Yoshino's Fatal Mistake by Roy Grinnell

June 9, 1942. American bombers are on a raid from Port Moresby to Lae, New Guinea. They are escorted by P-400s of the 35FG, 39FS. 1st Lt. Jack Jones is on his first combat mission. The Japanese decide to engage the bomber formation in force, and a large fight erupts just north of Cape Ward Hunt. 15 Victory Ace Warrant Officer Satoshi Yoshino, from Tainan Kokutai, sees Jones coming down after him. Satoshi goes vertical in his Zero as he knows any American that follows will stall first, and add to his list of victories. Jack, coming out of a dive, watches Yoshino climb and Jones follows him into the vertical. Jack's dive momentum keeps him from stalling, and he fires at the Zero with 50 cal. and 20mm. As Jones flies past his First Victory, Satoshi, not wearing a parachute, climbs out of his smoking cockpit. Satoshi, looking up at his victor, heads for the ocean below in his final act. Jack will finish his combat tour with 5 Victories, his first in the P-400, and 4 in a P-38.