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Phoenix Squadron
HMS Ark Royal was the most powerful warship the Royal Navy had ever put to sea. 50,000 tons of British Sovereign Territory - a floating airfield that was home to 2700 men, a stockpile of nuclear weapons, and the most modern, capable air force in Europe. But by the early seventies, Ark Royal was in the twilight of her career. Only kept in service to help face down the Cold War threat from the powerful Soviet Navy, it seemed Ark would play no further part on the world's stage.Then, in January 1972, intelligence reached Whitehall that British Honduras - now Belize - was threatened with imminent invasion. To defend the colony Britain's response had to be immediate and unequivocal. And Ark Royal offered the only effective means of preventing the little Central American country being overrun by battle-hardened, US-trained Guatemalan paratroops. But to do so the old carrier would first have to endure a destructive, high-speed 1500 mile dash across the Atlantic towards the Gulf of Mexico. Only then would it be possible to execute an audacious, record-breaking plan to launch a pair of Buccaneers on an extraordinary and unprecedented long-range mission. It was an operation loaded with difficulty and danger.Drawing on many hours of interviews with the participants and previously unseen, classified documents here and abroad, Rowland White, bestselling author of "Vulcan 607" has pieced together this remarkable episode for the first time. And has brought to life a unique, unfamiliar and thrilling piece of post-war British military the world of the Fleet Air Arm's last Top Guns.
349 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
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268 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 7, 2013
Personally, I think Rowland White's Phoenix Squadron is even better than Vulcan 607! The story goes far beyond the core event, where aircraft from the Ark Royal are tasked with a mission which is a true record breaker. The wealth of history included, and the vivid descriptions, are worth reading regardless of the actual point of the tale.
With Britain looking to scrap her strike carriers, Ark Royal earns a brief reprieve. That means that the Fleet Air Arm (the Royal Navy's air force) enjoys a similar brief stay of execution for their fixed wing aircraft. It proves fortunate indeed when Guatemala is proven to be on the brink of invading British Honduras, Britain's sole remaining American mainland colony. The colony is aiming for independence, as the sovereign state of Belize. Unfortunately, it lacks any means to defend itself. And that's where the Fleet Air Arm comes in. Britain must prove a willingness to defend Belize and only the Buccaneer squadron aboard HMS Ark Royal can react quickly, so far from home.
Rowland White covers both sides of the crisis, and draws together the threads with skill. I would recommend this book to everybody interested in aviation history, naval history, and a general audience who simply enjoy a great true story.
With Britain looking to scrap her strike carriers, Ark Royal earns a brief reprieve. That means that the Fleet Air Arm (the Royal Navy's air force) enjoys a similar brief stay of execution for their fixed wing aircraft. It proves fortunate indeed when Guatemala is proven to be on the brink of invading British Honduras, Britain's sole remaining American mainland colony. The colony is aiming for independence, as the sovereign state of Belize. Unfortunately, it lacks any means to defend itself. And that's where the Fleet Air Arm comes in. Britain must prove a willingness to defend Belize and only the Buccaneer squadron aboard HMS Ark Royal can react quickly, so far from home.
Rowland White covers both sides of the crisis, and draws together the threads with skill. I would recommend this book to everybody interested in aviation history, naval history, and a general audience who simply enjoy a great true story.
December 1, 2014
My kind of book.
Stories from the 1960s of flying from aircraft carriers - Phantoms, Buccaneers, Gannets, Wessex, Sea Kings, all epic stuff describing the utility of HMS Ark Royal.
Oh and interlaced with a threat to a British colony far from practical assistance - until. . .
. . . Ark Royal is dispatched at top speed across the Atlantic, and a daring plan is hatched for 2 Buccaneers with 2 others as tankers - to go far beyond their expected endurance.
The result - a thunderous flypast by two Buccaneers in support of the colony.
Unmistakable modern day gun-boat diplomacy towards the threat - and a backing down. Well done chaps, and an unputdownable read!
Stories from the 1960s of flying from aircraft carriers - Phantoms, Buccaneers, Gannets, Wessex, Sea Kings, all epic stuff describing the utility of HMS Ark Royal.
