A Twist in Time by Frank J. Derfler Read Free Book Online Page A

replied. 
     
    "That would make me mad," she said.  "Gimme a little jink so I can look behind."  Jose moved the nose about five degrees to the right and Rae said, "Two fighters at six o'clock about five miles and closing fast.  Two more at five o'clock right behind them."  She turned back to the front.  "Traffic at two o'clock." 
     
    Jose had been watching the dot that was another aircraft on the right side of his windscreen.  The dot wasn't moving in relationship to his airplane, so they were on a collision course.  "Two o'clock traffic has been slowing.  Looks like we're converging." 
     
    "Being overtaken high on the left and right." Rae said.  Just then, two F-16s passed overhead on the left and about two heartbeats later another flight of two went by on their right.  Both flights pulled up into the sun.  Then, off their right side they saw the aircraft that had slowed and that they were overtaking.  It had the unique twin tails of the F/A-18.  Dull smoke was trailing from the right engine.   
     
    Because they were flying a pre-set track, their radio was tuned to a range common control frequency that was relatively quiet.  The defenders and active aggressors were on different frequencies. Jose made a quick call to range control to report an A/F-18 at their position with one engine out. 
     
     "Sneaky two one, what state?" was the quick reply.  Jose and Rae knew they were being asked about their fuel state.  "Four thousand" Jose said.  He had at least six hundred gallons or just a little over four thousand pounds of fuel left onboard. 
     
    "Sneaky two one, squawk four two two one, cancel your route and stay with the F-18.  Contact Blackjack Control on two two five point nine. "
     
    "Two one squawking and going two two five point nine. After a moment to change the radio dials, he said, "Sneaky two one" on the new frequency. 
     
    The immediate response from a different voice was, "Two one, do you have visual contact with the F-18 off to your right?"
     

    Australian Government Department of Defense Photo
     
     
    "He is at my two o'clock for one mile and about a thousand feet higher." 
     
    "That's Adder Three.  He's on this freq. Coordinate a join up and assist.  What state?" 
     
    "Still four thousand pounds," Jose replied.  Controllers were trained that when pilots try to help other pilots the last thing they think about is their own fuel.  The controllers turn into nags always reminding you of how much or little fuel you have, but losing your own jet because you ran out of fuel happens too often to pilots trying to help someone else. 
     
    "Rae," Jose said over the intercom.  "You take over communications.  I'm going to fly the airplane."   Another dictum over emergency situations is that, if possible, the pilot in command should aviate while anyone else available can communicate.  Too often pilots have tried to communicate and screwed up the aviate.  
     
    "Good." was Rae's response.  Then he heard her on the radio.   "Adder three, we are an F-5 coming up on your left side.  Are we clear to join?" 
     
    "Rae darlin!  How nice of you to call!"  It was clearly Jack's voice.  "Would you scoot over to my right side and tell me what you see?  I've got her straight and stable right now anyway."  As they got closer, Jose and Rae could see the kangaroo in a circle roundel of the Royal Australian Air Force on the fuselage. 
          

    Jose had already climbed above the damaged jet's altitude and now he drifted to the right side.  A he dropped level he winced.  On the radio, Rae said, "Jack, you probably had a compressor blade fly off.  You have a big hole in the right side fuselage; most of your right side tail is gone.  I'd say you have no elevator on the right side. "  
     
    Jose trimmed the attitude of the F-5 and it moved forward slightly.  "Adder three, there are also holes in your right wing," Rae added.  "How's the fuel?" 
     
    "She's on fumes" was the