CTF4

Ok, Grande where are they?" asked young commander James "Sword" Blackwood saying while flying low through some mountainous terrain. Grande, Blackwood's RIO (Radar Intelligence Officer - backseater), was looking out the back of their Rafale VR-4

"Oh you mean those four dots right back there. They look juss like the ones that were doing funny little holding patterns around the target." Grande continued seeing the dots growing larger. "Uh… Sword, please go faster."

"Grande, what is your prob," stopping Blackwood as he saw what Grande saw. "JESUS!" With that, Blackwood pushed the throttle as far as it could go. The four seemingly growing dots were actually four of the Stealth squadron's APF-17 Lancer III's gaining on Blackwood's Rafale VR-4. Blackwood banked his Rafale toward a small valley then went low and even faster.

"Uh, Sword, what you doin man?" Grande concerned because of their fighter's close proximity to the ground. Grande looked back again. "Oh look Sword, they can do exactly what we're doin."

"We are headin toward our BARCAP (Barrier Combat Air Patrol), and with any luck they'll blindly follow right into our airspace. Then our boys will just sneak up behind them."

"Really. Two of em just broke off and headin high."

"They're gonna challenge the fighters on BARCAP."

"Hey Maybe we should head up there and help out Gomba & DaNasty, I think they ones on today's BARCAP we passin under."

"Right… We're ahead far enough." Blackwood gulped and pulled back on the stick sending the Rafale's nose toward the sky. He leveled out to the fighter to find he placed the Rafale behind two of his now would be pursuers.

"Alright thanks a lot for bringing us this, Sword." said DaNasty as his own APF-21 and Gomba's APF-21 passed two of the Stealth's fighters.

My pleasure. I'm headin up there to give ya a hand with them."

"I will give you this Sword. You the only one of us who'll clean up his messes."

"Thanks." Blackwood said with a smile. "Grande, range on the straggler Stealth in front of us please."

"I got him locked up."

"Roger that. Sweet tone. Night Rider, FOX 2." Blackwood said, already having locked up the straggler Stealth squadron fighter. He watched his simulated IR missle arch its way to the Stealth squadron fighter. Suddenly in one brilliant flash, the straggling Stealth's APF-17 left wing gone. Blackwood smiled as he watched the burning fighter spiral downward.

"SPLASH ONE! STEALTH LANCER!"

"YEAH!!!" Grande having his own strange little backseat victory celebration over one shoot down made by his fighter.

"Cut the cheerin you two. Remember there are three of his own squad mates that just saw you blast him outta the sky and two of em currently are chasin ya."

"You & Gomba get them off us and we will gladly get ur single problem off your tail."

"Deal." DaNasty smiled to himself. "Banshee Lead to Banshee 2."

"Banshee 2 here." Said Gomba responding to DaNasty.

"Gomba, lets get those two Stealth's chasin after Sword."

"Roger that man, thought you'd never ask." Gomba smiling away at the thought of getting his first taste of dogfighting.   Both men grinned as they locked both Stealth Lancers chasing Blackwood's Rafale.

"Banshee Lead, FOX 2!"

"Banshee 2, FOX 2!" Gomba finished saying. He and DaNasty watched their missles arch toward fast the approaching Stealth APF-17's. DaNasty's missle blew the Stealth Lancer lead pursuer's entire front section to pieces, but not before the lead Stealth fired his own IR missle at DaNasty. DaNasty heard the final track mode alarm go off. "Aw shi…." The missle impacted most of DaNasty's front and right part of his fighter effectively bringing him out of the simulation war game. Gomba faired better getting to watch his Stealth kill, his missle taking out the Stealth APF-17's Engines. The APF-17 showed lots of spark, fire, and smoke, then succumbed to its damage and blew itself to pieces.

"Banshee Lead down," Gomba alerting Blackwood to their loss, "But he got his guy though."

"It's always a tooth for a tooth, pilot for a pilot with the Stealths." Blackwood saying as he brings his Rafale to bear on an unsuspecting Stealth APF-17 busily chasing after Gomba's APF-21. Gomba looked behind and began to jink his fighter.

"Anytime would be nice, Sword." Gomba said, growing impatient seeing the APF-17 behind his fighter beginning to get a sense of his jink pattern.

"Night Rider, FOX 2!" Blackwood said watching his missle head to the Stealth squadron APF-17. The Stealth APF-17 dropped flares and banked hard to Port then kicked in its burners headed low and out.