Pearl Harbor Page #2

TRAINING CAPTAIN

That's it, get into a wedge!

The squadron responds, forming up into a tight V, Rafe and

Danny just behind and on either side of the center.

RAFE:

Didn't you say test the limits?

DANNY:

Hey, you wanna test my limits, you better

line up a couple dozen women on the

GROUND...cause I got NO limits in the

air!

Rafe grins, loving the challenge. Then he and Danny do the

leapfrogging maneuver laterally, swapping sides in the V.

TRAINING CAPTAIN

Everybody down!

EXT. NEW JERSEY AIRFIELD - DAY

The planes land in tight order and taxi off the runway; shut

down their props, slide back the canopies and hop down. We

see young pilots we'll get to know: ANTHONY, BILLY, RED.

TRAINING CAPTAIN

Where are McCawley and Walker?

EXT. RAFE AND DANNY - STILL IN THE AIR - DAY

They've circled to opposite ends of the airfield and are now

heading right at each other, like two bullets playing

chicken.

TRAINING CAPTAIN

Aw sh*t...

INT. THE COCKPITS

From Rafe and Danny's POV, the rush is awesome.

THE PILOTS ON THE GROUND watch in awe as the P-40's get so

close they can't possibly get out of each other's way.

Billy, the most boyish-faced of the pilots, yells to drown

out the sound of the collision...

At the last instant, both planes snap a quarter turn so that

their wings are vertical, and they shoot past each other

belly to belly.

IN THE COCKPITS:

Rafe and Danny burst out laughing.

THE PILOTS ON THE GROUND

laugh and congratulate each other.

TRAINING CAPTAIN

You know what they say... You can take the

crop duster out of the country -- but

don't put him in a P-40.

Rafe banks to land, and Danny tucks in behind him. Danny has

Rafe's plane in his sights.

DANNY:

If I had guns I'd be chewing up your --

Rafe feints left, banks right, and appears behind Danny.

RAFE:

If you had guns, you'd be pissin' on 'em.

They're almost to the landing strip, Rafe behind Danny. But

as Danny's wheels are about to touch, he guns his engine and

snaps the nose of his plane straight up.

THE OTHER PILOTS stop laughing.

ANTHONY:

He's doing an inside loop!

TRAINING CAPTAIN

Aw, sh*t...

Danny pulls it off, just barely making a full circle to come

in behind Rafe and bounce to a stop on the runway.

DANNY:

Yee-hawww!!!

Danny taxis his plane over to join the others. He's grinning

as he slides back his cockpit cover; then --

DANNY:

Where's Rafe?

Red, tall with flaming orange hair, tips his chin toward the

air. Seeing Rafe's plane still in the air, Danny starts to

refasten his harness.

TRAINING CAPTAIN

You're down, Walker! That's an order!

DANNY:

What about him?

TRAINING CAPTAIN

He's not taking my orders anymore.

Danny's just about to ask what the hell that means, when he

notices Rafe climbing in a deliberate spiral.

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