Falklands 40
I shall be away this weekend, so let me offer my final contribution to this story............
We were getting close to what we now know was the end. Ground forces had taken the high ground to the west and north of Stanley - the only bit left was Sapper Hill which was more of a pimple than high ground, but it was being used for artillery to increase their range.
On 14 June I was launched with 2 LGBs to attack Artillery on Sapper Hill which would be designated by an FAC. I took the brief in the safe air above 20,000' over Stanley, and was starting to let down to run in to loft the bombs against Sapper Hill when the FAC told me to stop and hold off. Some 5 minutes later he told me not to attack, as the white flags were up and troops were streaming back into Stanley. Ground Forces had gone "guns tight" and the feeling was that Argentinian forces had given in.
I headed back to HERMES and decided that I could do a vertical landing with the bombs on if I burnt off fuel to not much left. I didn't want to jettison the bombs into the sea, as considerable effort had been taken to get the LGB kits to us, and I didn't know if they might be needed later that day, or the next. So I jettisoned fuel and then raced around at low level burning off fuel to get down to hover weight, and landed on HERMES. As I got out of the cockpit, I was met by a very agitated RN Lt Cdr who told me that the Captain wanted to see me.
I went to the Bridge, and the Captain proceeded to bollock me for landing on his boat with my bombs on. I explained why and he stopped bollocking me and told me to "wait there". He disappeared and returned shortly afterwards with Adm Woodward and told me to "tell him what you have just told me". I did - so I was effectively the carrier pigeon that gave Woodward the news that he wanted that it was all over.
Of importance to me - I only got half a bollocking.
We were getting close to what we now know was the end. Ground forces had taken the high ground to the west and north of Stanley - the only bit left was Sapper Hill which was more of a pimple than high ground, but it was being used for artillery to increase their range.
On 14 June I was launched with 2 LGBs to attack Artillery on Sapper Hill which would be designated by an FAC. I took the brief in the safe air above 20,000' over Stanley, and was starting to let down to run in to loft the bombs against Sapper Hill when the FAC told me to stop and hold off. Some 5 minutes later he told me not to attack, as the white flags were up and troops were streaming back into Stanley. Ground Forces had gone "guns tight" and the feeling was that Argentinian forces had given in.
I headed back to HERMES and decided that I could do a vertical landing with the bombs on if I burnt off fuel to not much left. I didn't want to jettison the bombs into the sea, as considerable effort had been taken to get the LGB kits to us, and I didn't know if they might be needed later that day, or the next. So I jettisoned fuel and then raced around at low level burning off fuel to get down to hover weight, and landed on HERMES. As I got out of the cockpit, I was met by a very agitated RN Lt Cdr who told me that the Captain wanted to see me.
I went to the Bridge, and the Captain proceeded to bollock me for landing on his boat with my bombs on. I explained why and he stopped bollocking me and told me to "wait there". He disappeared and returned shortly afterwards with Adm Woodward and told me to "tell him what you have just told me". I did - so I was effectively the carrier pigeon that gave Woodward the news that he wanted that it was all over.
Of importance to me - I only got half a bollocking.
Last edited by ex-fast-jets; 11th Jun 2022 at 07:06.
Thread Starter
Mog
Thread Starter
The last few days of the conflict were quiet for the SHARs but not so for the GR3s. They continued to put their pink bits in harm's way right up to the end, as XFJ has said. On the 10th, I flew as #2 to my ex-boss on 899 and we found a large airborne contact over Choiseul Sound. It was lurking in a line squall and we sat on either side of the weather, waiting for it to poke its nose out - but it never did. Still don't know if it was a bogey or a will-of-the-wisp.
On the 10th, one GR3 took a 7.62 in the bottom of the windscreen. Luckily it was armoured glass and that saved the pilot. It flew for several months afterwards with an aluminium (aluminum for our cousins) plate stuck over the damage. Also on the 10th, another GR3 on an armed recce mission came back from the mountains with "Nil seen" but this was in the F95. It hasn't been enlarged, so you can see he was lower than a snake's belly, which probably saved him.
Mog
OOPS!!
