Nimrod Boys: True Tales from the Operators of the RAF’s Cold War Trailblazer (The Jet Age Series)

Having served in the RAF for 12 years, but then had to leave due to being injured on duty, the Nimrod played a large part in my service, but not on an airfield, but I was one of hat was a trade that provided the Nimrod, along with other aircraft, and helicopter crews with a training facility that couldn't be provided ashore, because I was what was often called a 'Sailor in the RAF Marine Branch', during which I served on 2 of the 120ft long steel hulled long range rescue and support craft, HMAFV's Seal and Seagull, which towed targets for Nimrod and other aircraft to have a go at with either practice bombs, real bombs and torpedoes, which we then recovered. Nimrod crews from Kinloss were to enjoy going out on these large well equipped vessels, but not always what they were taken out for, which was refresher training in sea survival, which was usually just out of sight of land, and could last for just over 1 hour, before a SAR helicopter lifted the back aboard, for a quick cuppa, as the vessel could stay out at sea for quite some days, depending on what needed doing, with a crew of 18 including a cook. The branch was the only one were any aircrew could be helped into the water that it sooner than they'd expected, but they did realise why it was done. I did get a flight in a Nimrod, and ended up before my CO for not reporting for duty on my return, but as I'd ended up in Gibraltar for an overnight unexpected stay, it was thought I was taking a day off, whilst my wife wondered if I'd spent the night with another woman. Only getting my CO to phone the Marine Craft Unit in Gibraltar was it found I had landed there late one afternoon, given one of the launch crew's grief. And landed back at Kinloss the following afternoon. The Co rang my wife to confirm I hadn't been with a woman but had spent the night unexpectively in Gib. The Nimrod was a brilliant aircraft that was scrapped to save money, after a whole batch had just been through what was a total rebuild that saw more updated engines and electronics fitted, that were then missed when they were needed for hunting the new Russian nuclear missile submarines, and have beeb replaced by an expensive American aircraft that are unable to carry out what the updated Mk III had built into it, only to be destroyed by heavy weights dropped on them so they couldn't be rebuilt. Brilliant book on what was the world's best Maratime Patrol Aircraft, and that came from the Americans who wished they'd had it.

I operated Nimrods as an RAF Navigator captain for over 20 years so although I didn't learn anything new from this book it was good catching up with some old comrades & reliving many fond memories.For anyone who is solely interested in recent Cold War maritime warfare history, this is a must.

As an ex operator enjoyed the book - don’t agree with the flavour of the conclusions on the MR 4-was it a safe to fly aircraft? Big mistake was to cancel delivery with no replacement aircraft for the maritime role. Using maritime aircraft from other NATO nations to clear deterrent boat exits from Faslane appeared to me to be yet another embarrassment for the UK government

Fascinating insight into an important and politically mistreated aircraft, through the eyes of its crews. My only quibble is that it could have done with a bit of editing. But then, that's too expensive for publishers these days.

A great read for those interested in this topic. What it was really like.