There was no escape for the Ukrainian airplane. Badly damaged, it was now spinning towards the earth.
The five Russian aircraft assumed an attack position for the final time.
"This eez goin to be eazy" snarled the lead Russian pilot.
He pushed down on the control column, but there was nothing there. His chest hit the front of the aircraft, as the control column shattered in mid air.
"Vot-" growled the Russian, and the next burst of tracer took him in the head. He slumped over the controls.
The second and third Russian planes were banking hard, preparing to meet the newcomer, who had appeared like a flash of lighting from the blue.
The 109 zoomed upwards in a beautiful climbing turn.
'Ze Cherrypicker is ztrong is zat one", grumbled Redsight, in the cockpit of the Yak.
But Mirlox had no intention of returning. He zoomed eastwards and disappeared into the horizon to record his fifth kill of the day.

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