 12000 feet is the "ground". go below it and its considered a crash.
There, he is putting hes nose up. But not to the right place!
He is going out of my turn and too high! I cant believe it. It cant be. The best pilot in the world and he...No, it must be a trick! He is trying to seduce me into somthing. But what? All the advantage he built, he just lost. Ansawer, give him and ansawer. Think fast!
I got it. I know waht to do. Im not as good a pilot as he is, thats true. But I have good eyes. Ill hide. If you loose contact you have to report, but the fight goes on. Ill hide! Make him loose contact!
Where Im at I straighten my wings. "Knife" we call it, the plane gives its slimest sillouet, like a knife viewed from the side. Shako, pulling up, shows me a wide back, classic Mirage triangle. I getting further away, my entire body turned in the cockpit to see him. Just dont loose him. He is a tiny speck in the sky. No doubt he has lost me but dose not want to admit it. I know exactly whats going on, he stoppedd flying the plane, and he is concentrated on looking for the kid that ran away from him.
"2, are you in eye contact?" his voice is emberessed.
"Affermative, proceed" I feel like a mouse that roared.
Thats it, now I carefully turn horizontaly. Shako stops at an altitude, looking. I finish my turn, and start to return low. Shako turns, he is flying blind, he cant see. He is looking for me to the his rear.
What to do? I have a huge advantage. I going for a pass on the greatest pilot with out him seeing me. Where to aproach and how? From below! Naturally from under him. He will be looking in his altitude. I have enourmous speed. Come from under him and pull. I let the plain go, let it run. Pass the speed of sound. Not looking at anything, just that black triangle in the distance. Just dont loose him. When to pull? thats the most critical decision. Too early, and I will be doscovered. Too late and Ill pass him by.Judgment. Good judgment. Run out of his circle. Thats it, now, but gently. I pull. Shako is still in a turn, probably looking back looking for me. I come from below and outside his turn. Range! 1000 meters. This is the time. Bring the sights in gently. There wont be a second pass.Range! 600 meters. Concentrate on the correct aim, aimpoint on the cockpit. 500 meters. Pressing the trigger. A crazy closing speed. He is flying much slower than I thought. He is growing in my sight at a tremendous rate, filling it! A roll and Im out! A few meters over his wing.
We meet on the bus and go back to the squadron. Shako, his hair messed up, his face red, his overalls soaked in sweat. I smile a little to break the ice...And look throug the window, pondering at things that are probably of great importance.
"How did it go, Shako?" The squadron commander asks.
"OK. Where can I wash up? I have to go"
The commander looks at me, curiously. I try not to smile, not sure if I managed a "kill".
4pm. Daily debrief. Films. Squadron XO on the projector, gunnery officer measuring ranges on screen.
Shakos film, empty, only the camera check burst.
My film shows up. "Noiner, what do we have here?" "1on1 with Shako". They roll the film: surely there is nothing. But there is! What is it? A Mirage growing bigger at an awesome rate, filling up the sights. Rewind. Start counting. Yep! 16 frames with aimpoint on the fuselage. Gunnery officer takes a measurement. Range is good.
A kill! I shot Shako down! I cant believe it, no one can, but its a kill!
"Write a kill for Noiner" Thats all he says. Say somthing, that its the great Shako on the sight, that Noiners kill is the best pilot ever. But all he said is "Write a kill for Noiner" and the next film is ruunning.
Only I never sat at the back row with the green pilots again.