Previous post cut off (see below), Part II: ...the well-trained British ground forces, the FAA and Marina pilots ran the gauntlet of Harriers, SAMs and AAA day in day out. As a commemorative plaque on one preserved A-4 states: "A-4B/C Skyhawk, 32 years of service, 170,000 flight hours, 1,100 hours of glory...They died with honor because they knew for what they lived." @TrainDude @LuKorp

OK: I've run this long enough. Here's the story behind this particular plane and tail. Argentina was the first foreign customer of the A-4, acquiring 91 A-4Bs and Cs from 1966 onwards. The Argentine "P" and "Q" designations weren't actually used by the Argentine Air Force or Navy, but by the U.S. to designate a foreign version of the aircraft. In fact, in Argentine service, the Skyhawks were still known as "A-4B/C". Following the April, 1982 invasion of the Malvinas/Falklands, 48 Skyhawks were deployed south to confront the British fleet. Not enough can be said of the valor of the Fuerza Aérea Argentina pilots, who confronted Harriers armed with Sidewinders and modern warships armed with air-to-air missiles with essentially 1950's tech jets armed with dumb bombs and cannons IN DAYLIGHT conditions, where they were extremely vulnerable to air defenses. The pilots would fly in below 50' off the ground and see to make their runs and avoid the British defenses. You can see film clips on Youtube here: Mirage and Skyhawks attack British Fleet in San Carlos Sound and here: Skyhawk Flyby. This particular A-4, C-222, was rushed out of heavy maintenance with only its grey anticorrosion paint layer--no camouflage--to participate in the conflict and was known as "El Tordillo" (dapple grey horse). On 21 May 82, C-222, flown by Lt Fernando Robledo and 4 other A-4s, twice hit and badly damaged HMS Argonaut, but due to the low release altitude, the bombs did not fuse or explode, much to the relief of the British sailors. On 8 June, flown by 1st Lt Carlos Cachon C-222, along with two other Skyhawks, attacked disembarking Welsh Guard troops at Port Pleasant. Cachon hit the RFA Sir Galahad with his three bombs, setting aflame and sinking the Galahad and killing 48 troops. We all know the rest of the story: The UK recaptured and liberated the Falklands in June, 1982 and the Argentine military Junta, who had started the war to maintain popular support, was deposed and replaced by a democratic government, but Argentines still mourn the "Malvinas" today. The British managed to destroy 45 Argentine aircraft of all types, killing fifty-five aviators and mechanics, but 6 British ships never returned home. The Junta never deserved the valor displayed by the Argentine combat pilots; while the ground forces, manned largely by undertrained conscripts crumbled in the face of t

@TrainDude at the end of the link inside the parenthesis or outside the parenthesis?

@TrainDude no, it doesn't. No extension, just a page address (alpha numeric character address)

@LuKorp well, the Fightinghawk wasn't around during the Falklands/Malvinas (we are, after all talking about an FAA jet here) conflict, so that should get you closer...

@LuKorp conflict? This one was the only grey one in the Air Force during that conflict for a very interesting reason...

@LuKorp well, you know the type, but you can guess the rest if you would like...

Mystery Plane 2

Mystery Plane 2

Use the link below, the screenshot thing isn't working for me, don't know why...

Mystery Plane 2