I hate to say it but there's an image of A4 Skyhawks in there labelled as IAI Daggers too. You should've uploaded tomorrow and been able to blame it on being a Monday. 😉
Much respect for him from the USA as well. Since he was also a F4 Phantom pilot I can imagine him comparing notes with Robin Olds on the combat effectiveness of the two different platforms.
Fly High Sharkey. I bought his book "sea harriers over falklands" many years ago(a most excellent and recommended read) and was much amused to find he and I shared the same vitriol for REMFs 😂
Greetings, Brother. I was apprenticed [''Catagory A''] on the first Harriers, AV8As [Gr.50] with VMA-231. There were no formal Harrier tech schools yet, so they sent me to a working squadron for OJT. I was an Avionics troubleshooter.
My father, Lt Cdr Doug Taylor, conceived of and designed the Ski Jump (more complex that it looks - he took a year's sabbatical at Southampton University to do the calculations). It proved crucial to the outcome of the Falklands War, enabling Harriers to take off with a full complement of fuel and weapons. He made himself unpopular with the RN top brass, who wanted to keep their big aircraft carriers and it took him 10 years to convince them to back his idea. Southampton University awarded him an MPhil for his work; the Queen gave him an MBE and the Admiralty made an 'interim payment' of £25k for his contribution. The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm museum at Yeovilton has a mock-up of a ski jump with a Sea Harrier taking off but, apart from that, there's no mention of the Ski Jump or my father anywhere. Surprising, as he was one of their own and the Ski Jump was a notable success for the Fleet Air Arm.
Had the pleasure of meeting Sharky Ward and Surgeon Rick Jolly at Holborn library at an Air Britain meet in the late 80's. I was with some work colleagues from Holborn Police Station. We invited them to our local, the Queens Head and was pleased they said yes. Was thrilled, had Sharky Ward one side at the bar and Rick Jolly the other side. Never forget that night. Great blokes.
Both Sadly no longer with us. Surgeon Commander Rick Jolly was a true Humanitarian officer, who was respected by all who met him, regardless of uniform.
@@stephensmith4480 Never seen a bad word written about Surgeon Commander Rick Jolly. There is an excerpt in "Above All Courage" by a sailor who was drowning and unable to get to the basket lowered to him by a helicopter and just as he gave up he was pulled to the surface by Jolly who had jumped from said helicopter to get to him.
@@goodshipkaraboudjan 💯% My friend. He was awarded I think it was the Order of Merit by the Argentinian Government for his treatment of their wounded soldiers. The only person to be given an award by Both sides. That speaks volumes.
Sharky was court martialed for very low level flying. What people don't fully realise, is that this was the vital experience required for him, years later, enabling him to fly at 10' AGL, to achieve a kill! Good work that man, you make me proud to be British!
@@WALTERBROADDUSand there's no such thing in real combat....pilots that push themselves and their aircraft in and out of combat win real fights Pilots that never do win good conduct awards and graves in wartime.
@@Manco65the Italians used to do ‘unofficial airshows’ and ‘low flights’ over and near family, girlfriends, and so on. A lot of them paid the price: hitting trees, hills, mountains and didn’t live to tell. There’s a time and place for low flying.
The Falklands guys are now starting to leave us and now is the time to interview them Rick Jolly Sharkey ect were remarkable men and were so important God bless them and I thank them all for what was achieved in 1982 please do more Falklands stuff
I served with a Sharkey Ward in 1974 at HMS Osprey, naval air station Portland in Dorset. He was a chopper pilot and a Lt. It's been a long time since those days and a few of the guys I served with were killed in the Falklands but the photo of him is an older version of the Sharkey I knew and he was a good bloke even though an officer.
My family and I have made several trips to the museum it is a very interesting and educational afternoon out, there is a small cafe there I recall, well worth a visit
There is a Falklands War Veteran Sea Harrier on display at the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at Old Sarum airfield with 4 victories. The aircraft is Sea Harrier XZ457.
Ward came to St Louis to talk to the Harrier team at McDonnell Douglas about his experiences in the Falklands. I remember he described how tough the C-130 was. He said he hit it with a Sidewinder that set one engine on fire and emptied his entire magazine of cannon shells into the fuselage from such close range that he knew every round was a hit, and he could see splashes on the water from them after they'd gone through and through the target aircraft. Only after all of that did the C-130 finally go down. It was the first time we'd heard actual combat stories about Harriers (granted, Sea Harriers that we'd had nothing to do with building, but still) and it made a deep impression on me, which is why I remember it 40+ years later.
Anyone who earnt a SAMA medal is truly worthy of admiration That conflict was a serious test of our ability and highlighted some pretty outdated kit, but as we have historically, we dug in, got on with it and were victorious, although nobody wins in war
The real downside of losing the real carriers, thank you Denis Healey and Harold Wilson, was not so much the loss of the Phantoms and Buccaneers, but the Gannets. Because the loss of a flying AEW radar aircraft meant that the Argentines could sneak up close to the Taskforce by flying low. Had the Gannet still been available even the regular Harriers could have dealt with the Skyhawks and Super Etendards and intercepted way ahead before they got within range of the fleet, because they would be detected far earlier. Now the fleet was left vulnerable and the carriers had to be stationed so far west they were nicknamed taskforce Capetown, severely limiting CAP time over the Falklands and the ships engaged in the San Carlos landing.
Yes, but you also must acknowledge that the SHAR got more flying time due to the sea state in the South Atlantic, where VSTOL aircraft were more suited. You’re right though; the AEW is still a great hole that hasn’t been replaced.
