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Hi all -Sea Harrier XZ457 `14` - 800 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Hermes. 21/05/82 Lt Morrell shot down A-4 Skyhawk (0660) with a Sidewinder and damaged A-4 Skyhawk (0665) with cannon fire which crashed soon after. 24/05/82 Lt Cdr Auld shot down two Daggers (C-419 and C-430) with Sidewinders. Currently kept at the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection. -Sea Harrier ZA177 `77`- 809/800 Naval Air Squadron HMS Hermes. Flew to Ascension Island, embarked aboard Atlantic Conveyor, then flown off to HMS Hermes on arrival in South Atlantic. 08/06/82 Flt Lt Dave Morgan shot down A-4 Skyhawks C-226 and C-228. -Sea Harrier ZA190 `009` - 801 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Invincible. 21/05/82 Lt Steve Thomas shot down two Daggers (C-403 and C-404) -Sea Harrier XZ451 `006` - 801 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Invincible. 01/05/82 Lt Alan Curtis shot down Canberra (B-110). 21/05/82 Lt Cdr "Sharkey" Ward shot down Pucara (A-511). 01/06/82 Lt Cdr "Sharkey" Ward shot down C-130 Hercules (TC-63) using Sidewinder and cannon. Harrier GR.3 XZ997 `31` -1(F) Squadron RAF 04/05/82 Flew over 4,500 miles from the UK to Ascension Island, refueled en-route by Victor tankers. 06/05/82 Embarked Atlantic Conveyor. 18/05/82 Transferred from Atlantic Conveyor to HMS Hermes. 21/05/82 to 14/06/82 Carried out around twenty missions including armed reconnaissance, airfield denial, and close air support. Also carried out the first laser guided bomb (LGB) strikes of the war, and was engaged in such a strike (along with XZ133) when news of the Argentine surrender was relayed by a forward air controller and the strike cancelled. Post war XZ997 became part of 1 Squadron`s `Harrier Detachment` at RAF Stanley before returning to the UK. In 2003 XZ997 became a permanent exhibit at the RAF Museum, Hendon, still sporting several patches that were used to repair battle damage received during the Falklands War. Harrier GR.3 XZ133 `10` -1(F) Squadron RAF 29/05/82 Flew from UK to Ascension Island. 01/06/82 Over eight hour flight from Ascension Island direct to HMS Hermes, along with XV778. It took four Victor tankers to get the Harrier pair to HMS Hermes. 02/06/82-14/06/82 carried out strikes with rockets, bombs, and cluster bombs, supported by the `Blue Eric` ECM attachment in the area of the starboard gun pod. On 11th June, XZ133 narrowly avoided a SAM explosion during a strike. Built in 1976, XZ133 retired to it`s permanent home at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford in 1993, where it is still on display today. Sea Harrier
Bibliography XZ457
ZA177 ZA190 XZ451 Harrier GR.3 Bibliography
XZ997 XZ133 Others
Cheers, Ian
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Photos and text © by Ian Buick