[Book Review] What is "professional work": Lucian Neham's "Shadow 81"

　This is the Danan Air Force base in South Vietnam.There were four state -of -the -art jet bombers TX75E, belonging to the U.S. Air Force, were about to fly.At the time, the mid -1970s, when the Vietnam War is about to end.

　The pilot of the fighter, the US Air Force Captain Grant Fielding, is 30 years old from Stamford, Connecticut.He is on board 4 in this operation.Although it is hot and humid at 10 am, it stands up on the ground, and the runway is blurred.The environment around the base is poor.In a narrow cockpit waiting for takeoff, Grant poisoned, "What is a good blonde man doing this kind of pool?"

　まもなく、隊長機と2番機が出発する。　三番機とグラントも、バレエの群舞のようにぴったり揃って、数秒後には空に舞い上がった。二機はほとんど前には進まないでまっすぐ上に向かってぐんぐん昇り、先の二機に合流して編隊を組んだ。>

　This TX75E machine is a state -of -the -art variable wing -type ultra -tonic speed machine, and its performance is treated secretly.As you read through the story, it gradually becomes clear, but it can be folded in a narrow space by folding the wings, and when flying off, it can risen almost vertically in a short run.It is possible to fly for a long time and the cruising range is long.In fact, this combat bomber itself is the protagonist of the story of the story.

State -of -the -art fighter who has become missing

　This work was announced in 1975, and a Japanese translation was published by Shincho Bunko in April 1977.Later, a new edition was issued from Hayakawa Bunko in September 2008, but it has been more than 40 years since it came out, but it doesn't feel older at all.The old -fashioned smell is still novel.Because there are a number of novels, dramas and movies with hijack.However, there is no other setting as a pilot of a fighter that runs behind a passenger aircraft, rather than the criminal hiding on the plane.It is an original idea that does not allow imitation.Moreover, it is outstandingly interesting!

　Let's return to the battlefield in Vietnam again.The four aircraft that flew off due to the northern explosion are exposed to a fierce arson in the enemy territory.The missile is fired at the target point in order from the first unit, and the front is left one after another.rice field.

　The performance of this TX75E machine is confidential, so it cannot be handed over the aircraft to the enemy country.Anyway, if it is completely destroyed by enemy bullets, it is obliged to self -destruct and escape parachute.However, the fourth unit had no time to explain the situation to the wing aircraft, and the communication was cut off.Did you be shot down or could you escape by self -destruction?No one has witnessed it.

A man who ordered a container -type remodeled ship

　The stage is to Hong Kong.A mysterious American appears under Jimmy Von, which runs a shipbuilding company here.He claims to be a writer and buys two used vessels.At that time, there is an order, and one should be made a special remodeling to make a container -shaped ship that can withstand considerable loads.In addition, it is necessary to have a motorboat that can be loaded on the ship with the ship as the mother ship.Fon suspected whether to use it for drug or some kind of smuggling, or whether a terrorist would carry weapons, but he often sold boats with a dubious but good -paying paid.

　Three weeks later, a container ship loaded with a motor boat secretly left Hong Kong and headed for an uninhabited island in the South China Sea.

　This is the first half of the yama field.It is clearly depicted that the criminal makes a precise plan and prepares carefully until hijacking, which creates a true reality.The reader will swallow and turn the page.

The criminal demands a huge gold nugget

　"PGA81 flight, your passenger aircraft is notified that you have just been hijacked." A pilot of a fighter fighter sticking to the back of the jumbo jet aircraft declares wirelessly to the captain.The 81 of Pasifook Global Airlines flew away from Los Angeles Airport to Hawaii.The aircraft was hijacked at an altitude of 20,000 feet during flight.About 200 crew passengers have become hostages.The culprit claims to be "Shadow (shadow) 81" because it is hidden behind the 81 flight.The fighter is not visible because it is in the blind spot of the aircraft, and the model is unknown.

