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"Mog" Morgan talks Harriers, Sea Harriers and the Falklands

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"Mog" Morgan talks Harriers, Sea Harriers and the Falklands

Old 22nd Oct 2020, 06:59
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I am about one third of the way through Roland White's "Harrier 809". I just wondered if people like Mogwi received an advance copy and could comment on it's authenticity?
An excellent read so far.
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Old 22nd Oct 2020, 07:09
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Originally Posted by The Oberon
I am about one third of the way through Roland White's "Harrier 809". I just wondered if people like Mogwi received an advance copy and could comment on it's authenticity?
An excellent read so far.
I’ve just received mine. I hope it’s good and has anybody on here contributed?
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Old 22nd Oct 2020, 08:59
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Only my pic of the RAF and Chilean Hercules side by side on Easter Island.
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Old 22nd Oct 2020, 13:05
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Originally Posted by tartare
Hopefully Mog.
To be clear - when I said film - I meant a full dramatic production.
It was the first air sea war - very significant.
CGI is now good enough to portray Sea Harriers, Skyhawks and Etendards mixing it up, other battle scenes and how intimidating the South Atlantic weather was.
The script would virtually write itself.
The invasion.
A lash up convoy sent south.
Black Buck.
Air war heats up - Harriers and Mirages - showing the split second decision making and fear of fast jet combat.
The Belgrano - and then the centrepiece - second act - would be the Sheffield sinking.
We cut to Special Forces planning Mikado - see how it might have played out - sequence ends with chopper crew surrendering to Chilean police.
Meanwhile the spooks are buying up all the Exocets, and in Washington, the Americans and Brits are arguing over SIGINT access to US satellites.
Cut back to hot war - Coventry, Argonaut, Antelope.
Third act, San Carlos, the yomp to Goose Green, a horrible overnight fight with no cover and death of H. Jones, Mount Kent, Bluff Cove and the Fall of Stanley.
Black screen - 907 died over 74 days of fighting etc.
We then roll credits with the faces of real veterans - and maybe last of all - Simon Weston - an inspiration.
Bish bash bosh - done.
Maybe we could even sneak in a scene of a young Harrier pilot spotting a Puma - and knocking it out of the sky with jet wash...
BTW - no unintentional offence to anyone intended.
I genuinely think it would make a cracking and highly educational feature film...
Righto - casting call.
Who would play Sharkey Ward...
Sounds quite exciting when you put it like that! Perhaps CGI could take a few wrinkles off my face and I could play myself. (not with myself before anyone quips!) A few years ago a Puma was carrying out a low-level tactical approach to a certain hilltop airfield in Dorset when I spotted him in my Yak50. One guns pass later, I announced that it was 30 years since I had splashed a Puma - which was greeted by a very confused silence. It was obviously before his time. ☹️

Mog
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Old 22nd Oct 2020, 13:53
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Just finished reading 809 today

it’s broader than a lot of his other books and does give a different perpsectives like Atlantic Conveyor and the Argentinian view to a degree.

The 809 elements are interesting and give an insight that is not covered by Mog, Peter or sharkey. It is more of an a level letts revision guide to the Falklands air war

Really it as boys own feeder if you like read it and then I would read sharkey , then Mog and then Peter. Then you get a nice segway through a series of first person perspectives and each fills in the blanks or gives an interesting perspective to the one prior.


Last edited by dagenham; 22nd Oct 2020 at 14:52.
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Old 22nd Oct 2020, 16:06
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At the risk of being boring............

Jerry Pook and Mark Hare actually straffed and killed a Chinook and Puma in the vicinity of Mt Kent early on - and they haven't made a great fuss of having done so!
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Old 22nd Oct 2020, 17:10
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Just finished it and I found it very interesting especially the effort to get 809 ready for war.

Most of the war chapters were well written and added to the books by Mog and Sharkey, especially the 51 Sqdn and Canberra action.
For me it started to run out of steam about 1/2 to 3/4 way through and some aspects seemed to be skimped.
The RAF Harrier squadron treatment on Hermes, could have told the story, although I accept the the book was Harrier 809.
Enjoyable read and like Rolands's other books well written and engaging.

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Old 22nd Oct 2020, 17:47
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Humbling and honest

I failed biggin hill twice but did hamble,BEA and Swissair followed by loss of license, mountain glider flying, aerobatics, comps, instructing and currently jumping off mountains at 71 but a fantastic honest series of interviews. Thank you...ps I avoided the 74 after flying the sim..boring.
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Old 22nd Oct 2020, 17:48
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I noticed he put RAF Wyton as being in Rutland Still only about a quarter through.........
Lovely quote at the time,

Q, " Why is it called "FOLKLORE"?



A, " Because that's the way we do things around here "
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Old 22nd Oct 2020, 18:46
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Who would play Sharkey Ward...
How about Stephen Merchant?



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Old 22nd Oct 2020, 22:04
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Absolutely - that's gold!
He's even got the mad staring eyes.
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Old 23rd Oct 2020, 12:16
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Originally Posted by ex-fast-jets
At the risk of being boring............

