December the 9th 1941 and a line of
Blenheim bombers Roars to life at
Butterworth Airfield Malaysia at the
front a squadron leader Arthur Pongo
scarf
but while they're still taking off a
transmission comes in
high in the sky dozens of ki-27 fighter
bombers approach in formation each
carrying four 25 kilogram bombs under
their wings then even more ki-27s come
in for a lower attack scarf orders
everyone to get airborne as fast as they
can
Blenheim accelerates down the runway as
the Japanese Fighters pants upon the
bombers
flight Sergeant Cyril Ridge opens fire
with the bomber's dorsal turret against
the swarm of enemies
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the British aircraft lifts into the sky
as explosions pound the Earth behind
them men watch in horror as the ki-27s
attacked the Blenheim still on the
ground bombs and bullets are tearing
them apart
desperately they are all hoping to see
other planes take off
a Crest form to see that no others make
it
the attention of the Japanese swarm
turns towards the lone lemon circling
around the battlefield they charge
scarf's plane dumping a burst of bullets
into the fuselage but the ki-27s are
only fitted with two 7.7 millimeter
machine guns they're just as weak as the
blenheim's dorsal turret the impact ping
and appear straight through the British
bomber fortunately doing little damage
the Japanese Pilots returned to their
mission and turned to the burning
blenheims on the ground and so the three
crew aboard the blenheimer left there
alone having lost their entire Squadron
before their eyes
what do we do
continuing with our mission
Navigator Paddy colder and rear Gunner
Cyril Rich are stunned by his answer but
they don't object
they have a job to do
over 100 kilometers later the lone
bomber Ventures into occupied Thailand
and it doesn't take much longer for a
pair of ki-27s to spot them one more
time
expanding an orchestra of gunfire
resumes its play across the Thai Skies
as the ki-27s turn in for the attack
the Japanese pepper the British aircraft
with volleys of gunfire Rich replies
with his Vicars forcing the enemy to
weave and turn in Desperate evasive
actions some of his fire lands but it
does little the fighters come back again
and again dumping hundreds of bullets
into the plane a scarf desperately
attempts to evade
then
peers
tingora Airfield
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the Blenheim prepares for the drop and
Calder takes aim with the bomb site
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scarf has to keep the bomber levels the
colder to aim making themselves an even
easier shot for the Japanese Hunters who
are still on their tail
strikes intensified placing the entire
crew on edge
the men are shaken as the hits rip
through the plane
Sirens Blair on the ground and the
Japanese Airmen rush for their aircraft
scrambling to intercept the lone British
plane from the Blenheim scarf sees the
fighters take off one by one adding
themselves to a growing swarm one just a
little more
through the site a beautiful image
reaches caldera's eyes a squadron of
ki-27s parked on a taxiway the
crosshairs gradually Wander Over Atop
The Enemy and Calder pulls the trigger
the bombs are released and they
disappear through the open hatch
they're away get us out of here
and he immediately Banks hard for home
the bombs crash into the line of parked
aircraft and annihilate them with
thunderous explosions but they have no
time to celebrate as Rich Witnesses a
swarm of enemies heading straight for
them
a flurry of tracers streak across the
sky and rip through the bomber's
fuselage Rich fires back but the enemy
swarms all around flying past the
Blenheim and revealing even more enemies
behind you there's just too many of them
short of options scarf pushes the
aircraft into a steep dive the bomber
Falls accelerating to the absolute top
speed with a flurry of Fighters hot on
their tail
the dense jungle beneath fills the
windshield growing larger and larger
scarf pulls up at the last possible
second racing away just feet above the
jungle
the ki-27s are poor divers
but they soon catch up and sweep in from
above guns blazing
as left and right in
dead evasive actions doing everything he
can to make a shot on the aircraft's
tail and engines as difficult as
possible but he has to resist the urge
to turn too hard he feels the need for
speed in the desperate race of home
behind him Rich keeps up the fight
despite the Grim odds even a scarf
throws the bomber around making him lose
his balance name he doesn't stop firing
his volleys strikes several aircraft
head-on triggering plumes of coolant or
oil to pour out of machines and forcing
them to turn for home
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but away from the chaotic combat two
ki-27s have a different plan they charge
the Blenheim from the Left Flank their
sights Square on the cockpit
Barney season coming
before blur of bullets punches straight
through the aircraft's thin metal body
his arm is shredded and his head across
his back as he hunches over in a vain
attempt for cover
the injuries rip his Focus away from
flying and the bomber starts to head the
trees a horrified colder pulls scarf
back upright and the pilot stares down
their approaching Doom he instinctively
pulls on a stick just in time the bomber
escaping a fiery Demise by fractions of
a second
scarf keeps on flying despite the brutal
injuries but he feels himself going into
shock
dizzy and weak he desperately
concentrates on flying as the sounds of
battle Fade Into the distance a deep
fatigue washes over him as he operates a
stick
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come on Bongo stay with me Calder lifts
him back upright on his seat scarf takes
back control with renewed determination
before them it's nothing but jungle as
far as the eye can see
but then
look they're turning back
rich and Calder break into celebration
we've crossed the border
gone but the relief is short-lived they
still need to land
scarf is bleeding and weakening by the
minute
neither Calder nor Rich know how to fly
he needs to bring the bird down and fast
in the distance appears the city of Alor
satar he would recognize it anywhere for
months he's regularly visited the local
hospital where Sally scarf his pregnant
wife works as a nurse
brace for impact
he cuts the 12
brings the damage plane into
his eyes fall Upon A rice field near the
hospital
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comes in and crash lands
sliding across the ground until it
grinds to a halt
rich and Calder emerge uninjured they
drag a barely conscious scarf and Shout
for help
the heroic pilot is admitted to the
hospital just a few minutes later
according to letters from his wife Sally
she took part in the care of her husband
even donated blood for him despite her
pregnancy trying everything she could to
save him
throughout Pongo reassured her that
everything was going to be all right and
told her to keep smiling
but tragically it wasn't to be and
Arthur scarf passed away during
emergency surgery
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we think his Victoria Cross belongs in a
museum but is currently up for sale the
RAF Museum are hoping to purchase the
medal to keep it on display for future
Generations the clock is ticking and
they only have another week or two to
raise the necessary funds you can help
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