Original subtitles

Narrator: THE WAR ON SADDAM HUSSEIN.

A BRITISH ATTACK HELICOPTER \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hUNDER FIRE

FROM AN ENEMY TANK IT CAN‘T SEE.

IT HAS TO USE ITS HIGH TECH \h\h\h\h\hAGILITY TO ESCAPE.

Man: IT‘S CAT AND MOUSE.

I’M JUST TRYING TO HIDE, IN A FEATURELESS TERRAIN

WHERE THERE‘S NOWHERE TO HIDE.

Narrator: THE ONLY CHANCE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR SURVIVAL

IS TO TURN THE TABLES.

Man: AS SOON AS WE SAW \hTHE FIRST EXPLOSION,

\h\h\hI JUST THREW THE AIRCRAFT OFF TO ONE SIDE TO GET IT AWAY.

\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AND WHEN THE HIDE AND SEEK IS OVER--

THE FINAL DUEL IN THE DESERT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCAN BEGIN.

BAGHDAD, MARCH 20, 2003.

\h\hTHE UNITED STATES LAUNCHES SHOCK AND AWE

AGAINST THE REGIME OF SADDAM HUSSEIN.

MEANWHILE BRITISH FORCES SWEEP \h\hINTO IRAQ FROM THE SOUTH.

\h\h\h\hTHEIR OBJECTIVE-- THE SECOND CITY OF BASRA.

\h\h5,000 TROOPS AND UP TO 50 IRAQI TANKS

DEFEND THE SOUTHERN SUBURBS.

HIDDEN AMONG BUILDINGS \h\h\hAND PALM TREES,

THE TANKS POSE A LETHAL THREAT \h\hTO BRITISH GROUND TROOPS.

IN THE DESERT SOUTH OF THE CITY,

\h\hTHE BRITISH ARE IN CONSTANT DANGER OF IRAQI COUNTER-ATTACK.

BUT THEIR OWN HEAVY TANKS,

RUSHING ACROSS THE DESERT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM KUWAIT,

HAVEN’T REACHED THE FRONT LINE.

\h\h\h\hON THIS FIRST DAY WARPLANES ARE PREOCCUPIED

\h\h\h\hIN OTHER PARTS OF IRAQ, SO A SINGLE HELICOPTER SQUADRON

IS LEFT TO PROVIDE AIR SUPPORT \h\h\h\h\hFOR BRITISH TROOPS--

THE 847th NAVAL AIR SQUADRON--

JUST 12 HELICOPTERS \hTO STOP 50 TANKS.

AT CAMP VIKING,

\h50 MILES FROM BASRA IN THE KUWAITI DESERT,

SENIOR PILOT ANDREW CLARKE \hCOORDINATES OPERATIONS.

Clarke: IT BECAME QUITE APPARENT

THAT WE WERE A BIT OF A THIN RED LINE

TRYING TO HOLD BACK A THREAT

THAT WE DIDN‘T REALLY KNOW \h\h\h\hTHE FULL SCALE OF.

\h\hNarrator: WITH BRITISH REINFORCEMENTS ON THE WAY,

MARCH 24th IS THE LAST CHANCE

\hFOR IRAQI TANKS TO COUNTER-ATTACK.

\h\hClarke: WE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS WE HAD,

IT DIDN’T SEEM TO BE \h\h\h\hAN AWFUL LOT

TO COUNTER A DIVISION OF ARMOUR COMING OUR WAY.

Narrator: THE DAY WILL SEE \h\hTHE HEAVIEST FIGHTING

IN THE SQUADRON‘S HISTORY...

\hA DAY OF RECKONING FOR ONE YOUNG PILOT,

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER JIM NEWTON.

Clarke: JIM NEWTON, THE A.P., \h\hAVIATION PATROL COMMANDER,

\h\h\hACTUALLY OVERSLEPT, SO AT ABOUT 4 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING,

\hLOCAL TIME, I HAD TO GO AND FIND HIM, WAKE HIM UP.

MORNING, MR. NEWTON.

\h\h\h\hNewton: I WAS WOKEN BY MY VERY FRIENDLY SENIOR PILOT

\h\h\h\hWITH A TORCH AND A FRIENDLY JOLT,

\h\h\hTO SAY, "COME ON, SCOOBS, YOU‘RE AIRBORNE IN 20 MINUTES."

MY ATTACK CALL SIGN \h\h\h\h\hIS SCOOBY,

\hAS IN SCOOBY DOO, HAVEN‘T GOT A CLUE.

\h\h\h\hAND I GOT IT, RATHER UNFORTUNATELY,

FOR GETTING LOST IN A FIVE SHIP.

I WAS NUMBER FIVE IN A FORMATION OF FIVE HELICOPTERS,

AND I GOT SEPARATED \h\h\hFROM THE LEAD.

IT‘S PRETTY DIFFICULT TO DO.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: WITH 12 YEARS’ TRAINING,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNEWTON IS A HIGHLY CAPABLE OFFICER.

BUT THIS WILL BE HIS FIRST TIME UNDER ENEMY FIRE.

Newton: THE SECOND I WOKE UP,

THERE IS THE REALIZATION \h\h\h\hTHAT "I‘M HERE."

YOU CAN HEAR THE ROUNDS \h\h\h\hIN THE DISTANCE,

IT’S BAKING HOT,

\h\hYOU CAN SEE THE LYNX OVER THE ROAD WITH MISSILES ON IT.

Narrator: THE 847 SQUADRON’S \h\h\h\h\hATTACK HELICOPTER

IS THE WESTLAND LYNX...

THE FASTEST HELICOPTER \h\h\h\hIN THE WORLD,

AND HIGHLY MANEUVERABLE.

THANKS TO A GROUND-BREAKING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hROTOR SYSTEM,

IT CAN EXECUTE BARREL ROLLS \h\hAND EVEN LOOP THE LOOP.

FOR THE ASSAULT ON BASRA, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT’S ARMED

WITH FOUR ARMOUR-PIERCING \h\h\hANTI-TANK MISSILES.

THE LYNX FLIES IN TANDEM WITH A WESTLAND GAZELLE,

WHICH HAS NO HEAVY WEAPONS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF ITS OWN.

\h\hITS TWO-MAN CREW PROVIDES EXTRA EYES

TO FIND AND IDENTIFY \h\h\hENEMY TARGETS.

\h\h\h\hTENSION IS HIGH IN THE OPERATIONS TENT.

\h\h\h\h\h\hJIM NEWTON LEADS THE FIRST CREW INTO ACTION.

Clarke: THERE IS A FEELING

\h\h\h\h\h\hOF "NEXT UP TO FACE THE FIRING SQUAD," IF YOU LIKE.

\h\hAND THERE WERE SOME PRETTY ANXIOUS FACES AROUND THE CAMP.

\hNewton: THAT WALK OUT TO THE AIRCRAFT

WAS ALWAYS ABOUT THINKING \h\h\h\hABOUT THE MISSION,

\h\h\hAND THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO DO,

JUST PLAYING IT OUT \h\h\hIN YOUR HEAD,

HOW YOU’D REACT TO THINGS.

\h\hNarrator: NEWTON, AS MISSION COMMANDER,

TAKES THE LEFT-HAND SEAT \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE LYNX.

\hHE WILL NAVIGATE, OPERATE THE RADIOS,

\hAND LOCATE THE ENEMY IN HIS MISSILE SIGHTS.

