As has been said, Orry was no novice. He had flown at the front for
months as one of the Lafayette Escadrille. Before that he had worked
his way up in aerial mechanics in the United States and also here in
France.
Even while diving, circling, swirling in mid air, ten thousand feet up,
he was adjusting the new sheaf to his own gun. Happily it fitted.
That was a good sign, and pirouetting, not unlike an expert dancer
executing a new turn, he dove aside and came up fairly behind the
nearest Boche. Without hesitation he began to spray the enemy with a
shower of their own bullets. It was indeed lucky the new cartridges
fitted. It was merely one blunder committed by the extra efficient
Germans in converting British weapons to their own use.
Evidently the ammunition dealt out to the Death's Head Squadron was of
the best. It was intentionally so. Another proof of this lay in the
fact that the German plane thus attacked fell sideways, recovered,
plunged half staggering away, while a tiny spark of flame became
visible to Erwin as he sheered aside in the opposite direction and
prepared for a new onset from above by the second plane. So far as he
could see, the other plane was making for Blaine's machine that still
flow the Death's Head Flag. Yet it was acting strangely as seen from a
distance by the Boches, who might or might not be posted as to the
strange change of its ownership.
The second plane, rendered more cautious by the fate of the first,
which was now descending a mass of flames, began a series of divings,
wrigglings, and even nose dips, in its efforts to confuse Erwin and
find a good position from which to shower the daring invader with
bullets.
On his own part Orris went through the usual maneuvers customary when
two airmen, both skillful, are seeking the advantage of the other.
Well it was for the young man that his own Bleriot was one of the best
of the up-to-date fighting planes.
Numerous shots were taken on both sides, and in the excitement f or the
moment Orris lost all sight of the fate of his partner. At last, in
trying by a desperate and perilous maneuver, to "get on the tail" of
his adversary by a side-loop in mid-flight, the Boche pilot, while
upside down, came for an instant fairly within range. Quickly Orris
took his advantage.
He was above and to the right of the German, and with a single whirl of
his Lewis gun brought it fully in line with the Boche's head as he sat
head down, strapped in his seat, while his machine was swiftly turning
in its side evolution so as to bring him in the rear of his enemy.
"Now!" gasped Orris, beginning his bullet spray. "Help me, Mars!"
A queer prayer, but it was quickly answered. The German machine
righted more slowly, however. Erwin dove swiftly down and came upright
in the rear of his now swaying adversary. Then the lad saw what fate
had done for him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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