Falklands' Most Daring Raid Documentary

[Sabre]

Dang, after watching that video on the Vulcan raid, that would make a totally awesome and dramatic feature-length film! Just don't let Ben Affleck near it!!!!!

[Stellaris]

If you get on Google Earth, go to the Falklands and have a look at Stanley airport you can see the chain of craters left by the first raid, with a big chunk of patched concrete right in the middle of the runway where the last one landed.

I got on the flight deck of a Vulcan just this summer.   Unfortunately the pilot fried an engine on the flying one.  It was very cool. I say this just to make you all jealous. 

[SmokinLoon]

If you get on Google Earth, go to the Falklands and have a look at Stanley airport you can see the chain of craters left by the first raid, with a big chunk of patched concrete right in the middle of the runway where the last one landed.

I got on the flight deck of a Vulcan just this summer.   Unfortunately the pilot fried an engine on the flying one.  It was very cool. I say this just to make you all jealous. 

I thought it was the first bomb that hit he runway, hence the long line of bomb craters going SW???  Either way, it is still neat to be able to look that stuff up and see the bomb craters.  Cool stuff.   

[Stellaris]

You are correct, first bomb!

[MrRiplEy[H]]

The attack was carried out before the task force arrived I thought.

I remember news reports of the Falklands on the television as events unfolded. Also heard some interesting stories from some squaddie friends many years after.

Yes it went before the taskforce but it actually flew past the cv on its way back. So they could have struck with Harriers easily. It was a warning - they showed they could make a drop using a nuclear carrying bird.

[Karnak]

Yes it went before the taskforce but it actually flew past the cv on its way back. So they could have struck with Harriers easily. It was a warning - they showed they could make a drop using a nuclear carrying bird.

That doesn't follow.  It flew over the CV on the way back, but it was a long, long way back.  There is no assurance that the CV was in Harrier range, certainly that was not indicated in that show.

[Fish42]

That doesn't follow.  It flew over the CV on the way back, but it was a long, long way back.  There is no assurance that the CV was in Harrier range, certainly that was not indicated in that show.

The Harriers attacked later in the morning after the Vulcan dropped its bombs. 20 harriers attacked that morning flying 90miles to hit the airfield. They flew in low level dropping 1000blers and rockets. 40min later they returned with no losses.

All that is on the documentary that I linked.

[LCADolby]

Everytime I go into Lincoln I drive past that Vulcan at Waddo.

[zack1234]

People live in Lincoln?

[Gman]

I've been watching/reading a lot about the Falklands the last few months.  That first Harrier raid was interesting, the Harriers DID take a lot of fire at their target, you can see in the videos several AAA holes in a single Jet, with some you could put a fist through in the tail fin.  Scary stuff.

There are so many interesting facets of the war, from bomb alley, to the air war, 2 Para's actions in the first ground fights...a lot of interesting books.

My former boss, Allen Bell, from Globe Risk inc, was former SAS, and involved in many of the 'things' that happened down there.  His best story always makes me laugh, and I've never read it elsewhere.  Here goes in a few words:

The SAS was tasked with taking out certain positions at a certain beach at the height of the war.  They had all kinds of pretty pictures and intel, and were inserted for what was supposed to be a night op.  Well, the insertion was a screw up, and they ended up near the target with dawn rapidly approaching.  The only option was try and swim away, or attack.  So, being the SAS, they attacked.  Charging up to their targets, all the Argies there had their hands up, and many had nervous smiles on their faces.  The officer in charge of the first machine gun post told my boss "we thought it may be you SAS guys, we have heard of many things you have done and we were very afraid, and when we saw you run through our minefields in the dark and not one of you stepped on one, we just knew it HAD to be the SAS, and I decided to save my men and ordered them all to surrender".  The only trouble was, the SAS  had no idea there was a minefield on the beach they ran through, and it was just blind luck that many of the SAS weren't killed, let alone none.

[expat]

There were a lot of minefields still there last time i went down south (98) , the problem being the Argentinians didnt keep proper records and the nature of the ground means the mines move around .
There was one on a golf course green  near Goose green , wonder what the rules say about that .
Last time there i spent my R&R on Pebble Island , there were remains of Argentine aircraft that the SBS blew up on a raid also bits of  solid rocket propellant from the air to ground rockets , the local with us lit a small piece  he was a kid on the island  during the war. 
On one walk we found a Mirage wreck spread out over quite a distance ,for a small set if islands it does have quite a history , during world war one there was a big sea battle , and during World War 2 the ships that engaged  the  Graf Spee  were repaired there . 

[xbrit]

There were a lot of minefields still there last time i went down south (98) , the problem being the Argentinians didnt keep proper records and the nature of the ground means the mines move around .
There was one on a golf course green  near Goose green , wonder what the rules say about that .
Last time there i spent my R&R on Pebble Island , there were remains of Argentine aircraft that the SBS blew up on a raid also bits of  solid rocket propellant from the air to ground rockets , the local with us lit a small piece  he was a kid on the island  during the war. 
On one walk we found a Mirage wreck spread out over quite a distance ,for a small set if islands it does have quite a history , during world war one there was a big sea battle , and during World War 2 the ships that engaged  the  Graf Spee  were repaired there . 

You also forgot to mention it's full of Bennys.

[expat]

And sheep(big attraction for the welsh & new zealanders) ....oh and shed loads of stinking penguins!!!!

[bozon]

I thought it was a long way to come and why would you invade Scotland?

Invading Scotland is an old English sport. They crave the Scottish sheep and red furry cows.

[nrshida]

Invading Scotland is an old English sport. They crave the Scottish sheep and red furry cows.

I had a friend who was studying in York. He said it was still legal to shoot a Scotsman within the city walls after midnight with a longbow