The Virtual Pub

Come Inside... => Petrol/Diesel/Red Diesel/Aviation Fuel Head Zone => Topic started by: Grumpmeister on October 11, 2012, 04:46:12 PM

Title: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on October 11, 2012, 04:46:12 PM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2216013/The-Battle-Bonhams-Rare-chance-buy-iconic-WWII-fighter-1-7m-Hawker-Hurricane-goes-auction.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2216013/The-Battle-Bonhams-Rare-chance-buy-iconic-WWII-fighter-1-7m-Hawker-Hurricane-goes-auction.html)

 cloud9:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 11, 2012, 05:20:10 PM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2216013/The-Battle-Bonhams-Rare-chance-buy-iconic-WWII-fighter-1-7m-Hawker-Hurricane-goes-auction.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2216013/The-Battle-Bonhams-Rare-chance-buy-iconic-WWII-fighter-1-7m-Hawker-Hurricane-goes-auction.html)

 cloud9:

Drool:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: GROWLER on October 11, 2012, 05:25:45 PM
WOWBLOODYEEEE!!!  eeek:  :thumbsup:

Tell you summat too. I don't think that's an unreasonable price either tbqh.

Might do the lottery this weekend now. rubschin:

Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 11, 2012, 05:31:46 PM
WOWBLOODYEEEE!!!  eeek:  :thumbsup:

Tell you summat too. I don't think that's an unreasonable price either tbqh.

Might do the lottery this weekend now. rubschin:

Me too!  Thumbs:

You'd need to win a lot tho - I think the running costs of a Spitfire (and I'd imagine this is the same) are in the order of £100,000 per hour!  Shocked:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: GROWLER on October 11, 2012, 05:38:57 PM
WOWBLOODYEEEE!!!  eeek:  :thumbsup:

Tell you summat too. I don't think that's an unreasonable price either tbqh.

Might do the lottery this weekend now. rubschin:

Me too!  Thumbs:

You'd need to win a lot tho - I think the running costs of a Spitfire (and I'd imagine this is the same) are in the order of £100,000 per hour!   [/i]Shocked:

Where's that figure come from then? eeek:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 11, 2012, 06:36:29 PM
WOWBLOODYEEEE!!!  eeek:  :thumbsup:

Tell you summat too. I don't think that's an unreasonable price either tbqh.

Might do the lottery this weekend now. rubschin:

Me too!  Thumbs:

You'd need to win a lot tho - I think the running costs of a Spitfire (and I'd imagine this is the same) are in the order of £100,000 per hour!   [/i]Shocked:

Where's that figure come from then? eeek:

Well, you don't really have any owld aeroplanes like you do owld cars...

In order to obtain a A Certificate of Airworthiness the aeroplane needs to be taken apart and rebuilt every (three I think) years...

The costs involved with an aeroplane which is seventy years old are colossal....

Plus, you can imagine what the insurance premium is like on an irreplaceable 70 year old aeroplane....  noooo:

And of course it will burn vast amounts of high octane fuel... I used to fly a Piper Arrow which cruised at 8 gallons per hour... I can't imagine how much fuel a 1,000 horse power Merlin uses!  lol:

Just found the answer - between 39 and 88 gallons per hour!  Shocked:

Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: GROWLER on October 11, 2012, 06:38:30 PM
....and how much a litre is that then these days? rubschin:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Nick on October 11, 2012, 06:40:19 PM
Is the 88 if Mrs Growler is driving it?  rubschin:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: GROWLER on October 11, 2012, 06:44:02 PM
My Dad used to fly those in WW2...and Spitty's. cloud9:

I could try and squeeze it into me Festa's nest to keep them both company like, and I could read it episodes from me Biggles Annual. cloud9:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: GROWLER on October 11, 2012, 06:45:53 PM
Is the 88 if Mrs Growler is driving it?  rubschin:

You DON'T actually DRIVE aeroplanes, gonk's 'ed. noooo:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 11, 2012, 06:51:17 PM
....and how much a litre is that then these days? rubschin:

Assuming you can get the thing to run on Avgas (100LL) it is about £2 per litre....
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: GROWLER on October 11, 2012, 06:59:42 PM
....and how much a litre is that then these days? rubschin:

Assuming you can get the thing to run on Avgas (100LL) it is about £2 per litre....

WHAT?!! shocked003

May have to stick to mowters I think.

