Falklands War
The squadron operated Twelve Sea Harrier FRS.1s aboard HMS Hermes during the Falklands War under the command of Commander Lt Cdr Andy Auld. The Squadron was supplemented by eight pilots and seven aircraft from 899 NAS. Later in the conflict four aircraft and pilots were transferred from 809 NAS. From an Air Combat perspective' 800 Squadron were effective to the extent of shooting down Thirteen Argentine Aircraft and Destroying Three more on the Ground.
1 May 1982 A Pucara of FAA Grupo 3 destroyed and two more damaged and not repaired at Goose Green by CBU's by Lt Cmdr Frederiksen, Lt Hale and Lt McHarg RN. Lt Jukic killed in the destroyed aircraft. Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down over East Falkland by Flt Lt Penfold RAF using Sidewinder. Lt Ardiles (Cousin of the Footballer Osvaldo Ardiles) killed.
21 May 1982 Two A-4C Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 4 shot down near Chartres, West Falkland by Lt Cmdr Blissett and Lt Cmdr Thomas RN using Sidewinders. Lt Lopez and Lt Manzotti killed. Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down near Teal River Inlet, West Falkland by Lt Cmdr Frederiksen RN using Sidewinder. Lt Luna ejected. A-4Q Skyhawks of CANA 3 Esc shot down near Swan Island in Falkland Sound by Lt Morrell RN using Sidewinder. Lt Cmdr Philippi ejected. In same attack A-4Q Skyhawk shot down near Swan Island in Falkland Sound by Flt Lt Leeming RAF using 30mm cannon. Lt Marquez was killed.
23 May 1982 Puma SA.330L of CAB 601 flew into ground near Shag Cove House, West Falkland attempting to evade Flt Lt Morgan RAF. Agusta A-109A of CAB 601 destroyed on ground in the same incident, by Flt Lt Morgan and Flt Lt Leeming RAF using 30mm cannon. Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down over Pebble Island by Lt Hale RN using Sidewinder. Lt Volponi killed
24 May 1982 Two Dagger A of FAA Grupo 6 shot down north of Pebble Island by Lt Cmdr Auld and a third by Lt D Smith using Sidewinder. Maj Puga and Capt Diaz ejected, but Lt Castillo killed.
8 June 1982 Two A-4B Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 5 shot down over Choiseul Sound by Flt Lt Morgan RAF and a third by Lt D Smith, using Sidewinders. Lt Arraras, Lt Bolzan and Ensign Vazquez killed.
Surface Ship
9 May 1982 Flt Lt Morgan and Lt Cdr Batt dropped 1000 lb bombs at the Spy trawler Narwal, when their original target of Port Stanley airfield was obscured by cloud, one bomb lodged in the trawler's hull before they raked it with 30mm cannon fire. Narwhal sank under tow the following day.
Read more about this topic: 800 Naval Air Squadron
Famous quotes containing the words falklands and/or war:
“If we were doing this in the Falklands they would love it. It’s part of our heritage. The British have always been fighting wars.”
—British soccer fan. quoted in Independent (London, Dec. 23, 1988)
“This is a war universe. War all the time. That is its nature. There may be other universes based on all sorts of other principles, but ours seems to be based on war and games.”
—William Burroughs (b. 1914)