IF NECESSARY, HE WILL LAUNCH \h\h\h\hTHE ATTACK HIMSELF.

THE YOUTHFUL COMMANDER IS PAIRED

WITH ONE OF THE 847th‘S OLDEST \h\h\h\h\h\hAND WISEST HEADS.

COLOUR SERGEANT DERBY ALLEN \h\hIS AN UNFLAPPABLE PILOT.

\h\h\h\hAFTER 28 YEARS IN THE ROYAL MARINES,

HE BRINGS COMBAT EXPERIENCE \h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE COCKPIT.

\hAllen: I’VE BEEN THROUGH ALL THE ’70s AND THE ’80s

IN NORTHERN IRELAND,

\hSO USED TO A FEW BOMBS AND BULLETS GOING OFF AROUND US,

\h\h\h\h\h\hWHICH AGAIN, DOESN’T MAKE YOU IMMUNE,

\hBUT I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT A LITTLE BIT MORE

THAN THE GUYS WHO PROBABLY \h\hHADN‘T EXPERIENCED IT.

I LIKE TO THINK HE LEFT ME TO GET ON WITH THE FLYING

AND I LEFT HIM TO GET ON \h\hWITH THE COMMANDING.

\hNarrator: THE MACHINE GUNNER IS MARINE LOUIS HARVEY-JONES,

A.K.A. GUNS,

A MAN OF FEW WORDS.

\h\h\h\h\h\hAllen: BIG MARINE, VERY QUIET GUY, QUIET NATURE,

\h\h\h\hJUST SAT IN THE BACK, GOT ON WITH THE JOB BASICALLY.

Clarke: WITH ANY OUTFIT \h\h\h\h\hGOING TO WAR,

YOU NEED A BROAD SPECTRUM \h\h\h\h\h\hOF CHARACTERS.

IF YOU’RE ALL STEADY \h\h\h\hBY THE BOOK,

THEN NOTHING WILL GET DONE.

IF YOU’RE ALL YOUNG BLADES \h\h\hOUT TO GET INVOLVED,

THEN POSSIBLY EVERYONE \h\h\hWILL GET KILLED.

SO THERE NEEDS TO BE \hA BALANCE STRUCK.

Narrator: THE CREW FACES DANGER FROM THE OUTSET.

\h\hEVERY DESERT TAKEOFF IS A BLINDING SANDSTORM.

THEY COULD BE KILLED BEFORE THEY EVEN LEAVE THE GROUND.

ON HIS FIRST FORAY INTO COMBAT, JIM NEWTON IS NERVOUS.

\hFULLY FUELED, THE LYNX IS AT MAXIMUM FIGHTING WEIGHT.

THERE ARE HEAVY SAND FILTERS \h\h\hTO PROTECT THE ENGINE,

A GENERAL PURPOSE MACHINE GUN,

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND A BATTERY OF FOUR MISSILE LAUNCHERS.

TO GET ALL THIS WEIGHT \h\h\hOFF THE GROUND,

THE ROTORS CREATE \hA HUGE DOWNWASH,

KICKING UP A DENSE \h\hCLOUD OF SAND.

WITH VISIBILITY CLOSE TO ZERO,

THE PILOT CAN EASILY BECOME DISORIENTED.

SO IN TRAINING, THE MODERN NAVY LEAVES THE OCEAN FOR THE DESERT.

\h\h\h\hTHIS IS WAATS AIRBASE, JUST OUTSIDE TUCSON, ARIZONA.

\h\hJIM NEWTON IS NOW ONE OF THE NAVY‘S SENIOR TRAINING OFFICERS.

HE’S ABOUT TO SHOW WHY HEAT AND SAND

CALL FOR SPECIAL TECHNIQUES.

Newton: WHAT WE’RE \hABOUT TO DO NOW

\hIS JUST TAKE OFF IN THIS DUSTY DESERT ENVIRONMENT.

Narrator: ON HIS FIRST ATTEMPT,

\h\h\h\hTHE PILOT WILL TRY TO CLIMB STRAIGHT UPWARDS,

UNTIL HE IS CLEAR OF THE SAND CLOUD.

BUT IN THE SEARING DESERT,

\h\hTHERE‘S A RISK OF BLOWING THE ENGINE BY OVERHEATING IT.

ON THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE,

\h\h\h\hRED FOR DANGER BEGINS AT 645 CELSIUS.

Newton: WE’VE GOT TWO ENGINES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THE LYNX,

\hAND WE NEED NOT TO GO OVER THE MAXIMUM LIMIT,

WHICH TODAY IS 645 CONTINUOUS, OR 665 FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES.

AND OBVIOUSLY COUPLED WITH THAT, WE’VE GOT THE DUST OUTSIDE.

SO HERE WE GO.

Man: STRAIGHT UP. \hGOOD REFERENCE.

Newton: THE POWER’S COMING IN,

YOU CAN SEE THE DUST CLOUD \h\h\h\hBUILDING IN FRONT.

630, 640.

Narrator: THE ENGINE‘S ABOUT \h\hTO HIT MAXIMUM PRESSURE.

Newton: THE POWER‘S COME IN,

\hTHERE‘S 645. UP TO THE TOP.

WE‘RE ABOUT 25 FEET, NO HIGHER.

\hIT DOESN’T WANT TO CLIMB ANYMORE.

\hI’M NOT GONNA CLEAR THE TOP OF THE CLOUD.

\h\hNarrator: THE PILOT MUST ABORT THE TAKEOFF.

Newton: THE AIRCRAFT \h\hCOMES BACK DOWN

AND SAYS, I AIN’T GOING TO DO THAT.

Narrator: IN DESERT HEAT, \h\hTHE LYNX DOESN’T HAVE

ENOUGH POWER TO RISE STRAIGHT UP AND OUT.

THE SOLUTION IS TO HOVER \hJUST ABOVE THE GROUND.

THIS SLOWS THE VERTICAL SPEED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE DOWNWASH,

WHICH MAKES THE ROTOR BLADES \h\h\h\h\h\hMORE EFFICIENT.

\h\h\hAS IF HOVERING ON A CUSHION OF AIR,

THE PILOT MOVES FORWARDS \h\h\h\h\hINSTEAD OF UP.

THE HORIZONTAL AIRFLOW \hPROVIDES EXTRA LIFT,

\hTO GET AIRBORNE USING LESS POWER.

Newton: AS LONG YOU KEEP \h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT CUSHION

UNTIL YOU GET FORWARD MOMENTUM,

THE AIRCRAFT WILL USE LESS POWER

\h\hTHAN WHAT YOU‘D NEED IF YOU WENT VERTICALLY.

Narrator: BUT FLYING STRAIGHT \hINTO THE CLOUD TAKES NERVE.

Newton: IN SIMPLE TERMS, YOU‘RE TAKING OFF COMPLETELY BLIND.

Narrator: CAMP VIKING, KUWAIT.

\hJIM NEWTON ENTERS THE THEATER OF WAR.

Newton: IT WAS LIKE THE DRAWING OF CURTAINS ON REALITY

IN MANY WAYS.

WHEN I CAME THROUGH \h\hTHAT DUST CLOUD,

I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THIS IS IT, AND THIS IS IT FOR REAL.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHERE‘S A CHANCE I POSSIBLY WOULDN‘T COME BACK.

Narrator: THEY HAVE ENOUGH FUEL FOR A 100-MINUTE MISSION.

