BRINGING DOWN THE BOMBER

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 73, 23 September 1933, Page 20

BRINGING DOWN THE BOMBER

(An Original Story, for Boys, by Cavell Vickei.)

i'sj\ SINGLE-SEATER Camel aeroplane rested on the tarmac, while meehan- #\ ics bustled "about her "filling tho tanks and placing machine-gun ammUni- % tion in the fcbckpit. The night was pitch; dark, and only a solitary ifearchligkt lit the: powerful aeroplane.' '" : - - ' ..- '. ■jV A figure clad-in; leather suit,, with; aielmefc upoft his head, strolled up to the mechanics. , ~ ~ .. ~,,.'. ... ■ "?.■ "0.X., Jackson?" he asked. The mechanics turned, and one of them Bodded. • ' -'. ■' ;- "Yes, .sir, 5' Ji.o replied.''"Ready to take the air. immediately, 7 ,'v Archie Adams nodded briefly^ and clambered, into the narrow cockpit. T^M^Le^viS-mWhiifcTguili'glittered inSfie^ray' of..'. the.cScawhlight, and a mechanic stood by the propeller waiting for the order to swing it. "Contact," bellowed the mechanic at thc; : propeller, "Contact!" shouted Archie.'The man' swung" 'tliel-p^iy with all his might, and' the engine burst into li|e withv v *,.^att«rihiv^o«r ; The buildings flung back the sound as : ArehiQ again raised hiSgauiitl<».t£i;hand. Immediately the chocks were pulled away from under the wheels, ind vtli(»lr «er.oplane moved forward, ;-'' '■.;*.'•;; '.''■.. . ' ■■-. '■ ' '■■'■' j . • ' '■■ He-was_ sent up at this time of night to locate a German Gotha bombing aeroplane, which was reported to be crossing the Channel to bomb the city of London.'-As it,.had no escort, Archie was sent;up alone. The captain could trust Archie to see .tlio job through. Suddenly a gasp of horror escaped his lips as he saw a huge aeroplane loom up out of the gloom, roaring straight for the British aeroplane. A collision seenißd inevitable. White-facedj Archie kicked .desperately on the rudder bar,-simultaneously pushing forwardVthe' rjoy-stijk/ With: motor roaring a fijriausisoiigj thejQamel-swung siekeningly to,the rights ; 'at the same time diving with^ainazing.rapidity. I'he' hng'A aeroplane roared dangerously past Archie's head, tho/iiiiaercaTriage'not ii foot Irom. the top wing of the Camel. 'Be gently brought iho screaming: aeroplane ;;i»pi from its dive, banked swiftly round, and .Bet; off after, the/German-Gotha, which had been swallowed up agaiiinbyrithe,dense clouds. <.'•"'.*•.■■ ..,'•. Aifthi^i.'iplungdci/thTouglithcniat a, «peed of over 160 miles per hour, daringly iWsking .a collision with'the "aeroplane he was after. For nearly a quarter '<xti an hour,"Af-chie1 searched about, until he burat out into clear sky. A crescent moon, lit up the Channel below as Archie looked about'the sky, endeavouring to catch sight of his quarry. Then a hiss-Of satisfaction escaped his iips as ho saw a dim .blot moving by the moon., "The 'GothaJ" he muttered. He sent the Camel hurtling for the aeroplane, ariij wheu ho was a few yards away, the LeWis synchronised giins began to stammer, '^Rat-tat-tat." Bullets whined ■ around the German Gotha, and one of the gunners slumped over his gun. Something dropped from the undor carriage-of the-Gotha, narrowly missiag AreMe's.aeroplane. "Bomb," he gritted, as the blob fell away out of sight. ''11l bring it down, or be shot tc> ribbons." It seemed as if he was going to be shot to ribbohs, judging by the hot welcome he, received when he roared up behind the bomber. feat-tat! :". screamed three Spandpus guts arid bulletg ,whiried past the bucking Camel. The twin Lewis guns of the Camel chattered, and then a burst of British bullets-«tttered the bomber's petrol tank. Boom'!'', The ISilthaidjs^PP^jed'/ih a blinding .flash of flame, and Archie '». (/afel w^;'plucKisd' violentlyfc'awayias.'itsj'&ombg exploded. Ai^ie^.watclo(ttho; : aeroplane, dwihflle in thfl'tdistance, lis ey,e3 harfl,\<^rt<i'Ms. lips'.': set in. la: gritaline. '/, ! . ''Brtmb London," eh?" lie riintterod. "Well, let that he a warning to others." lie banked the Caiaol round, and headed back to the Hornet Aerodrome.

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