Oh and interlaced with a threat to a British colony far from practical assistance - until. . .
. . . Ark Royal is dispatched at top speed across the Atlantic, and a daring plan is hatched for 2 Buccaneers with 2 others as tankers - to go far beyond their expected endurance.
The result - a thunderous flypast by two Buccaneers in support of the colony.
Unmistakable modern day gun-boat diplomacy towards the threat - and a backing down. Well done chaps, and an unputdownable read!
September 5, 2023
In 1972 Guatemala were preparing to invade Belize. The Royal Navy made a desperate dash to quash the idea. They successfully got HMS Ark Royal there in two days, and flew off two Buccaneers to show the flag over Belize City, surprisingly enough this did the trick for a few years. Eventually the whole thing petered out and Belize gained their independence. Guatemala is still pissed off about it, and the matter seems to be at the International Court of Justice. I note that tour operators do a combination of Guatemala and Belize, I’d love to do that, wouldn’t it be wonderful if tourist money, made it not worth the effort of fighting any more. Anyway this book describes the preparations and politics of the Buccaneer flight and then 10 minutes of glory, the very mild buzzing of Belize City and airport. To pad it out there is very interesting descriptions of air combat exercises with F-4 Phantoms, and quite a lot of insightful discussion about the Falklands war 10 years later. This story really isn’t enough for a whole book; despite that I think Rowland White does an excellent job. His book about the Falklands Vulcan 607 is a better book than this, read that one first.
January 5, 2023
1972. The British are down to their last fleet carrier HMS Ark Royal, serving as North Atlantic goalkeeper and occasional colonial flagwaver. British Honduras/Belize, yet another colony Britain had been reluctant to assume responsibility [over]*, needs help. Only an urgent long distance air mission from HMS Ark Royal will save it from some vague Guatemalan threat.
You have to credit this book as perfectly pitched, right down to the Jeremy Clarkson endorsement:
- Big things and fast things.
- Big things and fast things doing lots of things in the service of an easily definable moral code.
- An apparent deadline for these things to be done by.
There are a lot of characters, often interacting with a lot of different machines. It is impressive how White structures multiple threads around the focal points of the HMS Ark Royal and British Honduras. Both these focal points remain separate from each other for most of the book but come together satisfyingly at the end. White is also good at using asides as explainers. While on the critical mission, the Buccaneer pilots fear flameouts at high altitude. A short paragraph refers to a South African Buccaneer experiencing this, providing a reference point for the readers, while staying brief enough to keep the narrative on track. There’s also plenty of references to power:
...41,000lb of thrust...
...750lb of angry brown bear...
...[N]early 50,000 tons of British steel...
In the epilogue, White drives the obvious needle home about Margaret Thatcher reaching for HMS Ark Royal during the Falklands Crisis, unknowing as to the carrier’s retirement four years before. I’m not going to dive into the weeds on that, it’s a short point and White acknowledges that HMS Ark Royal was mechanically done by 1978. However… …it’s a bit easy to run counterfactuals on the page without working them through. It’s also a bit easy when you have a hammer to see every problem as a nail. By the book’s own admission, Guatemala was deterred throughout the 1970s by British military commitments other than by way of aircraft carrier.
It's a Top Gear episode on wings.
* I swear, I am starting a drinking game based on the number of books describing a colony as “reluctantly” acquired by Britain. It has become the laziest trope in (particularly British authored) books.
You have to credit this book as perfectly pitched, right down to the Jeremy Clarkson endorsement:
- Big things and fast things.
- Big things and fast things doing lots of things in the service of an easily definable moral code.
- An apparent deadline for these things to be done by.
There are a lot of characters, often interacting with a lot of different machines. It is impressive how White structures multiple threads around the focal points of the HMS Ark Royal and British Honduras. Both these focal points remain separate from each other for most of the book but come together satisfyingly at the end. White is also good at using asides as explainers. While on the critical mission, the Buccaneer pilots fear flameouts at high altitude. A short paragraph refers to a South African Buccaneer experiencing this, providing a reference point for the readers, while staying brief enough to keep the narrative on track. There’s also plenty of references to power:
...41,000lb of thrust...
