Actually this really happened but there were 2 dogfights and the story are sorta mested together. I asked my buddy John who probably knows more about Johnson that anyone been a close friend of his widow Barbara and author of his autobiography. The dogfights happened in July 45 and were P-51 vs P-38 and P-38 vs P-38 and the opposing pilot was Gerald's brother Harold who was a pilot in the 348th FG. Harold had been a P-51 OTU instructor and was a very good pilot. Gerald won the first engagement easily probably due to his combat exoerience but the 2nd was a balls out no holds bared duel fought to a draw. Afterwards Gerald complimented Harold on his use of the P-38s combat flaps to which Harold (on his 2nd P-38 flight) replied "what are combat flaps??"
L/C Gerald "Ged" Johnson CO 49th FG 1945