Lottery win....Veyron it is then. whistle:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on April 12, 2020, 02:07:38 AM
You missed out on this one BM. This guy just bought 46 FA-18's from the RAAF...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/32869/this-man-owns-the-worlds-most-advanced-private-air-force-after-buying-46-f-a-18-hornets
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on April 12, 2020, 04:46:45 AM
You missed out on this one BM. This guy just bought 46 FA-18's from the RAAF...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/32869/this-man-owns-the-worlds-most-advanced-private-air-force-after-buying-46-f-a-18-hornets

 eeek:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Nick on April 12, 2020, 07:05:04 AM
Can I be in charge of bombs?  angel1
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on April 12, 2020, 07:18:02 AM
Can I be in charge of bombs?  angel1

Holy god no!  eeek:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on April 12, 2020, 07:31:01 AM
Can I be in charge of bombs?  angel1

No....................No way.............Absolutely bloody well not!!! You do enough damage with kitchen appliances and dead wildlife, there is no way in hell we are letting you anywhere near things that are designed to go boom!!!  eeek:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Nick on April 12, 2020, 07:35:44 AM
 sad32: sad32:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Steve on April 12, 2020, 11:38:53 AM
Can I be in charge of bombs?  angel1
No, no no  noooo: but an F18 equipped with your pies and the gun loaded with Mr Stew would scare the life out of a lot of countries




The F18 is an awesome beast, it also (in its Recce version) funded a huge chunk of my retirement and for that I will always love it  cloud9:

Shame I didn't have the opportunity, money or licences to buy one to stick outside my house.  That'd get the neighbours tut tutting
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: apc2010 on April 12, 2020, 01:31:45 PM
You missed out on this one BM. This guy just bought 46 FA-18's from the RAAF...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/32869/this-man-owns-the-worlds-most-advanced-private-air-force-after-buying-46-f-a-18-hornets

 eeek:

 eeek:    Thumbs:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on October 23, 2021, 02:51:44 PM
How about a B-17

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a37284473/buy-extremely-rare-world-war-ii-era-b-17-bomber/

And Nick, before you ask again no you can't be in charge of bombs..  noooo:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 23, 2021, 05:05:12 PM
How about a B-17

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a37284473/buy-extremely-rare-world-war-ii-era-b-17-bomber/

And Nick, before you ask again no you can't be in charge of bombs..  noooo:

OMG! Drool:

Same bomb load as a Mosquito....  rubschin:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Steve on October 23, 2021, 05:20:04 PM
'After V-E Day, the bomber was donated to the University of Minnesota'
 
Now i know things get a bit tetchy between the Universities of Minnesota and Wisconsin but I never thought they'd take things that far. eeek:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on October 27, 2021, 02:56:08 AM
Well apparently the original sales fell through, some were only around $11000 and you do seem to enjoy rebuilding old bangers..  rubschin:

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/in-hidden-mountain-air-base-albania-stores-migs-for-sale-2015727
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 27, 2021, 08:34:01 AM
Well apparently the original sales fell through, some were only around $11000 and you do seem to enjoy rebuilding old bangers..  rubschin:

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/in-hidden-mountain-air-base-albania-stores-migs-for-sale-2015727

When I was flying in the UK a few of us considered buying a Soviet era jet...  rubschin:

They were actually quite cheap and affordable by a small consortium. However, it would have been 'gambling money' as getting them fixed if they went wrong would have been impossibly expensive. We decided against it in the end!  ;D
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Steve on October 27, 2021, 08:39:30 AM
Probably a bit like owning a Lambo.  Great fun for a day and loads of people would want to see it once but then likely just an expensive white elephant.

But tempting
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 27, 2021, 08:58:57 AM
Probably a bit like owning a Lambo.  Great fun for a day and loads of people would want to see it once but then likely just an expensive white elephant.

