Right, first off. I apologise for saying the Harrier men are whingeing. They're not. I was mistaken and I'm sorry.

I should perhaps clarify my position: I'm not having a crack at ANY pilot out there. I am simply gobsmacked that people think it is somehow shocking that aircraft get shot at now and again in an operational theatre. Then there seems to be a backslapping culture about how brave the GR7 guys are. What?? They're combat pilots! Nobody forced them into Cranwell! I'm sure that THEY are the first to say that this is their job, plain and simple, no congratulations required.

I still hold fast on my main point: Life is MUCH worse for the guys on the ground. And nobody seems to champion their cause. That, in essence is what annoys me a little about some of the posts on this thread.

By the way fox, Holyhead can be quite a dangerous place too! (And I haven't been a hawkman all my life... GR1 stick monkey 89-04, amongst other tours of course, so the armchair warrior thingie was a trifle off target!)

Beeb censoring war photos.....not very likely!
 

Nige,

What with Reuters and CBS having such reputations for reporting the "truth", and the Beeb's know left wing tilt....akin to ground looping with the left wing in the dirt....I somehow doubt your accusation.

If anything....the news does not show nor protray the innocent victims of insurgents and terrorists. For craps sake....Reuters does not use the word "Terrorist" to describe these kinds of groups.

When was the last time the Beeb, Reuters, or CBS run unaudited full length video's of the beheadings, shootings, and mutilation of victims of Al Qaeda?

I would suggest the media themselves are guilty of censorship and false reporting far more often and to a greater extent than any government.

Anyway......

Back to Harrier bashing!!!

:ugh:

Bring it on you two engined, single seat wannabee!

Harriers in Afgan?
Good on them, and long may they continue to do the Sterling job they are doing out there.
It might not be the head-line grabbing job, but back home we know the efforts they are putting in and support them 100%.
Nuff said.

Having just got back from the Stan, and after attending a few shouts with the Harrier blokes, let me say how proffesional those boys (and girl) are. It was a real bonus to have an RAF Harrier crew to give some SA and fire power.
For sure it is really easy to throw stones from the comfort of you computer desk. Let me add, that regardless of how high and warm it is in the cockpit, over Helmand it is hostile.
If any GR7/9 crew are looking in. Thank you, and see you out there again too soon.

QFIHAWKMAN.
There is a big difference between the boys on the ground and the man in the air. For sure the comfort zone is greater in the air, and the infantry have a tough job to do, but they get on with the job in hand. They have security in numbers, if you play the statistics game, as a member of an infantry Btn an individual is one in five hundred (or so). As aicrew you are 1 of 2 (or so) so the odds begin to stack up.
Maybe, when the hawk gets a gun with more than a few dozen rounds and the pilots man-up, then pick up a stone and have a throw. Till then!

It does not matter who is in Harm's Way out there....the prayer for their safe and speedy return each and everyone is the same.

Could we not all write a strongly worded letter to those nice people at the HLF and get XH558 reassembled for a black buck two à la Falklands style operation? Yes, I know it sounds silly and more than a little naively hopeful, but let us not forget that the illustrious 1982 annals of the RAF record the sudden and violent redistribution of several wheelbarrows full of mud with an even greater number of sheep reportedly being startled out of their woolly wits by the last Vulcan impersonation of Rolling Thunder. Given the opportunity, I bet they could pull off something similar today.

Was fueling my little Kingair in Kandahar the other day when some of the Harriers landed...beautiful machines! But, flying lowlevel in that or any part of Afganistan takes some skill and balls. The rocks are big and viz is cr@p. Ad to that some angry types with weapons... So for what it's worth coming from a civvie, Hat's off to the military pilots and other ISAF in Afghanistan! You lot make me feel much safer when polling around here in a rolled-out toothpaste tube.:ok:

Cheers

SS

Any chance we can pat backs even more?
Without even acknowledging the ground forces?

This is the prescise reason why the army take the piss out of us...

We are FAR too quick to slap backs on how well we are doing. And not quick enough to ask the guys on the ground "how are WE doing?"

I think if you ask the grunt on the ground, he'll tell you that he would like MORE air support. I've asked them by the way, which is why I'm here... Armchair warrior shouters, go ahead.

I am tending to get the impression that these days, contributors to this forum are too busy slapping backs to think about what may be happening on the ground. Wake up and smell the coffee guys. GO to Afghanistan. GO to Basrah. FOR GOD'S SAKE stop smacking harrier pilot's backs.
YES they do a good job, and so they should.
So do the Herc crews.
So do the C17 crews.
More importantly, so do the Following: The Provisional Reconstruction teams (i.e. Infantry), the Search teams (RAF Regiment and RAF Police), the ground support crews (drivers, fuellers, suppliers, mechs, techs, met, etc etc etc.)
I could... and probably should go on.

These people lay their lives on the line EVERY SINGLE DAY. We forget them at our peril. I've been out on patrol with them, and they do this without your support, without your thanks, and even (most apparently) without your knowledge.

Next time you slap the fly boys on the back for doing a good job, remember that they're not the only ones.

And by the way, for those levelling the hawk "armchair warrior" thing at me, I am an ex 16 Sqn Tornado pilot, Gulf 1 for your info. (Laarbruch 89 - 92). Some of you really need to get your glasses on and stop backslapping so much.

Last I saw, there was no RAF aircraft shot down in Afghanistan or Iraq recently.

Eggzackery...Hic...Hic...

Big night out in Bangor was it?;)

Good post rudekid.

That was certainly a most positive input to the debate. Well done.

Brilliant!

A bite.

I was teasing, but you're so obviously a self-important trimmer!

By the way, it's provincial reconstruction teams, not provisional. But you'd know that as you've been out on patrol with them...

Follow me through...:}Hic

Are you suggesting that we should only praise downed aircrew?

I bet you're a barrell of laughs to have in the front of a GR4 or the back of a Hawk.

What's up? Fed up of being stuck at Valley, missing out on the action.
Or, could it be that nobody slapped your back when you got back from GW1???

This is a military aircrew forum and is the PERFECT PLACE TO PAT OUR HARRIER, SH, AH & MULTI MATES ON THE BACK. I'm sure the pongos will be slapping backs on the army forum...

The army do not have a bad word to say about the GR9 guys & girl out there. The SH guys are doing the bizz, as are the muti mates. In a nutshell, the RAF is playing a massive role in keeping the Paras alive out there so, bloody well done. :D

I wish the Tonka could go out & give the Harriers a break, I really do.

People are banging on about how we are treated as second class citizens on the 'uniforms at uk airports' thread and yet, suggest that we shouldn't even offer praise internally. If we don't come across as proud of our actions & those of our fellow servicemen, how do you expect the British public to do anything different?

QFIhawkman:"Any chance we can pat backs even more?
Without even acknowledging the ground forces?"
superserong:"military pilots and other ISAF in Afghanistan!"
believe that mentions pretty much everyone concerned.
cheers
ss:ok:

CAS Stack - the emergency banter handle is where on the hovering, airshow hairdryer??

Single seat?! Why are you not on Typhoon if you are that good?!

Only askin`? Love the banter! Too serious these threads at times

:ugh:

You know the truth, the best pilots have always been sent to the Harrier, and that is still happening today - even more so than ever before. We need highly motivated and talented operators on the Harrier, any old ex fighter puke can sit in the Q shed for days on end :}

Of course this is the right forum to pat our fellow winged warriors on the back - who else is going to do it?:D

As for QFIHawkloser, don't assume anyone else at Valley shares his meaningless opinions!