616 Squadron, Kirton-on-Lindsey, England

A cool westerly breeze blew across the airfield as we anxiously await for the signal to scramble for our Spitfires The fighting has increased over the past several weeks, with both sides receiving severe losses As I sit upon the ground, I wonder if this will be the last time that I touch it. The grass seems smooth as silk in a moment so simple as this, yet one takes these moments for granted. Never again.

My eyes shift to the pilot tote board, a record of chaps who have killed and been killed. I think back to some of the lads I have flown with. Men that I may now call chums, the kind of friends that you make when human beings are thrown together in a conflict such as this. Men that have shown tremendous valor in the onslaught of war, yet go home to their families on furlow as though they were on holiday, then return with the same undisrupted edge for battle

My thoughts are broken by the order to scramble. I race to my Spitfire as the former visions face from my mind, like the morning mist clears off the field from the rising sun. The exhaust emits a roar that still raises the hair on the nape of my neck. As the smoke enters my open cockpit, I realize that these are the final days of the Luftwaffe invasion, and victory for England is close at hand!

JG26, "Schlageter," Northern France. the flight over the Channel seems like an eternity for the amount of time we receive for action over Britain. Twenty minutes of combat does not lend much time for victories. There have been several pilots who have become lost in thepassion of battle only to crash onto the French coast from lack of fuel. Kesselring keeps stressing the fact that we can ill-afford this type of mistake.

As the Dover cliffs fill the horizon, I gaze out my cockpit at the comrades in my Staffel. Many of these men are veteran pilots of the Battle of France, confident in their skills as fighter pilots. Confidence can become ill-fated, for I have witnessed some of the most decorated warriors vanish in a matter of seconds.

Position in front is Oberstleutnant Neal Porter. Off each wing are Hauptmann Mark Smith and Hauptmann Tim Poole, left and right respectively. To Hauptmann Smith's left flies Leutnant Shawn Blevins, and to the right of Hauptmann Poole's aircraft flies Leutant Ryan Porter. I fly to the rear as cover in the event of a surprise attack.

My gaze shifts to the English countryside. It truly is a beautiful country, worth giving one's life in defending it. But all this beauty does not compare with the visions of my own home. I shudder at the thought of the Fatherland coming under the same attack that we are now implementing. Unfounded thoughts none the less, for Germany will never be invaded as long as the might of the Luftwaffe reigns supreme in the air!

I am suddenly thrust back into reality as my radio blares away. "Spitfires, Spitfires... 12:00. Free chase over the coast of Britain!"

CALL TO ARMS '94 was the debut of a new Lion's Den game entitled "FIGHTER COMMAND." It is a game designed for use with any 1/72nd scale aircraft from any theater of operation in WWII. The game is unique in the fact that it is played outdoors and the models move in measurements of yards and shoot in feet!

The original concept for FIGHTER COMMAND was an idea presented by Den member Ken van Pelt, who had introduced a set of rules for jet fighter combat to be played at a picnic. Upon discussion as wargamers do when they get together, the consensus was to possibly adapt these rules to WWII combat aircraft. Being interested in WWII, I set about the task of formulating rules and designing the initial scenario, which was the Battle of Britain.

As far as the outcome of the game itself, it seemed to play well and the atmosphere was very relaxed. Out of the ten or so players, the top two pilot were Bruce Johnson (British) and Neal Porter (German). Both of these exceptional pilots had 3 1/3 kills to their credit, which was quite an accomplishment!

Look forward to another edition of FIGHTER COMMAND in the future. I certainly hope that if you haven't had the opportunity to fly with the Lion's Den, then you may get the chance at a later date. Again thanks to all people that played and congratulations to Bruce and Neal.