I have to admit that i have great respect for guys flying Skyhawks there. Completly outdated plane against one of the most modern fleets with airsuperiority of the enemy and no backup or figter escort.
I don't think you can say the Brits enjoyed air superiority exactly, one carrier of Sea-Harriers against the entire Argentine Naval and Air forces seems a bit of miss-match to me. Other than that, one thing that did come out of that was the utmost respect the FAA pilots had for the skill, bravery and determination of the Argentine pilots.
You have to take into the account that Argentinians operated at extreme range. Mirage III could only stay over target area for 5 minutes on high alt and then go home on economic speed. If they would make contact and had to go down to lower levels or go full burner towards Argentina, they could not return to Argentina becouse they would run out of fuel (it did happen). Same goes for Skyhawks and Nashers (Israeli built Mirage 5). I never could understand why Argentinians didn't send a squadron of fighters to Port Stanley airport. I know that they had to have large forces ready on Tierra del fuego becouse of Chileans making noises and moving their military around (in agreement with brits who also covertly operated from Chile - real reason why brits didn't give Pinochet to Spain), but none the less they could still send a squadron of Mirage III not just Pucaras, Aermacchis and Turbomentors.
Actualy they did not had many mirages III.Im not much familiar with Foklands was,but i think that there was few ships sunk and badly damaged from French anti ship missiles,but then Brits protested on French to stop delivery to argentinians :lol: so they did not had enought of that missiles.If they do,Brits will probably swim to foklands.
Acctualy Argentinians had only few of Exocet anti-ship missiles (with a squadron of Super Etendard bombers). Shefield and Atlantic Conveyor were hit with those. AFAIK Argentinians wanted to buy more on the world market but French were helping Brits preventing that. BTW on reciving end of Exocet was once also US navy. USS Stark was hit by Exocet fired by Iraqi Mirage F-1 during the war of tankers campaign during first gulf war (Iraq-Iran). All other ships sunk by Argentinians were sunk by old "iron" Mk.82 bombs. Skyhawks and Nahers scored many more hits with old Mk.82's bombs, but most failed to explode, becouse propelers didn't have time to arm the detonators. What's interesting that Argentinians used their old Canberras against Brits (they lost some of them too). Interesting is also role of Chile in the war. Brits operated photo-recconaissance Camberas, SAS, and SBS teams (with their Westland Sea King/Commando helicopters) from their teritory. Also Chileans started to prepare for war (or so they said ) for some small disputed islands in Tierra del fuego chain, which coused Argentinians to keep significant number of troops and planes on the mainland in case Chileans realy would start anything. The greatest irony is that they did not have to go to war for Malvinas (or as brits call then Falklands) as they were given by Brits to Argentina with treaty in late 1800's. All they had to do was to start international legal procedengs. Now they lost them forever.
Admiral Woodward, commander of the Task Force sent to recover the Falklands, was furious with the BBC for reporting in a news broadcast about the Argentine bombs not going off, and why. The admiral, obviously, did not want Argentina to correct the problem. Coupling that with their revelation of the impending attack on Goose Green, I have occasionally wondered just which side the BBC was on.
Admiral Woodward, commander of the Task Force sent to recover the Falklands, was furious with the BBC for reporting in a news broadcast about the Argentine bombs not going off, and why. The admiral, obviously, did not want Argentina to correct the problem. Coupling that with their revelation of the impending attack on Goose Green, I have occasionally wondered just which side the BBC was on. The same side as CNN and the Nwe York Times.
what song is this? I know its country Argentine military using an American song for recruitment... I think its just someone who put it together with the music, a fan of the song.. "The same side as CNN and the New York Times." lol so true