But tempting

Precisely!
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Steve on October 27, 2021, 09:26:51 AM
On the other hand paying to fly one for a day

https://migflug.com/

' from € 12’500'     rubschin:


 rubschin:


 rubschin:


Still  noooo:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 27, 2021, 09:49:01 AM
On the other hand paying to fly one for a day

https://migflug.com/

' from € 12’500'     rubschin:


 rubschin:


 rubschin:


Still  noooo:

I don't think we were looking at a MIG-29!  lol:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Steve on October 27, 2021, 10:25:41 AM
Awesome looking beast though isn't it
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 27, 2021, 11:34:52 AM
Awesome looking beast though isn't it

Indeed! I'm not sure the grass runways at White Waltham would have lasted very long (or been long enough) though!  lol:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on October 28, 2021, 11:02:38 PM
How about something a little easier to get parts for? It's even partially disassembled so you can pretend it's a giant Airfix model  rubschin:

https://www.controlleremea.co.uk/listing/for-sale/204887917/chance-vought-f8u-1e-crusader-turbine-military-aircraft
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 29, 2021, 02:08:28 PM
How about something a little easier to get parts for? It's even partially disassembled so you can pretend it's a giant Airfix model  rubschin:

https://www.controlleremea.co.uk/listing/for-sale/204887917/chance-vought-f8u-1e-crusader-turbine-military-aircraft

Niiiice....  cloud9:

If I had (literally) endless cash I'd want something British tho...  rubschin:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Steve on October 29, 2021, 03:00:35 PM
Which one?

I can't fly anything more than a desk but if I could and had aforesaid bottomless cash then as classic age UK jets go, the Buccaneer or Sea Vixen for me

And an F104 for anyone that's ever trolled me on t'interweb  eveilgrin:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 29, 2021, 04:04:46 PM
Which one?

I can't fly anything more than a desk but if I could and had aforesaid bottomless cash then as classic age UK jets go, the Buccaneer or Sea Vixen for me

And an F104 for anyone that's ever trolled me on t'interweb  eveilgrin:


Oh... Assuming endless cash...  rubschin:

Blackburn Buccaneer or English Electric Lightning or a Harrier...

Harrier would be my first choice (is this some kind of Secret Santa thing...?  rubschin:) but I think I'd have least chance of ever being able to fly it...

A Hawk would be quite acceptable and you don't have to gift wrap it...  Thumbs:

Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on October 29, 2021, 06:08:50 PM
If I had bottomless cash and can choose any classic then either this

https://www.controlleremea.co.uk/listing/for-sale/191203255/1979-british-aerospace-sea-harrier-fa2-turbine-military-aircraft

Or a Vulcan  cloud9:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 29, 2021, 06:11:40 PM
If I had bottomless cash and can choose any classic then either this

https://www.controlleremea.co.uk/listing/for-sale/191203255/1979-british-aerospace-sea-harrier-fa2-turbine-military-aircraft

Or a Vulcan  cloud9:

Drool:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Steve on October 29, 2021, 07:39:33 PM
Harrier:  'the world's most efficient machine for turning kerosene into noise"     (c Gordon England)
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on October 29, 2021, 11:10:09 PM
It's an aside and arguably in the wrong thread but I've just finished Harrier 809 by Roland White. It's the story of how they turned the Atlantic Conveyor into a harrier carrier for the Falklands War and their exploits on station. Even more boys own stuff and well worth getting if you enjoyed Vulcan 607.  Thumbs:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on October 30, 2021, 05:48:47 AM
It's an aside and arguably in the wrong thread but I've just finished Harrier 809 by Roland White. It's the story of how they turned the Atlantic Conveyor into a harrier carrier for the Falklands War and their exploits on station. Even more boys own stuff and well worth getting if you enjoyed Vulcan 607.  Thumbs:

Cool!  Thumbs:

In return I'd recommend Sea Harrier Over The Falklands by 'Sharky' Ward... He has an interesting take on the Vulcan raid too...
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on October 30, 2021, 12:08:01 PM
It's an aside and arguably in the wrong thread but I've just finished Harrier 809 by Roland White. It's the story of how they turned the Atlantic Conveyor into a harrier carrier for the Falklands War and their exploits on station. Even more boys own stuff and well worth getting if you enjoyed Vulcan 607.  Thumbs:

Cool!  Thumbs:

In return I'd recommend Sea Harrier Over The Falklands by 'Sharky' Ward... He has an interesting take on the Vulcan raid too...

Got that and Her Majesty's Top Gun: And the Decline of the Royal Navy also by him in my Audible wishlist. Just have a long backlog of books I've picked up on there at the moment so I'm pacing out any more purchases.  redface:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: apc2010 on November 13, 2021, 02:11:58 PM
BM get your cheque book out ..!!!

"In just a few weeks, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) will be auctioning off a long list of aircraft…inc a Boeing 707 for 2500 dollars ... rubschin:


 Thumbs:   think all the dosh you could save on LL's flights ...