...750lb of angry brown bear...
...[N]early 50,000 tons of British steel...
In the epilogue, White drives the obvious needle home about Margaret Thatcher reaching for HMS Ark Royal during the Falklands Crisis, unknowing as to the carrier’s retirement four years before. I’m not going to dive into the weeds on that, it’s a short point and White acknowledges that HMS Ark Royal was mechanically done by 1978. However… …it’s a bit easy to run counterfactuals on the page without working them through. It’s also a bit easy when you have a hammer to see every problem as a nail. By the book’s own admission, Guatemala was deterred throughout the 1970s by British military commitments other than by way of aircraft carrier.
It's a Top Gear episode on wings.
* I swear, I am starting a drinking game based on the number of books describing a colony as “reluctantly” acquired by Britain. It has become the laziest trope in (particularly British authored) books.
June 9, 2025
I quite enjoyed this as it's an engagingly written account of an incident I knew nothing about, set in an era of British military history that I'm largely unfamiliar with.
The book is fairly evenly split into two halves. The first follows an ageing British aircraft carrier in the Cold War, and is a fascinating account of a declining power still trying to exert influence on the world stage. The second half shifts gears as tension starts to build between Britain and Guatemala over Belize, and it becomes increasingly clear that Britain needs to respond or risk being faced with a fait accompli. The only realistic option for such a projection of power turns out to be that same near-obsolete aircraft carrier, HMS Ark Royal, and her squadron of Buccaneer attack aircraft.
This was always going to lack some of the drama of White's previous book, Vulcan 607, as the situation in Belize never escalated into conflict and the Buccaneer's mission amounted to a fly-past of Belize City. Still, this is a story worth telling as it represents an incredible feat of airmanship and navigation, and I enjoyed reading about it and the men who accomplished it.
The book is fairly evenly split into two halves. The first follows an ageing British aircraft carrier in the Cold War, and is a fascinating account of a declining power still trying to exert influence on the world stage. The second half shifts gears as tension starts to build between Britain and Guatemala over Belize, and it becomes increasingly clear that Britain needs to respond or risk being faced with a fait accompli. The only realistic option for such a projection of power turns out to be that same near-obsolete aircraft carrier, HMS Ark Royal, and her squadron of Buccaneer attack aircraft.
This was always going to lack some of the drama of White's previous book, Vulcan 607, as the situation in Belize never escalated into conflict and the Buccaneer's mission amounted to a fly-past of Belize City. Still, this is a story worth telling as it represents an incredible feat of airmanship and navigation, and I enjoyed reading about it and the men who accomplished it.
January 3, 2014
It is not often that a book on a historical military subject is as fast paced and page turning as a novel, but Phoenix Squadron surely is. Ostensibly about the Fleet Air Arm's "raid" on British Honduras (now Belize) to deter a Guatemalan invasion, it does an amazing job of illustrating FAA carrier aviation in the 70s and the political process that would put an end to the UK's use of "real" aircraft carriers. Quite honestly it boggles the mind that the politicians didn't see just how successful the operation was, and were unable to foresee how invaluable an aircraft carrier was for future power projection. (Maybe even deterring an invasion of the Falklands?) The book is gripping and covers it all, flying Phantoms, Buccaneers, and Gannets, the political maneuvering both of the crisis itself and the the cost cutting folly that would lead to the end of the Ark Royal. Highly recommended.
June 14, 2012
An interesting tale,with lots of information built around a two aircraft long-range Royal Navy flypast over Belize during a time of political tension. It's the unusual details, researched from obscurer sources that are the most rewarding aspect of this book. For example the details of a successful air-sea rescue of South African airmen, who had ejected from a Buccaneer over the Atlantic on a 1960s ferry flight. I liked the detail on the Guatemalan Air Force, particularly the F-51 Mustangs, and the photographs credited to their Archive.
Content was better than literary style in this book.
Content was better than literary style in this book.
