We So Few by M L Maki

Author:M L Maki [Maki, M L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rose Hill Press
Published: 2019-05-25T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

TWENTY MILES NORTH OF BENGE, WASHINGTON

0815, 30 May, 1942

Captain Richardson climbs out of the back of a sedan and walks toward a group of men standing with Commander Severn. She sees him out of the corner of her eye, looks up from studying a map, and salutes. “All is in readiness, sir.”

He returns the salute.“Good, do we have coms with the observer plane?”

“Yes, sir. The radar is spun up and ready. I’ve sent a couple of men downrange for one last check.”

“Thank you. Walk me through this.” They walk over to the launch rails upon which sits the test missile.

Severn says, “We have four missiles to test. We’ll be using a guidance radar pointed at the target,” and points to a tower five miles downrange. “The tower is made of wood with pins holding it together, no metal. On top is a radar reflector. Beyond the target is mostly flat scrub, so we should be able to find the spent missiles.”

“How are you guiding them?”

“It’s a simple circuit using vacuum tube technology. The missile has no radar of its own, so the pilot has to stay nose on to the target to guide the missile.”

Richardson nods, “Not ideal, but better than running out. Can the tubes handle the acceleration?”

A trucks approaches from downrange, “That is what we’re testing, sir. If they say the range is clear, we can launch. This way, sir.”

He follows her behind a simple three-sided barricade of reinforced steel and sand bags. The roof is steel, and there are two thick glass view ports that look toward the launch pad. The range truck driver gets out and comes up to them, “Range is clear, ma’am.”

“Good. Thank you, Lieutenant.” She turns to the technician, “Sound the alarm,” and a siren wails. “Okay, paint the target.”

“Yes, ma’am. Target is acquired and painted.”

“Very well.” To the radioman, “Tell the observer plane we are at T minus 60.” The countdown begins, and a Wildcat fighter can be seen coming in from behind a ridge. Severn turns to Richardson, “Would you like the honors?”

He shakes his head and smiles, “No, Commander, this is your show.”

She smiles back, and flips a switch, “Missile one is armed.” When the countdown reaches zero, she pushes a button and a missile flies off the rails, corkscrews down, and crashes about hundred yards from the launch point. “Failure? What happened?”

The radar operator says, “Ma’am, I think I bumped a switch. I was transmitting on the wrong frequency. Sorry, ma’am.”

“Okay, it happens. Let’s try again.”

They reset, and as the aircraft approaches again, she fires the next missile. This time it flies through the radar beam and turns back toward center. It overshoots, nearly hitting the ground, then winds itself back and forth, passing very close to the target tower.

She says, “Okay. That was a hit. Let’s go to missile three and four and adjust up the sensitivity and cycle rate.” The third missile does better, and the fourth flies correctly, actually hitting the target.

POTTER HOUSE, HAVERSHAM, UK

1844, 30 May, 1942

Gloria and Swede shake hands with everyone and say their goodbyes.

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