Originally Posted by
Tombstone
Sharky Ward is a one man band according to his book.
It is true that the SHAR/GR3 guys could have had a pop at the runway however, they would have had to fly within the SAM & AAA umbrella.
The Flag Commander did not appreciate the usefulness of the SHAR's radar and as a result, he ordered them to be used in a manner which became very airframe & pilot intensive, reducing their availability for mud moving jobs.
I think the main issue in terms of why we used the Vulcan is simple & Sharky Ward did not get it at all. The political message passed from the British government to the Argentine leaders, via the Black Buck missions was one of capability and will to attack the mainland if required.
The message certainly got through & the Argie air defence fleet was deployed in a manner that protected the mainland but offered little cover over the Falklands.
I've just read Vulcan 607 and previously Sea Harrier Over The Falklands - both a great read for a layman like me. It did seem a little strange that Ward tried to reach the Vulcan with a breezy "Good Morning" when they would have been on their final run in to Stanley however. Just a thought!
Facinating posts here folks - even if I'm not qualified to do much other than injest the information and enjoy!
Cheers
Gareth