On the 10th, one GR3 took a 7.62 in the bottom of the windscreen. Luckily it was armoured glass and that saved the pilot. It flew for several months afterwards with an aluminium (aluminum for our cousins) plate stuck over the damage. Also on the 10th, another GR3 on an armed recce mission came back from the mountains with "Nil seen" but this was in the F95. It hasn't been enlarged, so you can see he was lower than a snake's belly, which probably saved him.
Mog
OOPS!!
Mogwi, ex fj,
Thank you for posting!
amazing.
Thank you for posting!
amazing.
Thread Starter
On the 11th, I was inbound to CAP off the north coast of East Falkland over a 20k overcast. Before letting down into the murk, we shackled to have a good check behind us and I saw two contrails descending in to the cloud tops about 5 mile behind us. The controller insisted that there were no friendlies in the area, so we turned after them and soon had them on radar about 5k below us, in a gentle turn. We accelerated after the contacts and soon spotted two aircraft between layers ahead of us. I couldn’t ID them positively, so called my #2 to go weapons tight until we could.
At about a mile and a half, with the missile locked and chirping, I realised that they were a pair of GR3s and called “Knock it off, friendlies!”. A couple of seconds later there was a frantic call on guard from the 1 Sqn pilots to the same effect. Useful debrief in the bar later on; they had been scrambled a few minutes after we had launched.
That afternoon, OC 1(F) was hit by small arms fire that entered the cockpit below his right foot and exited above his left foot without touching any pink bits. It did, however, destroy a large electrical loom carrying many of the weapon-aiming circuits and took quite a while to rectify.
On the 12th, the pilot who was hit on the windscreen took more damage over Sapper a hill with XFJ. The shrapnel damaged the reaction-control ducting and as he approached the hover on RTB, this started a fire and bits started falling off the aircraft. Flyco told him he was on fire and suggested he eject. He demurred and did a very smart VL and was immediately surrounded by the fire crew. The aircraft suffered quite a lot of damage and played no further part in the conflict.
In the early hours of the 12th, HMS Glamorgan got a bit too close to Stanley as they left the gun-line and copped a wheel-barrow launched Exocet that had been flow in by Herc a few days earlier. The missile hit the hangar and destroyed their Wessex, leaving 13 dead and 17 injured. A very unfortunate incident.
Mog
At about a mile and a half, with the missile locked and chirping, I realised that they were a pair of GR3s and called “Knock it off, friendlies!”. A couple of seconds later there was a frantic call on guard from the 1 Sqn pilots to the same effect. Useful debrief in the bar later on; they had been scrambled a few minutes after we had launched.
That afternoon, OC 1(F) was hit by small arms fire that entered the cockpit below his right foot and exited above his left foot without touching any pink bits. It did, however, destroy a large electrical loom carrying many of the weapon-aiming circuits and took quite a while to rectify.
On the 12th, the pilot who was hit on the windscreen took more damage over Sapper a hill with XFJ. The shrapnel damaged the reaction-control ducting and as he approached the hover on RTB, this started a fire and bits started falling off the aircraft. Flyco told him he was on fire and suggested he eject. He demurred and did a very smart VL and was immediately surrounded by the fire crew. The aircraft suffered quite a lot of damage and played no further part in the conflict.
In the early hours of the 12th, HMS Glamorgan got a bit too close to Stanley as they left the gun-line and copped a wheel-barrow launched Exocet that had been flow in by Herc a few days earlier. The missile hit the hangar and destroyed their Wessex, leaving 13 dead and 17 injured. A very unfortunate incident.
Mog
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indeed Mog, Popeye Mccallum , he was an aircraft tech and sadly in the hangar. His mum and dad lived next door to my grand parents and he baby sat me a few times when I was more barking than dagenham.
I will have a glass tonight and remember him
I will have a glass tonight and remember him
On the 11th, I was in to CAP off the north coast of East Falkland over a 20k overcast. Before letting down into the murk, we shackled to have a good check behind us and I saw two contrails descending in to the cloud tops about 5 mile behind us. The controller insisted that there were no friendlies in the area, so we turned after them and soon had them on radar about 5k below us, in a gentle turn. We accelerated after the contacts and soon spotted two aircraft between layers ahead of us. I couldn’t ID them positively, so called my #2 to go weapons tight until we could.
