Milamber

iTrader: (2)

A documentary about the Vulcan attacks from ascension island to bomb port stanley. Amazing

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

SWEET JEEEZUS

refuelling during an electrical storm

Trout

iTrader: (1)

I saw one of these recently flying over East Yorkshire.

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

Its called "Nightwatch - Action Stations"

Coffin Dodger

Les is on holiday with Pete

Leslie

Thanks for the heads up but I missed it, had been slaving away on cleaning my boat up most of the day and fell asleep. Hope they will repeat it.

There is no doubt it was an outstanding exercise.

Les

hodgy0_2

i remember this amazing feet

And in a way it was slightly tarnished by the spin the MOD put on it all in the nightly television up dates (remember that, given by that slightly stiff MOD spokesman)

They told us that the bombs – delivered right down the centre of the runway had put it out of action – and the pics of Argentine planes tacking off the next day were faked.

I believe this was far from accurate – early spin in the fog of war

But shouldn’t take anything away from the guys on the “shoplfloor”

Steve vRS

I don't think it did all that much physical damage but it resulted in the Argies moving their jets back to the homeland and relying on the Pucara for close air support.

The Skyhawk and Super Etendard raids were all from the mainland.

Had this relocation of air power not happened, our losses would have been much higher.

Steve

hodgy0_2

it was from a re-supply perpesctive iirc

we were told that they would not be able to land the big cargo planes, and since we had a naval blockade they would find it difficult to keep the troops supplied

although from my images/memory of the Argentine army they seemed a pretty rag bag and bob tale lot

CrisPDuk

Hodgy, there is always a bit of spin & propaganda in wartime
Those statements about restricting their ability to resupply by air were more out hope than anything though, I suspect. The RAF top brass, and thus the MOD were fully aware of how little room is actually needed by a good pilot to put operate a C130.

Overall though I think the Black Buck raids have to be classed as a success, based on the original stated aims of,
a/ Restricting the ability of the Argentinians to operate fast jets from Stanley,
b/ Scaring the bejeesus out of the Argentine Air Force brass, and
c/ Restricting the gross weights at which resupply aircraft could operate in & out.


With respect to points a & b, the mission objectives were fully achieved, the only thing they didn't count on with respect to c, was the skill and bravery (or insanity?) of the Argentine Hercules pilots.

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

It was amazing to see 2 Vulcan's formation flying, unfortunately 1 developed a problem and had to turn back but the other made it there dropped its payload and managed to get back.

From the photo's 1 bomb landed square in the middle of the runway. I would imagine small jets would have been able to take off, maybe even a large cargo plane but LANDING would have been a bit dicy.

Leslie

You have to understand that if you attack a "line" type target such as a runway or a railway line that the correct way is to attack at an angle across the line of the target with a stick of bombs. This improves your chances of hitting the target with one of those bombs which is what you are after achieving.

This is exactly what happened in this case, Martin Wither's crew hit the runway with one HE bomb which destroyed the runway at that particular spot. This meant that the Argentinian fighters were unable to use the runway until it was repaired but the Argentinians decided not to base their fighters in the Falklands because of the effects that that attack had upon their morale. This had a significant effect on our ability to win the day in the end.

You are wrong to believe that it was the "spin of war"

Les

hodgy0_2

happy to be corrected -- i was recalling through the fog of age after all

in any case as I said you cant take anything away from those involved (on both sides)

I remember watching, awe struck, as the Argentinian jets attacked the ships in Carlos Bay -- it was like a video game