My Vulcan victory
Falklands bomber hero’s auction
AN RAF flyer is selling off his mementoes from daring raids during the Falklands War.
Aiming bombs from 16,000ft, Flight Lieutenant Mike Cooper left a 50ft-deep crater on the ground during one of the Black Buck sorties in Vulcan B2s to hit Port Stanley airfield.
The mission was credited with denying Argentine forces the option of using fast jets to attack exposed Royal Navy ships in the south Atlantic.
Mike is now auctioning off his South Atlantic Medal and mementoes including log books.
The 71-year-old, of Welton, Cumbria, said: “When we retook the island I was told it was an almighty job trying to repair the land so we could land our jets there.”
The Black Buck raids in 1982 on the Falkland Islands capital have gone down in military history due to the complex refuelling operations during the 7,600-mile round trip from Ascension Island. These were the last bombing flights of the Vulcan B2 before it was replaced by the Tornado.
Mike’s treasure trove, on sale tomorrow in Carlisle, could fetch £7,000.