johngardner.winloseordie-第49章

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flight；　flaps　to　IN。　The　HUD　showing　the　climbing　angle；　right　on　60°；　and　a　speed　of　f》40　knots。
　Bond　broke　left；　standing　on　one　wing　as　he　pulled　a　seven　G　turn；　the　nose　dropping　slightly；　then　ing　up　with　a　twitch　of　the　rudder。　One　thousand　feet；　and　to　his　right　he　saw　Invincible；　the　aircraft　and　helicopters　on　her　deck　ablaze。　Gas　tanks　going　up　to　produce　spectacular　blooms　of　fire；　and　the　other　aircraft；　low；　almost　down　to　the　water；　then　putting　her　nose　up　and　pulling　into　a　hard；　left　turn。
　Bond　reached　the　outer　edge　of　the　turn；　flipped　the　aircraft　into　a　right…hand　break；　harder　this　time；　his　left　foot　pushing　down　on　the　rudder　to　keep　level；　then　back　on　the　stick　to　gain　height　as　a　bleep　started　to　pulse　loud　in　his　headphones；　and　the　trace　on　the　radar　showing　another　aircraft　locking　on　behind　him　…　behind　and　above。
He　pulled　back　on　the　stick；　put　the　nose　towards　the　sky；　and　heard　the　rasping　noise　that　warned　a　missile　had　been　released。　His　mind　grabbed　at　the　recent　past；　and　the　missile　fired　at　him　near　the　bombing　range　close　to　the　Isle　of　Man。　That　could　have　only　been　an　AIM…9J　Sidewinder。　As　close　as　this；　a　superior　A1M…9L　Sidewinder　would　have　followed　him　to　impact。
　He　punched　out　three　Hares；　set　his　own　HUD　to　air…to…air　weapons；　and　flung　the　aircraft　onto　its　back；　easing　up　on　the　stick　and　feeling　the　red…out　as　the　horizon　disappeared　below　him　and　the　sea　came　rushing　up　to　meet　him　as　he　took　the　Harrier　through　an　inverted　roll。
　The　rasping　beep　disappeared；　and　the　horizon　came　up　again。　The　flares　had　done　their　job。　but　he　could　not　see　the　other　Harrier　and　he　was　down　to　2。000　feet　again。
　Turning　in　a　wide　full　360°。　Bond　searched　sky　and　sea　with　his　eyes；　flicking　to　and　fro　between　the　view　from　his　cockpit　to　the　radar　screen。　In　the　far　distance　Invincible'^　deck　was　still　littered　with　burning　aircraft；　and　he　thought　he　caught　sight　of　a　yellow　fire　bulldozer　being　handled　in　an　attempt　to　clear　the　deck　of　the　ravished　hulks　of　'planes　and　helicopters。　Then　he　caught　the　flash；　on　the　radar；　far　away；　thirty　or　so　miles　out　to　sea。　The　flashing　dot　began　to　wink　and　he　adjusted　his　course；　losing　height　and　slamming　the　throttles　to　full　power。　trying　to　lock　on　io　the　other　Sea　Harrier；　obviously　intent　on　making　its　getaway；　and　evading　chase。
　He　was　pushing　The　Harrier　to　its　outer　limits　of　speed；　making　a　shallow　dive　towards　the　sea　and　keeping　his　course　level　with　the　flashing　cursor　on　the　radar　screen。　Without　any　conscious　thought　he　knew　who　he　was　up　against：　knew　it　was　（he　Sea　Harrier　which　had　gone　missing　on　ihe　day　he　had　nearly　had　a　missile　up　his　six。　The　pilot　could　only　be　the　Spaniard；　though；　at　this　moment；　with　（he　sea　flashing　below　him　and　his　eyes　flicking　between　instruments　and　the　horizon；　he　could　not　have　named　him。
　In　seconds。　Bond　realised　he　was；　in　fact；　gaining　on　the　other　Harrier　which　was　about　twenty　miles　ahead　of　him　now。　He　armed　one　of　the　Sidewinders；　waiting　for　the　lock…on　signal；　for　he　might　soon　be　in　range。　Then　the　blinking　cursor　vanished。
There　was　a　slight　time…lag　before　Bond　realised　the　other　pilot　had　probably　pulled　up　to　gain　height；　rolled　over　and　was　high　above　him　now。　heading　back　towards　him。　He　lifted　the　nose；　allowing　the　radar　to　search　the　air；　and；　sure　enough；　the　second　Harrier　was　above　and　closing。
　He　put　the　aircraft　into　a　gentle　climb；　all　his　senses　jangling　and　ready　for　the　rasp　or　the　beep　which　would　tell　him　the　Spaniard　had　released　a　second　missile　the　moment　he　came　within　range　…　the　pilot's　name　returned　to　his　memory　without　any　conscious　thought　…　Pantano。
　Fifteen　miles；　and　the　aircraft　were　closing　at　a　bined　speed　of　around　1。200　knots。　Seconds　later；　the　marker　on　the　HUD　began　to　pulse　and　the　beep　in　his　ears　told　him　he　had　locked　on。
　Bond　released　the　Sidewinder；　and　saw　the　flashing　cursor　break　to　his　left。　The　rasp　came　into　his　own　ears；　and　he　knew　they　had　both　fired　missiles　at　the　same　momenl。