"The list of aircraft types is long and diverse, ranging from the Ukrainian An-24 to the classic 737-200. There’s even a 707-300! All of these aircraft have some seriously, seriously, low starting bid prices. Let’s see what you could get for less than the price of a beat-up used car." ......
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on November 13, 2021, 03:10:31 PM
BM get your cheque book out ..!!!

"In just a few weeks, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) will be auctioning off a long list of aircraft…inc a Boeing 707 for 2500 dollars ... rubschin:


 Thumbs:   think all the dosh you could save on LL's flights ...

"The list of aircraft types is long and diverse, ranging from the Ukrainian An-24 to the classic 737-200. There’s even a 707-300! All of these aircraft have some seriously, seriously, low starting bid prices. Let’s see what you could get for less than the price of a beat-up used car." ......

Some more detail for you

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/109246-kenya-set-to-auction-off-73-derelict-aircraft
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on November 13, 2021, 03:42:27 PM
BM get your cheque book out ..!!!

"In just a few weeks, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) will be auctioning off a long list of aircraft…inc a Boeing 707 for 2500 dollars ... rubschin:


 Thumbs:   think all the dosh you could save on LL's flights ...

"The list of aircraft types is long and diverse, ranging from the Ukrainian An-24 to the classic 737-200. There’s even a 707-300! All of these aircraft have some seriously, seriously, low starting bid prices. Let’s see what you could get for less than the price of a beat-up used car." ......

Some more detail for you

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/109246-kenya-set-to-auction-off-73-derelict-aircraft

I'd have the BN-2 Islander...  cloud9:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: apc2010 on November 13, 2021, 03:44:57 PM
BM get your cheque book out ..!!!

"In just a few weeks, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) will be auctioning off a long list of aircraft…inc a Boeing 707 for 2500 dollars ... rubschin:


 Thumbs:   think all the dosh you could save on LL's flights ...

"The list of aircraft types is long and diverse, ranging from the Ukrainian An-24 to the classic 737-200. There’s even a 707-300! All of these aircraft have some seriously, seriously, low starting bid prices. Let’s see what you could get for less than the price of a beat-up used car." ......

Some more detail for you

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/109246-kenya-set-to-auction-off-73-derelict-aircraft

I'd have the BN-2 Islander...  cloud9:

LL can be a Trolley-Dolly " ........ Thumbs:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: apc2010 on November 13, 2021, 04:17:41 PM
BM get your cheque book out ..!!!

"In just a few weeks, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) will be auctioning off a long list of aircraft…inc a Boeing 707 for 2500 dollars ... rubschin:


 Thumbs:   think all the dosh you could save on LL's flights ...

"The list of aircraft types is long and diverse, ranging from the Ukrainian An-24 to the classic 737-200. There’s even a 707-300! All of these aircraft have some seriously, seriously, low starting bid prices. Let’s see what you could get for less than the price of a beat-up used car." ......

Some more detail for you

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/109246-kenya-set-to-auction-off-73-derelict-aircraft

I'd have the BN-2 Islander...  cloud9:

LL can be a Trolley-Dolly " ........ Thumbs:

Or "off her Trolley-Dolly" ..... whistle:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on January 21, 2022, 12:45:30 PM
Time to empty out the piggy bank and check the back of the sofa for loose change BM..  :thumbsup:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10418605/Spitfire-flew-WWII-featured-1969-Battle-Britain-sale-4-5MILLION.html
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on January 21, 2022, 01:03:14 PM
Time to empty out the piggy bank and check the back of the sofa for loose change BM..  :thumbsup:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10418605/Spitfire-flew-WWII-featured-1969-Battle-Britain-sale-4-5MILLION.html

Cor!  Thumbs:

Need a bigger sofa...  rubschin:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: apc2010 on January 21, 2022, 01:44:20 PM
Time to empty out the piggy bank and check the back of the sofa for loose change BM..  :thumbsup:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10418605/Spitfire-flew-WWII-featured-1969-Battle-Britain-sale-4-5MILLION.html

Cor!  Thumbs:

Need a bigger sofa...  rubschin:

Only seats one ....... rubschin:   
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on May 14, 2022, 05:43:49 PM
It's an aside and arguably in the wrong thread but I've just finished Harrier 809 by Roland White. It's the story of how they turned the Atlantic Conveyor into a harrier carrier for the Falklands War and their exploits on station. Even more boys own stuff and well worth getting if you enjoyed Vulcan 607.  Thumbs:

Cool!  Thumbs:

In return I'd recommend Sea Harrier Over The Falklands by 'Sharky' Ward... He has an interesting take on the Vulcan raid too...

