A little light relief - Storm Force
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A little light relief - Storm Front
To possibly allow some of us the opportunity to get away from wrangling about the relative cost of a carrier versus Typhoon base, having just read Rowland White's latest book Storm Front I recommend you do to.
Smelly/fierce/brave SF blokes; ditto for the Huey, Jet Ranger and Strikemaster aircrew in a conflict that was happening when I was a small boy during 1971/2.
Who'd a thunk that the JP MkV we flew could, with a few steroids and a new name, have done such a good job rocketing under the relative safety of its own guns.
If you've already had a chance to read his previous offerings in Vulcan 607 and Phoenix Squadron you'll note he seems to have an uncanny knack of picking the right moment to publish a book.
This one? Arab Spring; governments underfunding foreign wars they don't want to be part of; cultural issues of dealing with our Middle East friends; land and air making the best from what dealt them and there are many more parallels from then and now.
Take a break from single service bashing and go and read a book where there are good dits about Army, Navy and Air Force helo and jet pilots all digging out for something that has now become the stuff of legend within the Service.
Smelly/fierce/brave SF blokes; ditto for the Huey, Jet Ranger and Strikemaster aircrew in a conflict that was happening when I was a small boy during 1971/2.
Who'd a thunk that the JP MkV we flew could, with a few steroids and a new name, have done such a good job rocketing under the relative safety of its own guns.
If you've already had a chance to read his previous offerings in Vulcan 607 and Phoenix Squadron you'll note he seems to have an uncanny knack of picking the right moment to publish a book.
This one? Arab Spring; governments underfunding foreign wars they don't want to be part of; cultural issues of dealing with our Middle East friends; land and air making the best from what dealt them and there are many more parallels from then and now.
Take a break from single service bashing and go and read a book where there are good dits about Army, Navy and Air Force helo and jet pilots all digging out for something that has now become the stuff of legend within the Service.
Last edited by FB11; 8th Aug 2011 at 11:03.
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Under seven wind farms
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FB11,
The RAF used the Harvard as a ground attack aircraft and light bomber in Kenya in the mid-50s, the Rhodesians had Gennets and Muskateers during the 60s and 70s and the US and their allies used things like the Trojan T28 in Laos/Vietnam.
It is very often that some unlikely aircraft prove their worth doing things they were never designed for. Don't forget the Strikemaster actually took over a role from the piston engined Provost
Towards the end of its RAF life the Hastings transport proved itself to be a remarkable 'stand in' as a maritime patrol aircraft during one exercise and left everybody cussing that it was too late and asking what might have been.
Cpl P
The RAF used the Harvard as a ground attack aircraft and light bomber in Kenya in the mid-50s, the Rhodesians had Gennets and Muskateers during the 60s and 70s and the US and their allies used things like the Trojan T28 in Laos/Vietnam.
It is very often that some unlikely aircraft prove their worth doing things they were never designed for. Don't forget the Strikemaster actually took over a role from the piston engined Provost
Towards the end of its RAF life the Hastings transport proved itself to be a remarkable 'stand in' as a maritime patrol aircraft during one exercise and left everybody cussing that it was too late and asking what might have been.
Cpl P
FB11,
SCBS Hasting T5s were used for MR in the various Cod wars.
SCBS Hasting T5s were used for MR in the various Cod wars.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jindabyne,
I am intrigued about the error on page 1 - would you PM me or can you share it with the masses?
pr00ne/Corporal Punishment
Particularly poignant to reflect, in light of the very sad loss of the Navy Seals and others in the CH-47 shoot down this weekend, is the almost complete inability to deal with direct fire from unguided weapons. If you put any aircraft in front of a bloke with an AK47/AAA piece or an RPG and it's in the wrong place at the right time, people and aircraft get hurt and damaged.
The finale chapters (and I'll be vague so as to not spoil the reading) where the boys get in under the weather really does put the 'close' in close air support and MEDEVAC. Thank goodness for red and green flares and relatively simple aircraft.
Big cajones stuff from the aircrew and staggering bravery and determination from the SAS to deal with the numbers thrown at them.
FB
I am intrigued about the error on page 1 - would you PM me or can you share it with the masses?
pr00ne/Corporal Punishment
Particularly poignant to reflect, in light of the very sad loss of the Navy Seals and others in the CH-47 shoot down this weekend, is the almost complete inability to deal with direct fire from unguided weapons. If you put any aircraft in front of a bloke with an AK47/AAA piece or an RPG and it's in the wrong place at the right time, people and aircraft get hurt and damaged.
The finale chapters (and I'll be vague so as to not spoil the reading) where the boys get in under the weather really does put the 'close' in close air support and MEDEVAC. Thank goodness for red and green flares and relatively simple aircraft.
Big cajones stuff from the aircrew and staggering bravery and determination from the SAS to deal with the numbers thrown at them.
FB
Last edited by FB11; 8th Aug 2011 at 21:48.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Longton, Lancs, UK
Age: 80
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
FB11
Firstly, I quite understand what the author portrays in his Prologue - setting out the relationship between Bill and the SAS in early days, and the part that some members of 208 Sqn played in the Radfan, also in support of the SAS. No problem: it sets the scene nicely.
But I'm bemused with his first sentence of his para2 on page 1 where he says - Flying in support of ground troops was where 43 and 208, the other Hunter unit based at Aden really earned their crust. The two fighter squadrons practised relentlessly.
Seemingly 'ignorant' that No 8 Squadron was also there, and had been so for far longer than either 43 or 208; and played the dominant role in proceedings throughout the sixties and previously. Sorry 43 mates, but a count of operational sorties from the official records tells the tale!
No sour grapes intended, just a plug for my old outfit!
Firstly, I quite understand what the author portrays in his Prologue - setting out the relationship between Bill and the SAS in early days, and the part that some members of 208 Sqn played in the Radfan, also in support of the SAS. No problem: it sets the scene nicely.
But I'm bemused with his first sentence of his para2 on page 1 where he says - Flying in support of ground troops was where 43 and 208, the other Hunter unit based at Aden really earned their crust. The two fighter squadrons practised relentlessly.
Seemingly 'ignorant' that No 8 Squadron was also there, and had been so for far longer than either 43 or 208; and played the dominant role in proceedings throughout the sixties and previously. Sorry 43 mates, but a count of operational sorties from the official records tells the tale!
No sour grapes intended, just a plug for my old outfit!
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Longton, Lancs, UK
Age: 80
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
FB,
8 were detached to Bahrain throughout May - so, pedantically on my part, my comments stand wrt page 1, which is titled April 1964 Aden.
That said, 8 is given due comment in later chapters. About a third of the way through now, and what a cracking read it is !
8 were detached to Bahrain throughout May - so, pedantically on my part, my comments stand wrt page 1, which is titled April 1964 Aden.
That said, 8 is given due comment in later chapters. About a third of the way through now, and what a cracking read it is !
Read it and must say that of the three White has written, this is by far the best. I met Nobby Grey whilst a very young and impressionable 18 yr old on BFT at Cranwell....
