Screeching could be heard throughout the ship as the nose was slowly pulled under. Fritz couldnt utter a single order as all on the tower froze with fear. As the nose dipped ever further Fritz grabbed the towers front structure and watched the cold sea climbing up to meet him just a few feet away. Just as it looked hopless the line snapped and what was left of the old boat that had saved them dove into the abyss.
For a moment no man spoke for they all knew that their time had come one too many times this trip. As the boat bounced up again breaking the surface Fritz's thoughts returned to him. "Man the Flakgeschutzen!" Men who were frozen only moments before snapped back to life to counter their new found airborn threat. "Wait for it........Wait for it..........FIRE!" The 20mm Flak mount started spitting flame as tracers reached out towards the Liberator. It only took a few seconds for the gunner to find his mark as impact explosions rocked cockpit and wing root. The liberator pulled up hard to clear the 20mm shells being thrown at them but the airframe couldnt take the stress. "Aaahaaaa haa haaa!" Fritz screamed as the Liberators wing seperated from it body just over the crews head. It crashed into the sea just 100 yards past the boat.
"What is this madness!?" Fritz yelled out. "We should be dead!" "We should all be dead!" The shocked faces of the watch team said it all. "Is this even real or have we all cracked up and gone to the madhouse?" "What now herr Kaleun?" one of the watchmen asked. "We pray."
|