That Falklands bombing mission

[bob10]

I found this to be a fascinating story, hope you like it, Bob

Falklands War: Last Raid of the Nuclear Vulcans | BBC Military & War Documentary - YouTube (http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=0f96a38a5a863735e17251f4eccd9b82&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aulro.com%2Fafvb%2Fgeneral-chat%2F172494-margaret-thatcher-dead.html&v=1&libid=1365637100616&out=http%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FPTDYcuoOKkM&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aulro.com%2Fafvb%2Fgeneral-chat%2Findex2.html&title=Margaret%20Thatcher%20dead...%20-%20Australian%20Land%20Rover%20Owners&txt=Falklands%20War%3A%20Last%20Raid%20of%20the%20 Nuclear%20Vulcans%20%7C%20BBC%20Military%20%26amp% 3B%20War%20Documentary%20-%20YouTube&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13656371041454)

[sheerluck]

I remember this from the time. Pivotal moment in the war, and a mission held together with sticky backed plastic and chicken wire.

They were beautiful machines those "V" bombers, the Vulcans and the Victors, I remember seeing them at every air show we went to on whichever RAF base we were living on at the time.

[Eevo]

seen this before, good doco

[juddy]

The Vulcan is based just round the corner from where my dad lives, at Doncaster airport, ironic really as the Vulcans were once based there, I used to go a lot with my cousin who was based there.

One of the Longest Runways in the Uk at Doncaster. closed down many years ago.

[juddy]

Aslo should be noted, the Vulcan raids were really total waste of time.

At the time the RAF were trying to prove they could still project air power world wide. and of course they could not, and I think would struggle to do so now.

One bomb out of 21 hits the target, would not the harrier have done a better job, as it was already there? The Harrier did win the air war in this conflict.

The Frigates could have done alot more damage than a few old vulcans would have ever done.

But at the end of the day it was more about the effects of the raid, more than what it really did, and it would have put fear in the enemy.

[Eevo]

and it would have put fear in the enemy.

best way to win a war.

[clubagreenie]

Is this available from "tpb other sources" rather than sit in front of the computer for 50 min?

[juddy]

best way to win a war.

Maybe not the Taliban

[Eevo]

Maybe not the Taliban

the US wasnt able to inject fear into the Taliban

[incisor]

the US wasnt able to inject fear into the Taliban

and still haven't to the degree that the taliban have

but the taliban don't have a social conscience to weigh...

[Yorkie]

good story but lucky they got one hit on the runway.

i remember seeing one flying at farnbourgh airshow when i was a kid (80's), reckon mum would still have my grainy photos in a box back in the uk. :cool:

[Eevo]

and still haven't to the degree that the taliban have

exactly my point.

[sheerluck]

good story but lucky they got one hit on the runway.

i remember seeing one flying at farnbourgh airshow when i was a kid (80's), reckon mum would still have my grainy photos in a box back in the uk. :cool:

Yep, my Mum's still got a photo of my sister and I standing in front of a Vulcan at RAF Wildenrath at the air show in 1981. Being an RAF base you could get up close to them, some of them you were allowed to climb into.

Happy days

[101RRS]

The Harrier did win the air war in this conflict.

Yes and no - their adversary's the A4 Skyhawks and Daggers were being used in a bombing role and operating at their max range and were not in a configuration for air to air combat and except for one or two occasions did not carry air to air missles. When they did they went quite well.

In hindsight the Argies should have had escort fighters equipped for air to air combat protecting their bombing aircraft.

Garry

[Eevo]

In hindsight the Argies should have had escort fighters equipped for air to air combat protecting their bombing aircraft.


it shouldnt be hind sight. thats war101

[101RRS]

The Brits were also lucky that the Argentinean 209 submarine had fire control and torpedo issues - in those waters close to its home port, it was quite capable of taking out the Brit nuc submarines and surface ships. The 209 did a few patrols and fired on Brit ships but due to torpedo issues was not successful - the 209 was never detected by the Brits.

Garry

[TeamFA]

and still haven't to the degree that the taliban have

but the taliban don't have a social conscience to weigh...

They have their own social conscience, but it's hardly relates to ours or most of the rest of the world's.

[3toes]

If I remember correctly they bombed across the runway rather than down it on purpose. Thinking was that they had to actually hit it and this ensured it happened.

The Vulcan were being removed from service at the time and did not gave any high tech bombing aids like you saw being used 10 years later.

The mission was a political statement hence it was a one off not part of a sustained campaign of bombing the airfield or other targets. If they could bomb the airfield on the Falklands then bases in Argentina were also in reach.