At about a mile and a half, with the missile locked and chirping, I realised that they were a pair of GR3s and called “Knock it off, friendlies!”. A couple of seconds later there was a frantic call on guard from the 1 Sqn pilots to the same effect. Useful debrief in the bar later on; they had been scrambled a few minutes after we had launched.
That afternoon, OC 1(F) was hit by small arms fire that entered the cockpit below his right foot and exited above his left foot without touching any pink bits. It did, however, destroy a large electrical loom carrying many of the weapon-aiming circuits and took quite a while to rectify.
On the 12th, the pilot who was hit on the windscreen took more damage over Sapper a hill with XFJ. The shrapnel damaged the reaction-control ducting and as he approached the hover on RTB, this started a fire and bits started falling off the aircraft. Flyco told him he was on fire and suggested he eject. He demurred and did a very smart VL and was immediately surrounded by the fire crew. The aircraft suffered quite a lot of damage and played no further part in the conflict.
In the early hours of the 12th, HMS Glamorgan got a bit too close to Stanley as they left the gun-line and copped a wheel-barrow launched Exocet that had been flow in by Herc a few days earlier. The missile hit the hangar and destroyed their Wessex, leaving 13 dead and 17 injured. A very unfortunate incident.
Mog
At about a mile and a half, with the missile locked and chirping, I realised that they were a pair of GR3s and called “Knock it off, friendlies!”. A couple of seconds later there was a frantic call on guard from the 1 Sqn pilots to the same effect. Useful debrief in the bar later on; they had been scrambled a few minutes after we had launched.
That afternoon, OC 1(F) was hit by small arms fire that entered the cockpit below his right foot and exited above his left foot without touching any pink bits. It did, however, destroy a large electrical loom carrying many of the weapon-aiming circuits and took quite a while to rectify.
On the 12th, the pilot who was hit on the windscreen took more damage over Sapper a hill with XFJ. The shrapnel damaged the reaction-control ducting and as he approached the hover on RTB, this started a fire and bits started falling off the aircraft. Flyco told him he was on fire and suggested he eject. He demurred and did a very smart VL and was immediately surrounded by the fire crew. The aircraft suffered quite a lot of damage and played no further part in the conflict.
In the early hours of the 12th, HMS Glamorgan got a bit too close to Stanley as they left the gun-line and copped a wheel-barrow launched Exocet that had been flow in by Herc a few days earlier. The missile hit the hangar and destroyed their Wessex, leaving 13 dead and 17 injured. A very unfortunate incident.
Mog
Mog, ex fj,
Was sids strip named after Syd M?
Asking purely out of interest. Syd M was a UAS QFI when I was at Uni on a UAS.
Regards.
Was sids strip named after Syd M?
Asking purely out of interest. Syd M was a UAS QFI when I was at Uni on a UAS.
Regards.
Watched a BBC2 programme about Goose Green last night. All blood and guts from the RM and 2 PARA. No mention at all about Harriers taking out AAA guns, typical.
With respect I don’t think that was the point. It was the personal story of the men involved not a blow by blow account of the war.
it was one of the best programmes I have seen and the bravery and openness of those involved is to be applauded.
it was one of the best programmes I have seen and the bravery and openness of those involved is to be applauded.
Dagenham, couldn't agree more. Unbelievably moving and the BBC going back to doing something actually worthy of the licence fee.
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Yes agreed, some especially telling and revealing tales, especially the frank and revealing thoughts of the then young Para officer, I have to admit I was mega impressed with how they disarmed the Marine pondering suicide and the fantastic outcome.
The last few days of the conflict were quiet for the SHARs but not so for the GR3s. They continued to put their pink bits in harm's way right up to the end, as XFJ has said. On the 10th, I flew as #2 to my ex-boss on 899 and we found a large airborne contact over Choiseul Sound. It was lurking in a line squall and we sat on either side of the weather, waiting for it to poke its nose out - but it never did. Still don't know if it was a bogey or a will-of-the-wisp.
On the 10th, one GR3 took a 7.62 in the bottom of the windscreen. Luckily it was armoured glass and that saved the pilot. It flew for several months afterwards with an aluminium (aluminum for our cousins) plate stuck over the damage. Also on the 10th, another GR3 on an armed recce mission came back from the mountains with "Nil seen" but this was in the F95. It hasn't been enlarged, so you can see he was lower than a snake's belly, which probably saved him.
