But it's not just my dignity that has been damaged. My 109 has acquired some holes, my virtual self likewise. 'Bleeding profusely' the text display says - which I must have left on and therefore notice quickly, not like the last time this happened. Also unlike the last time, I can actually see some vague smears of blood,.

Options run through my mind - try to get back to France, bail out, force land, even land at Manston. I don't especially like any of these and as I'm in a bad mood, I decide to shoot up Manston, instead of land on it. I can't see any parked fighters, so I go for the line of hangars.



Starting with the nearest one, I walk my cannon and MG fire along the row. As I do so, I notice that there are some Spitfires parked in front of them, a bit further out than I was expecting. Actually, they should really be dispersed around the perimeter track and inside blast pens if available - someone is getting careless.



My condition isn't visibly getting worse, so I pull up and start to come around for another pass. Attacking an alerted target is a bit careless on my part, but I'm caught up in the excitement of the moment.



This time, I want to get one of those Spitfires!



I try to come in along the line of the parked fighters but mess it up and am lucky to get some hits on the nearest one.



I'd probably have called it a day and tried something else if the Spitfire had gone up in flames, but he doesn't, and I don't. By this time, the airfield defences have definitely woken up.



I put in another pass on what I think is the same fighter, but with my one hundred and twenty 2 cm rounds gone, my MGs fail to burn him.



One last effort, I tell myself, encouraged by the fact the nearest hangar has meanwhile gone up in smoke. A delayed result of my attack or someone else's work, I'm not entirely certain. But it's an encouraging spectacle. And this time, I'm better positioned for a firing pass along the line of the parked fighters.



This last run goes more or less as planned - until I make the mistake of looking left as I flash past the last of the hangars. I want to skim the trees on my way out to avoid the flak, so don't pull back sharply on the stick Instead, momentarily disoriented, I let the nose drop just a fraction, something touches the ground just outside the airfield boundary - and it's all over.



Would I have made it back if I hadn't hit the deck? Perhaps not, but now, I'll never know. I tell you what, though - I will definitely want to get more time on the 109 in quick combat before trying for another Luftwaffe career. Spinning out when attempting to dggfight those Hurricanes was fatal. Besides which, I should have been above them before the fight started. Next time, it will be different...