In the late 80s, I had a job teaching English in Frankfurt. I had a long break, so I decided to walk up to the Zeil to have lunch. On the way, I went by the Frankfurter Hof, a well-known hotel. A large crowd was in front, and I asked what the deal was. "Maggie Thatcher--ze Iron Lady!" was the answer. I waited and waited, and finally left for the Zeil. I had lunch and did some window shopping. As I passed the Frankfurter Hof on the way back, a limousine pulled up and out got Margaret Thatcher who did that palm-up Queen wave. Talk about timing.
Thank you very much for the reference to the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum. I had never hard of it but it looks well worth visiting (and donating to).
I remember Brian Hanrahan's "I counted them all out, and I counted them all back.", wow 42 years ago! I was woken, while serving in Hameln, and having my parka taken, with everyone elses, no reason being given - this was before the task force was announced. It caused a lot of rumours if I remember correctly!
I remember as a young air cadet in the 1980s sitting outside in my maewest life jacket and parachute patiently waiting for my Chipmunk flight. Then there was all this commotion and all our flights were put on hold as 2 Harriers flew in, one of them had to make an emergency landing after a bird strike as the other circled the airfield. All I can say is the Harrier is one of the loudest aircraft I've ever heard, an amazing aircraft. Another great video Mark.
I was a little boy when the Falklands War occurred, I remember watching news about the task force steaming out to take back the islands and rescue the civilians there. Being American, I heard lots of anti-British comments regarding the whole affair. I never got the whole story until finding Dr. Felton's channel. As always your research educates, illuminates, and venerates. Thank you Dr. Felton for all your hard work.
Most interesting , Mark . I was based at Lyneham during the conflict . The incoming Hercules ' cargo wasn't always pleasant . Later , I always enjoyed watching the Sea Harriers flying in and out of , Dunsfold aerodrome in Surrey . The Dagger , I believe has been produced in many guises , ; The IAI Kfir , and , the Atlas Cheetah . Much respect to "Sharky " . RIP , and thanks for your service .
I'm Australian and love your channel, I had the pleasure of sitting in a Harrier Jump Jet at the Avalon Airshow. I told my English father in law how Proud I was!
Thank you for this video. Regrettably, I had little to no understanding around the Falklands War. This isn't the first time your videos have led me to fresh insights and perspectives.
I actually have Sharkey Ward's book on the flying the sea harrier and Falkland's conflict. Very interesting read and in it he was none to complimentary of the Admiralty ...
We have an air museum just up the road with a Pucara and a Sea Harrier in its inventory. The former was found in Port Stanley after hostilities ceased and taken off the island.
Brian was a great reporter on this conflict and went into history with those words. These days the woke BBC would be siding with the Argentinians and criticising the Navy, RAF and Army 😡
Point of order, Mark The Sea Harriers were retired in 2006 but surplus and cascaded RAF Harriers remained onboard until _Ark Royal_ was decommissioned in 2010
A design feature that assisted the Harrier in a turning dog fight is that the engine vents were beneath the wing. This provided a measure of protection against old style infra red seeking missiles which required a hot zone for the seeker to provide a lock, unlike the all aspect Aim 9L sidewinder.
I remember the Falklands War. The US news carried it pretty extensively. One of the problems was the distance. There really wasn't any way you guys could slip up on them, unawares. I think you did pretty well.
@@Jabber-ig3iwNot really. The British were vastly outnumbered, thousands of miles from home with all the problems that brings in supply lines. On paper the Argentinians should of won. But it was a third world military vs a first world one. Besides, I've seen written in a few books how PM MT had parked a couple of nuclear armed submarines within range of Buenos Aires should it have gone tits up.
There was a large amount of bravery displayed by both argentines and british in this conflict. Even though argetines Lost the conflict and had issues in the tactics, their air force was not a donkey court.
My hometown is CFB Trenton (I have epilepsy so no flying for me) and we would have amazing air shows in the 80's. The Harrier was always one of my favorites, no matter which model it was.
Fly High Sharkey. For anyone who hasn't already, his book "Sea Harriers over Falklands" is a highly recommended read. I've had my copy for over 15 years.
Well done Britain ! Great job Sharkey Ward ! I like the way he retired to Grenada , likely enjoyed the climate , and slowly faded into history. Salute'
It was never sold in the Fleet Air Arm museum book shop. It was too critical of RN and RAF senior officers for their liking. My favourite paragraph in his book related how the crew of the Black Buck 2 forgot to arm the bombs and dropped 21,000 lbs of inert metal on to Stanley airfield
First! A lot of Argentines consider Sharkey an executor for his shooting down of a surveillance Hercules. I personally think Sharky embodies a true warrior focused on engaging the enemy and winning the battle. I despise war and regret the losses on both sides, I think it's unfair to accuse Sharkey of wrongdoing in that incident.
That's laughable. Not directed to you, but to the Argentine claim. If Hercules was a military plane in a war zone, playing a military role. To say that it's wrong to shoot it down, shows dishonesty, or a complete lack of understanding of war.
Sharkey Ward actually chatted with the son of the downed Hercules pilot on a Caribbean radio station a few years back. As far as he & the Task Force were concerned, the Hercules had to be stopped resupplying Port Stanley. However, the RN Harrier pilots agreed among themselves that they would signal first to the Hercules to ditch themselves and save their lives. They were uncomfortable with the idea of shooting an unarmed plane. In the case of the downed Hercules that Sharkey shot down, he literally was at fuel limit and had no time to signal to the crew to ditch. So he had to take the shot.
Sharkey Ward was like superman to me as a child I was absolutely obsessed with anything Falklands (I was born in 83’) a brilliant no nonsense pilot and he made me so proud to be British 🇬🇧
As soon as I had first heard of the Falklands War I’ve been enamored with it. A modern conflict fought between two distant nations where no other nations involved themselves.Incredible feat of the Royal armed forces to complete such an undertaking. I fear that the modern United Kingdom could not pull off such a feat again.
