Here there be Tigers! (Open)

[Jus'draal]

Jus'draal's eyebrows knit and worked below her brow ridges, she looked stunned for a moment.  "You mean the best defense is a good defense!?"

She sounded incredulous because she was, "Are these flying rocks?  They go up and down but not side to sie... what about forward and backward?  Hovering, maybe?"

She paused a moment than asked, "Where are the controls for the shields?  I do not remember seeing those.  Or is there no use due to these projectile weapons? These... guns."

They were fortunate there was noone else standing around at that moment as the Cadet learned about the realities of the P-40 Tomahawk.  A momentlater one of the ground crew came in to alert them it was tim for them to mount up.  They had some time to walk and talk together while they walked out to the tarmac, where the Highland Gal and the You Are A Wierdo stood waiting, engines idling.

Jus'draal was beside herself, "I did not name it that!"  But there it was in neat script 'You Are A Wierdo'.  Inwardly she vowed, someone would pay...

[Ian Galloway]

Jus'draal's eyebrows knit and worked below her brow ridges, she looked stunned for a moment.  "You mean the best defense is a good defense!?"

She sounded incredulous because she was, "Are these flying rocks?  They go up and down but not side to sie... what about forward and backward?  Hovering, maybe?"

She paused a moment than asked, "Where are the controls for the shields?  I do not remember seeing those.  Or is there no use due to these projectile weapons? These... guns."

They were fortunate there was noone else standing around at that moment as the Cadet learned about the realities of the P-40 Tomahawk.  A momentlater one of the ground crew came in to alert them it was tim for them to mount up.  They had some time to walk and talk together while they walked out to the tarmac, where the Highland Gal and the You Are A Wierdo stood waiting, engines idling.

Jus'draal was beside herself, "I did not name it that!"  But there it was in neat script 'You Are A Wierdo'.  Inwardly she vowed, someone would pay...

[Holodeck Four]

Ian chuckled as he headed for his plane.

"Lass, you have a lot ta learn. You can turn, you just can't match a Japanese fighter at them. As to backward or hovering? Not options, these planes fly by air flowing over the wings. You stop going forward, you fall out of the sky. The shields are the armor I told you about. You aim the guns by line up the ring and bead sights on the nose, add to that, you only have roughly twenty seconds of ammunition, so you fire short bursts."

Ian laughed at the name on her plane and shook his head.

"That would be revenge fer buzzin' the tower. You have ta earn respect by bein' good at what you do here. We are still on level one, so there won't be any opposition this flight. I checked the board in the tower. We are Panda flight, so I am Panda one and you are Panda two. Just try not ta fly into me and follow me through the maneuvers. Now, it's time ta mount up Weirdo!"

Ian trotted over to Highland Gal and easily climbed into the cockpit with practices ease.

[Jus'draal]

"petaQ yIn mu'meyvam!"  Jus'draal grumbled to herself as she climbed into her own cockpit.  It wasn't clear if she meant specifically whomever had painted her plane, or dwellers on Earth in general.  It didn't much matter really, she decided as she started to go through the checks before flight.  About halfway through she remembered that there was a thing called a 'seatbelt'  this was a silly contraption that one put on, but if there was reason one took off.  For example if one was going to crash, then one took off the seatbelt to jump out of the aircraft and then the parachute thing was supposed to save you.  She had yet to use a parachute in practice, but apparently one jumped and pulled on one of the straps.  If the correct strap was chosen a bedsheet would fly out of the backpack she wore and save her life... somehow.  This did not make much sense, but then the ability to fall out of the sky faster than the other flier didn't seem like much of an advantage.

When her checks were done her head came up and she waved a gloved hand at Galloway, thumbing the radio with her free hand.  "Pnda One this is Panda two.  Ready.  Um... what is a Panda?"

She could hear her own voice over the radio speakers in her headset which she had remembered to plug in when she sat down.  Carefully she buckled the chinstrap of her helmet, which was modified to fit over her brow ridges, and began to taxi after the Highland Gal, keeping enough distance rto allow her to take off.

