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Vought F4U-5NL Corsair BuNo. 124705 "3-A-201", 2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Ataque, Comando de la Aviación Naval Argentina, Base Aeronaval Punta Indio, ca. 1960
The operating life of the Corsair in the Argentine naval aviation began in August 1956, with the creation of the Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Batalla (Navy Air Battle Squad). But the history of this airplane in the Armada de la República Argentina (ARA, Argentine Navy) begins even a year earlier, when they were acquired from a surplus of the US Navy. In a beginning, it was first thought to acquire the Douglas Skyraider, but due to France being in war in Algeria, the USN prioritized the sale of those airplanes to the French Aeronavale, for they were commercially more interesting. Parallel to this Argentine request, the USN did an offering for two models of the known Corsair: the F4U-4 and the F4U-5, for a bigger price.
The purchase of this latest model was decided for it had greater performances and less years of service. Initially, 12 F4U-5 were acquired, and they were stored for some time. They would have to travel through very poor conditions (every plane needed a new engine) and they were refurbished by a private firm located in Atlanta, USA, which would provide Argentine mechanics enough help.
Almost immediately, 10 additional airplanes were bought, of the model F4U-5N/NL equipped with the AN/APS-19 radar (becoming the first military airplane of South America equipped with radar), autopilot and automatic fire extinguishers in the engine (which were equipped with square-shaped flame hider for night operation, as opposed to the round exhausts of the F4U-5). Additionally, in May 1957, 8 more airplanes of F4U-5NL were bought to replace the initial losses (some airplanes were lost due to the little experience of the pilots). Of those 8 airplanes, three were incapable for being a replacement. The first to arrive in the country was the F4U-5N/NL. They were first transported by sea in July 1956 to the port of La Plata and then loaded onto trucks. Those carried them to the Punta Indio Navy Air Base, where they formed the “Escuadrilla de Combate Nocturno” (Night Fighting Squad), that was put in operation, even though the planes had just arrived and still needed a full check-up and a new paintjob.
In August 1957, they arrived in ferry flight (some they say that it was the longest one ever recorded in Argentine history) from the USA. The 11 remaining airplanes (one was lost in an accident in the USA), and their pilots formed the active “Escuadrilla de Combate Diurno” (Day Fighting Squad). However, it must be noted that even before the purchase was summarized of the aircraft carrier ARA Independencia (Formerly Colossus-class HMS Warrior) in 1958, the Corsair crew had already practiced landings on a runway of Punta Indio, which had a simulated carrier deck and was even equipped with arrestor wires, under British officials' direction. Between June and July 1959, the first recovery and take-off from an aircraft carrier, carrying Argentine airplanes, were carried out.
During the revolt of April 1963, the F4U performed attacks in the proximity of Punta Indio and Magdalena. The result was a downed plane (0384/3-A-211) and other planes suffered varying damage. Near the end of its operating life, the Corsair performed exercises with airplanes of the F9F-2 Panther model, but the Corsair already began to show failures in its old structure. In 1965, only a dozen planes remained active in average, but they had the tendency to suffer from their age, resulting in accidents. The most common of those accidents was the loss of oxygen pressure in the cockpit, or the emanation of gasses from the engine into the interior of airplane. Due to a series of fatal accidents, in January 20, 1966, the 2nd Escuadrilla de Ataque was retired, although their airplanes already stopped flying since the end of November 1965.
I originally planned to post this alternate version on the Argentine Navy Day in May 17, which celebrated the anniversary of the 1814 victory at the Battle of Montevideo over the Spanish fleet during the war of independence, but things got postponed one way or another. Well, at least it's not too late for the Independence Day of Argentina which fall on May 25.
The operating life of the Corsair in the Argentine naval aviation began in August 1956, with the creation of the Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Batalla (Navy Air Battle Squad). But the history of this airplane in the Armada de la República Argentina (ARA, Argentine Navy) begins even a year earlier, when they were acquired from a surplus of the US Navy. In a beginning, it was first thought to acquire the Douglas Skyraider, but due to France being in war in Algeria, the USN prioritized the sale of those airplanes to the French Aeronavale, for they were commercially more interesting. Parallel to this Argentine request, the USN did an offering for two models of the known Corsair: the F4U-4 and the F4U-5, for a bigger price.
The purchase of this latest model was decided for it had greater performances and less years of service. Initially, 12 F4U-5 were acquired, and they were stored for some time. They would have to travel through very poor conditions (every plane needed a new engine) and they were refurbished by a private firm located in Atlanta, USA, which would provide Argentine mechanics enough help.
Almost immediately, 10 additional airplanes were bought, of the model F4U-5N/NL equipped with the AN/APS-19 radar (becoming the first military airplane of South America equipped with radar), autopilot and automatic fire extinguishers in the engine (which were equipped with square-shaped flame hider for night operation, as opposed to the round exhausts of the F4U-5). Additionally, in May 1957, 8 more airplanes of F4U-5NL were bought to replace the initial losses (some airplanes were lost due to the little experience of the pilots). Of those 8 airplanes, three were incapable for being a replacement. The first to arrive in the country was the F4U-5N/NL. They were first transported by sea in July 1956 to the port of La Plata and then loaded onto trucks. Those carried them to the Punta Indio Navy Air Base, where they formed the “Escuadrilla de Combate Nocturno” (Night Fighting Squad), that was put in operation, even though the planes had just arrived and still needed a full check-up and a new paintjob.
In August 1957, they arrived in ferry flight (some they say that it was the longest one ever recorded in Argentine history) from the USA. The 11 remaining airplanes (one was lost in an accident in the USA), and their pilots formed the active “Escuadrilla de Combate Diurno” (Day Fighting Squad). However, it must be noted that even before the purchase was summarized of the aircraft carrier ARA Independencia (Formerly Colossus-class HMS Warrior) in 1958, the Corsair crew had already practiced landings on a runway of Punta Indio, which had a simulated carrier deck and was even equipped with arrestor wires, under British officials' direction. Between June and July 1959, the first recovery and take-off from an aircraft carrier, carrying Argentine airplanes, were carried out.
During the revolt of April 1963, the F4U performed attacks in the proximity of Punta Indio and Magdalena. The result was a downed plane (0384/3-A-211) and other planes suffered varying damage. Near the end of its operating life, the Corsair performed exercises with airplanes of the F9F-2 Panther model, but the Corsair already began to show failures in its old structure. In 1965, only a dozen planes remained active in average, but they had the tendency to suffer from their age, resulting in accidents. The most common of those accidents was the loss of oxygen pressure in the cockpit, or the emanation of gasses from the engine into the interior of airplane. Due to a series of fatal accidents, in January 20, 1966, the 2nd Escuadrilla de Ataque was retired, although their airplanes already stopped flying since the end of November 1965.
I originally planned to post this alternate version on the Argentine Navy Day in May 17, which celebrated the anniversary of the 1814 victory at the Battle of Montevideo over the Spanish fleet during the war of independence, but things got postponed one way or another. Well, at least it's not too late for the Independence Day of Argentina which fall on May 25.
Category Artwork (Digital) / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 2000 x 1147px
File Size 1.29 MB
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