August 9, 2017
What a great book, never heard of this mission before to quash a potential invasion of sovereign soil. As expected the main crux is about the Royal Navy and in particular the the Fleet Air Arm and Ark Royal! It also covers the political side and also the army and RAF. Totally recommend this book.
November 3, 2018
I now know more about the Fleet Air Arm, the conflict in Belize and 70s era military aviation than I ever expected to know. The book is written in a narrative that is closer to a novel - and though long, I felt it was worth the read. Definitely one for the military history fans amongst us!
March 23, 2023
'What about Ark Royal? What about the Phantoms and Buccaneers?'
These were the words on the mouth of Margaret Thatcher when Argentine soldiers stood on those windswept rocks they called the Malvinas, better known to the English speaking world as the Falkland Islands. Too little too late, however. Ark Royal was gone and with her went the mighty fighters and strike aircraft that once flew from her heaving deck. This is not a story of the Falklands or that bitter war so far from home. Rather it is the story of a brilliant triumph of the Royal Navy in the twilight of the Fleet Air Arm.
As the UK retreated from its Empire in the 1960s one of those former colonial posessions was the small colony of British Honduras in Central America. Bordered by Mexico to the North and an agressive neighbour to the South and West, Honduras found itself in a precarious situation. Guatemala claimed the little territory as its own, Honduras and the UK disagreed. Honduras was to become its own, independent and sovereign state, not simply a coastal region of Guatemala.
This book charts the actions of the Royal Navy that were instrumental in deterring the aggression of Guatemala and securing the safety of Honduras that would eventually lead to the formation of independent Belize.
However, other than some political background setting, about the first half of the book focuses on Ark Royal, her crew and her aircraft, giving the reader an overview of the significance of this storied ship and her might air squadrons. The second half of the book focuses on the daring race across the Atlantic to reach Honduras and the struggles against time and mother nature that the intrepid crew of this venerable ship struggled to overcome. Thanks to the lengthy overview at the start of the book the reader will find themselves thoroughly invested in the ship and her crew and will be kept at the edge of their seat by the razor thin margins this epic venture was carried out under.
The story reads easily and the narrative can be followed without confusion on the readers part. The book provides enough detail to give context to the events without drowning a reader in excess jargon. In many ways this a swansong to the Ark Royal and her valiant aircrew, victims of a short sighted, political mindset that abandoned the idea of strike carriers only to wonder where they went when they were so desperately needed several years later. It takes decades to build skill, tradition and ability, mere months and politcal blindness to destroy it.
A thrilling read an I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in history or just a good, real-life story.
These were the words on the mouth of Margaret Thatcher when Argentine soldiers stood on those windswept rocks they called the Malvinas, better known to the English speaking world as the Falkland Islands. Too little too late, however. Ark Royal was gone and with her went the mighty fighters and strike aircraft that once flew from her heaving deck. This is not a story of the Falklands or that bitter war so far from home. Rather it is the story of a brilliant triumph of the Royal Navy in the twilight of the Fleet Air Arm.
As the UK retreated from its Empire in the 1960s one of those former colonial posessions was the small colony of British Honduras in Central America. Bordered by Mexico to the North and an agressive neighbour to the South and West, Honduras found itself in a precarious situation. Guatemala claimed the little territory as its own, Honduras and the UK disagreed. Honduras was to become its own, independent and sovereign state, not simply a coastal region of Guatemala.
This book charts the actions of the Royal Navy that were instrumental in deterring the aggression of Guatemala and securing the safety of Honduras that would eventually lead to the formation of independent Belize.
However, other than some political background setting, about the first half of the book focuses on Ark Royal, her crew and her aircraft, giving the reader an overview of the significance of this storied ship and her might air squadrons. The second half of the book focuses on the daring race across the Atlantic to reach Honduras and the struggles against time and mother nature that the intrepid crew of this venerable ship struggled to overcome. Thanks to the lengthy overview at the start of the book the reader will find themselves thoroughly invested in the ship and her crew and will be kept at the edge of their seat by the razor thin margins this epic venture was carried out under.
