Amidst the heat and haze, Clive Caldwell piloted his P-40 Tomahawk over northwest Egypt near the Libyan border. It’s August 29, 1941. The war in North Africa rages on, with each side vying for control of the desert skies.

Suddenly, two Messerschmitt Bf 109s, one piloted by the up-and-coming ace Werner Schroer, swooped down in a surprise attack.

The German fighters unleashed a relentless barrage, wounding Caldwell in the back, shoulder, and leg. A second, even more powerful attack shattered his canopy, sending splinters and shrapnel right into his face. Loud cannon shells ripped through the fuselage, damaging the right wing.

Yet, even as blood murked his vision and pain threatened to cloud his judgment, Caldwell's resolve burned brighter. He refused to back down. Anger and determination surged through him as he turned his battered P-40 toward his attackers. This would ignite the legend of Australia’s greatest World War 2 ace.

He would later write in a notebook: [QUOTE] "it's your life or theirs. This is war."

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