"no other nations involved themselves"... Argentine here. You need to know that Chile was a BIG part of the conflict, the US provided full intel, satellite info and the latest missiles for the brits, the URSS provided us with their satellite info on the position of the brit vessels and Perú gave to us some soviet portatile AA missile launchers and were ready to send some 4000 voluntaries for combat. The Malvinas War is a VERY VERY present thing here, some of the worst things you can do in Argentina is dispute our rights on the South Atlantic or call the islands "Falklands". Every veteran from the war is revered as a national hero here. And the Invincible was very damaged by our pilots, the UK still says it was not hitted but it's a lie.
Fascinating, my wife and I discovered we were both fascinated by the Falklands war (we were both in high school, albeit in different towns) at the time of the conflict. I hope that Dr. Felton brings us more content regarding this conflict - especially since the Argentines are once again making threatening noises about those islands.
Watched this video yesterday and I've today just come back from that museum. Great to see the Harrier and all the other stuff, and it's well worth a visit.
I remember it well. The Iron Lady showed some mettle sending a very weakened UK force to fight so far from home. There was a lot of doubt whether they could defeat the Argentine forces. I always liked her. Tough woman.
Mark, great job personalizing the air to air situation with a review of Sharkey Ward's triumphs. I'm doing a series on the Falkland Islands War and my generic reviews lack this personalized attention to detail, exceptional method, thanks for the idea. Cheers
I was young (10) but I remember well those times - well before the Web and instant news. we were watching on TV how this conflict was doing, rooting for the valiant British. and the Sea Harriers (as well as the Vulcans) were impressive in our minds.
I am so against aagression between natons. My heart bleeds for all the fallen in Ukraine, both sides. As in all wars. But I am a very proud Brit, more than grateful to the technogy and people who try to keep the UK and its dependants safe and independant. EXCELLENT video Mark. Thank you.
When we read about the Falklands War in school around year 2000 I first thought that it was a fiction book. It just felt so unreal that the UK and Argentina would go to war over an island I didn’t know existed.
I believe the yanks made available the latest version of their Sidewinder which had faster lock-on and made quicker turns. This was a great help and no doubt provided good sales pr for the missile.
Argentine here. Yes, the brits had those yankee missiles fresh from factory, their most important advantage was all-position lock on target. Our fighter pilots had older french missiles that only locks on target directly from behind at the exaust, plus the Mirage delta wings are high speed interceptors, not agile dogfighters. Not to mention our pilots had to fly from the continent and back and they had fuel for only minutes of combat. The Harriers had an enormous advantage air-to-air in the conflict.
@@Stewpot-p5l I'm not a native english speaker but I'm pretty sure my comment is very clear. Even with older AIM-9B (equivalent to the old R.550 Magic in the Mirage IIIEA), british pilots would still had many advantages air-to-air, and your good old helis went down with the Atlantic Conveyor or were hunted down by Pucará pilots. It's a real shame your magnificent L-85 bullpup was not ready in time for Malvinas, it would fared very well against our obsolete cold-forged FALs and FAPs for sure!
Thanks for this.. HMS Invincible visited NZ in the 80's and a guy I know was Tactical Radar Operator on it during the Falklands War he didn't know if he was going to live or die!.. I have the book by Dave Morgan interesting read... we have a GR-3 Harrier in a museum here 👍🇳🇿
Never again in my life will I love an aircraft so much, and what it did. RIP Sharkey :( Shocking we spent all that money to upgrade the FRS only to scrap it.
Years back. Had the thrill of privately owned harrier swoop down and due a 360 100yds away from me on a airshow course boat. One of the most awesomest things I've ever experienced.
I went to this museum a few years ago and saw the Harrier. They also had a Pucará, thought it'd've been better to have the Sea Harrier 'chasing' the Pucará as it closed in for a cannon kill.
I remember the song "Red Skies At Night" by The Fixx. Supposedly written about the conflict. still one of my favorite tunes. I was about 15 years old when this happened and I remember reading everything I could about it.
Some added detail: The Pucara pilot who Sharkey shot down was called Major Tomba. Sharkey was so impressed with his determination to try to save his irreplaceable aircraft, sticking with it until the second engine had bene shot out, that when he got back to HMS INVINCIBLE (Mark..😉) he recommended the pilot for a medal. The request was passed to Argentina via diplomatic channels, though i don't know if he ever got the medal. Tomba was captured by British forces and taken to the landing site at San Carlos Water, where British medics were struggling to treat Argentine wounded who didn't speak Engish and were refusing treatment because they didn't trust the British. Tomba, being bilingual, was asked to help with this but initially refused to cooperate. Then somebody recognised his name and pointed out that he'd been recommended for a medal by the guy who shot him down. That changed his attitude to the British and he agreed to act as a translator in the field hospital, which may have saved many lives. The operation to shoot down the C-130 was very carefully judged. As soon as it went dark, HMS Invincible steamed as far west as she could, just south of the islands, and launched the Sea Harriers, which could now ventrure into airspace that the Argentine Air Force considered out of reach. She then turned around and steamed north east again in order to be out of range of Argentine attack by first light. The trouble was that when the Sea Harriers got back to her, critically short of fuel, she'd steamed into a fog bank, they couldn't find her, and both ship and aircraft were observing radio and radar silence with runinig lights out. However men on deck reported that they could hear the aircraft, so J.J. Black, Invincible's captain, took a calculated risk and switch the deck landing and flood light on. Sharkey said that when he landed on Invincible's stern and got out, the fog was so thick that he couldn't see the bridge! it's worth noting that ONLY a Harrier (or an F-35B) could have pulled that off: the most sophisticated CTOL fighter in the world at the time couldn't have landed on in such low visibility, indeed it's only recently become possible at all. If they'd been in F-18As, they'd have had to ditch.
Ironic that someone so personable to recommend an enemy pilot for a medal would shoot down a transport knowing full well the crew would have no chance of bailing.