The story reads easily and the narrative can be followed without confusion on the readers part. The book provides enough detail to give context to the events without drowning a reader in excess jargon. In many ways this a swansong to the Ark Royal and her valiant aircrew, victims of a short sighted, political mindset that abandoned the idea of strike carriers only to wonder where they went when they were so desperately needed several years later. It takes decades to build skill, tradition and ability, mere months and politcal blindness to destroy it.
A thrilling read an I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in history or just a good, real-life story.
August 1, 2025
Highly disappointing.
I chose this book entirely based upon my enjoyment of Vulcan 607. What I got was a book about.....nothing basically.
The "mission", Ark Royal sailing towards British Honduras and then a couple of planes doing a fly by, is all that happens. It's also over 75% of the way through the book that these events take place. Prior to that we're given a history of the FAA and a written tour around a US air craft carrier that doesn't feature any more and a couple of mentions about a British sub that again doesn't feature in the main event. In fact, if you then look up this "event" online, you'll see everywhere only gives it a single sentence mention. How was this ever turned into a book? At most this should have been 20 pages long. And the main purpose of the book doesn't even make up the entirety of the last 25% of the book. It probably only makes up 15% of the book in total.
It gets 2 stars because the information provided is fairly interesting, the book itself is just massively misleading, missold and generally rather pointless.
I also doubt the quote from Clarkson about enjoying it so much is from this book.
I shall think very hard about ever reading anything by Rowland White again, which is a shame because Vulcan 607 was nothing but outstanding and there were others I had on my to read list. It's now very unlikely they'll ever get read now.
I chose this book entirely based upon my enjoyment of Vulcan 607. What I got was a book about.....nothing basically.
The "mission", Ark Royal sailing towards British Honduras and then a couple of planes doing a fly by, is all that happens. It's also over 75% of the way through the book that these events take place. Prior to that we're given a history of the FAA and a written tour around a US air craft carrier that doesn't feature any more and a couple of mentions about a British sub that again doesn't feature in the main event. In fact, if you then look up this "event" online, you'll see everywhere only gives it a single sentence mention. How was this ever turned into a book? At most this should have been 20 pages long. And the main purpose of the book doesn't even make up the entirety of the last 25% of the book. It probably only makes up 15% of the book in total.
It gets 2 stars because the information provided is fairly interesting, the book itself is just massively misleading, missold and generally rather pointless.
I also doubt the quote from Clarkson about enjoying it so much is from this book.
I shall think very hard about ever reading anything by Rowland White again, which is a shame because Vulcan 607 was nothing but outstanding and there were others I had on my to read list. It's now very unlikely they'll ever get read now.
June 11, 2024
It’s a race against time for the aircraft carrier ark royal to sail to Belize as tensions with Guatemala heat up.
Fast jet buccaneers fly a mission 1000 miles off the coast line with 6 hour flight to flyover demonstrating capabilities to potential hostiles.
In the 70s Britain began withdrawing from many colonies and Guatemala is making claims on Belize.
Buccaneers begin training in Scotland sometimes practicing with USAF F104 stat-fighters that had high accident rate being nicknamed widow maker.
Ark royal security strict with anyone interactions with any person with any soviet east block connections forbidden.
After showing air power of Belize with buccaneers and soon after with direct air to air refueling of Harriers things settle down and permanent fast jet based established not leaving until 1993.
Interesting story of the difficulties of pilots operating over vast distances with endurance and courage.
Fast jet buccaneers fly a mission 1000 miles off the coast line with 6 hour flight to flyover demonstrating capabilities to potential hostiles.
In the 70s Britain began withdrawing from many colonies and Guatemala is making claims on Belize.
Buccaneers begin training in Scotland sometimes practicing with USAF F104 stat-fighters that had high accident rate being nicknamed widow maker.
Ark royal security strict with anyone interactions with any person with any soviet east block connections forbidden.
After showing air power of Belize with buccaneers and soon after with direct air to air refueling of Harriers things settle down and permanent fast jet based established not leaving until 1993.
