Table of Contents

Introduction...7 Part 1 1 Introduction to the conflict ...9 2 The route to war...19 3 Argentine military aviation...24 4 The occupation of the islands...40 5 Argentina prepares for war...54 Part 2: Fuerza Aerea Argentina - the Argentine Air Force 6 I Brigada Aerea ...62 7 II Brigada Aerea...86 8 III Brigada Aerea...100 9. IV Brigada Aerea...118 10 V Brigada Aerea...132 11 VI Brigada Aerea...163 12 VII Brigada Aerea ...194 13 VIII Brigada Aerea ...206 14 IX Brigada Aerea...214 Part 3: Civil aircraft at war 15 Escuadron Fenix...219 16 Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral ...228 Part 4: Comando de Aviacion Naval - Argentine Naval Aviation 17 Escuela de Aviacion Naval...233 18 Primera Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Ataque ...236 19 Segunda Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque 242 20 Tercera Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque ...250 21 Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Exploracion...264 22 Escuadrilla Aeronaval Antisubmarina...268 23 Primera Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Helicopteros ...278 24 Segunda Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Helicopteros ...283 25 Primera Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Sosten Logistico Movil...287 26 Segunda Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Sosten Logistico Movil...290 27 Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Reconocimiento ...293 28 Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Propositos Generales...296 29 Servicio de Aviacion de la Prefectura Naval Argentina...298 Part 5: Comando de Aviacion de Ejercito - Army Aviation 30 Batallon de Aviacion de Combate 601...303 Appendices 1 Aircraft specifications...324 2 Individual aircraft histories ...330 3 British aircraft and their units...345 4 Argentine ground forces...346 5 Argentine naval units and ships...348 6 British Task Force...362 7 Timeline ...364 8 Argentine ranks ...366 9 Argentine aerial weapons...367 10 Bibliography and acknowledgements...368 11 Glossary ...371 Index...373

About the Author

Born in 1977 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, started his career as aviation and defense journalism and photographer in 1997 and in 2002 he received the title of journalist in the Argentine Catholic University. Since then he has published his material in more than 70 different media around the world in all five continents, being correspondent on fourteen magazines. Currently he is specialized in Latin American aviation and defense matters, both historic and recent and manages one of the main defense and aviation archives in Argentina providing material for more than 40 magazines around the world. He has published 24 books in six countries and took part in many others. Also, he is director of Pucar� Defensa website (www.pucara.org) and Pucar� military aviation magazine. To fulfill his work, he has traveled to most Latin American countries and to Europe, working with most of the Latin American Armed Forces.