Somehow Audible gave me 2 versions of the audiobook, one of then narrated by Sharky himself. You can tell it's been done at home which makes it sound more geniune than a professional studio version. An old aviator telling stories of his exploits.  cloud9:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on May 15, 2022, 06:45:18 AM
It's an aside and arguably in the wrong thread but I've just finished Harrier 809 by Roland White. It's the story of how they turned the Atlantic Conveyor into a harrier carrier for the Falklands War and their exploits on station. Even more boys own stuff and well worth getting if you enjoyed Vulcan 607.  Thumbs:

Cool!  Thumbs:

In return I'd recommend Sea Harrier Over The Falklands by 'Sharky' Ward... He has an interesting take on the Vulcan raid too...

Somehow Audible gave me 2 versions of the audiobook, one of then narrated by Sharky himself. You can tell it's been done at home which makes it sound more geniune than a professional studio version. An old aviator telling stories of his exploits.  cloud9:

 Thumbs:
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on May 15, 2022, 11:05:39 AM
It's an aside and arguably in the wrong thread but I've just finished Harrier 809 by Roland White. It's the story of how they turned the Atlantic Conveyor into a harrier carrier for the Falklands War and their exploits on station. Even more boys own stuff and well worth getting if you enjoyed Vulcan 607.  Thumbs:

Cool!  Thumbs:

In return I'd recommend Sea Harrier Over The Falklands by 'Sharky' Ward... He has an interesting take on the Vulcan raid too...

Somehow Audible gave me 2 versions of the audiobook, one of then narrated by Sharky himself. You can tell it's been done at home which makes it sound more geniune than a professional studio version. An old aviator telling stories of his exploits.  cloud9:

 Thumbs:

Almost finished it now but bloody hell, he isn't holding back when it comes to his opinion of the RAF and senior RN officers screwing over the Fleet Air Arm. The worst of it is that every point he has made makes perfect sense and ultimately explains why the harriers were sold off to America.
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Barman on May 15, 2022, 11:47:43 AM
It's an aside and arguably in the wrong thread but I've just finished Harrier 809 by Roland White. It's the story of how they turned the Atlantic Conveyor into a harrier carrier for the Falklands War and their exploits on station. Even more boys own stuff and well worth getting if you enjoyed Vulcan 607.  Thumbs:

Cool!  Thumbs:

In return I'd recommend Sea Harrier Over The Falklands by 'Sharky' Ward... He has an interesting take on the Vulcan raid too...

Somehow Audible gave me 2 versions of the audiobook, one of then narrated by Sharky himself. You can tell it's been done at home which makes it sound more geniune than a professional studio version. An old aviator telling stories of his exploits.  cloud9:

 Thumbs:

Almost finished it now but bloody hell, he isn't holding back when it comes to his opinion of the RAF and senior RN officers screwing over the Fleet Air Arm. The worst of it is that every point he has made makes perfect sense and ultimately explains why the harriers were sold off to America.

Yes, he is brilliant!
Title: Re: Hey BM, fancy starting a VP air force?
Post by: Grumpmeister on May 15, 2022, 12:07:46 PM
It's an aside and arguably in the wrong thread but I've just finished Harrier 809 by Roland White. It's the story of how they turned the Atlantic Conveyor into a harrier carrier for the Falklands War and their exploits on station. Even more boys own stuff and well worth getting if you enjoyed Vulcan 607.  Thumbs:

Cool!  Thumbs:

In return I'd recommend Sea Harrier Over The Falklands by 'Sharky' Ward... He has an interesting take on the Vulcan raid too...

Somehow Audible gave me 2 versions of the audiobook, one of then narrated by Sharky himself. You can tell it's been done at home which makes it sound more geniune than a professional studio version. An old aviator telling stories of his exploits.  cloud9:

 Thumbs:

Almost finished it now but bloody hell, he isn't holding back when it comes to his opinion of the RAF and senior RN officers screwing over the Fleet Air Arm. The worst of it is that every point he has made makes perfect sense and ultimately explains why the harriers were sold off to America.

Yes, he is brilliant!

Sandy Woodward's book is coming to audible later this year so I'll be grabbing that as well. I'm hoping at some point they also do an audible version of JJ Black's memoirs.