Interesting story of the difficulties of pilots operating over vast distances with endurance and courage.
September 13, 2023
British humanist diplomacy at its best. In 1965 the Labour government announces it will phase out aircraft carriers by 1972! As Ark Royal does post edit trials, Guatemala believes it has a chance of bringing British Honduras back into its arms. The generals led coup, a few years earlier & America's wish for non-communist government in Central America, below the reach of the showing lion. Launching a show of force from 2500 miles away, Ark proves her worth & Belize beings her independence under Btitish protection.
February 1, 2025
Powerful story about how Britain was caught unprepared by the Guatemalan dictator's threat to invade British Honduras (today's Belize),and how the Fleet Air Army, lacking purpose-built across to respond, improvised with what they had and in a hurry.
An under-appreciated part of British military history.
An under-appreciated part of British military history.
April 23, 2025
I found the book an absorbing and interesting read, but personally did not enjoy it as much as "Vulcan 607". Well written again, but not as suspenseful (for me). Nevertheless I will now start "Harrier 809" by the same author, which I have been looking forward to.
October 24, 2019
A simple almost masturbatory read
September 16, 2020
Interesting, but 200 pages longer than it needed to be...
February 5, 2022
Very enjoyable in hard to put down kind of way. I also learnt the Buccaneer is launched off a carrier "hands off", something that I didn't appreciate.
August 2, 2022
Honestly couldn't rate this more highly, brilliant read and the research of this obscure bit of British military history is second to none
November 8, 2016
A good quick read that was quite exciting.
June 29, 2022
On my way to Belize
Enjoyed the historic , diplomatic and technical drama of this true story of British Naval support for the independence of Belize.
Enjoyed the historic , diplomatic and technical drama of this true story of British Naval support for the independence of Belize.
July 7, 2016
I grabbed this book after reading a few reviews that described it as pulse pounding and riveting but while its a good book it is far from either. The book actually reads more like a history of the British aircraft carrier Ark Royal than it does the actual mission the book is about. Throw in history of Belize and now you have what most of the book is about.
Truth be told about 50% of the book has nothing to do with the subject matter but does make for interesting background reading.
Don't get me wrong, I like the book. It was an interesting read and quite well laid out but I just think that the whole thing was over dramatized. For the British Royal Navy in waning days of its last aircraft carrier this may have been a dramatic mission but for the US Navy it was routine and that is what makes it interesting, that uneven comparison for what we would consider routine for the American military is of such monumental show of force by ally.
The book is well worth the time to read. It gives insight to lesser points of history could have gone in a different direction.
Truth be told about 50% of the book has nothing to do with the subject matter but does make for interesting background reading.
Don't get me wrong, I like the book. It was an interesting read and quite well laid out but I just think that the whole thing was over dramatized. For the British Royal Navy in waning days of its last aircraft carrier this may have been a dramatic mission but for the US Navy it was routine and that is what makes it interesting, that uneven comparison for what we would consider routine for the American military is of such monumental show of force by ally.
The book is well worth the time to read. It gives insight to lesser points of history could have gone in a different direction.
January 17, 2016
Surprisingly easy to get into but a little difficult to follow. The book is supposed to explain the Royal Ark's defense of British Honduras but the first half of the book details first-hand accounts of life on board, or flying, generally. While this is very interesting and often exciting, British Honduras is barely mentioned.
I liked reading about the mission but after so much build up it felt a little anti-climatic. And it's sad that so soon after their success, Ark Royal was scrapped. I think it'd be better to read this book as a look at Fleet Air Arm and Ark Royal rather than a history of British Honduras.
I liked reading about the mission but after so much build up it felt a little anti-climatic. And it's sad that so soon after their success, Ark Royal was scrapped. I think it'd be better to read this book as a look at Fleet Air Arm and Ark Royal rather than a history of British Honduras.
May 16, 2009
First of all, this introduces an era of British Naval (and colonial and military) history of which I was only vaguely aware. Of course, I knew we had a military presence in Belize post-independence, but this book sets this in its historical context.