@@wiiconsole2it’s bizarre for non combatants to moralise the behaviour of pilots in action, to follow that flawed behaviour how would he be judged if the C130 had another Exocet battery or AA system which went on to kill his compatriots?
@@wiiconsole2 The SHAR crews had agreed to try to force C-130 crews to ditch rather than shooting them down, but when he encountered this one Sharkey was nearly at bingo fuel and considerable risks had been taken by HMS Invincible to get him as far west as he was, so there was no time to muck around. At the end of the day, that C-130 could have come back the day after, loaded with ammo for the Argentine troops that they would then have used to kill British soldiers. Enemy logistics are fair game in war: do you object to Ukrainian drones taking out unarmed Russian supply trucks too?
Mark as usual you have outdone yourself. The Falkland Island (Las Malvinas) was an unfair fight as it put Professional Royal Navy and Royal Marines Personnel against Amateur Argentinian conscripts and their not-so-competent Military Leaders. Although courageous, Argentinian pilots were no match for experienced Royal Navy (and Air Force) Pilots. The F35 Joint Strike Fighter is loosely modeled after the excellent Harrier with its Vertical take-off, Landing, and multi-role capability.
I rmbr a Friday morning in mid lecture back in late 1996 / early 1997 a pair of Harriers flying over Westminster as a final salute to the lead designer - engineer following his passing. Tangent … met some 847NAS guys in early 2011 and enjoyed the conversations on the Sqd history in the Falklands.
STUPID ERROR ALERT: I keep saying HMS Illustrious when I meant to say HMS Invincible. Please forgive this forced error!
2nd times i noticed dr felton did small error..but rarely..maybe he did travel alot lately and tired
You're forgiven.
Mark……you’re only human ! 🫡
we wont, also boring videos lately
I hate to say it but there's an image of A4 Skyhawks in there labelled as IAI Daggers too. You should've uploaded tomorrow and been able to blame it on being a Monday. 😉
RIP Sharkey, Dr Felton immortalized you with this video, making me and many others aware of your heroic flying career.
He is already well known.
I never tire of hearing Falklands air combat stories.
You ever hear the one where it saved the UK from irrelevancy?
Rest in peace, Sharkey Ward
Indeed.
Much respect for him from the USA as well. Since he was also a F4 Phantom pilot I can imagine him comparing notes with Robin Olds on the combat effectiveness of the two different platforms.
From what I have read, he never got over his son who took his own life and I can quite well understand that 🙏
Fly High Sharkey.
I bought his book "sea harriers over falklands" many years ago(a most excellent and recommended read) and was much amused to find he and I shared the same vitriol for REMFs 😂
@@punkypink83 It's on my Book list of one's to order and one I will look forward to.
Served my apprenticeship on the last of the RAF’s harriers, great memories of an aircraft from a time before my own
Greetings, Brother. I was apprenticed [''Catagory A''] on the first Harriers, AV8As [Gr.50] with VMA-231. There were no formal Harrier tech schools yet, so they sent me to a working squadron for OJT. I was an Avionics troubleshooter.
I served my apprenticeship at Brough on the Buccaneer, then the Harriers.
My father, Lt Cdr Doug Taylor, conceived of and designed the Ski Jump (more complex that it looks - he took a year's sabbatical at Southampton University to do the calculations). It proved crucial to the outcome of the Falklands War, enabling Harriers to take off with a full complement of fuel and weapons. He made himself unpopular with the RN top brass, who wanted to keep their big aircraft carriers and it took him 10 years to convince them to back his idea. Southampton University awarded him an MPhil for his work; the Queen gave him an MBE and the Admiralty made an 'interim payment' of £25k for his contribution. The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm museum at Yeovilton has a mock-up of a ski jump with a Sea Harrier taking off but, apart from that, there's no mention of the Ski Jump or my father anywhere. Surprising, as he was one of their own and the Ski Jump was a notable success for the Fleet Air Arm.
Thank you for your service and contribution to naval history sir 🏴👍🏻
I was told that he got the £25,000 because the 'ski-jump' provided some very valuable storage space under the jump.
@@fredericksaxton3991 That too.
Had the pleasure of meeting Sharky Ward and Surgeon Rick Jolly at Holborn library at an Air Britain meet in the late 80's. I was with some work colleagues from Holborn Police Station. We invited them to our local, the Queens Head and was pleased they said yes. Was thrilled, had Sharky Ward one side at the bar and Rick Jolly the other side. Never forget that night. Great blokes.
Both Sadly no longer with us. Surgeon Commander Rick Jolly was a true Humanitarian officer, who was respected by all who met him, regardless of uniform.
@@stephensmith4480 Never seen a bad word written about Surgeon Commander Rick Jolly. There is an excerpt in "Above All Courage" by a sailor who was drowning and unable to get to the basket lowered to him by a helicopter and just as he gave up he was pulled to the surface by Jolly who had jumped from said helicopter to get to him.
@@goodshipkaraboudjan 💯% My friend. He was awarded I think it was the Order of Merit by the Argentinian Government for his treatment of their wounded soldiers. The only person to be given an award by Both sides. That speaks volumes.
@@stephensmith4480 Not wrong mate, that honour is a measure of the man.
@@goodshipkaraboudjan 👍👍
Sharky was court martialed for very low level flying. What people don't fully realise, is that this was the vital experience required for him, years later, enabling him to fly at 10' AGL, to achieve a kill! Good work that man, you make me proud to be British!
You just can't fly any old place. That's why they have designated exercise area. And for safety they have altitude limits.
@@WALTERBROADDUSand there's no such thing in real combat....pilots that push themselves and their aircraft in and out of combat win real fights
Pilots that never do win good conduct awards and graves in wartime.
@@Manco65 you don't do air shows over people's houses. And being Reckless, kills many of them.
