Description
Object description
Audio diary recorded by commanding officer of 801 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Invincible in South Atlantic during Falklands War, 4/1982-6/1982
Content description
REEL 1 Audio diary recorded by commanding officer of 801 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Arm aboard HMS Invincible in South Atlantic during Falklands War, 4/1982-6/1982: 5/4/1982: reaction to send off of Naval Task Force; start of combat training; morale; attitude to Lord Carrington's resignation; members of squadron; anticipated role of squadron; sings parody of song 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' composed by 820 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm; reasons for recording audio diary; need for unit to get onto war footing; disappointment in rejection of John Nott's resignation; talking to journalists on board; adjusting to demands and pressures of war. 6/4/1982: poor flying conditions; outcome of conversation with Lieutenant Mike 'Soapy' Watson. 7/4/1982: day's activities; achievements of squadron; briefing duties; opinion of squadron's readiness. 9/4/1982: previous day's meeting on board HMS Hermes; air intercept role of squadron; missile firing practice; night flying.
REEL 2 Continues: opinion of Boscombe Down's testing of Hawker Siddeley Sea Harrier FRS.1; outcome of weapons testing. Saturday: reads part of progress report sent to Naval Task Force commander. Monday: review of weekend's activities; disarray amongst 800 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm; importance of influencing Captain Lin Middleton. 18/4/1982: belief Argentineans might still back down; problems with fuel during landing during night flying; further air combat and air intercept training and discussions; obtaining allocation of Aim-9 Sidewinder Missile; dissimilarities between Fleet Air Arm squadrons; opinion of his unit. 19/4/1982: opinion of performances in combat training operations involving HMS Hermes and 800 Naval Air Sqdn.
REEL 3 Continues: Airborne recording from cockpit during mock combat with 800 Naval Air Sqdn and comments. 20/4/1982: previous nights training exercise; question of 800 Naval Air Sqdn's lack of knowledge of weapons system; discussion with Captain Jeremy Black regarding media coverage; comments of air interception by 800 Naval Air Sqdn against Argentine Air Force reconnaissance aircraft; differing radar pick-ups between 800 and 801 Naval Air Sqdns; reaction to operational status of 800 Naval Air Sqdn; reaction to non-arrival of Aim-9 Sidewinder Missiles; equipping with automatic pistols. 23/4/1982: state of readiness; intercepting Argentinean reconnaissance aircraft; loss of helicopters removing Special Air Service from South Georgia; ditching of Westland Sea King helicopter and search for missing crewman; anxieties about role of HMS Hermes; Aim-9 Sidewinder Missile supply problems. 26/4/1982: attacks on Argentine Navy submarine ARA Santa Fe on South Georgia, 25/4/1982; reaction to recapture of South Georgia; receiving permission to shoot down Argentine Air Force reconnaissance aircraft; writing paper advising on role of Hawker Siddeley Sea Harriers; discussions with Lieutenant Commander Robin Kent on board HMS Hermes; questions aims of Task Force and role of Hawker Siddeley Sea Harrier squadrons.
REEL 4 Continues: 2/5/1982: air activities during 1/5/1982; Flight Lieutenant Paul Barton's first squadron kill; shooting down of Argentine Air Force English Electric Canberra by Lieutenant Al Curtis; air attacks on Port Stanley; further air activities; waiting for retaliation; daily routine, 2/5/1982. 9/5/1982: circumstances of strike on HMS Sheffield, 3/5/1982; death of Lieutenant Nick Taylor, 3/5/1982; opinion of allocation of aircraft from HMS Hermes; question of over-tasking of squadron, 4/5/1982; loss of squadron pilots in probable air to air collision, 6/5/1982; attacks on Darwin and Fox Bay; reaction to Royal Navy ship locking weapons onto his aircraft; question of staff's use of Hawker Siddeley Sea Harrier FRS1; question of 800 Naval Air Sqdn's performing aerobatics during combat air patrols.
REEL 5 Continues: attack and capture of Argentine Navy trawler ARA Narwal, 9/5/1982; accommodation of ARA Narwal's crew on board HMS Invincible. 11/5/1982: concerns over 800 Sqdn's use of radar and tasking; opinion of Staff Aviation Officer (SAO) Chris Hunneyball. 22/5/1982: strike on HMS Ardent; air combats and personal kills; squadron morale and kills. 25/5/1982: recap of previous days actions including Royal Navy losses; manning aircraft during attack on SS Atlantic Conveyor, 4/6/1982: levels of flying and fatigue; shooting down of Flight Lieutenant Ian Mortimer; loss of aircraft on frozen deck; chasing Argentine Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
REEL 6 Continues: shooting down of Argentine Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. Cockpit recording, 5/5/1982: Avro Vulcan strike on Stanley Airfield; Sea Harrier visual searches; shooting down of Lieutenant Nick Taylor; loss of HMS Sheffield; ineffectiveness of helicopter torpedoes; question of being tasked away from duties; question of frequencies being changed for security; opinion of command; further aspects of Naval Task Force operations; atmospheric and noises from cockpit.
REEL 7 Continues: atmosphere and noises from cockpit.