\h\h\hBUT DANGER APPEARS AFTER JUST 15 SECONDS--

AND IT ISN‘T THE IRAQIS.

Newton: EVERY WEAPONS SENSOR \h\h\hTHE WESTERN ALLIES HAD

WAS TRYING TO SEE WHO I WAS \h\h\h\h\h\hAND WHAT I WAS.

Narrator: AMERICAN RADAR \h\h\h\hHAS LOCKED ON--

\hTHE LYNX THINKS IT‘S UNDER ATTACK.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNewton: SO I HAD ALL THESE LIGHTS AND NOISES

THROUGH MY HEADSET TELLING ME

THAT THERE WAS THESE WEAPONS \h\hSYSTEMS LOCKING INTO ME.

I’VE GOT SYSTEMS ON THE AIRCRAFT

\h\h\h\hTHAT TELL PEOPLE I’M A FRIENDLY AIRCRAFT,

THEY GIVE ALL SORTS \h\h\hOF INFORMATION

\h\h\hABOUT WHO I AM AND WHAT I‘M UP TO.

BUT FOR THE BEST WILL \h\h\h\h\hIN THE WORLD

YOU NEVER BELIEVE \hTHEY‘RE WORKING.

Narrator: NEWTON EVENTUALLY \h\h\h\h\hRECEIVES CLEARANCE

FROM THE AMERICAN AWACS CONTROLLER.

TO AVOID FRIENDLY FIRE,

THE LYNX AND GAZELLE MUST STAY \h\h\h\hIN SAFE AIR CORRIDORS.

THEY MOVE INTO FORMATION-- \h\h\h\h\h\hAND INTO IRAQ.

Newton: WE WERE NOT \h\hHANGING AROUND.

I REMEMBER WE CROSSED THE BORDER AT ABOUT 130 KNOTS.

Narrator: PILOT DERBY ALLEN \h\h\h\h\h\hHEADS FOR BASRA,

SKIMMING THE DESERT \h\hAT JUST 30 FEET

TO AVOID ENEMY MISSILE \hOR MACHINE GUN FIRE.

Allen: NO MATTER HOW LOW YOU ARE,

YOU JUST WANT TO BE LOWER,

BECAUSE YOU FEEL TOTALLY EXPOSED.

IT‘S A FLAT, BARREN LANDSCAPE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IN JIM NEWTON’S SIGHTS--

THE SCORCHED AFTERMATH \hOF EARLIER BATTLES.

Newton: YOU COULD SMELL THE OIL,

AND YOU COULD SMELL THE CORDITE IN THE AIR FROM EXPLOSIONS.

I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER SEEING \h\h\hMY FIRST DEAD SOLDIER.

IT’S AN AWFUL LOT TO TAKE IN \h\h\h\h\h\hIN TWO MINUTES,

YOUR EYES ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH.

Narrator: THE BORDER ZONE, \h\h\h20 MILES FROM BASRA,

\hHAS SEEN FIERCE IRAQI RESISTANCE.

Newton: IRAQI ARMOUR, \hOLD RUSSIAN ARMOUR.

\hIT WASN‘T A PRETTY MIX IF I‘M HONEST WITH YOU.

\h\h\hNarrator: NEWTON KNOWS THE BATTLE FOR BASRA ITSELF

WILL BE EVEN MORE DESPERATE.

UP TO 50 IRAQI TANKS ARE HIDING SOMEWHERE

IN THE BUILDINGS AND PALM TREES.

\hIF THEY BREAK OUT AND COUNTER-ATTACK,

NEWTON‘S LYNX IS THE ONLY SHIELD FOR FRONT LINE BRITISH TROOPS.

\h\hNewton: IF A TANK COMES 30 MILE AN HOUR DOWN A ROAD,

FIRING 12.7 ROUNDS

\h\hINTO ROYAL MARINES WHO ARE LIGHTLY ARMED,

ONLY IN LAND ROVERS,

\h\hTHE WHOLE THING CAN CHANGE ON US, YOU KNOW, IN A MOMENT.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE IRAQI’S MAIN BATTLE TANK IS THE T55--

BUILT IN THE FORMER \h\h\hSOVIET UNION.

\h\h\hCRISPIN SWAYNE IS A FORMER CAPTAIN

IN A BRITISH TANK REGIMENT,

TRAINED TO FIGHT RUSSIAN T55s \hIN THE DAYS OF THE COLD WAR.

Swayne: THE T55 IS ESSENTIALLY \h\hTHE KALASHNIKOV OF TANKS.

IT WAS DESIGNED RIGHT AT THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

AND IT STILL SEES SERVICE TODAY,

AND THAT‘S MAINLY BECAUSE \h\h\h\hIT‘S SO EFFECTIVE.

Narrator: THE T55 MAY BE \h\h\h\hAN OLD WARHORSE,

\h\hBUT IT STILL HAS PLENTY OF FIREPOWER.

ITS HEAVY-CALIBER MACHINE GUN

\h\hPOSES A REAL THREAT TO PASSING HELICOPTERS.

AND ITS TURRET-MOUNTED MAIN GUN

CAN LAUNCH HEAVY SHELLS \h\h\h\h\hSEVERAL MILES.

BUT EVERY FLASH OF THE MUZZLE

\h\h\hCAN GIVE AWAY THE TANK‘S POSITION.

A GOOD TANK COMMANDER PLAYS \h\hA DEADLY GAME OF HIDE...

AND SEEK.

\h\h\hSwayne: SO IMAGINING THIS IS THE WOODS JUST OUTSIDE BASRA,

\hAND THESE ARE THE PALM TREES HERE THAT I’M ON THE EDGE OF,

LOOKING OUT ACROSS DESERT.

AND THAT IS FLAT.

PUTTING YOUR TANKS OUT THERE \h\hIS ESSENTIALLY SUICIDE.

THE ENEMY‘S GOT AIR SUPERIORITY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU’RE WAITING FOR THE RECCE SCREEN TO ARRIVE

\h\h\hWHICH IS SMALL TANKS SUPPORTED BY HELICOPTERS.

TAKING ON THE TANKS, SURE, \h\h\hTHAT’S VERY DOABLE,

BUT THE HELICOPTERS, \h\hIF YOU’RE SEEN,

IT‘S BASICALLY GAME OVER.

Narrator: IN OPEN DESERT,

\h\hA TANK IS EASY PREY FOR THE LYNX‘S MISSILES.

[SPEAKING ARABIC]

\hBUT IRAQI COMMANDERS LEARNED THEIR LESSONS

FROM THE 1991 GULF WAR.

A BATTLE-HARDENED VETERAN \h\h\hSTAYS OUT OF SIGHT,

AND WAITS FOR HIS CHANCE \hTO BREAK OUT IN FORCE.

THE PALM TREES OF SOUTHERN BASRA GIVE DENSE COVER,

THE SUBURBAN BUILDINGS A WARREN OF MAKESHIFT HIDING PLACES.

Swayne: IF YOU’RE LUCKY,

YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME OTHER KIND \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF STRUCTURE

THAT YOU CAN PUT OVER THE TANK

\h\h\h\hBECAUSE IT PUTS OUT QUITE A BIG HEAT SIGNATURE.

\h\h\hAND OF COURSE WITH THE BATTLEFIELD

BEING SO ADVANCED THESE DAYS,

\h\h\hYOUR HEAT SIGNATURE CAN BE PICKED UP FROM A GREAT DISTANCE.

