The story of the sead black buck missions flown by royal air force vulcan bombers during the falklands war. Rowland whites vulcan 607 is an account of the mission to destroy the argentinianheld airstrip at stanley on east falkland. And it was, as retold in the falklands most daring raid channel 4, sunday. White deftly traces the falklands conflict and its accompanying geopolitical. The bbcs danny savage met some of the people who were involved in the opening. Vulcans versus air defence radars on the falklands preface by air commodore s a baldwin mbe. During the 1982 falklands war, operations black buck 1 to black buck 7 were a series of seven extremely longrange ground attack missions by royal air force vulcan bombers of the raf waddington. The argentine tanker force was much smaller and less efficient. Before dawn on may 1st, 1982, a lone raf vulcan b2. Vulcan black buck bombing raid falklands conflict 1982. Flying a jet 20 years past its sellby date 4,000 miles beyond its range to bomb a target a few yards wide. It was followed in 2009 by phoenix squadron and, in 2010 storm front, about the dhofar war in oman in the early seventies.
The same book also pointed out that there was some severe infighting between the various branches of the armed services over how the war was prosecuted. The operation black buck raids were staged from raf ascension island, close to the equator. My parents reaction to the vulcans bombs was what the hell was that. Although i missed the falklands war i was serving in n. Unlike the academic history books i usually read, vulcan 607 is an easy read and doesnt make too much use of military jargon and the glossary is very helpful for the small amount it does use. Vulcan 607 your source for the latest news from author rowland white. On 5 april, the british government dispatched a naval task force to engage the argentine navy and air force before making an. In 1961, four nuclear bombers entered united states airspace, flying high above the maximum altitude of the defending american fighters. The book, though nominally about the vulcan bombers, is really a more encompassing history of the difficulty of. A nation mad enough to fly 4,000 miles to hole a runway might send vulcans to bomb buenos aires. There is no way that an argentine vulcan would reach ascension. It was the most daring raf raid since the dambusters.
The dramatic account of the last british bomber raid the longrange attack on stanley airfield that opened the falklands war. A vulcan xm607, which carried out the first operation black buck raid. The 4am vulcan attack took the argentines completely by surprise. It has total of 480 pages and hundreds blackwhite and over 40 color photographs. On 30 april 1982, the raf launched a secret mission. This gripping film tells the humorous yet heroic story of how a crumbling, coldwar era vulcan flew the then longest range bombing mission in history and how a ww2 vintage bomb changed the outcome of the falklands war. Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please specify the title of the book. Inappropriate the list including its title or description facilitates illegal activity, or contains hate speech or ad hominem attacks on a fellow goodreads member or author. One of my memories though was the attack on the stanley airport following the vulcan raid, i remember watching the rockets being fired as the harriers went down stanley harbour from my. The invasion of south georgia, also known as the battle of grytviken or operation georgias, took place on 3 april 1982, when argentine navy forces seized control of the east coast of south georgia after overpowering a small group of royal marines at grytviken. And part of this operation was operation black buck the longest bombing run. Vulcan 607 is a story of ingenuity, courage and sheer bloodymindedness thats destined to.
Theres a book you should read called vulcan 607 about the raids on the falklands and what it took to achieve the raids including removing parts from aircraft donated to museaums in the us and the most complicated refuelling mission ever undertake. In 1982, argentina invaded the falkland islands and the united kingdom found. Bob tuxford talk how 18 victor flights supported vulcan falklands raid. The raf avro vulcan was initially planned to be retired in early 1982 but the outbreak of the falklands war, in april that year, postponed the withdrawal of the most distinctive among the bombers that along with vickers valiant and handley page victor formed the britains nuclear deterrent vforce. Newly released documents show thatchers anger towards. Air war in the falklands grand miscalculations, unknown odds, miserable weather, vast distancesand unlikely adversaries.
By way of background every countries military has interservice rivalry in argentinas case, it was probably one. In the end, tanker planes were required for just two vulcans one of which ended up going. The british had to quickly launch an operation to reclaim the islands. You can find all the modifications for a falklands operation black buck vulcan in avro vulcan b mk. This group is for people to share their memories and photographs of vulcan. Falklands the air war book is published by arms and armour press limited and printed on high quality glossy paper in 24. Falklands war project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
A graphic representation of the tremendous feat of midair refuelling in the black buck bombing raid at stanley airport on 1st may 1982. The book recounts the vulcans final raid in the falklands war and sat in the bestseller charts for months after initial publication. In november 1981, it was decided to withdraw the vulcan from service in june 1982. Whites first book, vulcan 607 about the first operation black buck raid in the falklands conflict 1982, was published by bantam press in 2006. The mission impossible of the falklands war daily mail. The aircraft was an avro vulcan bomber, capable of carrying a. This is a nonfiction book on the british air raid on the airport of the falkland islands under argentinian occupation. The raid on port stanley takes two minutes to read. The only aircraft capable of carrying out the raid the vulcans were three months from being scrapped. The vulcan had to divert to neutral but antiargentine brazil where the aircraft and crew were delayed a week and the shrike confiscated. At the start of the war, the vulcans were not inflight refueling capable anyway. Vulcan xm607, which carried out the first black buck raid the most controversial part of the plan was the involvement of sea harriers from woodwards task force.
