PS Plus Members Get A Free Plane On PS4 War Thunder This Tuesday July 1st

More Than Just A Uniform 

June 26th, 2014 By Mont Brown

Gaijin's Flight War simulator is set to reward PS Plus members with a free plane in War Thunder on PlayStation 4. The plane on offer is none other than the awesome P-36A Curtis Hawk famously piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Philip Rasmussen, who achieved a Silver Star during his defense of Pearl Harbor.

In recollection of that historical day, Philip Rasmussen was awoken to the screams, shouts and bomb explosions of the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7th 1941. The time was 8:00 AM when 25 Aichi D3A1 “Val” dive-bombers went on a suicide mission diving onto their targets at Wheeler field on the island of Oahu, their two-hundred and fifty kilogram bombs hitting the maintenance hangars, destroying the P-40 and P36 fighter jets closely parked together while causing many casualties in the process.

Wearing only his purple silk pajamas,  Rasmussen ran across the open war zone to rescue what little aircraft remained. Accompanied by 1st Lieutenant Lewis Sanders with 2nd Lieutenants John Thacker and Gordon Sterling. The four men took to the skies each in a P-36A Curtiss Hawks to confront the Japanese planes attacking the Bellows Air Field from above. Following their rigorous flight attack drills to perfection the four men attacked the Japanese planes using speed and the element of surprise to their advantage.  After a heated battle in clouds, Rasmussen narrowly escaping with his life as he came to discover the P-36A Curtiss Hawk fighter had taken over 500 hits during the heated dog fight when he landed on Wheeler Field. Still wearing his silk purple pajamas no less.

Rasmussen would later go on to fly P47s over the Pacific ocean earning Oak leaf clusters to his Silver Star. He would continue to fly with Sanders, shooting down 2 more enemy aircraft, before serving with the Air Force until he retired in 1965  at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Philip M, Rasmussen a true american hero passed away on the 30th of April, 2005. He now lies at the Arlington National Cemetery forever immortalized for his brave efforts on that decisive day,  December 7th, 1941.