Narrator: SOLID WALLS \h\hGIVE ADDED SAFETY.

A PLACE FOR TANKS \hTO HUNKER DOWN,

\h\h\h\h\h\hBEFORE UNLEASHING A DEVASTATING COUNTER-ATTACK.

OUT IN THE DESERT,

THE VULNERABLE BRITISH TROOPS \h\h\h\h\h\hNEED AIR SUPPORT.

BUT ABOVE THEM, JIM NEWTON’S \h\h\h\h\h\hTWO HELICOPTERS

PATROL A STRICTLY \hCONTROLLED AREA.

\hTHEY HAVE TO STAY INSIDE A BATTLE BOX

OF JUST 1 1/2 MILES.

IF THEY STRAY OUTSIDE,

THEY RISK BEING SHOT DOWN \h\h\h\hBY FRIENDLY FIRE.

\h\h\hNEWTON FOCUSES THE HUNT FOR TANKS ON SOUTHERN BASRA--

DEAD AHEAD.

Newton: WE AT THIS POINT \hWERE JUST MANEUVERING

AROUND OUR 4-KILOMETER BOX \h\hAS AN AVIATION PATROL,

SCANNING IN THE 12 O‘CLOCK \h\h\h\hUP TOWARDS BASRA.

Narrator: NEWTON CHECKS \h\hHIS THERMAL SIGHTS--

\h\h\h\h\hLOOKING FOR A TELLTALE HOT ENGINE.

BUT THE TANKS ARE ONLY 20 FEET LONG,

\h\h\hIN 16 SQUARE MILES OF TREES AND BUILDINGS.

\hAFTER 55 MINUTES--MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH THE MISSION--

THERE‘S NO SIGN OF ANY T55s.

Newton: YOU’RE LOOKING \h\hINTO THE HEAT HAZE

ABOUT FOUR KILOMETERS \h\h\hIN FRONT OF YOU,

MAYBE EVEN MORE.

THEY‘RE DIFFICULT TO SPOT \h\hAT THE BEST OF TIMES.

Narrator: NEWTON’S ATTENTION \h\h\h\h\hIS FOCUSED AHEAD,

SO SOMEONE HAS TO COVER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE REAR.

\h\h\hNewton: GUNS IS TRACKING OUR SIX O‘CLOCK WITH THE GPMG.

\hI‘VE GOT THE GAZELLE AS WELL, BEHIND ME, AND THE CREW IN THAT.

\hNarrator: THE T55s ARE TOO WELL HIDDEN.

Newton: THEY KNOW THE GROUND. \h\h\h\hTHEY DIG THE TANKS IN.

ALL YOU‘LL SEE IS JUST \hTHE END OF A BARREL.

IT‘S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.

Narrator: BELOW THE LYNX,

FIVE BRITISH ARMY SCIMITARS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hJOIN THE HUNT.

THESE ARE FAST, MOBILE \hFIGHTING VEHICLES--

DESIGNED TO FLUSH OUT THE ENEMY FROM THEIR HIDING PLACES.

BUT IN A HEAD-TO-HEAD CONTEST,

A LIGHTWEIGHT SCIMITAR IS NO MATCH FOR A T55.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSwayne: THE SCIMITAR IS ESSENTIALLY

A RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLE.

IT‘S NOT MEANT TO ENGAGE.

\h\h\hIT HAS ITS CANNON REALLY AS SELF-DEFENSE,

BUT ESSENTIALLY IT’S THE EYES AND THE EARS OF THE COMMANDER,

\h\hTHAT‘S WHY IT‘S OUT FRONT OF THE MAIN PART OF THE ARMY.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: SUDDENLY THE SCIMITARS COME UNDER FIRE

FROM A T55‘S MACHINE GUN.

\hNewton: ONE OF THE GUYS SPOKE TO ME ON THE RADIO,

I COULD JUST HEAR IN HIS VOICE,

I COULD HEAR THE ROUNDS \h\hHITTING HIS VEHICLE,

OR AT LEAST RICOCHETS.

\h\hNarrator: NOW THE BRITISH SOLDIERS FEAR A KNOCKOUT PUNCH

FROM THE HEAVYWEIGHT MAIN GUN.

Swayne: A T55 ROUND HITTING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE SIDE OF A,

OR THE FRONT EVEN, \h\hOF A SCIMITAR,

THERE REALLY WOULDN‘T BE \h\h\h\hMUCH LEFT OF IT.

Narrator: AT CAMP VIKING,

\hSENIOR PILOT ANDREW CLARKE FIELDS THE CALLS FOR BACKUP.

Clarke: IN TERMS OF RADIO TRAFFIC

PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SAY \h\h\hTHEY KEPT IT CALM

AND CONCISE AND PROFESSIONAL.

\h\h\hBUT THERE WAS AN ELEMENT OF PANIC

\h\h\hIN SOME OF THE EARLY TRANSMISSIONS WE RECEIVED.

Newton: THERE WAS ROUNDS LANDING ALL AROUND THEM.

I COULD HEAR HIS ENGINE REVVING OVER THE, YOU KNOW, THE RADIO

AS HE SAID TO ME YOU NEED TO, YOU NEED TO GET HERE AND HELP.

\h\hNarrator: NEWTON MUST FIND THE TANK--

THEN FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO DESTROY IT.

AT THE 847th SQUADRON,

SENIOR PILOT ANDREW CLARKE \h\h\hWEIGHS THE OPTIONS.

\hClarke: HAVE WE GOT ANY FAST JET SUPPORT,

FAST AIR TO ATTACK THESE, THESE TANKS FROM THE AIR?

HAVE WE GOT ANYTHING \h\h\hON THE GROUND

THAT COULD, COULD HELP, \h\hANY HEAVY ARTILLERY?

THAT WASN‘T IN POSITION \h\h\h\h\hAT THAT STAGE.

Newton: JETS WERE ALL TIED UP

PROSECUTING DEPTH TARGETS \h\h\h\h\hAROUND BAGHDAD.

SO IT WAS APPARENT

WITHIN A MINUTE AND A HALF \h\h\h\hOF ARRIVING THERE

THAT 847 WAS IT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: WITH NO JETS AVAILABLE,

NEWTON MUST FIND THE TANK--

THEN USE HIS OWN MISSILES \h\h\h\h\hTO TAKE IT OUT.

BUT IN THE DESERT,

\h\h\h\h\hTHERE‘S NOWHERE FOR A HELICOPTER TO HIDE.

NEWTON THINKS HE‘S THE PREDATOR.

IN FACT, HE‘S THE PREY.

[EXPLOSION]

\hNewton: IT SCARES THE HELL OUT OF YOU, IT REALLY DOES.

THAT’S A SHELL, AND IT’S LANDED,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF METERS AWAY.

Allen: AS SOON AS WE SAW \h\hTHE FIRST EXPLOSION,

I JUST THREW THE AIRCRAFT OFF \hTO ONE SIDE TO GET IT AWAY.

BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, AFTER THE FIRST ONE

YOU CAN EXPECT A FEW MORE \h\h\h\h\hCOMING YOUR WAY.

Newton: YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE IT’S COMING FROM

\h\hAND YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE THE NEXT ONE’S COMING FROM.

YOU CAN‘T SEE THEM, YOU CAN‘T HEAR THEM.

