CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
[I]JUNK WINGS 11
[II]BLITZ SCARS 26
[III]THE DEAD CAN'T BREATHE 37
[IV]HERR BARON NO FACE 52
[V]SATAN'S PAWNS 65
[VI]WHEN ENGLAND STOOD ALONE! 75
[VII]UNCLE SAM STEPS IN 91
[VIII]SIXTEEN KHOLERSTRASSE 108
[IX]EAGLES TAKE-OFF 124
[X]NO MAN'S SKY 135
[XI]WINGED FURY 146
[XII]WAR'S FLOTSAM 156
[XIII]THE BLANK WALL 168
[XIV]SINISTER SILENCE 183
[XV]THE LIVING DEAD 197
[XVI]WE WHO MUST DIE 214
[XVII]SATAN'S WINGS 226
[XVIII]SOMETHING FOR HITLER 237

DAVE DAWSON WITH THE EIGHTH AIR FORCE


[CHAPTER ONE]
Junk Wings

With one eye on the instrument board, and the other on the lookout for other planes in that area of cloud-filled sky over England, Dave Dawson hauled the Lockheed Lightning around to the left at a fast clip, and then deliberately pulled the nose straight up, and let the fighter plane take the bit in its teeth until it stalled. It did just that eventually, and at practically the same time the starboard Allison engine sputtered badly and started to throw black smoke.

"What gives with this heap of junk, anyway?" Dawson grunted, and eased off the throttles as the Lightning fell off the stall and went whanging down in a dive to pick up flying speed. "Talk about your cranky crates! This baby is certainly something. Or maybe it's me. Let's try it again and see."

Once more he hauled the ship to the left, and then pointed the nose toward Heaven. The fighter aircraft power climbed to the stalling point, and then the starboard engine repeated its little performance. It sputtered and started to throw smoke. And just to make it unanimous, the port engine started doing the same thing.

"Well, that's that!" Dawson said with a nod for emphasis, and eased back the throttles again. "Maybe this is a very fine airplane, but I sure don't want any part of it. No, not even for a joy hop."