Sea Harrier Over The Falklands (W&N Military)

A very interesting read, giving an insight into how brave these pilots were, flying in dangerous weather conditions. It also shows how the top brass interacted with subordinate officers.

Enjoyed the 1st time . Two years later I enjoyed again .

I’ve read many books on the Falklands Conflict, met many of those that served and at the time was involved in some small way to support the RN’s efforts. The book is a tremendously moving account of that time in Spring and Summer ‘82. I have the Truprint photos to show the two Carriers departing Portsmouth Harbour that April morning. Sharkey’s text covers all aspects of the build up, the training and the full deployment. He focuses hard on what he saw was incorrect utilisation of the air assets. I’m no combat pilot, though I’ve met a few! So regwrdless of my thoughts I can only comment on the skill of his oration. And damn good oration it is too. Read it, you won’t be disappointed.

This is a first-hand account of the Falklands war written by the most famous of the Navy pilots involved. Sharkey Ward is undeniably an ace fighter pilot and a great squadron commander who used the capabilities of the sea Harrier to its maximum awesome effect. The best parts of the book are the detailed descriptions of the sea Harrier in combat - both in simulated combat exercises with other NATO fighter aircraft and in real combat operations with the Argentine Air Force aircraft. The worst parts are the endless criticisms of all of the others involved, ranking in order of vehemence from the pilots of the other sea Harrier squadron, to the senior Naval commanders and culminating with literally anyone in the RAF. There is no doubt that Sharkey's squadron of eight sea Harriers performed supremely well and that some fundamental tactical errors were made, but that is war. The reader is left believing that the Falklands war was won by eight sea Harriers. This edition starts with a long prologue of explanation (read apology) as to how he misunderstood the strategy and tactics of the senior Naval commanders at the time of writing the first edition. I guess he must have received a lot of 'flack' when the first edition was released. So, the book is an excellent read and a worthy addition to the bookshelves of any military aviation enthusiast, but be aware it is a very personal and 'blinkered' account of the operation as a whole. At least he recognises himself as a maverick and I am sure that the Top Gun reference is not lost on the readers.

As a child, I wanted nothing more than to be a Harrier pilot. I would build models of the planes, paint pictures (painting by numbers, I'm not an artist) and create my own Harriers by cellotaping set squares to Smarties tubes. While my desire to be a Royal Navy pilot has waned as I've got older, I'm still just as interested in these beautiful machines and the operations that they are involved in. A friend lent me this book and immediately after reading it, I bought both the Kindle version and the hardback version. It really is that good. Sharkey Ward paints an incredible picture of life as a Royal Navy pilot - warts and all. He manages to instill his own feelings in you, whether than be the fear that comes with landing a Harrier on the deck of a carrier in zero visibility, the excitement of engaging enemy aircraft that have the ability to kill you in an instant, or the frustration of MOD politics during the early 80s. I found the balance between the military tactics, flying, life at war, politics and personal memories to be absolutely perfect; not once was I saying to myself "this chapter is boring, when will he stop talking about X", which unfortunately happens in so many non-fictions books. A truly remarkable man and a fascinating read with the potential to revisit many times. This man inspired me to grow a beard, for God's sake.

Shows the true state of British defence decision making in the era. One would hope the pettiness and in-fighting have been replaced by professionalism and co-operation but somehow I doubt it. Cracking read, filled with controversy. Respects to Ward and the SHAR community for what they all did down in the South Atlantic.

An excellent book to read from cover to cover. Lots of people complaining of the author being arrogant, it didn’t come across that way to me. He seemed ultimately professional, backed up his claims with proven results and demanded the same high standards of his team. Going to war, what else can be asked for? If that’s arrogant then I’ve worked for some seriously similar senior people and they were always the ones I trusted and respected. A lot of time has passed now since the Falklands War and it doesn’t seem we’ve learnt a great deal, little wonder so many people like Cdr Ward saw the oncoming demise of the FAA in favour of the RAF and walked away. This book is almost prophetic as he strips away at the hypocrisy and infighting in the halls of Whitehall. Read it if you haven’t already, read it again if you have, it’s a page turner, no doubt about that.

This book is based on the firsthand experience of the Commander "Sharkey" Ward during the liberation of the Falklands islands from the Argentine's invasion. The events depicted are about the Navy Task Force composed by the Harrier fighters dedicated to the defence of the british ships from aerial threats. Very interesting the part about the dogfights and the actual flying procedures employed during all the air war campaign. very well written and compelling.

Worth the read if you're into military aviation and history or simply love the legendary Harrier. A good first-hand account of SHAR operations during the 1982 Falklands conflict.

I was actually looking for "Harrier 809" which is a new book but I bought this by mistake. 809 squadron were absorbed into 800 and 801 squadrons and came a little later in the war - so I don't know exactly how they would write a whole book about a themselves when they weren't called "809" once they arrived at the war. This was a great read. The author had detailed stories about night raids and bombing runs and his "kills" as well as the men that served under him and the men they lost. Well worth the $18

Récit sur la guerre des Malouines par un de ses acteurs côté britannique. L’auteur commandait l’escadron 801 de chasseurs Sea Harier embarqué sur un des deux portes aéronef britannique engagé (HMS Invincible). Il nous fait un récit vivant tant des combats et des opérations auxquelles il a partipé que de son rôle de chef d’unité qui doit aussi gérer l’activité et les relations avec l’etat major. A lire, absolument pour ceux qui s’intéressent à l’aviation moderne en général et à ce conflit en particulier.

Sharkey Ward, CO of 801 Squadron RNAS, demonstrates what keen, knowledable leadership does in planning and fighting. An extraordinary pilot of the SHAR (Sea Harrier), he trains is pilots at the cutting edge of their jet and their weapons systems. His descriptions of flying and fighting are simply wonderful and even more wonderful because they are in the unique Sea Harrier. Although the Navy (fish heads) and the RAF massaged the record of the Falklands War to the exclusion of the RNAS and 801 Squadron on HMS Invincable and to a lesser degree 800 Squadron on HMS Hermes, Sharkey Ward sets the story right. He's a really fine writer with an excellent "voice." The reader is taken into the meetings that matter, the relative quiet of his private quarters and the cockpit of the SHAR. In a compelling and clear way, he shows the folly of MOD and political thinking in the UK to the peril of the fleet, especially its protection at sea and at distance from RAF coverage. Not surprisingly, he's a powerful and thoughtful advocate of the SHAR and VSTOL aircraft as a weapons system that has proven it superiority in training and in battle. By way of conclusion, I would love to buy a Scotch for Sharkey Ward and to raise my own glass in toast to a truly great Naval officer, aviator and writer. Thanks Sharkey.