[Ian Galloway]

[Holodeck Four]

The P-40 roared down the runway with the 1,040 hp engine thundering at full take off power as Ian lifted the plane off the runway smoothly. As he climbed, the landing gear rotated 90 degrees and folded neatly into the wings as they were designed to do. Ian pressed his thumb and forefinger onto his throat mic to talk to his wingman.

"A panda is an earth animal species. Of the ursine order, but is actually a vegetarian. They look cuddly and cute and are a very beloved creature.

"Now, on to business. Climb to 8,000 feet and maintain three hundred yards of separation from my plane. In combat, we'd be in tighter, but until you learn the ropes, I'd rather we not collide. Out."

Ian concentrated on his instruments out of habit, but he knew that at level one setting, the plane would not suffer any malfunctions. Once at 8,000 feet, he contacted Jus'draal again.

"We are going to practice a couple evasive maneuvers you are going to have to know to face opponents in the program. The first we will do is the 'snap roll', this is rather a last ditch move as it usually happens after someone has already opened fire on you. Gist is, you yank the stick hard to one side and force the plane to roll on the x axis. This will cause the plane to spin on the horizontal plane and out of the line of fire of the shooter. Now watch how this looks."

Ian then pushed the throttle forward on his fighter and executed three snap rolls to the left, followed by three rolls back to the right and roughly back to his original line of flight.

"Okay Panda Two. Your turn."

[Jus'draal]

The You Are A Wierdo or simply Panda Two as she was currently being called received clearane from the tower, almost before the Highland Gal was airborne.  Dutifully Jus'draal set her throttle and began to pick up speed down the strip, after a moment or two heaving the heavy bodied plane into the air, with only two hops before she managed to be airborne.  She was also not as smooth rotating upthe landing gear.  The wheel pylons did eventually merge up into the undersides of the wings though.

She was forced to let the explanation of 'panda' go by without comment, she did though take a position to the right and a little behind Galloway, keeping her distance to about what she estimated to be three hundred yards, it was good that he had said that bitabout being closer in combat, this thousand foot (almost) distance would make it difficult to respond when he got into trouble.

"Snap roll... right."  She carefully kept her airframe level and flying straight, as she watched him execute the six snap rolls.  When he was finished, she started in on six of her own.  Hers though were not three left followed by three right, she alternated, the forces on the plane made the metal creak as it went left then right then back left, rolling and slamming her boody into the sides of the cockpit and the restraint of the flight harness. She roared with exhiliration at the sensation of the rough flight.  "This is GREAT!" She roared, then cleared her throat and tumbed the microphone, hers was headset mounted, "Qapla'!"  She yelled into the radio.  "I mean... this has been enjoyable.  Out."  She corrected herself in her best facsimilie of Vulcan composure, which is t say it was a very bad imitation.

[Ian Galloway]

The You Are A Wierdo or simply Panda Two as she was currently being called received clearane from the tower, almost before the Highland Gal was airborne.  Dutifully Jus'draal set her throttle and began to pick up speed down the strip, after a moment or two heaving the heavy bodied plane into the air, with only two hops before she managed to be airborne.  She was also not as smooth rotating upthe landing gear.  The wheel pylons did eventually merge up into the undersides of the wings though.

She was forced to let the explanation of 'panda' go by without comment, she did though take a position to the right and a little behind Galloway, keeping her distance to about what she estimated to be three hundred yards, it was good that he had said that bitabout being closer in combat, this thousand foot (almost) distance would make it difficult to respond when he got into trouble.

"Snap roll... right."  She carefully kept her airframe level and flying straight, as she watched him execute the six snap rolls.  When he was finished, she started in on six of her own.  Hers though were not three left followed by three right, she alternated, the forces on the plane made the metal creak as it went left then right then back left, rolling and slamming her boody into the sides of the cockpit and the restraint of the flight harness. She roared with exhiliration at the sensation of the rough flight.  "This is GREAT!" She roared, then cleared her throat and tumbed the microphone, hers was headset mounted, "Qapla'!"  She yelled into the radio.  "I mean... this has been enjoyable.  Out."  She corrected herself in her best facsimilie of Vulcan composure, which is t say it was a very bad imitation.