　In the future, the criminal will continue to be tense interaction between the criminal, Burton Hadley, the captain of the jumbo machine, and the chief control officer of Los Loss Airport.The request is a huge gold nugget.There is a fellow accomplice on the ground.Why must it be a gold nugget?Where are you going to receive?This has a deep meaning.

　Then, the captain instructs to fly at a certain altitude.On the other hand, the controller requires all aircraft to prevent all ships from entering this aircraft and all ships below it.Official authorities, such as White House, Army, FBI, and police, have to give priority to their lives and obey the criminal's instructions.From the fuel mounted on the jumbo machine, the flight time is 8 hours.If you can't prepare a gold nugget during this limit, the aircraft will break out of fuel.In addition, if the authorities do a strange small work, the "Shadow 81" will declare that it will shoot down the aircraft with a missile.

　From here on, it is impossible to introduce the development of the story.The culprit will give unexpected instructions one after another and play with the authorities.The criminal is clearly good.This area is enough to read.Whether the hijacker's attempt is successful or the arrest of the culprit, the reader's interest is aggregated there.

"... I'm not allowed"

　But the good story is not just a novel idea.As a group drama surrounding the incident, the characters involved are skillfully depicted.Its appearance is tragic and humorous.From each position, people take various actions.In particular, when you are in a stuffy situation, you will be blatantly human.The author writes the area wonderfully.So it has been read for a long time.

　Furthermore, this story is interesting from the perspective of crisis management.In particular, I am impressed by the action of the chief controller and the captain who acts calmly and acts calmly.A calm attitude that does not panic passengers.In order to be the highest priority on human life, we will take appropriate measures silently in accordance with the instructions of the criminal.Is this a professional job?This interaction with the culprit through the wireless is one of the readings of this work.

　In contrast, the president is trying to put an extra mouth directly to the chief controller who is full of communication with Shadow 81.This also stimulates the culprit and leads to a quick -flowing crisis.If you think, there is a scene where a prominent Senator who rides a hijack aircraft buys a negotiator with the criminal from the merit of merit and confuses the situation.The army plans to shoot down the "Shadow 81" using the latest weapons and advises the president.Can you shoot down with a 100 % probability?Yes, the disaster is not because of the failure of the exchange on the spot, but rather falling from the bad thoughts of the surroundings.

　The chief controller Bragan appeals to the president."His Excellency, it seems to be terrible, but please give me a great deal so that the army does not move without permission. It is not allowed to act apart."With the captain and the chief control officer, the trust of professionals is fostered through communication.

"Which reporter is ..."

　According to the author of the paperback, Lucian Neham was born in Egypt in 1930.He wrote an article in the British and French newspaper as a free reporter at the age of 16, and later worked for a long time at the AFP New York Bureau.Because he himself was qualified as a pilot, it would have been possible to describe the true portrait in the sky.Died in 1983.

　There is a scene that reads the author's career and thinks that this work is so good.Barney, a veteran reporter at the Los Angeles Times, sniffs the hijack.He is a talented reporter, but has been sparse by his boss and is now relegated to the airport.If you can hit the first report, this will be a big scoop.In order to take the back, Bernie trades with the chief controller.This scene is excellent and exciting!This story also adds a thickness to the group drama, but I really like this description of Bernie.The junior reporter in the same airport as him is an elite who graduated from a journalism department of a famous university.But Bernie doesn't trust.

　Because he started up (like the author) that started with a newspaper company

　With the flood of the media and confusion, the subordinate of the chief controller describes him:"Barney is an old -fashioned professional. He's at least different from those who don't know what to do."

　The author from a journalist must have wanted to write the episode around here."One or which reporter", what is called is a medal.And in this story, "one or every man" appears.There is no reason not to be interesting.

Shadow 81

Lucian Neiham (book), Keiji Nakano (translated) published: Hayakawa Shobo Bunko Edition: page 501

First edition issuance date: September 15, 2008 ISBN: 978-4-15-041180-0