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Paul sobbed over the intercom. “That guy’s eyes were open. He looked right at me.”
    The air battle bled on. Each time a bomber or American fighter fell from the sky, the crew of Out of the Blue searched for parachutes.
    â€œSee any?” Dan would call.
    Two here. Four there. One alone. Never all ten of a bomber crew.
    Several planes near them were hit severely enough to drastically slow their engines or hobble their navigation. Unable to keep up their altitude or speed, they drifted out of the protection of the formation. In friendly territory they would be able to do a controlled crash landing, but here they became sitting ducks.
    â€œThe bogeyman is gonna get them,” muttered Dan.
    â€œThe Alps are ahead,” Fred called over the intercom. “Maybe those guys can make it into Switzerland.”
    Switzerland was neutral. The Swiss interned Allied and German crews alike who landed there. But they were safe, in one piece. Henry kept his eyes on the disabled planes as long as he could until they disappeared into clouds below. He could only imagine how terrifying it would be to be left behind all alone in a sky full of German fighters.
    â€œLet’s hope they do, Fred,” answered Dan. “But right now we’ve got other things to worry about.”
    More fighters had soared up from German bases below: speckled green-blue Messerschmitts and sand-brown Junkers with huge black Swastikas on their tails. There was also something Henry had never seen before: a group of four-engine, two-finned fighters. They hurtled past Out of the Blue on their way to the front of the bomber formation.
    â€œWhat the heck are those?” asked Dan.
    â€œNo idea,” Henry answered. “Look how they rip past the Junkers.”
    â€œRemember to report that at debriefing,” said Dan.
    But the pilots had little time to think about Hitler’s new planes. The Junkers and Messerschmitts were now concentrating their firepower on the outer ribs of the American bomber formation – on them and Battling Queen.

Chapter Four
    â€œPull in snug, Hank,” Dan spoke sharply. “They’re coming for us.”
    Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat.
    The Junkers spun and came at them, hurling lead. Most of the bullets bounced off, but one broke through the cockpit’s Plexiglas armour. Zing, zing, zing, zing. It rattled around and around until it found its mark: Dan’s leg.
    Dan screamed and slumped over, breathing hard. “Sweet Jesus!” He grabbed his calf.
    â€œDan!” Henry reached towards his captain.
    â€œKeep your hands on the wheel, Lieutenant,” Dan snarled. He groaned as he straightened himself. “I’m all right. It’s not deep enough for me to bleed to death. Focus, Hank. They’ll be back any second.”
    On this swing, the Luftwaffe targeted Battling Queen. Four fighters veered towards her, guns blinking. Then they loosed something else Dan and Henry had never seen before. A small rocket shot out from under one of the Junkers’ wings.
    BOOM!
    The rocket hit Battling Queen ’s number three engine. The bomber lurched wildly, but somehow Billy and Dick kept the B-24 level. Henry knew, though, that a number-three explosion meant that Billy had lost his hydraulic system. The electrical was probably out, too. Battling Queen had no chance of making it home now.
    The wounded bomber slid out and away from the squadron. Smoke trailed out of its blackened engine and the number-two propeller swung around uselessly. The bomb bay door opened. One, two, three crew members jumped out. Then another two. Five little white chutes popped open and were scattered by the wind. Clouds swallowed them.
    Did Billy make it out? Lord, I know he can be a jerk , Henry prayed silently. But look after him now.
    Empty of her crew, Battling Queen seemed to just hang there for a moment, dead in the air. Then it burst into flames and – BOOM! – blew up.
    â€œHold on!”