Harrier 809: Britain's Legendary Jump Jet and the Untold Story of the Falklands War (Hardback)
Rowland White (author)- Not available
Narrating the incredible exploits of this powerful aircraft and the men who flew it in battle, Harrier 809 tells a thrilling true story of courage and resourcefulness in the heart of the Falklands War.
'Without the Sea Harrier there could have been no Task Force' - Admiral Sir Henry Leach, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff
April 1982. Argentina invades the Falkland Islands.
In response, Britain despatches a naval Task Force. Eight thousand miles from home, its fate hinges on just twenty Sea Harriers against the two hundred-strong might of the Argentine Air Force.
The odds against them are overwhelming.
The MoD's own estimates suggest that half the Harriers will be lost within a week. Against this background, 809 Naval Air Squadron is reformed, trained and sent south to fight.
Not since WWII had so much been expected of such a small band of pilots.
Combining groundbreaking research with the pace of a thriller, Rowland White reveals the full story of the fleet's knife-edge fight for survival for the first time, and shows how the little jump jet went from airshow novelty to sealing its reputation as an icon of British aviation, alongside the Spitfire and the Hurricane.
Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
ISBN: 9781787631588
Number of pages: 512
Weight: 810 g
Dimensions: 240 x 162 x 45 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Harrier 809 is a truly insightful study of this iconic British aircraft at war, and a tremendous account of the personal experiences of those who flew it in battle. By turns exciting, moving and enlightening; Rowland White has crafted yet another brilliant account of aerial warfare.' - John Nichol
'This is utterly brilliant: a fantastically exciting book about those amazing Harrier jets in the Falkands War but so much more besides. The very best narrative history has human drama at its heart and White has a richly drawn cast of unforgettable characters - both British and Argentinian - that with the aircraft, ships and weapons of the day make this a sizzling page-turner from start to finish. Not only does it have some of the best aerial action sequences I've read, it also offers a fascinating and vivid window on the world of 1982. It's an overused term but this really does read like the best kind of thriller. His best book yet.' - James Holland
'Utterly thrilling and totally absorbing. White conveys brilliantly the spirit of a great aircraft - and the men who flew it' - Patrick Bishop
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“Let’s build up a team and then get rid Harrier 809”
Ordered as soon as information was put out at the beginning of the year, had to cancel and reorder, with the price going up, but I did and received it this week, kept picking it up all week and now completed it.
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