@@Manco65the Italians used to do ‘unofficial airshows’ and ‘low flights’ over and near family, girlfriends, and so on. A lot of them paid the price: hitting trees, hills, mountains and didn’t live to tell. There’s a time and place for low flying.
@@pjotrtje0NL rammstein air base disaster a case in point
Aviation nerd here. At 8:05 those are not IAI Dagger (Israeli version of Mirage 5) but a pair of Douglas A-4 Skyhawks...
Beat me to it!
Yeah I caught that one too!
They're in pretty colors though 😂
perfect way to generate engagement, post a mistake.
@@bensmith7536 just try to help him. I don't care about you or your mental issues
The Falklands guys are now starting to leave us and now is the time to interview them Rick Jolly Sharkey ect were remarkable men and were so important God bless them and I thank them all for what was achieved in 1982 please do more Falklands stuff
I served with a Sharkey Ward in 1974 at HMS Osprey, naval air station Portland in Dorset. He was a chopper pilot and a Lt. It's been a long time since those days and a few of the guys I served with were killed in the Falklands but the photo of him is an older version of the Sharkey I knew and he was a good bloke even though an officer.
Sharky looks just like a bloody pirate! Good show!
aaaarrrrrrrrrr!
Agreed. He looks like a true warrior in that picture. I bet he loved every minute of his time in the Falklands.
My family and I have made several trips to the museum it is a very interesting and educational afternoon out, there is a small cafe there I recall, well worth a visit
There is a Falklands War Veteran Sea Harrier on display at the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at Old Sarum airfield with 4 victories. The aircraft is Sea Harrier XZ457.
RIP Sharky, thank you for your service.
What a man sharky was RIP, We need more brave men like him, thanks for sharing Mark cheers 🥂
Cheers from Patagonia, Argentina.
Ward came to St Louis to talk to the Harrier team at McDonnell Douglas about his experiences in the Falklands. I remember he described how tough the C-130 was. He said he hit it with a Sidewinder that set one engine on fire and emptied his entire magazine of cannon shells into the fuselage from such close range that he knew every round was a hit, and he could see splashes on the water from them after they'd gone through and through the target aircraft. Only after all of that did the C-130 finally go down. It was the first time we'd heard actual combat stories about Harriers (granted, Sea Harriers that we'd had nothing to do with building, but still) and it made a deep impression on me, which is why I remember it 40+ years later.
Anyone who earnt a SAMA medal is truly worthy of admiration
That conflict was a serious test of our ability and highlighted some pretty outdated kit, but as we have historically, we dug in, got on with it and were victorious, although nobody wins in war
The real downside of losing the real carriers, thank you Denis Healey and Harold Wilson, was not so much the loss of the Phantoms and Buccaneers, but the Gannets. Because the loss of a flying AEW radar aircraft meant that the Argentines could sneak up close to the Taskforce by flying low. Had the Gannet still been available even the regular Harriers could have dealt with the Skyhawks and Super Etendards and intercepted way ahead before they got within range of the fleet, because they would be detected far earlier. Now the fleet was left vulnerable and the carriers had to be stationed so far west they were nicknamed taskforce Capetown, severely limiting CAP time over the Falklands and the ships engaged in the San Carlos landing.
You are so right.
On paper logically the U.K. should have lost, but for Brit Grit !
The Royal Navy is fiscally worse off than they were 50 years ago.
Yes, but you also must acknowledge that the SHAR got more flying time due to the sea state in the South Atlantic, where VSTOL aircraft were more suited. You’re right though; the AEW is still a great hole that hasn’t been replaced.
@@mrjonnylowes I can see a AEW tilt Rotor in the future.
@@WALTERBROADDUS absolutely, let’s hope it’s brought in planned and implemented and not under an urgent operational requirement.
In the late 80s, I had a job teaching English in Frankfurt. I had a long break, so I decided to walk up to the Zeil to have lunch. On the way, I went by the Frankfurter Hof, a well-known hotel. A large crowd was in front, and I asked what the deal was. "Maggie Thatcher--ze Iron Lady!" was the answer. I waited and waited, and finally left for the Zeil. I had lunch and did some window shopping. As I passed the Frankfurter Hof on the way back, a limousine pulled up and out got Margaret Thatcher who did that palm-up Queen wave. Talk about timing.
After the war, Galtieri could only inspect his air force from a glass-bottomed boat.
She was a great friend to Reagan and to America🇺🇸🇬🇧.
@@bill9540 We desperatly need someone like her now.
@@mickc7388 Kamala is coming to the rescue ☺️
@@bill9540 Hahaha
ive got all of the Falkland's magazines , i was ten when it happened , excellent video , thank you
Thank you very much for the reference to the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum. I had never hard of it but it looks well worth visiting (and donating to).
I remember Brian Hanrahan's "I counted them all out, and I counted them all back.", wow 42 years ago!
I was woken, while serving in Hameln, and having my parka taken, with everyone elses, no reason being given - this was before the task force was announced. It caused a lot of rumours if I remember correctly!
Our Arctic gear went down with the Atlantic Conveyor.
@@ECPBigD There is a memorial here in my home city of Liverpool to her Crew, a lot of who came from here 🙏🙏
@@ECPBigD And our recently issued, then withdrawn, Clansman radios.
Historic words and not the sort you'd hear from any bbc reporter these days. Too many with political bias to push ahead of actual reporting
Thank God for the Sea Harrier and the RAF Harriers, i served with 42RM during that brief conflict it was a hard battle but we won with minimal losses
Mark, you Brits seem to produce more than your share of colourful, badass warriors. Keep up the good work!
Wow, 42 years ago. I remember this during my current events class
I remember as a young air cadet in the 1980s sitting outside in my maewest life jacket and parachute patiently waiting for my Chipmunk flight. Then there was all this commotion and all our flights were put on hold as 2 Harriers flew in, one of them had to make an emergency landing after a bird strike as the other circled the airfield.