　He　punched　out　four　flares　and　turned　left；　climbing。　Seconds　later　there　was　an　explosion　behind　at　about　a　mile。　Pantano's　missile　had　gone　for　the　flares。　Then；　without　warning　Bond's　aircraft　shuddered　and　cracked　as　30mm　shells　ripped　into　the　fuselage　behind　him。
　He　stood　the　Harrier　on　its　left　wing；　then　reversed　to　the　right。　Pantano　had　Viffed。　slightly　above　him　and　at　a　range　of　around　1。000　feel。　Bond　armed　another　Sidewinder；　heard　the　lock…on　signal；　and　pressed　the　button。　As　he　did　so；　another　withering　hail　of　30mm　shells　ripped　across　his　left　wing　and　the　Harrier　juddered　again；　wallowed；　then　seemed　to　leap　forward　towards　the　great　blossom　of　fire　as　the　Sidewinder　caught　Pantano's　Harrier。
　It　was　like　a　slow…motion　film。　One　minute　the　aircraft　was　there；　firing　a　deadly　swarm　from　its　Aden　guns；　then　the　white　flash　filled　Bond's　vision　and　he　saw　the　'plane　break　into　a　dozen　pieces。
　He　overshot　the　destroyed　Harrier；　and　saw　only　one　plete　wing；　twirling　and　fluttering　down　like　a　deformed　autumn　leaf。　He　reduced　speed　and　turned；　10　set　course　for　the　coast；　and　as　he　did　so。　his　Harrier　grumbled；　juddering　and　shaking。　He　fought　the　controls；　realising　that　he　had　no　true　stability。　The　shells　from　the　Aden　guns　had　probably　ripped　away　pan　of　his　elevators；　and　a　section　of　tailplane。
Altitude　10；000　feet　and　falling。　The　Harrier　was　in　a　gentle　descent　and　Bond　could　just　about　hold　her　nose　at　a　five…to…　ten…degree　angle。　He　was　between　twenty　and　thirty　miles　from　the　coast　and　losing　height　rapidly；　hauling　back　continuously　on　the　stick　to　stop　the　nose　from　dropping　and　the　entire　aircraft　hurtling　into　a　dive　from　which　he　could　never　recover。
　The　engine　sounded　as　though　someone　had　poured　a　ton　of　sand　into　it。　and　he　had　switched　on　the　auto…signal　which　would　allow　the　base　af　Rota　to　（rack　him　in。　He　was　down　to　3。000　feel　before　he　saw　the　coast　in　the　distance；　and　by　then　the　whole　Harrier　was　shaking　and　clanking　around　him　as　though　it　was　about　to　break　up　at　any　minute。　The　sink…rate　was　being　faster；　and　Bond　knew　there　was　only　one　thing　left。　He　would　have　to　punch　out。　and　pray　that　the　shells　from　the　other　Harrier　had　not　damaged　the　Martin　Baker　ejector　seat。
　He　wrestled　with　the　stick　and　rudder　bar。　desperately　trying　to　get　the　aircraft　closer　to　the　coast　before　getting　out。　The　voice　in　his　head　started　to　repeat　the　procedure　and　what　was　supposed　to　happen。
　The　Martin　Baker　was　a　Type　9A　Mark　2　and　the　firing　handle　was　between　his　legs；　at　the　Front　of　the　seat　pan。　One　pull　and。　provided　everything　worked；　the　canopy　would　blow　and　the　seat　would　begin　its　journey　upwards　at　minimum　velocity；　before　the　rocket…assist　tired　and　shot　the　pilot；　restrained　in　his　seat；　well　clear　of　the　aircraft。
　The　forting　words　of　some　instructor　at　Yeovitton　came　back　to　him。　'The　seat　will　save　you　even　at　zero　height；　and　with　a　very　high　sink　rate。'
　Well；　he　had　a　very　high　sink　rate　now。　down　to　about　1。000　feet　and　at　least　seven　miles　from　the　coast。　The　Harrier　wallowed；　down　to　around　800　feet。　His　port　wing　dropped　alarmingly；　and　he　realised　that　he　was　at　the　point　of　stalling。　Almost　at　that　moment　he　caught　the　glint　of　helicopter　blades；　and　realised　it　was　now　or　never。　Yet。　in　the　few　seconds　before　reaching　down　to　the　ejector　handle。　Bond　pushed　the　port　rudder　hard；　in　an　attempt　to　swing　the　aircraft　away　from　the　coast。　He　did　not　want　this　melal　brick；　still　carrying　dangerous　weaponry；　to　plough　into　the　land。　The　nose　swung　wildly；　then　dropped。
　He　knew　the　nose　would　never　e　up　again；　and　he　felt　the　lurch　forward　as　the　Harrier　began　what　could　only　be　a　death　dive。
Bond　pulled　on　the　ejector　lever。
　For　what　seemed　to　be　an　eternity　nothing　happened；　then　he　felt　the　slight　kick　in　his　backside；　saw　the　canopy　leap　upwards。　The　air　was　like　a　solid　wall　as　the　rocket　shot　him　clear　of　the　falling；　crippled　Harrier。　There　was　a　thump　and　the　sudden　slight　jar　as　the　parachute　opened　and　he　was　swinging　safe　and　free　below　the　canopy。
　Below　to　his　left　he　saw　the　white　churning　water　which　marked　the　spot　where　the　Harrier　had