James Chase

James Chase (referred to simply as Chase) is the player character in Secret Weapons Over Normandy. He was initially an American volunteer, part of Eagle Squadron, but when he shot down the German ace Oberst (Colonel) Krieger, an RAF pilot named Trevor pulled him from the Eagles to serve in the Battlehawks (Dunkirk).

On his first day in the squadron, he successfully defended the Battlehawks airbase from the Luftwaffe with an AA gun before defending several UK radar stations later that day from a combined Luftwaffe and Nemesis assault (Adlertag).

Next, flying a captured German Ju88 bomber, Chase (with Trevor acting as rear gunner) succeeded in destroying the German invasion fleet on the coast of Brittany, whilst bringing back a French partisan, Cedric, to join the squadron. (Sea Lion)

A few months later, the Battlehawks made contact with British intelligence agent White Rose, who reported that German Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel would be arriving in Africa soon. Chase, along with Trevor and British pilot Toomey, led a mission to destroy Rommel's convoy, without sinking the freighter the White Rose was aboard. However, the convoy was a ruse, and White Rose fled in a captured German Kubelwagon with Battlehawk air support. It was at this time that the squadron first encountered the Focke-Wulf 190 fighter. (Rommel)

Two days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, the Battlehawks again encounter Nemesis, after breaking up a trade meeting between the Japanese and the Germans. During this fight, Pauline, a pilot/mechanic, is shot down whilst flying a C-37 Skymaster. (Flying Tiger)

Immediately following this, Chase leads a mission to free Pauline from a Japanese PoW camp on Burma. The PoWs escape in captured Japanese aircraft, but Trevor is shot down by Krieger whilst Chase engaged the rest of Nemesis to ensure the escape of the PoWs. (Prison Break)

Directly after the events of Prison Break, Chase landed aboard the USS Yorktown, a US aircraft carrier. Whilst Pauline was flown back to the Battlehawks, Chase remained behind to fight during the Battle of Midway, a crucial point in the war of the Pacific. Chase's role was to provide air support for the US bombers that attacked the Japanese cruisers, before returning to Yorktown to defend her with both aircraft and AA weaponry. As the Yorktown was evacuated, Chase flew a Dauntless dive-bomber and destroyed the last Japanese aircraft carrier, in addition to a Japanese destroyer. (Midway)

Returned to the UK, Chase was assigned to defend Doctor Niels Bohr, a nuclear scientist wishing to defect to the Allies by fleeing from Denmark into neutral Sweden, where a pickup would be arranged. During this operation, Chase sunk U-boats, destroyers and attacked an airfield, allowing it to be captured by British Commandos delivered and recovered by Pauline. (Denmark)

Chase is then sent to the Eastern front, attached to a Soviet squadron including pilot Lylia, who was to be encountered again. The Russians who took a German airfield discovered huge bombers, the Ju390, which had a devastating payload and the ability to hit targets in the USA. (Stalingrad)

After finding out about this bomber, its production facility is located deep within Germany. Chase is sent in to destroy it, along with all working bomber prototypes. (Low and Slow)

Doctor Bohr then discovers that the Germans are close to finishing an atomic bomb, using a heavy water plant in Norway. The Battlehawks are sent to destroy this facility in a replica of the real-life Dambusters raid. After destroying the surrounding AA guns and fighter screen, Pauline delivers Commandos to destroy the plant, who discover that all the heavy water tanks are empty. Chase and Trevor rush to destroy Ferries taking the heavy water away, whilst RAF Mosquitos arrive to defend Pauline. As the last ferry is sunk, Me262 jet fighters arrive and destroy the RAF presence in seconds. The final part of the mission sees the Battlehawks destroying this new threat. (Heavy Water)

The Me262 airfield has been located in the heart of Germany. Chase thinks up a plan to steal one of these fighters under the cover of a bombing raid. he parachutes out amongst the bombs and steals the fighter (Note, the Germans are not aware of this, and it is possible for the player to shoot down all the B-17 bombers as they flee without detection, though this will obviously cause the mission to fail when Pauline's plane is destroyed). At the climax of the mission, brand new American P51 fighters arrive to escort the bombers. (Jet Stream)