[Holodeck Four]

Ian watched Jus'draal execute the snap rolls and smiled when she was finished. He then reached for his throat mic.

"Might not be prettiest ever flown, but you have the idea. We will practice two more maneuvers and then we will have to call it a day.

"The next maneuver was developed some 26 years ago, local reference during what was then called the Great War. It's called an Immelmann. This maneuver is tough for the Tomahawk, especially at an altitude above 12,000 feet because the engine doesn't have a supercharger.

"The maneuver itself is simple. You apply full power, pull the stick into your gut and climb as hard as you can. Eventually, the plane will loop inverted. At the top of the loop, you half roll back to normal flight.

"It only works after a dive when you have a lot of kinetic energy built up. Otherwise, against a Nate, a Claude, an Oscar, and most emphatically a Zero, this maneuver is suicide as they can climb faster than you can. Watch and learn my young apprentice."

Ian then yanked the Highland Gal into a screaming climb and rolled level at the top of the Immelmann.

"It's your turn Panda Two."

[Jus'draal]

[Holodeck Four]

"The next maneuver was developed some 26 years ago, local reference during what was then called the Great War. It's called an Immelmann. This maneuver is tough for the Tomahawk, especially at an altitude above 12,000 feet because the engine doesn't have a supercharger.

"The maneuver itself is simple. You apply full power, pull the stick into your gut and climb as hard as you can. Eventually, the plane will loop inverted. At the top of the loop, you half roll back to normal flight.

"It only works after a dive when you have a lot of kinetic energy built up. Otherwise, against a Nate, a Claude, an Oscar, and most emphatically a Zero, this maneuver is suicide as they can climb faster than you can. Watch and learn my young apprentice."

[Holodeck Four]

Iamn had barely finished speaking when Jus'draal leaned forward and shoved the stick away from herself.  Her Tomahawk nosed down at almost the same time the other plane nosed up.

She screamed like a demon as she dove, only a thousand feet bove the ground she yanked back on the stick, the G forces pulling at her features as her three lungs managed to even still roar with relish as she came back up, passing Galloway at eight thousand feet and rolling from her near vertical ascent to settle back at just behind and to the right of the Highland Gal.  "YES!  What is NEXT!?"  She responded to Galloway.

[Ian Galloway]

[Holodeck Four]

Iamn had barely finished speaking when Jus'draal leaned forward and shoved the stick away from herself.  Her Tomahawk nosed down at almost the same time the other plane nosed up.

She screamed like a demon as she dove, only a thousand feet bove the ground she yanked back on the stick, the G forces pulling at her features as her three lungs managed to even still roar with relish as she came back up, passing Galloway at eight thousand feet and rolling from her near vertical ascent to settle back at just behind and to the right of the Highland Gal.  "YES!  What is NEXT!?"  She responded to Galloway.

[Holodeck Four]

Ian lost Jus'draal until she pulled up next to him. He sighed and spoke into his throat mic.

"I had to have the computer replay your maneuver so I could see what you did. The Immelmann is meant to be a quick change of direction. I know I stated it only works against the Japanese after a dive, but, by a dive, I meant something like a thousand feet, not 7,000. In this era, altitude is life, you can't shed that much and last in any sort of combat."

Ian paused so that what he'd said could sink in before continuing.

"I'm a little hesitant to even talk about the last maneuver, because if you do it wrong, it would be fatal. That won't happen because of the holodeck safeties, but if you crash that plane, I'll be the one to answer for it. Do you think you can perhaps tamp down the warrior spirit for this one? Be honest, we can always call it a day and try again tomorrow."