Jerry Pook and Mark Hare actually straffed and killed a Chinook and Puma in the vicinity of Mt Kent early on - and they haven't made a great fuss of having done so!
Though to be fair Jerry Pook does give a fairly detailed account in his book including his missing with CBUs and Mark Hare's continuing the action with CBUs that had failed to drop. Mark Hare's aircraft also took small arms hits. It concludes with the usual frosty reception from LM on Hermes due to a disagreement over the advisability of five passes. They also caused damage to the rotors of the Huey the escaped - it was later repaired.

I would definitely add Jerry Pook's book to dagenham's list for another perspective on flying down among the lead and MANPADS from a ship whose Captain clearly wished they weren't there (As Peter Squire was warned on the day they arrived by Hermes' Commander.)
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Old 23rd Oct 2020, 12:45
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sorry i did mean Jerry's book ... long day and no sleep makes dagenham more barking than usual
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Old 23rd Oct 2020, 13:28
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While wandering in the ethernet I came across this 70's Harrier GR3 training film.

RAF Harrier Training

Operating with 1F aircraft on (in) Cannock Chase, this brought bought back memories of a time when we were young.

Apologies if it's done the rounds before. So many faces and characters.

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Old 23rd Oct 2020, 14:00
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Originally Posted by dagenham
sorry i did mean Jerry's book ... long day and no sleep makes dagenham more barking than usual
No worries, I assumed you meant the late ACM Squire's The Harrier Goes to War his published version of 1(F)'s Op Corporate Diary. A PDF version of which is available at www.radarmalivinas.ar. This is a direct copy of the version that used to appear on the old official RAF website. (Not entirely clear if this was with permission although it does include a statement that it is Copyright Peter Squire 2004)

Mog - if you aren't cast, how about Dan Stevens?




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Old 23rd Oct 2020, 15:38
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Just finished the "809" book,
A lot of work went in to it, remembering that the events took place nearly half way back to the Battle of Britiain now.
An interesting perspective on, particularly ,Sea Harrier employment aspects with a variety of other operations highlighted.
Recommended.
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Old 23rd Oct 2020, 16:17
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Originally Posted by tartare
I wish someone would make a Falklands film.
So many great stories.
I know Hollywood wouldn't touch it... too controversial...
Tumbledown and An Ungentlemanly Act were both pretty good. Alas nothing to do with the air war though.
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Old 24th Oct 2020, 02:13
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Originally Posted by Haraka
Just finished the "809" book,
A lot of work went in to it, remembering that the events took place nearly half way back to the Battle of Britiain now.
An interesting perspective on, particularly ,Sea Harrier employment aspects with a variety of other operations highlighted.
Recommended.
Totally Concur, Definitely going to look up one of the files at the National Archives listed at the back of the book when this Covid cr*p dies down thanks to being a former member of the unit concerned (abet well after the war) plus having worked on the kit a couple of times (S259). Interesting thought about the comments on doing a "pathfinder" Harrier T Mk 4 in the book. Would there have been any issues getting a T Mk 4 aboard the CVS's (can't get them down into the hangar due to elevators being too short or fuel capacity no where near large enough) and if that wasn't an issue why didn't somebody think of stuffing a Pave Spike and monitor out of a Buccaneer into a T Mk 4 and using it as a daylight only designator (or had that kit not yet been embodied yet?).
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Old 24th Oct 2020, 09:14
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Originally Posted by MAINJAFAD
Totally Concur, Definitely going to look up one of the files at the National Archives listed at the back of the book when this Covid cr*p dies down thanks to being a former member of the unit concerned (abet well after the war) plus having worked on the kit a couple of times (S259). Interesting thought about the comments on doing a "pathfinder" Harrier T Mk 4 in the book. Would there have been any issues getting a T Mk 4 aboard the CVS's (can't get them down into the hangar due to elevators being too short or fuel capacity no where near large enough) and if that wasn't an issue why didn't somebody think of stuffing a Pave Spike and monitor out of a Buccaneer into a T Mk 4 and using it as a daylight only designator (or had that kit not yet been embodied yet?).
Actually the T4 had the same fuel capacity as the SHAR and GR3. The refuel system, however, would have needed modification as the CVS hoses would not physically fit the T4 because of slight airframe differences. The only way to refuel onboard was to fit the refuel probe and pump the gas in through that!!

Only done once to my knowledge.

On the other point; I believe Leonardo di Caprio modelled himself on my Falklands look!😊

Mog
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Old 24th Oct 2020, 17:53
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Originally Posted by MAINJAFAD
Totally Concur, Definitely going to look up one of the files at the National Archives listed at the back of the book when this Covid cr*p dies down thanks to being a former member of the unit concerned (abet well after the war) plus having worked on the kit a couple of times (S259). Interesting thought about the comments on doing a "pathfinder" Harrier T Mk 4 in the book. Would there have been any issues getting a T Mk 4 aboard the CVS's (can't get them down into the hangar due to elevators being too short or fuel capacity no where near large enough) and if that wasn't an issue why didn't somebody think of stuffing a Pave Spike and monitor out of a Buccaneer into a T Mk 4 and using it as a daylight only designator (or had that kit not yet been embodied yet?).
What file are you looking for? Maybe I can help. Regards,
​​
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