I WAS SITTING THERE THINKING \h\h\h\h\hI‘M GOING TO DIE.

Narrator: FOR THE FIRST TIME \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN HIS LIFE,

JIM NEWTON IS UNDER FIRE.

[EXPLOSION]

Newton: A WHITE FLASH, CHRIST,

THAT IS JUST RIGHT \hIN FRONT OF ME.

Narrator: A HIDDEN IRAQI TANK \h\hIS ZEROING IN ON THE LYNX.

THE CHANCE OF A DIRECT HIT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM A TANK

ON A FAST-MOVING HELICOPTER \h\h\h\h\hIS NOT VERY HIGH,

BUT TO JIM NEWTON

THE EXPLOSIONS ON THE GROUND \h\hFEEL DANGEROUSLY CLOSE.

\h\h\hNewton: YOU GET A BIG GEYSER OF SAND,

THEN IT‘S LIKE SOMEONE THROWING STONES OVER THE AIRCRAFT.

ONE MOMENT WHICH I’LL TAKE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO MY GRAVE

IS THE ROUNDS IMPACTING IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT

AND WALKING TOWARDS ME.

Narrator: TO NEWTON’S HORROR, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE UNSEEN ENEMY

APPEARS TO BE TRACKING \h\h\hHIS FLIGHT PATH.

\h\h\h\hNewton: WHEN YOU MOVE, THE ROUNDS IMPACTING THE SAND

CHANGE DIRECTION, FOLLOWING YOU.

Allen: ONE ROUND WOULD LAND IN THE PROXIMITY OF THE AIRCRAFT,

\h\hTHEN THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE A LOT CLOSER.

\hSO THE GUY FIRING THE ROUNDS, HE WAS BASICALLY BRACKETING US,

AND HE WAS GETTING \hVERY GOOD AT IT.

Narrator: GOING FOR THE KILL,

THE TANK COMMANDER SWITCHES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO AIR BURST--

A MASSIVE MID-AIR EXPLOSION OF FLAK.

Allen: THE HELICOPTER ITSELF

IS NOT DESIGNED TO TAKE FIRE \h\h\h\h\hAND TO TAKE HITS.

\h\hNarrator: BUILT FOR SPEED, THE LYNX HAS NO HEAVY ARMOUR.

THE OUTER SKIN IS JUST

A QUARTER OF AN INCH \h\h\h\hOF ALUMINUM.

\h\h\hNewton: YOU NEED FUEL AND WEAPONS, YOU DON‘T NEED ARMOUR.

OUR TACTICS ARE BASED \h\h\hAROUND THE FACT

THAT WE WERE LIGHTLY PROTECTED.

Narrator: IF THEY’RE SHOT DOWN, THE IRAQI BATTLE TANKS

\h\h\hWILL BE FREE TO MOVE OUT OF BASRA AND INTO OPEN DESERT.

\hTHE LIGHTLY ARMED BRITISH GROUND TROOPS FACE CARNAGE.

WITH 18 MINUTES OF FUEL BEFORE \hTHEY HAVE TO RETURN TO BASE,

THE LYNX AND GAZELLE GO INTO A STANDARD EVASIVE MANEUVER.

Newton: SO WE WERE AGILE AROUND THE BATTLEFIELD,

AND WE CHANGED OUR TACTICS

TO MAKE US AS SMALL A TARGET \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS POSSIBLE.

\h\h\hNarrator: THE TACTIC IS CALLED "HAMSTER RAT"--

AND IT‘S SUPPOSED TO WORK LIKE THIS.

\h\h\h\hCIRCLING THE BATTLE BOX, THE HAMSTER RADIOS WHAT HE SEES.

RIGHT OF TOWER, LOW BUILDING...

CLUMP OF TREES...

POSSIBLE TARGET.

BUT IT‘S HARD TO TELL.

\h\h\h\h\hWHEN HE HITS THE FRONT OF THE BOX,

THE HAMSTER MUST TURN AWAY.

\h\h\h\hNOW THE RAT, A HALF A LAP BEHIND,

PICKS UP THE SEARCH.

TOWER.

LOW BUILDING.

TREES.

TANK IDENTIFIED.

BOTH HELICOPTERS KEEP MOVING \h\h\h\h\h\hAT HIGH SPEEDS,

MAKING DIFFICULT TARGETS.

OR AT LEAST THAT‘S THE THEORY.

THE TROUBLE IS--IN REAL LIFE, \h\hTHEY CAN‘T FIND THE TANK.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNEWTON FOCUSES ON THE MOST LIKELY HIDING PLACE--

THE TREES AND BUILDINGS \h\h\hOF SOUTHERN BASRA.

THE TANK KEEPS UP A HEAVY BARRAGE...

BUT IN TWO WHOLE CIRCUITS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hUNDER FIRE,

NEITHER HAMSTER NOR RAT SEES ANY TELLTALE MUZZLE FLASHES.

\h\h\h\h\hNEWTON SWITCHES TO AN INCREDIBLY RISKY TACTIC--

THE SPLIT MANEUVER.

Newton: SO WE JOINED UP AS A PAIR AT THIS POINT.

\h\h\h\hWE FLEW TOWARDS ON WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS THE THREAT LINE,

\hAND THEN WHEN WE GOT TO THE TOP OF THE BOX,

\h\h\h\h\hWE BOTH TURNED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS,

SO WE‘RE BASICALLY SAYING \hTO THE ENEMY, PICK ONE.

Narrator: THE LYNX AND GAZELLE \h\h\h\h\h\hHEAD SIDE BY SIDE

FOR THE TREE LINE, DRAWING FIRE.

WHEN THE TANK COMMANDER FIRES \h\h\h\h\h\hAT ONE HELICOPTER,

THE OTHER SHOULD SEE \hHIS MUZZLE FLASH.

HE CHOOSES THE LYNX.

\h\h\hNewton: THE THREAT TO HIM WAS THE LYNX WITH TOW MISSILES.

IT’S AN ANTI-TANK WEAPON,

AND HE WOULD KNOW THAT’S THE THREAT

HE NEEDS TO TAKE OUT FIRST.

Narrator: BUT NEITHER HELICOPTER SEES A THING.

\hAllen: I’M TRYING TO OBSERVE SOMETHING

THAT’S PROBABLY OVER A MILE, \h\h\hNEARLY TWO MILES AWAY

WITH THE NAKED EYE.

NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

JIM WAS IN THE SIGHT,

\hFRANTICALLY TRYING TO FIND THE TARGET.

\h\h\hNewton: WE’D SET UP OUR HAMSTER-RAT TECHNIQUE,

WE’D DONE SPLIT MANEUVERS TO TRY AND GET HIM TO PICK ONE OF US,

WHICH HE DID,

\hAND I JUST COULDN‘T SEE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM.

Narrator: THEY HAVE ENOUGH FUEL FOR 12 MORE MINUTES

BEFORE THEY MUST TURN BACK.

THAT WOULD LEAVE BRITISH TROOPS WITH NO AIR SUPPORT--

\hAGAINST RAMPAGING IRAQI BATTLE TANKS.

\h\hNewton: I WAS JUST ABOUT OUT OF IDEAS, IF I‘M HONEST.

Narrator: THE MYSTERIOUS ENEMY \h\h\h\h\h\hIS MAKING FULL USE

OF HIS BIGGEST WEAPON--

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE.

\hFORMER TANK COMMANDER CRISPIN SWAYNE EXPLAINS.

