Tom Swift and the Asteroid Pirates by Victor Appleton II

Author:Victor Appleton II
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

MISSILE BREAKTHROUGH

FRANTIC, Tom lunged forward to grab the stick, keen eyes surveying the board meters. He saw immediately, confirmed by his stomach, that pulling up safely in the seconds remaining would be difficult. As he began to level the jet, he flipped on the intercom. "Everyone strap in. There’s a—a situation up here. We may be landing pretty rough."

The board showed the guide-beacons at the airfield. The jet was far too near—and very much too low! The plane was a thousand feet lower than Tom had realized!

"Swift Approach Control. This is Flight Niner-Four," Tom barked into the microphone. "Approximately three miles north minor east. Estimate Enterprises at two-two. Over."

The base tower responded, "Roger. We copy. You’re running way low, Niner-Four. I have— Holy heck! Get your nose up for a second pass!"

"No can do, Glen. No time to cut down our speed. I’m attempting a setdown, emergency drill."

"Copy. Would you like a radar steer?"

"Affirmative."

The shore of Lake Carlopa flashed by, frighteningly close, as Tom prepared to land, extending the wheels. Though he had raised the nose slightly and flap-braked, the clock was against him. The unforgiving Enterprises airfield was now only seconds away!

"Turn to heading of zero-four-zero," the tower called.

Tom complied, turning in for final approach.

Suddenly the tower operator’s voice broke in: "Check your ILS indications! Our scope shows you to be below glide path and localizer-left!"

The young inventor scanned his instrument landing system indicator and the altimeter. Good gosh, I didn’t lat-compensate enough! he exclaimed inwardly.

"Tower, I’m ― " The words died in his throat as a rounded mass of gleaming metal loomed into view portside, like an upraised palm demanding that he Halt!

"Pull up, Tom!" cried the controller.

Tom barely had time to react. The next instant the jet rocked from a stunning impact as its right landing gear clipped the big dish antenna. Shouts of alarm erupted from the passenger cabin behind.

Belly landing! Tom thought, trying to force himself to remain cool. Tail down, drag maneuver.

The rear landing wheels touched the runway. The jet bounded twice, then held. Tom had already slammed down the throttle to cut power. But the jolt of the collision with the antenna had swung the nose of the plane sharply to port, dropping the right wing. Tom fought to correct this as he eased back on the control wheel, applying the left aileron at the same time.

The right wingtip scraped and rebounded. Just as Tom had hoped, the rebound forced the remaining forward wheel, the left one, down to the tarmac. The youthful pilot held his breath, and for one moment things looked hopeful. Then the jet began to shudder violently!

"Left leg can’t take it!" Tom said aloud. "We’re losing it!" He knew that with the forward gear completely gone and the back gear extended, the resultant nose-down could easily flip the jet!

He didn’t have time to try to retract the rear wheels. Instead he slammed on the throttle, and the craft leapt forward with a roar. Up, up, up! he thought desperately.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.