Falklands War

Any of you guys, interested/collectings Falklands?

 

I have read a book on the air war and had always wondered what was the matter with the bombs used by the Argentine aircraft. They would hit Royal Navy ships but not explode or else pass through and explode on the other side of the ships. I wondered if it was a lack of training of the ground crew or perhaps the SAS did something to the bombs. I know the SAS was active in blowing up aircraft on the ground but I am sure they did more.

 

Its the only war I really have no idea about.

 

They were typically too low when they released their bombs and the bombs didnt "Arm" correctly. They were too busy dodging AA fire to concentrate.

The SAS didn't land on mainland Argentina so they had nothing to do with sabotaging bombs. If they had been there they would have destroyed the bombs in their magazines or the planes themselves.

 

Bomb fuzes had to much delay to arm, they should have been put on a shorter setting. Or if you are on the Brit side, you can say they were just perfect as they were

 

Who was that british Officer who got shot at the Battle of Goose green? Wasen't he one of the highest ranking officers to be killed by direct enemy combat?

 

Lt Col H Jones CO 2 Para. Yes he was the highest ranking casualty.

 

Lots of people are very controversial about the war.

 

Probalby the most controversial was the sinking of that Argentine ship, the Blegrado

 

some bits and bops I have gathered so far:

 

for anyone in the north east of england or visiting, a trip to the sunderland aircraft museum is worth making, not only is their a vulcan their but also a argentine puccara ground attack aircraft from the falklands conflict, it still has the bullets holes in it too.

 

...or Jones' VC!

(a nice WW2 link with the Belgrano , by the way - wasn't it an ex-USN vessel that survived Pearl Harbour (the name of which escapes me)?)

Dave

 

Philip.

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but that combat jacket ain't Falklands War vintage (that pattern wasn't seen until 3 years after).

Dave

 

Belgrano, actually. What's controversial about putting some dictator acting too big for his boots in his proper place? See if the 25 de Mayo ever left port after that!

The Belgrano was the former USS Phoenix, a Brooklin-class cruiser. She did survive Pearl Harbour!

 

Sorry - forgot to answer the original question. Yes, very (interested in, that is, not collecting - though I've always had my eyes on the Argie M1 steel pot behind the bar in one of my local pubs which was joined a few years back by an Iraqi equivalent). I've worked with, and/or know socially quite a few who fought in it too (in fact another pub near me is run by a II Para veteran who nearly missed Wireless Ridge (long story!)).

Dave

 

Have just finished "Sod that for a game"very good book a bout a 17 year old 3 para chap, who lost 3 of his friends at Mount Longdon.

 

excellent book their is also a website of the same name

 

Ahh, thanks. Not knowing it's former name has been bugging me for quite a while. And yes, I agree about it being controversial. Sure, it was outside the no-sail zone, but so what! Britain and Argentina where at war!

 

What was controversial about the Falklands war ??

British Sovereign territory was invaded and it's citizens threatened by a foreign country , we sailed 8000 miles and took it back, something that the Argentines totally misjudged due to the weakness of the British Foreign office , they thought we just wouldn't be bothered.

What was controversial about the Belgrano ? The only controversy was created by the Western press because it was sunk outside the Total exclusion zone which the British set up , but we changed our minds !! As Joe says there was a war going on.

The Argentine Navy to their credit have never complained about it's sinking as far as they are concerned it was a legitimate act of war , pure and simple no complaints ! What if the Belgrano had found the submarine that sank it HMS Conquerer on the surface would they have sailed merrily past waving and shouting greetings ? No they would have sunk it !

Regards

Paul

 

Hear, Hear!
Just think about when the Americans sunk the Yamato. It wasn't exactly controversial was it? But America was at war with Japan, and Britain was at war with Argentina. NO CONTROVERSY!