As a book, I found this to be a bit unfulfilling. It came across more as an eulogy to the passing of the great Royal Navy aircraft carrier fleet, than just the flight to Belize and back. In that way, I found the book to be less satisfactory than Vulcan 607, which did have me on the edge of my seat.
Interesting though.
As a book, I found this to be a bit unfulfilling. It came across more as an eulogy to the passing of the great Royal Navy aircraft carrier fleet, than just the flight to Belize and back. In that way, I found the book to be less satisfactory than Vulcan 607, which did have me on the edge of my seat.
Interesting though.
July 15, 2010
Not in quite the same class as his previous book, Vulcan 607.
If you are fascinated by Naval operations, are interested in recent history, or are simply amazed at the skills and bravery of carrier pilots, you will be fascinated by this book.
On the other hand, if you are quickly bored by operational details, post-colonial politics, and the background to post-World War II Naval flight development, best keep well away.
You'll either like it a lot or be completely bored. I liked it a lot.
If you are fascinated by Naval operations, are interested in recent history, or are simply amazed at the skills and bravery of carrier pilots, you will be fascinated by this book.
On the other hand, if you are quickly bored by operational details, post-colonial politics, and the background to post-World War II Naval flight development, best keep well away.
You'll either like it a lot or be completely bored. I liked it a lot.
December 15, 2010
When tiny South American colony British Honduras (now Belize) is threatened with annexation by neighbouring Guatemala, the Royal Navy comes to the rescue.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book as it portrays a piece of military history that I'd never heard of. The 2 stars is a reflection of how the book is constructed and there being a little too much esoteric aircraft/naval operational detail in places. A lot of characters are introduced and the background to the crisis builds up slowly. Not gripping but held my interest sufficiently to finish.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book as it portrays a piece of military history that I'd never heard of. The 2 stars is a reflection of how the book is constructed and there being a little too much esoteric aircraft/naval operational detail in places. A lot of characters are introduced and the background to the crisis builds up slowly. Not gripping but held my interest sufficiently to finish.
April 20, 2014
Like the Vulcan book, quite hard work if you don't know anything about planes, but the author does have a gripping storytelling style and I enjoyed his many segues into tales of aircraft failure and mishaps, which enhanced the sense of danger. I mainly read this because my dad worked on Buccaneers and lent me the book but I do feel it was a fairly painless way to learn about this rather nifty plane, and after finishing the book I enjoyed watching YouTube videos of take off and landing on Ark Royal. Rather a nice way to ingest some niche knowledge and history.
March 4, 2010
What a superb book, such a gripping read. It demonstrates that what goes around comes around. Although it was describing events back in the 70’s it is easy to translate them not only in to current times with current cuts but also back into the 80’s with Op Corporate.
Although this is a history book it is written more like a Tom Clancy novel so it is fast flowing and immediately grabs the reader and takes them on an exciting journey.
Although this is a history book it is written more like a Tom Clancy novel so it is fast flowing and immediately grabs the reader and takes them on an exciting journey.
June 12, 2012
The story of HMS Ark Royal and its most dramatic mission. A 3000 mile dash across the Atlantic to assist the small British colony of British Honduras (Now Belize) when the British government received intelligence that Guatamala was planning to invade. Luckily the arrival of the Royal Navy's last strike carrier with her squadron of Buccaneer strike jets and F4 Phantom supersonic fighters convinced the Guatemalan military dictatorship to not try any funny business.
September 20, 2015
The story of how jets from Britain's last aircraft carrier the Ark Royal helped deter a Guatemalan invasion of British Honduras (later to become Belize) in the early 1970s.
Whilst the core story is interesting it's a bit thin, so the book is padded out with a lot of stuff about carrier operations and the Fleet Air Arm generally, some of which gets a bit repetitive.
Lots of military terminology for which a hyperlinked glossary would have been handy in the Kindle edition.
Whilst the core story is interesting it's a bit thin, so the book is padded out with a lot of stuff about carrier operations and the Fleet Air Arm generally, some of which gets a bit repetitive.
Lots of military terminology for which a hyperlinked glossary would have been handy in the Kindle edition.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews