Harrier 809 cover art

Harrier 809

Britain’s Legendary Jump Jet and the Untold Story of the Falklands War

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Harrier 809

By: Rowland White
Narrated by: Roy McMillan
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About this listen

When the Falkland Islands were invaded by Argentina in April 1982, Britain’s immediate response was to send a task force. But behind the pomp and bravado of its departure, a sober reality lurked. A mere 20 Sea Harriers operating from two aircraft carriers would take on the might of the Argentine air force, some 200 planes strong. The MOD estimated that within four days and against such formidable air power, half the harriers would likely be lost.

To reinforce that meagre force, and in just three weeks, the Navy formed, trained and equipped a brand new squadron from scratch. Not since the Second World War had so much been expected of such a small band of pilots. Their home would be a container ship converted into a makeshift carrier. 809 Naval Air Squadron was born.

Other covert operations mounted by MI6 and the SAS in Latin America would provide vital intelligence to protect the task force from attack, but in the vanguard of the conflict it would be the Sea Harriers of the 809 whose heroics in the South Atlantic which would become legendary.

With characteristic insider knowledge and in thrilling detail, Rowland White tells the story of those amazing exploits - the dogfights, the 23 kills, the deadly Exocet attacks, the ejections - demonstrating just why the Harrier is mentioned in the same breath as the Spitfire, the Lancaster, and the Vulcan and is destined to join them in the ranks of our most celebrated aeronautical achievements.

©2020 Rowland White (P)2020 Penguin Audio
Engineering Aviation Latin America Air Force
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A truely captivating account of a remarkable aircraft and those who flew them in a conflict/war located in the farthest reaches of the world!
Very enjoyable and a keeper for sure....
HMS Invincible was so close to becoming HMAS - but that's another dream that never eventuated...

Harrier809

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I loved the whole book, I was at school when the Falklands war was on and this book is just so well written and narrated.

Brilliant just brilliant

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Very interesting perspective of the war I wasn't aware of and performanced brilliantly. Roy McMillan could read just about anything and make it interesting.

great narrator

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A thread of this time in History impacted my life and I found these snippets of mens lives compelling and respectful when men who could have been friends become enemies and duty divides.

A thread of this time in History impacted my life.

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An excellent story that is not well known, but was an exciting journey. Well done those sea harrier pilots of 809. Top shelf narration as well

Like finding $50 down the back of the lounge

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Excellent listening. A couple of mispronounced military terms, but all in all a great pairing of narrator and story. Not just of Harriers, but of many aspects of the conflict.

Fantastic

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A fascinating and well told story about part of the Falklands campaign I had never heard before. Highly recommended.

Wonderful

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A great history of harriers in the falklands war, history wound into a fantastic story

Enthralling story

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Great narrator, very well researched and informative. Interested insight into the air war in the Falklands campaign and some great bits of information from both sides that I hadn’t heard before.

Thoroughly enjoyed

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Absolutely loved it, great story line.
Narrator is worth mentioning. very impressed with the quality of narration.
Top class job !!!!

An excellent read !

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