All I can say is the Harrier is one of the loudest aircraft I've ever heard, an amazing aircraft.
Another great video Mark.
I was a little boy when the Falklands War occurred, I remember watching news about the task force steaming out to take back the islands and rescue the civilians there. Being American, I heard lots of anti-British comments regarding the whole affair. I never got the whole story until finding Dr. Felton's channel. As always your research educates, illuminates, and venerates. Thank you Dr. Felton for all your hard work.
Most interesting , Mark . I was based at Lyneham during the conflict . The incoming Hercules ' cargo wasn't always pleasant . Later , I always enjoyed watching the Sea Harriers flying in and out of , Dunsfold aerodrome in Surrey . The Dagger , I believe has been produced in many guises , ; The IAI Kfir , and , the Atlas Cheetah . Much respect to "Sharky " . RIP , and thanks for your service .
I'm Australian and love your channel, I had the pleasure of sitting in a Harrier Jump Jet at the Avalon Airshow. I told my English father in law how Proud I was!
Thank you for this video. Regrettably, I had little to no understanding around the Falklands War. This isn't the first time your videos have led me to fresh insights and perspectives.
I actually have Sharkey Ward's book on the flying the sea harrier and Falkland's conflict. Very interesting read and in it he was none to complimentary of the Admiralty ...
Great story Sharkey and the Harrier - looks like a very nice museum too -lots of planes
I remember watching that episode of Pebble Mill as a young lad.
After that I was fascinated with aviation, even to this day.
RIP Sharkey...
Another great production Dr. Mark!!! Many thanks for posting!
We have an air museum just up the road with a Pucara and a Sea Harrier in its inventory. The former was found in Port Stanley after hostilities ceased and taken off the island.
Thank you again, Mark! Cheers!
"I counted them all out, and I counted them all back."
Reporter Brian Hanrahan's memorable quote that still resonates today.
i seem to remember the presence of a reporter broadcasting the aircrafts movements was not taken well.
Brian was a great reporter on this conflict and went into history with those words. These days the woke BBC would be siding with the Argentinians and criticising the Navy, RAF and Army 😡
Fantastic. Great service record. Would love to hear more Falklands stories. I remember watching it as live news. 👍
Thank you good Dr for brining us another interesting and informative video about a particular interest of mine.
The Falklands 👍👍
I love Harriers, would love to see that museum. I could walk around there all day ❤
Point of order, Mark
The Sea Harriers were retired in 2006 but surplus and cascaded RAF Harriers remained onboard until _Ark Royal_ was decommissioned in 2010
There are still a few at HMS Sultan, in Gosport, for the Royal Naval Air Engineering School (visible on Google Maps).
Thank you for your service Sir.
A design feature that assisted the Harrier in a turning dog fight is that the engine vents were beneath the wing.
This provided a measure of protection against old style infra red seeking missiles which required a hot zone for the seeker to provide a lock, unlike the all aspect Aim 9L sidewinder.
I remember the Falklands War. The US news carried it pretty extensively. One of the problems was the distance. There really wasn't any way you guys could slip up on them, unawares. I think you did pretty well.
It was a much closer thing than many care to admit.
@@Jabber-ig3iwNot really. The British were vastly outnumbered, thousands of miles from home with all the problems that brings in supply lines. On paper the Argentinians should of won. But it was a third world military vs a first world one. Besides, I've seen written in a few books how PM MT had parked a couple of nuclear armed submarines within range of Buenos Aires should it have gone tits up.
There was a large amount of bravery displayed by both argentines and british in this conflict. Even though argetines Lost the conflict and had issues in the tactics, their air force was not a donkey court.
Many thanks for sharing. Please feel free to contact me as I have hours of film and recording of Sharkey. From his youngest son, Ashton.
I got to say he looked the part too! Central casting couldn’t find a better gruff experienced fighter pilot than Sharkey!
My hometown is CFB Trenton (I have epilepsy so no flying for me) and we would have amazing air shows in the 80's. The Harrier was always one of my favorites, no matter which model it was.
Love Flixton Museum, a proper labour of love.
Thanks for covering the Dr Mark. Sharkey was a real life hero. RiP Sharkey.
From court martial to decorated fighter pilot😎
Fly High Sharkey.
For anyone who hasn't already, his book "Sea Harriers over Falklands" is a highly recommended read. I've had my copy for over 15 years.
I can thoroughly recommend Ward's book "Sea Harrier over the Falklands."
Veey interesting read.
Well done Britain ! Great job Sharkey Ward ! I like the way he retired to Grenada , likely enjoyed the climate , and slowly faded into history. Salute'
Not really the same climate, there's penguins in the Falklands brother, they were freezing to death.
Climate is similar to here a bit wet a bit sunny , but the south Atlantic storms are another story😮😂
@@stuartburgess6945 Well TY. I was thinking of the mostly tropical climate
of the Caribbean , warm and sometimes wet like.....our rainforests.
I read Sharkey Ward's book. A very good insight into that combat situation
It was never sold in the Fleet Air Arm museum book shop. It was too critical of RN and RAF senior officers for their liking.
My favourite paragraph in his book related how the crew of the Black Buck 2 forgot to arm the bombs and dropped 21,000 lbs of inert metal on to Stanley airfield
Respect to this fine warrior. Rest in peace.
It was HMS Invincible, not Illustrious.
I do, see pinned comment.
First! A lot of Argentines consider Sharkey an executor for his shooting down of a surveillance Hercules. I personally think Sharky embodies a true warrior focused on engaging the enemy and winning the battle. I despise war and regret the losses on both sides, I think it's unfair to accuse Sharkey of wrongdoing in that incident.
