Mission Six: Broken Ace Part 2

Last time we checked, Johnny Cloud was told by his CO to stop volunteering for extra patrols. He wants to fight, but he is having combat nightmares. He needs rest.

After a night of fitful sleep, Cloud prepares for another patrol. But, he is exhausted. Cloud overshoots the runway on takeoff and folds his P-51 into a tree. The flight surgeon grounds him and orders him to rest. 

Cloud is frustrated. He watches his flight take off without him and bemoans to his Big Brother that he is a Broken Ace.

Moments later, bandits attack the base and blast aircraft parked along the runway. Cloud ducks behind a burning hulk and fires his Colt at the marauders. As the bandits circle back for a second pass, Cloud runs across the tarmac to one of the damaged planes.

He motors down the runway even though the Mustang cannot fly. 

His foil draws in a Me-109, foolishly swooping low on a head-on strafing pass. Cloud’s thumb is on the trigger, and he destroys the bandit. Then he angles his damaged P-51 atop a small mound so as to aim his wings guns upward at a second bandit roaring in higher this time. Another attacker angles in behind Cloud, leveling off just yards from the ground. The Mustang is pinched between them. 

Cloud opens fire without effect, but the Huns break in the same direction and collide in fiery CRAASH!

Cloud climbs out of the grounded Mustang feeling vindicated. The flight surgeon and the CO gasp in disbelief. “Nobody can really ground an ace,” the surgeon remarks. And so, Cloud was cleared to fly.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#87 (October 1961); Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Mission Six: Broken Ace

Johnny Cloud's next few missions are non-stop. A good sleep is rare.

This saga starts with a scramble. A division of Tiger tanks has launched an offensive, and Cloud’s flight is called to respond, double quick.

Cloud laments that he is constantly in the air – he looks to his Big Brother and bewails: “We spend as much time up here now – as you do.”

The Happy Braves hit the tanks. The firefight is fierce, and several Mustangs are lost. Cloud nails a Tiger and pulls up to confront a swarm of Me-109s diving out of the sun. Cloud meets them head-on and unloads on the first bandit. The leader blows up causing a chain reaction that collects two more in the fury. CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! Cloud downs another before the dogfight is over, but his Mustang is thrashed, and his flight is badly mauled. They limp back to base, exhausted.

The scrambles continue, day and night. The CO sees that Cloud is exhausted and stops him from volunteering for additional patrols. He threatens to ground the Navajo ace if he does not rest.

In the predawn black, Cloud’s sleep is interrupted. Another scramble! Cloud hastens his men to get ready. Every minute of delay cost lives! This time, the flight intercepts German bombers roaring towards the sleeping cities. The Happy Braves attack, and several bombers are destroyed, but as the Mustangs regroup, a second wave forms overhead and begins raining explosives on them. Cloud is frantic to retake the offensive when suddenly his men shake him awake.

It was all a nightmare!

Afterwards, Cloud drifts in and out of a fitful sleep, when suddenly he hears the alarm again: “scramble, scramble.” He rushes to wake his men, frantic as before, but again they shake him awake.

Another nightmare!

The next day, Cloud overshoots the runway on takeoff and folds his P-51 into a tree. The flight surgeon grounds him and orders him to rest. 

Cloud is demoralized. He watches his flight take off without him and bemoans to his Big Brother that he is a Broken Ace.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#87 (October 1961): Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Mission Five: Top - Gun Ace - The Debriefing

Without a doubt, Top-Gun Ace is Johnny Cloud’s best adventure yet. 

His maturity shines, as he balances his combat skills with his promise to protect his pilots (just as he promised Mack, his former Flight Leader). The action is sharp, without pause. Cloud’s early teething phase is over!

The storyline is similar to Tex’s introduction in Fighting Blind, but the writing is tighter, the plot, more plausible. Plus, it reflects how Cloud felt on his first mission when he, too, desperately wanted to make a splash (not in the water, mind you). Hence, Cloud is tolerant and gives Kid Cole leeway, especially in the beginning when Cole asks to open fire early.

To his surprise, Cole is a good shot and notches a kill. 

But Cole's luck runs out. And now comes the lesson. Cole’s impulsive attack, diving past Cloud and Tex to take the lead, shows his lack of experience despite his bravado. His P-51 is quickly turned into a target. 

Cloud saves him (of course), and the upstart Cole learns a valuable lesson – a lesson that Cloud himself had to learn in Death Dive: Wait for the right moment. Plus, he learns to respect the guidance of those more experienced than he. And most important: An Ace is more than just a combat record filled with kills ... An Ace is a man who looks out for his flight!

Johnny Cloud is all that!

Image Credit:

AAMOW#86 (August 1961): Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Mission Five: Top - Gun Ace Part 2

We left our hero Johnny Cloud in the middle of a wild dogfight!

To recap: Cloud's flight attacked a gaggle of Fw-190s. Just as Cloud and Tex peel off to engage the Huns, a brash new pilot Kid Cole jumped into the fray.

Cole's exuberance caused him to make a critical mistake, as two Fw-190s dodge his assault and get on his tail. They hammer Cole’s Mustang. Cloud swings in behind the two bandits, but a third one catches his tail. 

In this critical moment, Cloud sees an apparition of Mack reminding him to not lose a man first time out. Here is where we pick up the action ...

Cloud continues his attack and destroys the two Fw-190s on Cole’s six, then he loops his P-51 to blast the third one that was behind him. WHAAM! BLAAM!

But Cole is finished and rapidly losing altitude. Cloud flies to his wing and coaches him. The pair is pounded by flak, as they head for the channel. Barely past the shoreline, Cole bellies into the surf. 

His Mustang begins to sink with Cole trapped inside – his canopy is jammed shut.

Cloud tangles with a fourth Fw-190 as Cole’s plane nearly disappears. Cloud half-loops and downs the bandit, but the fight is not over! 

A German patrol boat zooms towards Cole’s Mustang. Cloud dives at the boat with guns blazing. The boat explodes but not before ripping the wings off Cloud’s P-51 with its flak guns. CRAACK!

Cloud parachutes out and swims to rescue Cole. He is desperate to not lose the newest member of his flight. Mack's words echo in his mind.

Cloud breaks open the canopy with the heel of his pistol, and a delirious Cole exclaims: “An Ace isn’t a pilot that just knocks down five enemy ships!” The newbie is completely won over.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#86 (August 1961): Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics