Handbrake! by Mariano Sciaroni and Alejandro Amendolara - Book Review

Handbrake! is the latest release in Helion & Co's increasing Latin America@War range and covers the use of the Dassault Super Etendard by the Argentinian Navy in the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas War. Written by Mariano Sciaroni and Alejandro Amendolara, this 102-page tome aims to bring forth the relatively little-known story of the Super Etendard from its initial introduction into Argentinian Navy service, its use in the 1982 conflict, and finally to the decades of service after the war that kept the Argentinian Navy involved in carrier operations.

The usual Helion & Co quality is on display when you first open the book. There is a quick preface followed by a forward by Roberto Curilovic, callsign "Toro" (Bull), who flew the mission the led to the sinking of the Atlantic Conveyor. 

The main body of the book begins with a description of the Super Etendard and the AM39 Exocet anti-ship missile. We then get a brief history of the Second Naval Fighter and Attack Squadron up to it's formation with the Super Etendard, before the book takes us on a quick side step to the first half of April, where clear descriptions are given about how tactics were put in place to attack a missile defended target, as well as those countermeasures to try and defend against a missile attack.

Subsequent sections are written in a chronological order, the squadron's deployment south, the initial missions, and then highly detailed descriptions of the attacks on HMS Sheffield and the SS Atlantic Conveyor. There are interlinked chapters on the changing tactics as the war progressed, as well as the final attack on the Task Force that led to perhaps the most controversial (certainly from an Argentinian perspective) event of the naval campaign: the claimed strike against HMS Invincible. After that, there is the withdrawal of the squadron and the aircraft's post-war career to the modern day. 

As befits a Helion & Co publication, there are numerous maps, diagrams and photographs, almost all contemporary and from private collections. The art in the centre of the book is also of high quality and useful for future reference. 

This is another well-written history and one that shows the challenges, spirit and courage of the Argentinian pilots and their support crews. A great deal of research has been undertaken here along with numerous interviews of those who experienced the conflict. Very much like the history told in other books in this series (I have reviewed two previous books by Mr Sciaroni here), it is a tale of professionals trying to achieve the military aims (driven by political leadership) in circumstances that were less than conducive to success. The fact that, with some help, they managed to get four of the five aircraft in to a war and prosecute attacks without any formal training on the missile system itself speaks volumes. There is a camaraderie on display that feels so familiar if you have read about pilots during wartime from any nation, and something that is mirrored in their British opposites (check out David Morgan's Hostile Skies, Jerry Pook's RAF Harrier Ground Attack, Falklands and Sharkey Ward's Sea Harrier over the Falklands for a British view of air operations. The first two I have read and enjoyed, and I still need to pick up a copy of Ward's book). Of particular interest in Handbrake! was the efforts of Captain Jorge Colombo, an officer willing to push as hard as he could to protect his men whilst still trying to get the job done, despite the potential consequences for his career. 

Handbrake! is a timely history that provides a window on the men and aircraft that taxed the British Task Force so much. It also demonstrates how precarious the countermeasures were to the danger of low level anti-ship missile strikes and the wider implications that could have ensued if the ballon had gone up in Europe in the 1980's. It is another excellent addition to the Latin America@War series and should be on the bookshelves of anyone with an interest in the period or post-WW2 naval combat in general. You can pick up a copy from Helion & Co here.