Harrier 809: Britain’s Legendary Jump Jet and the Untold Story of the Falklands War

As with the rest of the UK, I was gripped by events in the Falklands as they happened in 1982. We had good news coverage at the time but the whole truth cannot be told during such a campaign. The is the very best and most compelling account that I have come across. A thoroughly involving read.

Really enjoyed this book - have read several of his works and this is right up there.I’d recommend Sharky Ward’s book as a good companion read, as his personal experiences are well contextualised by this broader account.

Shows how unprepared we were due to Defence cuts by Government. Lack of war technology to combat Exocet missiles. These should have been examined years before to be able to defend against properly. Great defence with cobbled solutions and aircraft. Wonderful Harrier technology.Best in the world !

Absolutely brilliant read. Never knew most of the things that the author describes. Need to read Sharky Ward’s book next

I've been reading a few books on the Falklands conflict recently - refreshing my memory of something that I viewed from afar but participated in through my first job out of uni. This is a well-written and structured perspective of the conflict from the Harrier squadrons' viewpoint. Not that the Falklands is a forgotten issue, but it's easy to forget that it was closer in time to WW2 than it is to today. The technology, strategy and tactics are from a time that have shaped the present but seem quite remote now, especially as we have passed through the two Gulf conflicts and many lesser wars.This is readable as a novel or a sufficiently detailed history non-fiction. It covers aspects of Britain's unpreparedness but also it's ability to mobilise quickly, even if only with some sketchy ideas as part of the overall plan. The atmosphere is captured very well, as is the commitment of the flyers and all the forces that took part. A great read for me, one that I'd be happy to do again in a few years.

Rowland White does his research, so you can trust what you read.

Enjoyed the book excellent read

I really liked this book and couldn't put it down. I was a bit surprised that it covered, in some way, all aspects of the war and not soley the air effort. However, that was ok with me as I think that helped the story.