[Jus'draal]

[Holodeck Four]

Jus'draal kept the controls neutral, though she remembered to keep forward airspeed as Iam corrected himself and his slight unclarity.  Something occurred to her though.  She thumbed the radio and asked a question, "What if I cut airspeed?  Then the air does not cause the wings to lift and I should fall much faster... a longer dive seemed to give me more speed and force to rise again... I can see how some might find the forces uncomfortable though.  My third lung struggled a little."  She shrugged.

She gave the back of his plane an indignant scowl, "Let us proceed.  If you can fully explain, I can be careful..."

[Ian Galloway]

[Holodeck Four]

Jus'draal kept the controls neutral, though she remembered to keep forward airspeed as Iam corrected himself and his slight unclarity.  Something occurred to her though.  She thumbed the radio and asked a question, "What if I cut airspeed?  Then the air does not cause the wings to lift and I should fall much faster... a longer dive seemed to give me more speed and force to rise again... I can see how some might find the forces uncomfortable though.  My third lung struggled a little."  She shrugged.

She gave the back of his plane an indignant scowl, "Let us proceed.  If you can fully explain, I can be careful..."

[Holodeck Four]

Ian listened to her logic, but frowned at her conclusion.

"Things happen fast in atmospheric combat, planes if this era did not have the power to weight ratio to bleed altitude frivolously. I've been runnin' this program fer eight months and it can beat me if I'm not careful. Everything I am tellin' you I learned the hard way.

"However, the last maneuver is called the Split-ess. It's the reverse of the Immelmann. Instead of a loop and roll out. It's a roll and diving loop. The Tomahawk is tailor made for this one and it is about the best way to break contact with a Japanese fighter because none of them have the mass to follow you.

"This first thing I have to tell you is you can not survive this maneuver below three thousand feet. If you try below that, you will bury yourself into the Chinese countryside like a lawn dart. Planes are beyond precious to the Tigers, we cannot spare any, so do not break that bird.

"Now, I get this program is fun, especially for someone used to 24th Century technology, but wait until I complete my run before you start yours."

Ian then without another word wrenched his plane inverted and began a steep dive that ate up three thousand feet in seconds before he pulled up and sideslipped to bleed off his excess speed.

"Your move Lass."

[Jus'draal]

"You have said more powercould be granted to these... with this supercharger... if it is appropriate to the time can we not acquire several and thus win this?"  She asked, not quite understanding the scope of the global war and lack of supply chain in China.

"Very well,I will not losea plane.  Or I will make them pay dearly for it!"  That seemed just as good.  Today was after all a good day to die, wasn't it?

She did not get a chance to reply before he executed his manouver.  She stood in her seat, on the seat really, the wind blowing her luxuriant curly mane out behind her as she watched the Tomahawk, descend like a rock in a pond, then rise again like a sloww motion phoenix.  When he had bled airspeed and levelled off she called, "Panda Two.  Execute!"

She threw the stick sideways, the roll barely fully embarked on before she lowered her ailerons and nose dived a good four thousand feet, then reversing the move and exexuting a secod immelman, ending with a roll back into her place behind his winf.  "Panda Two complete!"

[Ian Galloway]

"You have said more powercould be granted to these... with this supercharger... if it is appropriate to the time can we not acquire several and thus win this?"  She asked, not quite understanding the scope of the global war and lack of supply chain in China.

"Very well,I will not losea plane.  Or I will make them pay dearly for it!"  That seemed just as good.  Today was after all a good day to die, wasn't it?

She did not get a chance to reply before he executed his manouver.  She stood in her seat, on the seat really, the wind blowing her luxuriant curly mane out behind her as she watched the Tomahawk, descend like a rock in a pond, then rise again like a sloww motion phoenix.  When he had bled airspeed and levelled off she called, "Panda Two.  Execute!"

She threw the stick sideways, the roll barely fully embarked on before she lowered her ailerons and nose dived a good four thousand feet, then reversing the move and exexuting a secod immelman, ending with a roll back into her place behind his winf.  "Panda Two complete!"

Ian watched Jus'draal all the way through her maneuver and nodded in satisfaction before replying.

