BIGGLES SWEEPS THE DESERT

by Captain W. E. Johns

XVI. THE BATTLE OF SALIMA (Pages 183 - 197)

Biggles briefs his men with his planes for dealing with the attack. Biggles and Ginger will fly the two remaining Spitfires and Taffy will fly the Defiant. Tex and Henry will take charge of things on the ground. Biggles planes to take off early and get up really high so they can come down hard and fast and he will try to take out the Junkers while Ginger watches his tail. The enemy come in force in three layers, the leading machine being a Messerschmitt 109F and Biggles is sure this must be von Zoyton. Biggles dives through two layers of Messerschmitts to get at the Junkers and shoot down two of them. The Defiant collides with a Messerschmitt but all crew bail out. Biggles shoots a wing of the third Junkers as the paratroops dive into space. The fourth Junker gets through to deliver the paratroopers but they are met on the ground by the armoured car. Ginger makes a forced landing with no undercarriage. Biggles feels weak and faint with his head wound and has to face the remaining Messerschmitts but they leave when the four Spitfire reinforcements arrive in the nick of time. Biggles lands exhausted and can barely manage a drink before falling fast asleep under the palms.