Chapters 17-19 Summary

Chapter 17 begins with Jake in the Intruder cockpit awaiting launch. Bosun Muldowski holds up a sign that says the ship cannot generate enough steam to catapult the aircraft at top speed. Jake takes off successfully. Flying in darkness, he reaches the target and drops four bombs. As they head for Hanoi, the directional cursor fails and Cole says they will have to bomb without computer guidance. Jake sets the bombs to release one at a time rather than in groups of two, which will reduce their effectiveness but increase the chances of a hit. Over Hanoi, he flies upside down to avoid a missile. He eludes two more missiles, drops the bombs over the target, and dives to 100 feet to avoid another SAM. He ascends suddenly, and another SAM locks onto them at 3,000 feet, and Jake dives to 50 feet to elude...