Mog
OOPS!!
On the 10th, one GR3 took a 7.62 in the bottom of the windscreen. Luckily it was armoured glass and that saved the pilot. It flew for several months afterwards with an aluminium (aluminum for our cousins) plate stuck over the damage. Also on the 10th, another GR3 on an armed recce mission came back from the mountains with "Nil seen" but this was in the F95. It hasn't been enlarged, so you can see he was lower than a snake's belly, which probably saved him.
Mog
OOPS!!
Because those that are involved in such conflicts really do not want to talk about it due to the horrors they saw. Takes brave men to come out of the shells they build to defend them from those memories. Of course Lawrence's story was dramatised by Colin Firth years ago, so that story was out. Was a very powerful documentary of young men facing the hell of warfare.
Thread Starter
On the 13th it was quiet again in the air but carnage on the ground as our troops fought their way over the mountains west of Stanley with grenade and bayonet. Two SHARs had to land on the back of Fearless and Intrepid when the Chinook lifted the strip at Port San Carlos shortly before they were due to land. They had a quick suck of gas before hopping over to Sheathbill for a top-up when the damage had been sorted. They arrived back with a case of wine; a thank you from the Intrepid wardroom.
No1(F) eventually managed to sort the LGBs and the OC took out a headquarters position on Mount London, whilst his #2 turned a 155 gun into a swimming pool. They pulled up from behind the hills to deliver the weapons and unfortunately had a lot of 7.62 sent in their direction by our own troops. Luckily they were bad shots! HMS Cardiff, however was rather better and splashed a Canberra with Sea Dart overnight.
By the morning of the 14th, the hills had been taken and Argentine troops were streaming back to Stanley and shortly afterwards the white flags appeared, That was quite a surreal feeling. We didn’t know whether that was the end of the conflict or if we would still face an air threat but it soon became clear that it was over and we were going home.
I still had one task to fly though. On the 17th, I was tasked to take a pair of SHARs to within 130 miles of Sant Cruz, to “verify the position of a hospital ship”. I couldn’t believe that I was being sent on such a pointless and foolhardy mission but when I pointed out the risks, I was told to shut up and launch. So launch we did and flew radar silent with out rad alts, dopplers and transponders silent to 50 miles from the target. One quick sweep of the radar for the required confirmation and we high-tailed it back to Sheathbill as fast as the fuel would let us.
That was the end of the conflict and Hermes headed north. Once clear of the area, we had a SHAR celebratory dinner which featured Goose Galtieri as the main course, followed by broccoli ice cream! We knew how to live!
Mog
_ . . _ _ . _ .
No1(F) eventually managed to sort the LGBs and the OC took out a headquarters position on Mount London, whilst his #2 turned a 155 gun into a swimming pool. They pulled up from behind the hills to deliver the weapons and unfortunately had a lot of 7.62 sent in their direction by our own troops. Luckily they were bad shots! HMS Cardiff, however was rather better and splashed a Canberra with Sea Dart overnight.
By the morning of the 14th, the hills had been taken and Argentine troops were streaming back to Stanley and shortly afterwards the white flags appeared, That was quite a surreal feeling. We didn’t know whether that was the end of the conflict or if we would still face an air threat but it soon became clear that it was over and we were going home.
I still had one task to fly though. On the 17th, I was tasked to take a pair of SHARs to within 130 miles of Sant Cruz, to “verify the position of a hospital ship”. I couldn’t believe that I was being sent on such a pointless and foolhardy mission but when I pointed out the risks, I was told to shut up and launch. So launch we did and flew radar silent with out rad alts, dopplers and transponders silent to 50 miles from the target. One quick sweep of the radar for the required confirmation and we high-tailed it back to Sheathbill as fast as the fuel would let us.
That was the end of the conflict and Hermes headed north. Once clear of the area, we had a SHAR celebratory dinner which featured Goose Galtieri as the main course, followed by broccoli ice cream! We knew how to live!
Mog
_ . . _ _ . _ .
Didn't know 800 NAS ever operated from HMS Fife.
My thanks to all too, expecially Mog and ex-fast-jets.
My thanks to all too, expecially Mog and ex-fast-jets.
Fast jets, same with the Gr3s. Any standouts among the airframes?