It's 10 weeks into the Falklands War, and two British Harriers find themselves protecting damaged ships. Suddenly, Argentine Skyhawks appear on the horizon and a fight ensues.
While unloading on 8 June, the British ships were attacked by two waves of A-4 Skyhawks from the Argentine Air Force's 5th Air Brigade, each of them loaded with three 500 lb retarding tail bombs. At approximately 14:00 local time the ships RFA Sir Tristram and RFA Sir Galahad were badly damaged.
At 16:50 a second wave, composed by four A-4Bs of Grupo 5 hit and sank a Landing Craft Utility from HMS Fearless. Sea Harrier combat air patrol was already on scene and responded; three Skyhawks were shot down and their pilots killed, The fourth aircraft suffered combat damage and lost a large amount of fuel, but returned to the mainland assisted by a KC-130 tanker.