That's laughable. Not directed to you, but to the Argentine claim.
If Hercules was a military plane in a war zone, playing a military role. To say that it's wrong to shoot it down, shows dishonesty, or a complete lack of understanding of war.
@@Tjalve70 My thoughts exactly!
@@Tjalve70Argentina seems to pretend every death on their side a war crime. The fact Belgrano is seen as *remotely* controversial is just silly
Sharkey Ward actually chatted with the son of the downed Hercules pilot on a Caribbean radio station a few years back. As far as he & the Task Force were concerned, the Hercules had to be stopped resupplying Port Stanley. However, the RN Harrier pilots agreed among themselves that they would signal first to the Hercules to ditch themselves and save their lives. They were uncomfortable with the idea of shooting an unarmed plane. In the case of the downed Hercules that Sharkey shot down, he literally was at fuel limit and had no time to signal to the crew to ditch. So he had to take the shot.
War is a bitch. Isn't it.
The 'Daggers' are in fact A4 Skyhawks at the 8:07 mark. The plane at the 8:24 mark is a Dagger.
I can’t believe it’s been 42 years
Me either. I remember listening to the war reports on the Beeb when I was in middle school…
Ditto. I remember a teacher coming into my classroom and saying 'gentlemen, we are at war.'
goes quick doesn't it, I was 16 at the time
Sharkey Ward was like superman to me as a child I was absolutely obsessed with anything Falklands (I was born in 83’) a brilliant no nonsense pilot and he made me so proud to be British 🇬🇧
As soon as I had first heard of the Falklands War I’ve been enamored with it. A modern conflict fought between two distant nations where no other nations involved themselves.Incredible feat of the Royal armed forces to complete such an undertaking. I fear that the modern United Kingdom could not pull off such a feat again.
Well as an argentinian i will say the same thing, argentina since that war didnt invested a cent into the air force, army and navy.
"no other nations involved themselves"... Argentine here. You need to know that Chile was a BIG part of the conflict, the US provided full intel, satellite info and the latest missiles for the brits, the URSS provided us with their satellite info on the position of the brit vessels and Perú gave to us some soviet portatile AA missile launchers and were ready to send some 4000 voluntaries for combat. The Malvinas War is a VERY VERY present thing here, some of the worst things you can do in Argentina is dispute our rights on the South Atlantic or call the islands "Falklands". Every veteran from the war is revered as a national hero here. And the Invincible was very damaged by our pilots, the UK still says it was not hitted but it's a lie.
There is a F4 Phantom at a local museum near where I live with two Mig kills made during the Vietnam War. It's a rare but thought provoking sight.
Which museum?
@@wessexdruid7598 Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum. Unfortunately It's not as good as it used to be due to budgetary reasons.
Spitfire Mk.1a X4009 is being restored to airworthy status in Australia. Pat Hughes got 10 kills in that airframe but sadly died in X4009.
Fascinating, my wife and I discovered we were both fascinated by the Falklands war (we were both in high school, albeit in different towns) at the time of the conflict. I hope that Dr. Felton brings us more content regarding this conflict - especially since the Argentines are once again making threatening noises about those islands.
The Harrier might be my favorite aircraft. Great history, Dr. Felton!
Watched this video yesterday and I've today just come back from that museum. Great to see the Harrier and all the other stuff, and it's well worth a visit.
I remember it well. The Iron Lady showed some mettle sending a very weakened UK force to fight so far from home. There was a lot of doubt whether they could defeat the Argentine forces. I always liked her. Tough woman.
Wonderful upload Dr Mark👌
Always educational & entertaining.
Thanks so much.
Mark, great job personalizing the air to air situation with a review of Sharkey Ward's triumphs. I'm doing a series on the Falkland Islands War and my generic reviews lack this personalized attention to detail, exceptional method, thanks for the idea. Cheers
I was young (10) but I remember well those times - well before the Web and instant news. we were watching on TV how this conflict was doing, rooting for the valiant British. and the Sea Harriers (as well as the Vulcans) were impressive in our minds.
I am so against aagression between natons. My heart bleeds for all the fallen in Ukraine, both sides. As in all wars.
But I am a very proud Brit, more than grateful to the technogy and people who try to keep the UK and its dependants safe and independant.
EXCELLENT video Mark. Thank you.
When we read about the Falklands War in school around year 2000 I first thought that it was a fiction book. It just felt so unreal that the UK and Argentina would go to war over an island I didn’t know existed.
Dile a tu Rey que las devuelva y seremos amigos para siempre.
@@vicenteorozcosantacreuNo creo que sepan donde estan hoy en dia
Pero ellos prefieren dejarse matar por inmigrantes ilegales que a cedernos las islas
Sharkey was and shall remain a legend ✌️
I believe the yanks made available the latest version of their Sidewinder which had faster lock-on and made quicker turns. This was a great help and no doubt provided good sales pr for the missile.
Argentine here. Yes, the brits had those yankee missiles fresh from factory, their most important advantage was all-position lock on target. Our fighter pilots had older french missiles that only locks on target directly from behind at the exaust, plus the Mirage delta wings are high speed interceptors, not agile dogfighters. Not to mention our pilots had to fly from the continent and back and they had fuel for only minutes of combat. The Harriers had an enormous advantage air-to-air in the conflict.
@@me.ne.frego. You can be proud of your air force, they were a deadly adversary!
@@me.ne.frego.if it was just down to the missile then an old helicopter would have done the job for our dogfighter
@@Stewpot-p5l I'm not a native english speaker but I'm pretty sure my comment is very clear. Even with older AIM-9B (equivalent to the old R.550 Magic in the Mirage IIIEA), british pilots would still had many advantages air-to-air, and your good old helis went down with the Atlantic Conveyor or were hunted down by Pucará pilots. It's a real shame your magnificent L-85 bullpup was not ready in time for Malvinas, it would fared very well against our obsolete cold-forged FALs and FAPs for sure!
