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  • Harrier 809

  • Britain’s Legendary Jump Jet and the Untold Story of the Falklands War
  • By: Rowland White
  • Narrated by: Roy McMillan
  • Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (79 ratings)

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Harrier 809

By: Rowland White
Narrated by: Roy McMillan
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Publisher's Summary

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

What listeners say about Harrier 809

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Harrier809

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...

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Brilliant just brilliant

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.

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great narrator

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.

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A thread of this time in History impacted my life.

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.

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Like finding $50 down the back of the lounge

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

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Fantastic

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.

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Wonderful

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

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Enthralling story

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

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An excellent read !

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

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An excellent listen

An interesting account of the war depicted from both sides perspective. With excellent detail of the commitment and sacrifices made by those involved.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.