Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #306985 in Books
• Published on: 2007-04-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Synopsis
During the Falklands war Jerry Pook, a pilot in No.1(F) Squadron RAF, flew air interdiction, armed recce, close-air-support and airfield attack as well as pure photo-recce missions. Most weapons were delivered from extreme low-level attacks because of the lack of navigation aids and in the absence of Smart weapons. The only way he could achieve results was to get low down and close-in to the targets and, if necessary, carry out re-attacks to destroy high-value targets. Apart from brief carrier trials carried out many years previously there had been no RAF Harriers deployed at sea. The RAF pilots were treated with ill-disguised contempt by their naval masters, their professional opinions ignored in spite of the fact that the RN knew next to nothing about ground-attack and recce operations. Very soon after starting operations from the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes the squadron realised that they were considered as more or less expendable ordnance. The Harriers lacked the most basic self-protection aids and were up against 10,000 well-armed troops who put up an impressive weight of fire whenever attacked.

Customer Reviews

Primarily a bitter rant about the Royal Navy
Jerry's book is in parts informative, entertaining and eye opening. However it is badly marred by the absolutely huge chip on his shoulder with regards to the Royal Navy. The book starts with him complaining that he - as a ground attack pilot, flying a ground attack aircraft - is expected to - gasp - fly ground attack missions. It goes on in similar form for much of the book. While doubtless courageous and effective as a pilot, his own bitterness makes this book of dubious value.

The author complains on more than one occasion that he does not get a chance to fly any air combat missions (despite flying a ground attack version of the Harrier hardly ideally suited to the task - e.g. no HUD symbology for Sidewinder firing, a lower cockpit with much poorer view than the air defence version, the Sea Harrier, and he also freely admits their radios and IFF equipment are nearly useless - as a layman I'd expect a working radio to be of some use when being directed towards incoming air raids).

I finally lost my patience with the book after reading the following sequence (p110):

"Not for the first time did I feel a twinge of envy at the Sea Harriers' cushy job... Plenty of hanging about admiring the scenery from a safe height, punctuated by the very occasional burst of excitement when you were directed on to a 'bogey'... No map reading at zero feet, and no return fire." etc. etc.

6 Sea Harriers were lost carrying out their 'cushy' missions and 4 pilots were killed. Lt Taylor, Lt Curtiss, Lt Cmdr Eyton-Jones and Lt Cmdr Batt would probably have something to say about their missions being 'cushy'. If they were not all dead, that is.

In contrast 4 Harrier GR.3s were lost, and none of their pilots were killed.

Such shameful and unprofessional remarks hardly help the author's cause and make it hard to recommend this book.

Stirring Stuff!
This is an excellently written account of the under-publicised part played by RAF Harriers in the Falklands Campaign and is destined to be one of the definitive accounts of the Air War over the Falklands. It is a gripping read which describes vividly what it was like to fly a demanding aircraft in a demanding environment with none of the back-up which normally accompanied the Harrier Force in the field. It goes a long way to explain the great difficulties that had to be overcome in order to deliver air support to the land forces, and also why such things as re-attacks (strictly taboo by conventional wisdom) became a necessity. Only four stars, though, because the seething anger which the author felt (understandably perhaps) about the lack of organised tasking, and support, detracts from his objectivity. I think that the author's point would have been made much more strongly if he had simply told the story and let readers draw their own conclusions, and perhaps saved his venom for a strongly worded conclusion. But for all that it is still a fantastic read (and yes, Jerry I have met you and I have flown ground attack aircraft!)

Could have been much better
This story is interesting and enlightening .The author and his colleagues deserve recognition for their admirable achievements. However the authors continual moaning about every branch of the services (mostly the RN) ruins this account. It gets very boring reading about the authors high opinion of himself and the contempt he holds for everyone else (Inc the RAF). It is true that mistakes were made during the conflict but that is war. It is ironic that the author (RAF) goes on to complain how the RN went about achieving retaking the Falklands when the RAF had said it was impossible from the start. It seems that he cannot come to grips that he was a very small cog in a large machine and that those running the war effort had more to do than worry about upsetting one pilot because he couldn't have his own way. If the author loses the chip he has the 2nd edition could be so much better.