The Nimrod

by Martyn Chorlton

Amberley Publishing

Reviewed by Andy King

First entering operational use with the Royal Air Force on the 2nd October 1969, the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.1 served primarily in the maritime reconnaissance role as well as other roles detailed in the book until 2011 when the type was finally withdrawn.

Conceived in the 1950’s as a replacement for the Avro Shackleton (which at this time had only been in service for five years) other types were considered such as the French built Breguet Atlantic, the Vickers VC-10, Vickers Vanguard, two Hawker Siddeley Trident proposals and the de Havilland Comet.

After trials and evaluations the Vanguard and VC-10 were soon discounted leaving the two Tridents and Comet in the running. Designated HS.801 (de Havilland now part of Hawker Siddeley) the Comet was redesigned to accommodate four Rolls Royce Spey engines that would give the aircraft more range and fuel efficiency and along with other factors such as the ability to shut down three of the four engines to increase endurance even further, the design was eventually chosen as the Shackleton replacement.

This new book by Martyn Chorlton looks at the concept, development and service use of the Nimrod and although it’s not huge, it is very well written and illustrated with many B&W and colour images (with two provided from yours truly on page 84) of this impressive aircraft.

As stated the book looks at the aircraft from the start of its life to the end of its service and chapters include the ill-fated Nimrod AEW project (I always referred to it as the Airborne Elephant, White) which although the RAF wanted the American built E-3 AWACS (because it worked), the UK MOD (Ministry of Defence) insisted on developing their own AEW aircraft based on the Nimrod airframe. Some ten years and £10 billion later the project was cancelled, the airframes scrapped and the E-3 AWACS was purchased anyway.

Another chapter details another ill-fated Nimrod development, the MRA.4 which was to be an up-rated and improved airframe that would replace the elderly MR.2’s then in service. The contract cost the UK taxpayer £4 billion, only to see the virtually completed airframes scrapped during 2011when the government pulled the plug and left the UK (an island nation) without any maritime patrol aircraft for nine years until the Boeing P-8 Poseidon entered service this year (2020).

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Other chapters include the combat service of the Nimrod during the ‘Cod Wars’ of the 1970’s, the Falkland Islands conflict in 1982, the Gulf Wars in the 90’s and Afghanistan. The ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) R.1 version is also described and I always remember at the time the government denying the existence of these sensitive aircraft but aircraft enthusiasts knew all about them anyway. One time during 1990 I was at RAF Wyton in the UK being shown around as it was the fortieth anniversary of the Canberra which was based there. Also based at Wyton were the three Nimrod R.1’s of 51 squadron so I asked the young Flight Lieutenant showing me around “where’s the Nimrods then?” to which he replied “they are…elsewhere”. I’m surprised they didn’t throw me off the base there and then!

This is a lovely little book, very well written and worth getting just for the description of how Sidewinder missiles were hastily fitted and test-fired during the lead up to the Falklands conflict along with an even hastier fit of an air-refuelling probe even as the UK task force was sailing towards the islands.

Highly recommended if you have a passion for the Nimrod or just military aviation in general.

Many many thanks to Martyn Chorlton for the complimentary copy. The book is published by Amberley, ISBN number is 978-1-4456-9804-5, and is available from most book sellers as well as directly online from Amberley at;

www.amberley-books.com

Images and Text by Copyright © 2020 by Andy King
Page created 11 November, 2020
Last updated 11 November, 2020

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