Product Description

'Phoenix Squadron clearly states the case for naval aviation in our uncertain age. An aircraft carrier loaded with fighter-bombers is still the big stick ...'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10145 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 349 pages

Review
'Completely riveting ... as gripping as any Tom Clancy thriller' --Jeremy Clarkson

From the cockpit of a fighter jet to the violently pitching deck of an aircraft carrier at night ... combines pulse-pounding tension with riveting detail. If only all military history was written like this ...' --Andy McNab

'A remarkable story told with skill and dedication ... I enjoyed it. And I learnt a lot' --Len Deighton

Review
From the cockpit of a fighter jet to the violently pitching deck of an aircraft carrier at night ... combines pulse-pounding tension with riveting detail. If only all military history was written like this ...'

Review
'A remarkable story told with skill and dedication ... I enjoyed it. And I learnt a lot'

Customer Reviews

A superb rendition of a little known event
From the author of the superb Vulcan 607 this is another well detailed and informative account of an urgent and technically demanding long rage mission by Fleet Air Arm Buccaneer strike aircraft launched from HMS Ark Royal in January 1972 in order to deter Guatemalan aggression against Britsh Honduras (now Belize).The book encompasses the story behind the moves by Guatemala as well as HMS Ark Royal's operations in the year leading up to the event.The story is told from the perspectives of many of those involved,not just the aircrews but the British government at the time as well as many others. There are also photographs and technical information included and the gripping story reads like a techno-thriller although it is all fact.

Another good read from Rowland
To get the horrible bit out of the way first, no, it isn't quite as good as Vulcan 607 in my opinion, but then that was the true story of a mission where far more things could go wrong and it was set during an actual shooting war. The slightly heavier political dimension in this book does tend to take you out of the action a bit.

Phoenix Squadron is, however, just as readable and told in similar style which turns what could have been a dry account of the usefulness of carrier air power into a tense and always interesting story. For those unfamiliar with the history of the UK's carrier force since WWII the sheer suicidal danger involved will be an eye opener, and the mixture of anecdotes and the main arc of the story weave in and out nicely. I particularly enjoyed the bits illustrating the contrast between FAA pilots and their USN counterparts!

How useful those Buccaneers and Phantoms could have been in the South Atlantic just a few short years after a short sighted government disposed of the RN's most valuable and practical assets. Defence cuts so often save money and cost lives - here's a book to provide a practical demonstration of how expensive 'toys' can save you a great deal.

A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing
As an ex-Buccaneer pilot, who served in the Fleet Air Arm's 809 Sqn flying from HMS Ark Royal (after the subject episode), I was quick to order my own copy to enjoy another person's perspective.

The old adage "never judge a book by it's cover" expresses my feelings of this read. If you are expecting to read an account of RNAS 809 "Phoenix Squadron" you will be somewhat disappointed. 809 Sqn plays a bit part in a drama, of questionable importance, which failed to convince a cash-strapped goverment of an aircraft carrier's tactical worth.

The story is well researched and presented but it doesn't do what it says on the tin... It is a book about an aged, tired aircraft carrier and its involvement in (what is now) a little-known diplomatic/political event. The cover led me to believe I would be reading more about the last RN Buccaneer Squadron. I was disappointed.