| Singosari
Savior -- $1200.00 10 x 20" Acrylic on Masonite |
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A young P-40 pilot had recently been escorted, following other aircraft, from Australia to a heavily camouflaged fighter airfield in eastern Java in February 1942. His first scramble from the base was to intercept a large formation of incoming Japanese bombers. He followed his new buddies into the air as they climbed for altitude prior to diving and attacking through the Japanese bomber formation. Continuing his dive with Japanese Zeros following, he finally leveled off between some mountains and lost his pursuers but had no idea where he was or how to get back to the combat airfield he had just left. Later research disclosed that this was probably a Lt Adkins of the 17th Provisional Group stationed at Ngoro, a fighter base, not far from the B-17 base at Singosari near Malang. He was wandering around dodging thunderstorms and looking for an airfield when he spotted a B-17E with its gear down, obviously about to land. He followed closely as the bomber touched down on the wet grass field and rolled across a railroad track and a road. He then realized that the railroad and road were an effective camoflage of Singosari airfield. Pulling up, he came around again and also landed across the railroad and road. He parked in front of a canvas hangar and started to get out of the cockpit. It was then that he noticed that Japanese Zeros bullets had punctured the wing root of his plane a short distance from where he had been seated. Welcome to WW II. |
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