1275psi
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Joined: 4/17/2005
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The airfield today is wind swept, bleak, and bitingly cold.
And not a man there feels it –all discomfort forgotten for the moment in the face of the beast being wheeled out in front of them from the shadows of the hanger.
For three days now, they have done the theory, clambered around the static trainer, but today, today it’s the real thing
47th sentai, Nakamura leading, gather around the new plane.
A small dapper man –a smart little moustache –engineer to the inch , proudly stands in front of the sweet smelling machine.
You can tell he has been waiting a very long time for this moment –a lifetime perhaps –and quite correctly, the pilots silently let him have his moment.
“This men –is your new fighter –I give you the Ki-84”
A round of applause –and its genuine. It has taken but these moments to see that here is a real war plane
Juni nudges Miyazuki –‘Look –look! –cannons –cannons at last!”
“It’s a lot bigger isn’t it? Miyazuki replies –eyes gleaming with desire “4 bladed prop, I hope it goes as well as it looks”
The little man lets them wander around the plane –touch it, feel it. After the war he will make a good living selling motor cars (when they become available) –today he will have little selling to do – there is only one truthful way to describe the attitudes of Nakamura’s men today.
Lust
A big, new, powerful plane.
A group think flashes through them – “the 44 is junk compared to this…………”
A big new, fast –heavily armed plane…………
‘want one, want one now!”
The selling spiel continues ‘You will be able to easily out climb, out turn the latest allied planes. We believe you will be able to accelerate faster, and match any of them for top speed. ‘And with two cannons…….”
Nakamura is invited to sit in the cockpit. To everyone’s surprise –he declines
“Juni –you are our top Ace – to you the honour”
Juni nods –and suddenly serious, climbs up to the beasts wing, contemplates the cockpit.
The natty little man joins him, points out a few features –Juni mostly ignores them, letting the words wash over him –time for them later.
Right now, he just wants to feel her.
The cockpit is gleaming, new leather, polished aluminium, lacquered woods –and that new, new small, of clothe, polish, oil and leather.
And Juni finds himself excited – genuinely excited -like a kid in a candy store, or upon being given a new bike –he climbs in, settles into the office.
It feels, feels just, just bloody perfect
A small label catches is eye.
VNE 495 mph !
495!!
Fantastic
He takes the stick –its just right-trigger falls easily to grasp.. Rudders feel -feel fine.
Throttle also falls easily to hand –the view –the view is crud over the front at rest –but after the 44, he can live with that
‘You have armour too”
Armour! – better and better’
‘Horsepower?’ he enquires
The engineer grins – “Put a good drop through her –you can nearly get 2000”
2000! –good, damn good.
‘but watch the torque –its vicious on take off –you must be ready for an awful lot of opposite rudder”
A clatter beside him, Nakamura grins at him “Impressions you old barsted?”
‘This is good –it really feels good”
“Then why don’t you give it a spin?”
‘Now?’
Yes –now –if you bust it then there’s no way we can fly it” his voice lowers ‘I need to show the men, now –that this beast is not so daunting –take it up –and have a good time eh?”
Juni needs no second invitation
“Engineer friend –show me the office again will you?’
This time he listens carefully –intently – and she is really not that more complicated than a 43 –just bigger, nastier.
He can do this.
Yes, he can do this.
For a moment, a memory flashes through him.
A grass field, a setting sun. The blip, blip of the little inline donk of the trainer, the instructor climbing out, the clatter of straps being tied up behind him
‘Why don’t you take her around by yourself hey? – that first pivotal moment –that first solo flight.
This moment feels so akin to then……………
She fires up –growling, growling, and she feels good, alive.
Nakamura will need to paint a new tiger now on the tails –a bigger, nastier one
Junis mind clicks into fighter pilot mode, professional, professional, professional.
Trim.
Flaps
Mixture
Magneto’s
Oil pressures, temps, good.
Pitch –set
Another around the world –and brakes of –she rolls.
Visibility is definitely crud – watch the wing –bigger wings!
On strip.
Brakes on –hard –and throttles on –power –good –OH, bloody good
Don’t bust it
Don’t bust it
Not in front of them –not in front of him
Never in front of Nakamura
A final thought before he goes –thankyou for this privilege, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou………
Brakes of –and throttle on, and yes, she does want to twist –I have you you bitch –tail up, strip rushing under –and a great growl, the roar, and airborne, gear up, gear up? –yes! –and lets bank a bit –gently –OH, on rails, on rails, this is so sweet, a thousand feet, 1500 Already!
Come round – 75% throttle –cabin noise not so bad at all – heavy glass distorts the view at the bends –keep that in mind –and there the strip is underneath –and Juni raises a single thumb –and in a sudden burst of exuberance he inverts her (Hyakutake –I wish you were here –you would have killed for this moment) and flashes down the strip –rolls back over, pulls the stick back –and walls the throttle
Climb rate –is astonishing.
Juni ‘s smile is no longer a smile –it’s a great ship eating grin –a grin of pure joy…………
On the ground 35 envious men watch the fighter climb away into the sky
“Do you think he will bring it back ?” murmers one
‘fat chance” another replies “ when it comes to flying, Juni is a little single track you know”
He does eventually bring it back –a fine 3 pointer –and everyone crowds around to hear what he thinks.
His face shines in the cockpit –and the ship eating grin cannot be hidden.
‘Needs a map holder –other than that –its OK”
He fools nobody.
Instinctively 47th know what today means.
A new sword ,A new shield. A new hope.
Leave is forgotten. Japan is forgotten. Give us this plane –and get us back into the war……………
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