Hawker Siddeley HS.801 Nimrod: Books - History

Nimrod - The Centenarian Aircraft

This book traces the complete history of the world's first jet airliner, and how this aircraft was developed from the civil airliner the Comet into a succession of military aircraft named Nimrod, which has been the RAF's primary Maritime Patrol Aircraft since the 1970s. It includes much previously unpublished data, including information on a remarkable Nimrod version that was unfortunately abandoned, and a version that was previously kept secret.

Written by highly respected aviation expert Bill Gunston, "Nimrod: The Centenarian Aircraft" includes cutaway drawings for each aircraft, detailed numerical data, and is the first publication to record dangerous problems with a vitally important RAF aircraft.

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The Nimrod

With its roots dating back to the late 1940s and the de Havilland Comet airliner, the Nimrod already had pedigree when it first appeared in the late 1960s in place of the Avro Shackleton in the Maritime Reconnaissance role.
Fewer than fifty were built for the RAF, the type being steadily upgraded throughout its career right up to its retirement in 2011. Compared to the Shackleton, the Nimrod brought comfort and reliability to its multi-role long-range activities, including anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance and anti-surface warfare.

The Nimrod saw action during the Falklands War, the Gulf Wars, Afghanistan and a continued contribution (since 1977) to Operation Tapestry - the protection of the UK's Sovereign Sea Areas. Specialist versions of the Nimrod also served in the signals intelligence role while other attempted developments failed, such as the Airborne Early Warning role and the final, costly MRA.4 versions, neither of which entered RAF service.
This book tells the story of this remarkable aircraft.

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The Nimrod - Mighty Hunter

This is a detailed and fully illustrated account of the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod in service, from the prototypes to the MRA.4. It includes 35 specially commissioned and highly accurate colour profiles plus two four-view illustrations in full colour, as well as more than 100 black and white and colour photographs.
A listing of airframes and histories is also included.

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