Word: mustanger
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...fast, hardy mustang...
...both an invasion and a rebellion: it came from northern neighbor Nicaragua, but the attackers were nearly all insurrectionary Costa Rican expatriates. It failed as an invasion because any invasion becomes international business, and other American nations cooperated to seal off the invaders and send arms-specifically four F51 Mustang fighter planes* to the victim. It failed as a rebellion because the rebels were inept and badly misjudged their own strength...
They fought in high spirits, but it was the Loyalists' two-man air force that really turned the tide. When the Mustangs reached Costa Rica early last week, not a single available Costa Rican pilot had ever checked out in what was World War II's hottest U.S. fighter. But two commercial pilots with the appropriate names of Victory and Guerra (War) had run up thousands of hours in tamer planes. U.S. instructors hastily briefed them on the Mustang. Less than 24 hours later they buzzed San José, back from their first mission...
...invaders' infantry and Figueres' volunteers met in a clash just north of Liberia. A few hours later, at 2 o'clock one morning this week, the council met again in emergency session and grimly voted to ask the U.S. to sell Costa Rica four P-51 Mustang fighters. That afternoon the planes were winging toward Costa Rica from Texas. Next problem for the O.A.S.: would that be enough to put out the fire...
...outfit known, because of the pack of aces he collected for it, as the "Squadron of Experts." The big picture thereupon dissolved to the gun-sight view. With the oldtime exhilaration, ex-Brasshat Galland blew up two U.S. Marauders. Then "a hail of fire enveloped me. A Mustang had caught me napping. A sharp rap hit my right knee. The instrument panel . . . was shattered. The right engine was also hit. Its metal covering worked loose . . . and was partly carried away. Now the left engine was hit too. I could hardly hold...