"Well done, I hope you have an idea of how a split-ess could get away from you now. It's about the best move this plane has if you get in trouble. As for getting superchargers, the P-40 served throughout the four years the Americans, who designed the plane, were in the war. The plane received several upgrades, but never got the two-stage supercharger for high altitude operations, so it's not an option. I could have chosen a later era in the war when the Allies had superior aircraft, but I wanted a greater challenge of the earlier models that required skill to succeed.

"However, that's going to be our lesson for the day. Tomorrow, I'll take us to level two and introduce you to simple aerial combat, time to head back to the airfield."

[Jus'draal]

Ian watched Jus'draal all the way through her maneuver and nodded in satisfaction before replying.

"Well done, I hope you have an idea of how a split-ess could get away from you now. It's about the best move this plane has if you get in trouble. As for getting superchargers, the P-40 served throughout the four years the Americans, who designed the plane, were in the war. The plane received several upgrades, but never got the two-stage supercharger for high altitude operations, so it's not an option. I could have chosen a later era in the war when the Allies had superior aircraft, but I wanted a greater challenge of the earlier models that required skill to succeed.

"However, that's going to be our lesson for the day. Tomorrow, I'll take us to level two and introduce you to simple aerial combat, time to head back to the airfield."

[Holodeck Four]

"Right," she spoke into the radio microphone.  "Why did these 'mericans not improve their weapons faster?"  It seemed to be a valid question, if a nation did not equip it's warriors how did they expect to win?

""Level two tomorrow?  Sall I bring a weapon?"  She was picturing walking on the wings and diving into the cockpit of a japanese plane to slay it's pilot.  That seemed very simple.  She turned her Tomahawk to follow Galloway back to the airfield, landing heartbeats after he did, this time managing not to buzz the tower nor overshoot the runway.

[Ian Galloway]

[Holodeck Four]

"Right," she spoke into the radio microphone.  "Why did these 'mericans not improve their weapons faster?"  It seemed to be a valid question, if a nation did not equip it's warriors how did they expect to win?

""Level two tomorrow?  Sall I bring a weapon?"  She was picturing walking on the wings and diving into the cockpit of a japanese plane to slay it's pilot.  That seemed very simple.  She turned her Tomahawk to follow Galloway back to the airfield, landing heartbeats after he did, this time managing not to buzz the tower nor overshoot the runway.

[Holodeck Four]

After climbing down from the Highland Gal, Ian walked over to meet Jus'draal as she climbed out of her plane. Once they had met up, Ian called out.

"Computer, save and end program."

Standing in the yellow gridded holodeck, Ian walked with his protege toward the exit.

"To answer your questions, the Americans designed several more modern designs within 18 months of entering the war and then improved on those too. The P-40 was a solid design, so they kept building them, but they used them for second line purposes like ground attack and low altitude fighting.

"As for weapons, should you need one, things have gone completely off the rails Lass. It means not only have you been shot down, you have encountered Japanese soldiers. They were trained ta be savages and even a Klingon warrior would be hard pressed to survive such an encounter. No, opposite will be older model fighters, bombers, and possibly ground targets. I will see you tomorrow at the same time. Good day ta you Ensign."

Ian smiled and sauntered down the corridor whistling a tune, research into the music of the era would identify as 'Let's Dance'.

[Jus'draal]

[Holodeck Four]

As the holographic scene dissolved, Jus'draal not for the firdt time wondered what it would be like in the program at night.  What strange and barbaric customs might these humans have?  She decided it was best not to try to find out.  Night time seemed like a good time for the apparently demonically talented Japanese to attack.

She did find it hard to believe that ay mid twetieth century human could give a true Klingon Warrior arun fr their survival money.  Perhaps it was weight of numbers though.  Mayhaps the Japanese bred at a prodigious rate and thus they werea subspecies of human that by the time of the more civilized present no longer existed.  Stranger things had happened genetically.

As they emerged from the holodeck, she saluted him with her best Nvy salute, she had been practicing.  "See you tomorrow, Sir."

She headed off i  the other direction from him toward her own quarters, humming quietly to herself  'Anchors Aweigh'.