Black buck one was the first operation undertaken as part of the united kingdoms task forces first strategic objective in pursuit of its overall objective of liberating the falkland islands, namely, attaining air superiority over the falklands and surrounding airspace. Memorabilia from vulcan bombing raid during the falklands. The most ambitious british bombing raid since the dambusters. The last ever vulcan bomber raid on stanley airport and if i am. A book on the cold war and exclusive podcasts on the american. A great book for bringing out the challenges of fighting a war so many thousands of miles away from your homeland and major basis. This is a nonfiction book on the british air raid on the airport of the falkland. Vulcan 607 is a story of ingenuity, courage and sheer bloodymindedness thats destined to become a classic. A new hardback edition of the classic story of the last british bomber raid the longrange attack on stanley airfield that opened the falklands.
The aircraft was an avro vulcan bomber, capable of carrying a 21,000lb nuclear payload. The book, though nominally about the vulcan bombers, is really a more encompassing history of the difficulty of the war and efforts against argentina dating back to 1978 and the falklands and the south georgia islands. The black buck raid is a remarkable piece of military history which rowland white has written about in his book. Like the doolittle raid on japan, the vulcan strike had an effect. The vulcan bomber is being remembered thirty years since one was used in a falklands raid carried out by the raf. Im a bit of an airplane buff so i really enjoyed this documentary about the amazing vulcan bombing raid that took place during the falklands war. The longest bombing run in history operation black buck in the. From the publisher the dramatic account of the last british bomber raid the longrange attack on stanley airfield that opened the falklands war. As well as a dash10 radar jamming pod the first vulcan would four agm45 shrikes. Spam or selfpromotional the list is spam or selfpromotional. The falklands are a british territory, about 500 kilometers off the coast of argentina, that argentina invaded in april 1982. Buy a cheap copy of vulcan 607 book by rowland white. The vulcan bombers used in the raids had had their inflight refueling capability. Bob tuxford talk how 18 victor flights supported vulcan.
The longest bombing run in history operation black buck. The vulcan raid on the falklands runway was screened this evening. Having known about the black buck one mission for several years, i was pleased to come across this book to expand my knowledge of the raid. An account of the preparation, and then the actual first vulcan bombing raid on port stanely in the falklands war. However, the argentinean invasion of the falkland islands in the spring of 1982 gave the vulcan an extended lease of life, and an unexpected swansong at. Drawing on extensive interviews with the combatants, falklands residents and british high command, and with unprecedented access to comtemporary military records, rowland white takes us, for the first time, to the beating heart of the legendary raid. Operation black buck one, 30th april1st may 1982 2 avro vulcans and 11 handley page victors take off from ascension island to complete. The falklands war took place between britain and argentina in 1982. How the raf drew up plans to attack argentina over the. Black buck one, the vulcan raid on the falklands timelapse.
On 1st may 1982 the raf flew a 30yearold vulcan bomber 8,000 miles from ascension to bomb the runway at port stanley in the falklands. This gripping film tells the humorous yet heroic story of how a crumbling, coldwar era vulcan flew the then longest range bombing mission in history and how a ww2. There is a large audience of vulcan devotees around the world. The black buck raid is a remarkable piece of military history which rowland white has written about in his book, vulcan 607. Front and into the black, as well as a compendium of all things aviation, the big book of flight. The epic story of the most remarkable british air attack since wwii 9780552152297. The safety of the british task force depended on its success. During the 1982 falklands war, operations black buck 1 to black buck 7 were a series of. With alistair mcgowan, alastair montgomery, simon baldwin, john reeve. How the raf drew up plans to attack argentina over the falklands in 1982. A graphic representation of the tremendous feat of mid air refuelling in the black buck boming raid at stanley airport on 1st may 1982.
A fine example of british aero engineering with raf logistics to plan and execute a fleet of victor tankers to enable one vulcan bomber to fly from the. The story behind operation black buck, the incredible raid on stanley airport by vulcan bombers in 1982, is told in a new book due to be released in june. For aviation fans, this is a great read, but generally for someone interested in the falklands conflict it is also a great book. The vulcan bomber took off from ascension island on an 8,000mile round trip. Heartstopping moments of a daring mission to bomb port stanley airfield during the falklands war were recalled at a meeting in uckfield last night. Inevitably, the book is subject to a degree of missioncreep. How did the vulcan bomber fly all the way to the falklands. This year a small group of us yet again celebrated the anniversary of our efforts in support of the campaign to retake the falklands islands following the argentine forces invasion in. Was the true value of the vulcan bomber raids on the falklands the message that you are not out of range rather than damage caused. One of the reasons for the use of the vulcans was to conserve sea harrier resources for the air defence of the naval forces, but the plan required them to conduct a daylight photo reconnaissance sortie over the airfield for the purpose of damage assessment. Falklands most daring raid 2012 this gripping film tells the humorous yet heroic story of how a crumbling, coldwar era vulcan flew the then longest range bombing mission in history and how a ww2 vintage bomb changed the. Before dawn on may 1st, 1982, a lone raf vulcan b2 bomber made its way towards the runway at port stanley airport. The success of the operation produced incentive for further raids using the same plan. It was aiming to strike the first blow of britains campaign to retake the falklands.
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