Swayne: A GOOD TANK COMMANDER

WILL MAKE GOOD USE \h\hOF THE GROUND.

HE’LL HAVE RECCED IT BEFOREHAND, MAYBE CLIMBED OUT ON FOOT,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGOT HIS BINOS OUT, EVEN WALKED OUT INTO THE DESERT

\hTO LOOK BACK AND SEE WHAT THE POSITION MIGHT LOOK LIKE

\h\hFROM OUT THERE, WHERE THE ENEMY IS COMING FROM.

IF HE KNOWS HIS STUFF,

\h\hHE WILL HAVE RECCED ROUTES AND OTHER DEFENSIVE POSITIONS,

FROM WHICH HE CAN OBSERVE \h\hAND THEN PULL FORWARD

AND ENGAGE THE ENEMY \h\h\hAS HE WISHES.

\hONCE YOU’VE FIRED A COUPLE OF ROUNDS,

THEN YOU’D WANT TO BE \h\hCHANGING POSITION,

\hBECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU‘RE GOING TO HAVE EVERYONE LOOKING AT YOU.

\hSO YOU PULL BACK OFF THE POSITION,

HOPEFULLY INTO SOME KIND \h\h\h\hOF DEAD GROUND,

\h\hYOU THEN MOVE ALONG THROUGH THE DEAD GROUND,

AND TANKS WILL ALWAYS TRY \hAND FOLLOW DEAD GROUND--

\hTHAT MEANS GROUND THAT’S NOT GOING TO SKYLINE YOU,

NOT GOING TO SILHOUETTE YOU \h\h\h\h\h\hAGAINST THE SKY,

\h\h\h\h\hBECAUSE THAT MAKES A MUCH EASIER TARGET TO SEE.

Narrator: USING THESE TACTICS, \h\hTHE ELUSIVE TANK COMMANDER

COULD BE MOVING UNDETECTED \hALL OVER SOUTHERN BASRA.

\h\h\h\hEVEN THOUGH THE LYNX IS A FAST-MOVING TARGET FOR A TANK,

THE PILOTS STILL FEEL \h\h\hVERY VULNERABLE.

Allen: YOU’RE IN A BIG, \h\hVIBRATING NOISY BOX

THAT YOU CAN’T HIDE \h\h\hFROM ANYBODY,

CAN BE HEARD FROM MILES AWAY.

SO YOU’RE PRESENTING QUITE A BIG TARGET,

OPEN TARGET TO THE ENEMY.

THE ONLY ADVANTAGE YOU HAVE

\hIS TO KEEP LOW AND TO KEEP MOVING AND KEEP MOVING FAST.

Narrator: BUT DERBY ALLEN \h\h\h\h\hHAS A PROBLEM--

THERE‘S A LIMIT TO HOW FAST \h\h\hANY HELICOPTER CAN GO.

WITH A FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT,

THE FAST FLOW OF AIR \h\h\hOVER THE WINGS

CREATES THE LIFT IT NEEDS \h\h\h\hTO STAY AIRBORNE.

BUT A HOVERING HELICOPTER CREATES LIFT ON THE SPOT,

BY SPINNING ITS ROTORS \h\hTHROUGH THE AIR--

LIKE ROTATING WINGS.

IT’S NOT SO SIMPLE

WHEN THE HELICOPTER‘S \h\h\hMOVING FORWARD.

ON ONE SIDE, THE BLADE’S \hHEADING INTO THE WIND,

SO THERE‘S A BIGGER AIR FLOW \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND MORE LIFT.

BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE,

THE BLADE’S MOVING \hWITH THE WIND--

SO THERE‘S MUCH LESS AIR FLOW, \h\h\h\h\hAND MUCH LESS LIFT.

IF THE HELICOPTER GOES TOO FAST,

THE IMBALANCE SENDS IT \h\h\hOUT OF CONTROL.

SO THE LYNX MANUFACTURERS

CAME UP WITH A REVOLUTIONARY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hROTOR DESIGN.

Newton: THIS IS BUILT FOR SPEED.

THE BLADES THAT YOU’VE GOT HERE ARE COMPOSITE MAIN ROTOR BLADES.

THEY‘RE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED \h\h\h\hFOR HIGH SPEED FLIGHT.

\h\hNarrator: THE BLADES ARE ADVANCED COMPOSITES

OF CARBON AND GLASS FIBER-- TOUGH, BUT HIGHLY FLEXIBLE.

CONVENTIONAL ROTOR HUBS \h\h\h\h\h\hHAVE HINGES,

ALLOWING THE BLADES TO FLAP UP AND DOWN.

ON THE ADVANCING SIDE, WHERE LIFT IS HIGHER,

\h\hTHE ROTORS FLAP UP, WHICH REDUCES THE LIFT.

ON THE RETREATING SIDE \h\h\hTHEY FLAP DOWN,

INCREASING THE LIFT.

\h\h\hSO FLAPPING RESTORES THE HELICOPTER‘S BALANCE.

BUT THE LYNX GOES ONE STEP FURTHER.

THE ROTOR HUB HAS NO HINGES.

THE BLADES ARE STRONG ENOUGH \hTO FLAP JUST BY BENDING--

SO THEY‘RE HIGHLY RESPONSIVE.

AND THE TIPS ARE DESIGNED

\hTO CUT THROUGH THE AIR WITH MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY.

\hTHE HINGELESS HUB AND ADVANCED BLADES

MAKE THE LYNX SUPREMELY AGILE.

Newton: YOU’RE GOING TO GO

RIGHT UP TO THE ENVELOPE \h\h\h\hOF THE AIRCRAFT.

I MEAN, WE BACKFLIP THE LYNX.

YOU KNOW, OTHER PEOPLE \h\h\h\hDON‘T DO THAT.

\h\hNarrator: IN IRAQ, HIGH SPEED TECHNOLOGY

GIVES PILOT DERBY ALLEN \h\h\hA FIGHTING CHANCE.

Allen: WE‘D MOVE LEFT AND RIGHT, CHANGE HEIGHT AS WELL.

IF YOU GO FROM HIGH TO LOW,

IT’S VERY DIFFICULT FOR A GUY OBSERVING

\h\h\h\h\hTO ACTUALLY GET A RANGE ESTIMATION ON YOU.

\h\hSO YOU‘RE JUST TRYING TO CONFUSE HIM, BASICALLY.

Narrator: THE LYNX \hBUCKS AND SWOOPS

\hIN THE CONFINES OF THE BATTLE BOX.

LOW ON FUEL, MISSION COMMANDER JIM NEWTON HAS 8 MINUTES LEFT

TO TAKE OUT THE TANK

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT THREATENS THE ADVANCING BRITISH TROOPS--

THEN HE HAS TO HEAD \h\hBACK TO KUWAIT.

Newton: VERY QUICKLY YOU START \h\h\hRUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS,

BUT YOU CAN‘T...

YOU‘VE GOT TO KEEP GOING, YOU‘VE GOT TO KEEP TRYING TO FIND HIM.

WE WERE SCANNING FRANTICALLY.

\h\hNarrator: THE T55 COMMANDER FIRES WITH EVERYTHING HE‘S GOT.

Swayne: DURING AN ENGAGEMENT \h\h\h\hTHE INSIDE OF A T55

WOULD BE AN EXTREMELY \h\h\h\h\hBUSY PLACE--

HOT, REALLY CRAMPED.

