Another rant from the Bearded One
I´ve never seen anyone on here get at Ward on grounds of his flying skill nor his bravery in the FI War. it´s his mono-maniacal belief (which seems to get worse with age) that
a) only the FAA were there,
b) everyone else is an idiot at best and a danger to The Nation at worst
There's no balance, no discussion, no........... sensibility......
a) only the FAA were there,
b) everyone else is an idiot at best and a danger to The Nation at worst
There's no balance, no discussion, no........... sensibility......
His bravery and flying skills were above and beyond; taking on Daggers and Mirages, outnumbered 3:1
Such a shame for one who was once so capable.
Nobody who's seen action in either the RAF or FAA has any axe to grind with one another. Apart from a few beers being chucked in messes and a piano or two being mercilessly burned to the ground, a flag being snatched from the stern, there is only quiet camaraderie.
And those in the know don't need to give a monkey's anyway.
Let's get this straight; the man is trying to sell his books.
And those in the know don't need to give a monkey's anyway.
Let's get this straight; the man is trying to sell his books.
But specifically the RAF. He hates us with such a vengeance that it completely warps his viewpoint and thus makes it impossible to take him seriously. Even his own service folk disown his rantings and he seems only favoured by a few old mates.
Such a shame for one who was once so capable.
Such a shame for one who was once so capable.
FB
I suspect his resentment stems mainly from the near demise of FAA fixed wing being predicated on the RAF being able to provided global air cover for the Fleet when quite clearly it couldn't/didn't, particularly during the nasty business involving the heavy loss of ships and sailors in 1982. Landing the odd bomb on the runway at Stanley provided little consolation.
I suspect his resentment stems mainly from the near demise of FAA fixed wing being predicated on the RAF being able to provided global air cover for the Fleet when quite clearly it couldn't/didn't, particularly during the nasty business involving the heavy loss of ships and sailors in 1982. Landing the odd bomb on the runway at Stanley provided little consolation.
FB
It's his lack of balance that puts me off - - and he seems to get worse with age
It's very sad
It's very sad
I have some sympathy for Sharkey Ward for the following reason:
His Son was a Navy Harrier pilot (and a very fine chap for those who knew him).
His Son effectively 'lost his job' when the Harrier was culled, a decision that many in the Navy blamed on the RAF.
His Son went on to fly for Jet 2 but took his own life on 15 Nov 2018.
I do not pretend to know the reasons behind this but as a father myself I can only imagine the effect that such an event would have on someone.
His Son was a Navy Harrier pilot (and a very fine chap for those who knew him).
His Son effectively 'lost his job' when the Harrier was culled, a decision that many in the Navy blamed on the RAF.
His Son went on to fly for Jet 2 but took his own life on 15 Nov 2018.
I do not pretend to know the reasons behind this but as a father myself I can only imagine the effect that such an event would have on someone.
I have some sympathy for Sharkey Ward for the following reason:
His Son was a Navy Harrier pilot (and a very fine chap for those who knew him).
His Son effectively 'lost his job' when the Harrier was culled, a decision that many in the Navy blamed on the RAF.
His Son went on to fly for Jet 2 but took his own life on 15 Nov 2018.
I do not pretend to know the reasons behind this but as a father myself I can only imagine the effect that such an event would have on someone.
His Son was a Navy Harrier pilot (and a very fine chap for those who knew him).
His Son effectively 'lost his job' when the Harrier was culled, a decision that many in the Navy blamed on the RAF.
His Son went on to fly for Jet 2 but took his own life on 15 Nov 2018.
I do not pretend to know the reasons behind this but as a father myself I can only imagine the effect that such an event would have on someone.
CG
Finningley Boy
I was Sharkey's QFI and Flt. Cdr. at Linton when we still did the basic flying training (JP 3&4) for the RN. He was a Lt. and thus the senior student and course leader. Never a problem - in fact he used to save me a lot of time and effort in the way he managed his course. A first class student who took any advice/critiscm as it was meant. A great guy in the late '60's certainly!
Bill
I was Sharkey's QFI and Flt. Cdr. at Linton when we still did the basic flying training (JP 3&4) for the RN. He was a Lt. and thus the senior student and course leader. Never a problem - in fact he used to save me a lot of time and effort in the way he managed his course. A first class student who took any advice/critiscm as it was meant. A great guy in the late '60's certainly!
Bill
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_D...Defence_Budget
Finningley Boy
I was Sharkey's QFI and Flt. Cdr. at Linton when we still did the basic flying training (JP 3&4) for the RN. He was a Lt. and thus the senior student and course leader. Never a problem - in fact he used to save me a lot of time and effort in the way he managed his course. A first class student who took any advice/critiscm as it was meant. A great guy in the late '60's certainly!
Bill
I was Sharkey's QFI and Flt. Cdr. at Linton when we still did the basic flying training (JP 3&4) for the RN. He was a Lt. and thus the senior student and course leader. Never a problem - in fact he used to save me a lot of time and effort in the way he managed his course. A first class student who took any advice/critiscm as it was meant. A great guy in the late '60's certainly!
Bill
FB
And whilst I bow to no-one in thinking Sharky has turned into a tiresome bore about this all, there is a small percentage of the RAF who continue behaviour that sustains the fires.
Only recently the (attempted) behaviours of a RAF 2* was enough for an Army 3* to give him a “cease and desist” order over his attitude to the F-35 programme*. That kind of thing poisons the well for everyone, but against that, said RAF 2* is reportedly loathed by most of his own Service and MoD MB...
*The individual concerned wasn’t in the F-35 programme BTW.
Only recently the (attempted) behaviours of a RAF 2* was enough for an Army 3* to give him a “cease and desist” order over his attitude to the F-35 programme*. That kind of thing poisons the well for everyone, but against that, said RAF 2* is reportedly loathed by most of his own Service and MoD MB...
*The individual concerned wasn’t in the F-35 programme BTW.
And whilst I bow to no-one in thinking Sharky has turned into a tiresome bore about this all, there is a small percentage of the RAF who continue behaviour that sustains the fires.
Only recently the (attempted) behaviours of a RAF 2* was enough for an Army 3* to give him a “cease and desist” order over his attitude to the F-35 programme*. That kind of thing poisons the well for everyone, but against that, said RAF 2* is reportedly loathed by most of his own Service and MoD MB...
*The individual concerned wasn’t in the F-35 programme BTW.
Only recently the (attempted) behaviours of a RAF 2* was enough for an Army 3* to give him a “cease and desist” order over his attitude to the F-35 programme*. That kind of thing poisons the well for everyone, but against that, said RAF 2* is reportedly loathed by most of his own Service and MoD MB...
*The individual concerned wasn’t in the F-35 programme BTW.
FB
And in all likelihood it was done deliberately just to muddy the waters...
I did enjoy the book immensely by the way (and other books from those that were there). Each provides a unique perspective, and personalities and perceptions do creep more into some accounts more than others.
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