Excellent, still get a lump in my throat over that.
Thank you Mark this was interesting. I had never heard of that museum before, I will have to pay it a visit at some point
Dr Felton you are the best
He wrote a brilliant book. Great man.
Brilliant video, Flixton used to be in my delivery area many years ago, drove by the museum many times but have never been in, i will do so now.
My kind of video.....Thank you Sir.....
Old Shoe🇺🇸
Great video. May all those who perished serving their countries rest in peace. From Ireland ☘️
I highly recommend a 4 part interview on here with Ward all about the conflict and Sea Harrier
Thanks for this.. HMS Invincible visited NZ in the 80's and a guy I know was Tactical Radar Operator on it during the Falklands War he didn't know if he was going to live or die!.. I have the book by Dave Morgan interesting read... we have a GR-3 Harrier in a museum here 👍🇳🇿
Never again in my life will I love an aircraft so much, and what it did. RIP Sharkey :( Shocking we spent all that money to upgrade the FRS only to scrap it.
Holy Falk. The Harriers were no joke
Thank you for sharing. Amazing story. RIP.
Years back. Had the thrill of privately owned harrier swoop down and due a 360 100yds away from me on a airshow course boat. One of the most awesomest things I've ever experienced.
You made my Sunday afternoon enjoyable by posting this video. Very enjoyable andf informative!
Now I feel old because I still remember watching that on TV as it happened as a kid during my Freshman year in high school
I went to this museum a few years ago and saw the Harrier. They also had a Pucará, thought it'd've been better to have the Sea Harrier 'chasing' the Pucará as it closed in for a cannon kill.
I remember the song "Red Skies At Night" by The Fixx. Supposedly written about the conflict. still one of my favorite tunes. I was about 15 years old when this happened and I remember reading everything I could about it.
brilliant.. Love it... Thanks so much Mark.... was always fascinated by this Falklands story ..Real British heroes... RIP Sharkey
Thank you for sharing!
Some added detail:
The Pucara pilot who Sharkey shot down was called Major Tomba. Sharkey was so impressed with his determination to try to save his irreplaceable aircraft, sticking with it until the second engine had bene shot out, that when he got back to HMS INVINCIBLE (Mark..😉) he recommended the pilot for a medal. The request was passed to Argentina via diplomatic channels, though i don't know if he ever got the medal. Tomba was captured by British forces and taken to the landing site at San Carlos Water, where British medics were struggling to treat Argentine wounded who didn't speak Engish and were refusing treatment because they didn't trust the British. Tomba, being bilingual, was asked to help with this but initially refused to cooperate. Then somebody recognised his name and pointed out that he'd been recommended for a medal by the guy who shot him down. That changed his attitude to the British and he agreed to act as a translator in the field hospital, which may have saved many lives.
The operation to shoot down the C-130 was very carefully judged. As soon as it went dark, HMS Invincible steamed as far west as she could, just south of the islands, and launched the Sea Harriers, which could now ventrure into airspace that the Argentine Air Force considered out of reach. She then turned around and steamed north east again in order to be out of range of Argentine attack by first light. The trouble was that when the Sea Harriers got back to her, critically short of fuel, she'd steamed into a fog bank, they couldn't find her, and both ship and aircraft were observing radio and radar silence with runinig lights out. However men on deck reported that they could hear the aircraft, so J.J. Black, Invincible's captain, took a calculated risk and switch the deck landing and flood light on. Sharkey said that when he landed on Invincible's stern and got out, the fog was so thick that he couldn't see the bridge! it's worth noting that ONLY a Harrier (or an F-35B) could have pulled that off: the most sophisticated CTOL fighter in the world at the time couldn't have landed on in such low visibility, indeed it's only recently become possible at all. If they'd been in F-18As, they'd have had to ditch.
And yet - Sharkey was very strongly against the purchase of F-35s, in favour of off-the-shelf F-18s; he wrote to newspapers about it, IIRC.
Ironic that someone so personable to recommend an enemy pilot for a medal would shoot down a transport knowing full well the crew would have no chance of bailing.
@@wiiconsole2it’s bizarre for non combatants to moralise the behaviour of pilots in action, to follow that flawed behaviour how would he be judged if the C130 had another Exocet battery or AA system which went on to kill his compatriots?
@@wessexdruid7598 I suspect that he thought at the time that that was the only way we'd end up with any aircraft at all.
@@wiiconsole2 The SHAR crews had agreed to try to force C-130 crews to ditch rather than shooting them down, but when he encountered this one Sharkey was nearly at bingo fuel and considerable risks had been taken by HMS Invincible to get him as far west as he was, so there was no time to muck around.
At the end of the day, that C-130 could have come back the day after, loaded with ammo for the Argentine troops that they would then have used to kill British soldiers. Enemy logistics are fair game in war: do you object to Ukrainian drones taking out unarmed Russian supply trucks too?
Always excellent videos!
Mark as usual you have outdone yourself. The Falkland Island (Las Malvinas) was an unfair fight as it put Professional Royal Navy and Royal Marines Personnel against Amateur Argentinian conscripts and their not-so-competent Military Leaders. Although courageous, Argentinian pilots were no match for experienced Royal Navy (and Air Force) Pilots. The F35 Joint Strike Fighter is loosely modeled after the excellent Harrier with its Vertical take-off, Landing, and multi-role capability.
I rmbr a Friday morning in mid lecture back in late 1996 / early 1997 a pair of Harriers flying over Westminster as a final salute to the lead designer - engineer following his passing.
Tangent … met some 847NAS guys in early 2011 and enjoyed the conversations on the Sqd history in the Falklands.
10 ft off the DECK! HOLLY CRAP! How that Harrier could carry his balls is amazing!