THERE WOULD BE THE COMMANDER

TRYING TO LOCATE ENEMY POSITIONS,

THROUGH THE DUST, THROUGH THE HEAT,

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHROUGH THE SMOKE, THROUGH THE SOUND OF WARFARE.

\h\h\hHE’D BE TRYING TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY,

SEE WHERE IT’S AT,

\h\h\hAND LAY THE GUN ONTO THAT POSITION...

[SPEAKING ARABIC]

\h\h\h\hAT WHICH POINT THE GUNNER TAKES OVER,

\h\h\h\h\hAND HE’S GOT MORE MAGNIFIED SIGHTS,

\h\hSO HE’D BE ABLE TO SEE MORE CLEARLY

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWHAT THE, WHAT THE ENEMY TARGET IS.

\h\h\h\hSO ALL THE TIME THE COMMANDER’S THINKING

HAVE I GOT ENOUGH TIME TO GET \h\hANOTHER ROUND UP THE SPOUT

AND FIRE ANOTHER ROUND \h\h\h\hAT THE ENEMY,

OR DO I MOVE?

WHAT‘S THE MOST EFFECTIVE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHING TO DO?

SO FROM THE COMMANDER’S \h\h\h\h\hPOINT OF VIEW

IT‘S A REALLY, REALLY \h\h\hSTRESSFUL TIME.

Newton: MY GUT FEELING, AS HE \h\hADJUSTED HIS RATE OF FIRE,

IS THAT HE FIGURED \hI HAD SEEN HIM.

\h\hNarrator: NEWTON HAS FUEL TO HUNT FOR JUST FIVE MORE MINUTES.

Allen: JIM COULDN’T SEE \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE TARGET,

I COULDN‘T SEE THE TARGET.

\hI WAS TOO BUSY TRYING TO AVOID THE ROUNDS AND FLY THE AIRCRAFT.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE GUY IN THE BACK, HE HAS THAT LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA,

AND HE WILL PROBABLY PICK UP

\h\hWHAT’S GOING ON OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT

QUICKER THAN THE GUYS \h\h\h\h\hIN THE FRONT

\h\hWHO ARE OBVIOUSLY REALLY PREOCCUPIED WITH THEIR JOBS.

Newton: AND THE GUNNER \h\h\h\h\h\hJUST SAID,

"BOSS, I‘VE JUST SEEN \h\h\hA MUZZLE FLASH."

AND IT’S LIKE SOMEONE \h\h\h\h\hSAYING JIM,

YOU’VE JUST WON THE LOTTERY, \hBECAUSE IT FELT LIKE THAT,

\hBECAUSE A MUZZLE FLASH IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT,

THAT‘S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.

\hNarrator: BUT NEWTON HAS A SHOCK IN STORE--

\hTHE TANK COMMANDER ISN‘T WHERE HE‘S SUPPOSED TO BE.

INSTEAD, HE’S CRAWLED UNSEEN \h\h\hTHROUGH DEAD GROUND--

FROM BASRA IN THE NORTH,

TO THE TOWN OF AZ ZUBAYR \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE WEST.

THE BUILDINGS MAKE \hEXCELLENT COVER.

\hAND THE LYNX MAKES A PERFECT SIDE-ON TARGET IN HIS SIGHTS.

Swayne: SURPRISE IS VERY MUCH \h\h\hTHE ELEMENT OF THE GAME

IN THE DESERT.

Newton: THE TANK COMMANDER HAD FLANKED US BASICALLY,

YOU KNOW, I HATE TO SAY IT, \hBUT THAT’S WHAT HE’D DONE,

HE’D OBVIOUSLY GOT OUT AROUND, \h\h\hTHROUGH MY NINE O’CLOCK,

MY LEFT-HAND SIDE AS I WAS LOOKING,

FACING UP TOWARDS BASRA.

HE KNEW HIS TERRAIN

AND HE KNEW HOW TO FIGHT A BATTLE WITH AIRCRAFT.

\h\h\hMY DOOR GUNNER GOT EYES ON FOR ME,

HE DESCRIBED WHERE HE SAW \h\h\h\hTHE MUZZLE FLASH.

\hWE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT, TURNED IT THROUGH 90 DEGREES,

\hAND I’M LOOKING THROUGH THE SIGHTS

AND HE‘S TALKING ME ON \hFROM THE BUILDINGS.

Newton: JUST AS HE‘S TALKING, THERE‘S A LITTLE WHITE FLASH.

THE MUZZLE FLASH ACTUALLY \h\h\hWAS A GREAT RELIEF,

\h\hBECAUSE THEN I HAD SOMETHING TO FOCUS ON.

Narrator: THE RESOURCEFUL \h\h\h\h\h\hTANK COMMANDER

IS STILL ONE STEP AHEAD.

HIS HIDING PLACE PUTS NEWTON \h\hUNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE.

Newton: THE GUY WAS GOOD.

\h\h\h\h\hNewton: IT WAS A SINGLE-STORY BUILDING.

AND WHAT GAVE IT AWAY FOR ME

WAS THE FACT THERE WAS \hA SMALL PLAYGROUND.

\h\h\hNarrator: THE TANK IS ON THE GROUNDS OF A SCHOOL.

\h\h\h\hNewton: HE KNEW OUR RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

WOULD PREVENT ME FIRING,

AND HE MADE THAT OPPORTUNITY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHIS OWN.

HE‘D REVERSED THE TANK \h\hTHROUGH THE WALL.

\h\h\hHE WOULD THEN COME OUT OF THE SCHOOL, FIRE,

AND THEN GO BACK INTO THE SCHOOL.

Narrator: NEWTON HAS TO MAKE SURE

THERE ARE NO CHILDREN \h\h\h\h\hIN THE AREA.

\h\hNewton: AND OF COURSE, I’M JUST SEEING SOMETHING

\h\hAT HUGE DISTANCES FOR A FLEETING SECOND,

THROUGH SMOKE AND HEAT HAZE.

A MUZZLE FLASH, YOU KNOW, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAM I SURE?

Narrator: HE SWITCHES TO HIGH MAGNIFICATION.

THEN THE THERMAL SIGHT.

THERE‘S NO SIGN OF LIFE.

Newton: I CAN PULL \hTHE TRIGGER NOW,

THANK GOD, IT‘S FINALLY ARRIVED, THIS MOMENT CAN COME.

Narrator: THE FINAL DUEL \h\h\hIS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

JIM NEWTON‘S HELICOPTER \h\h\h\hIS LOW ON FUEL.

HE HAS JUST THREE MINUTES LEFT \h\hTO DESTROY THE IRAQI TANK.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHIS WEAPON, THE TOW ANTI-TANK MISSILE--

IS DESIGNED TO PENETRATE \h\h\h\h\hHEAVY ARMOUR.

MAXIMUM RANGE, 2.3 MILES--

AND NEWTON THINKS THE TANK \h\hIS JUST WITHIN REACH.

BEFORE NEWTON CAN FIRE, \h\h\hPILOT DERBY ALLEN

\h\h\h\h\hMUST BRING THE LYNX TO A STABLE FIRING POSITION--

THEN HOLD IT.

Allen: SO THAT ENTAILED US \hBASICALLY SLOWING DOWN,

COMING INTO MORE OR LESS \h\h\hA STATIC POSITION,

\h\h\h\h\hWHICH ISN‘T A NICE POSITION TO BE.

Newton: THE MISSILE FLEW.

DERBY STARTS THE CLOCK, \h\h\h\h\hAND HE COUNTS.

Narrator: AS THE MISSILE FLIES,

\h\h\h\h\hIT SPOOLS OUT A FINE COPPER FILAMENT.

NEWTON KEEPS THE TANK \hIN THE CROSSHAIRS--

DIRECTING THE MISSILE BY WIRE.

Newton: IT TAKES 24 SECONDS.

IT’S A LONG TIME,

\hIT’S A LONG TIME WHEN SOMEONE’S FIRING AT YOU,

BECAUSE I CAN SEE HIM, \h\h\h\hHE CAN SEE ME.

Narrator: THE TANK IS CORNERED

AND FIRES ANOTHER SHELL \h\h\h\hIN DESPERATION.

Newton: AT THAT POINT I SAW A MUZZLE FLASH,

\h\h\hAND I REMEMBER THINKING TO MYSELF,

BOTH THE ROUNDS ARE GOING TO BE CROSSING IN THE AIR.

AND FOR A SPLIT SECOND, \h\h\hI TRIED TO THINK--

WHICH ONE WOULD BE QUICKER?

Narrator: IT‘S THE SHELL.

THE MISSILE IS STILL ON ITS WAY.

Newton: I’M HOLDING \h\hTHE CROSS HAIRS

ON THE FRONT OF THE TANK,

DON‘T FORGET HE‘S MOVED BACK INTO THE BUILDING.

AND THEN WHEN HE SAID 24, 25-- \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THE MISSILE

JUST BELLY FLOPPED INTO THE SAND IN FRONT OF HIM.

THERE WAS THIS FEELING OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT’S IT,

YOU‘VE BLOWN IT, THAT‘S IT, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU‘VE HAD IT.

AND I COULD JUST FEEL IT AROUND, I MEAN, THE WHOLE BLOODY PATROL

HAD THIS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, \h\h\h"CHRIST, HE‘S MISSED!"

Narrator: NEWTON HAS MISJUDGED THE RANGE.

\h\h\hAND NOW, HE‘S GOT ONE MINUTE OF FUEL LEFT.

\h\h\h\h\hNewton: I SELECTED ANOTHER MISSILE AND I SAID,

"WE‘RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO \h\hFOR A RUNNING SHOOT."

Narrator: THIS TIME, HE PLANS \h\h\h\h\hTO FIRE ON THE MOVE.

DISTANCE: TWO MILES AND CLOSING.

\h\h\h\hClarke: YOU PRESENT A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TARGET

IF YOU’RE MOVING,

\h\hSO MOVING TOWARDS THE TARGET GAVE HIM A CHANCE TO CALM DOWN,

ASSESS THE SITUATION

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND FALL BACK ON THE TRAINING HE‘D HAD.

\h\hNewton: THE RUNNING SHOT WAS TO SHORTEN THE DISTANCE

AND IF I’M HONEST WITH YOU,

\h\h\hIT WAS JUST TO TRY AND PUT THIS ALL TO BED,

\hJUST TO GET IT DONE, TO GET THIS RESOLVED.

\h\hNarrator: AT THE CONTROLS, DERBY ALLEN KNOWS HE’S FLYING

STRAIGHT DOWN THE BARREL OF THE TANK‘S MAIN GUN.

Allen: IT IS QUITE DISCONCERTING

WHEN YOU’RE RUNNING IN AT QUITE A GREAT RATE OF KNOTS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTOWARDS THE TARGET THAT’S ALREADY SHOOTING AT YOU,

BECAUSE ALL YOU’RE DOING IS JUST MAKING IT EASIER FOR HIM,

BASICALLY, AS YOU‘RE \h\hGETTING CLOSER.

Newton: I PULLED THE ACTION BAR, PULLED THE TRIGGER.

\h\hI JUST HELD THE CROSS HAIRS

ON THE TANK THE WHOLE TIME,

AND I JUST WAITED AND WAITED AND WAITED AND JUST PRAYED.

\h\h\hAND IT SEEMED TO TAKE AN ETERNITY.

AND IT WAS LIKE FRAME BY FRAME, THAT‘S HOW IT FELT.

IT COULD HAVE ONLY BEEN SECONDS.

BUT YOUR SENSES BECOME INCREDIBLY HEIGHTENED.

AND IT WAS JUST LIKE A LITTLE \h\h\hWHITE PUFF IN THE SIGHT.

THEN A CATHERINE WHEEL OF SPARKS

\h\h\h\h\h\hCOMING OUT FROM UNDER THE TURRET.

THAT WAS IT.

WE DIDN’T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING, WE JUST,

I PUFFED MY CHEEKS OUT, I THINK, AND HE DID THE SAME BACK TO ME,

\h\hAS IF TO SAY, YOU KNOW, A BIT OF A CLOSE ONE, JIMBO.

\h\hAllen: HE HELD HIS HAND UP FOR ME

AND IT WAS VISIBLY SHAKING AND \hHE SAID, "LOOK AT MY HANDS."

\hAND I JUST TOOK HIS HAND AND I SHOOK IT AND I SAID TO HIM,

"YOU‘RE DOING A GREAT JOB, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCARRY ON."

\h\h\hTHE REALIZATION OF WHAT HE’D JUST DONE

WAS ACTUALLY STARTING \h\h\hTO SINK IN THEN.

Newton: I LOOKED OVER MY SHOULDER

\hTO GIVE THE LOOK, I SUPPOSE, TO GUNS.

AND HE JUST KIND OF LOOKED \h\h\h\h\h\hOVER AND SAID,

"YEAH, NO BOTHER BOSS," AS IF \hIT WAS A NORMAL DAY FOR HIM.

Narrator: IN FACT, THE CREW’S MISSION

BEGINS THE FIERCEST DAY’S \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFIGHTING

\h\h\h\hIN THE HISTORY OF THE 847th SQUADRON.

Clarke: THIS WAS A LINE \h\hIN THE SAND FOR US.

WE KNEW WE COULD GET \h\hTHROUGH THAT DAY

AS INTENSE AS IT WAS,

\h\h\h\hSO WHATEVER ELSE THEY COULD THROW AT US,

WE COULD HANDLE JUST AS WELL.

\hNarrator: AFTER 11 DAYS, THE SQUADRON’S HELICOPTERS

DESTROY 43 MAJOR TARGETS \hAROUND SOUTHERN BASRA.

Clarke: THE ONLY SENSE \h\h\h\h\h\hOF ELATION

WAS THAT WE HADN’T LOST ANYONE, NOBODY HAD BEEN SHOT DOWN,

NOBODY HAD BEEN INJURED, AND WE HADN‘T LOST ANY AIRCRAFT.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: JIM NEWTON COMES UNDER FIRE MANY TIMES,

AS THE BRITISH FINALLY WIN \h\h\hCONTROL OF THE CITY.

BUT IT’S THE TANK COMMANDER \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHE FACED

ON HIS FIRST COMBAT MISSION

HE CAN NEVER FORGET.

\h\h\hNewton: IF I COULD HAVE, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SAID TO HIM,

A HUGE AMOUNT OF RESPECT.

\h\h\hBECAUSE I WAS SO CLOSE TO GETTING SHOT DOWN BY HIM,

AND HE FOUGHT BRAVELY \h\hAND WELL, I GUESS.

I FEEL LUCKY.