One of their aircraft is missing

Argentine Aircraft Losses

After the Falklands conflict, the MOD released a very cautious total of 91 enemy aircraft destroyed or captured on the ground and eight "probable kills". Many books covering the conflict give different dates and types of aircraft. There fore it is difficult to give a definitive list, but the following figures are believed accurate.

Our thanks to Pablo Calcaterra for providing the Official Argentine information listed below and the serial numbers for the Argentine aircraft lost during the Falklands.

Aircraft Type	Number destroyed or captured	Official Argentine figures
Mirage/Dagger	20 or 22	2 Mirage/10 dagger
Skyhawk	20 of 18	22 (10 A-4B, 9 A-4C, 3 A-4Q)
Pucara	13	25 (3 shot down, 6 on Pebble/Borbon, 5 on ground attacks, the rest captured damaged due to operational accidents or air attacks - 4 of them in flying condition)
MB.339A	2	5 (1 shot down, 1 accident, 3 captured)
Canberra	1 or 2	2
Super Etendard	1 (probable)	None
C-130	1	1
Beech T-34C	4	4 on Pebble Island
Puma	12	7
Agusta A.109	2	3
Bell UH-IH	16	9
Chinook	2	2
Bell 212	2	2
Learjet		1
Alouette		1
Linx		1
Skyvan		2

3rd April 1982
Crashed Puma Puma SA330l of CAB601 brought down by heavy small arms fire from Royal Marine party defending Grytviken South Georgia. 1st Lieutenant Alejandro Villagra piloting a Puma Helicopter lifted off from the Bahia Paraiso carrying another 15 argentine Marines to reinforce the seven already ashore. Villagra brought the Puma too close to Mount Hodges, and Mills gave his men the order to open fire. A hail of fire hit the Puma. Two Argentinean Marines were instantly killed and several wounded, but Villagra and his co-pilot were amazingly unhurt and managed to stop the helicopter from dropping out of the sky. Both pilots managed to coax the smoking aircraft across the bay to the Hummocks were it crashed and rolled over on its side, injuring more Marines.

1st May 1982.

08.25 hours
One Pucara of FAA Grupo3 destroyed and two other Pucara's damaged beyond repair at Goose Green after a bombing attack by three Harriers of No. 800 Squadron, flown by Lt-Cdr Frederiksen, Lt Hale and Lt McHarg RN. Lt Jukic was killed in the destroyed aircraft as he tried to take off.

1200 hours.
Lt. Commander "Sharkey" Ward and Lt. M. Watson in Sea Harriers of No.801 Squadron on CAP engage three Turbo-Mentors. One is damaged by cannon fire from Ward's Aircraft.

1528 hours.
No.801 Squadron CAP, Lt. S. Thomas and Flight Lt. P. Barton, engage two Mirages of FAA Grupo 8 in a turning fight. Flight Lt. Barton destroys one with a Sidewinder and the pilot, Lt Perona (I-015), managed to eject. Lt. S. Thomas damages the other Mirage flown by Capt Cuerva. Cuerva try's to fly his damaged aircraft to Stanley Airfield. He is shot down and killed by Argentine AA over Stanley.

1640 hours
A Dagger of FAA Grupo 6 is shot down by Flt Penfold fly a No 800 Sea Harrier over East Falkland using a Sidewinder. The pilot of the Dagger, Lt Ardiles is killed.

1647 hours.
No.801 Squadron CAP (Lt-Commander M. Broadwater and Lt. W. Curtis) intercepts three Canberras 50 miles from H.M.S. Invincible. Lt. Curtis destroys one (B-110), B62 of FAA Grupo 2, with a Sidewinder. The Argentine crew, Lt. Ibanez and Gonzalez are seen to eject, but are never found.

These attacks inflicted the following damage:
3 Daggers attack 3 ships in front of Stanley/Argentino, causing various degrees of damage to the ships

Official Argentine Sources state:
May 1st:
8:25 Jukic's plane(A-527) destroyed and pilot killed when trying to start the engines. Another Pucara(A-502) damaged but recovered (see below). No other Pucara damaged on the ground during this action.
15:28 Garcia Cuerva's plane (I-019) was not hit by Thomas, as far as conversations I've had with members of the Argentine Air Force that saw his plane approaching and talked to him on the radio. He dropped his missile to lighten his plane when trying to land low on fuel after the air combat, Army gunners mistook him with a Harrier dropping a bomb and shot at him. Flew over the town shedding pieces and catching fire while other gunners joined the Army ones (that's what was seen by the townsfolk) before crashing. Even Thomas in the book by Hobson says that he did not see his missile explode or hit GC's plane.
16:40 Ardiles (C-433) was flying alone in this mission and fought against 2 Sea Harriers. He was flying a Dagger (no radar)

9th May 1982.
Two A-4C Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 4, flown by Lt Casco (C-313) and Lt. Farias (C-303), did not return, presumed crashed in poor weather. Wreckage from one of the aircraft was later found on South Jason Island.

H.M.S. Coventry destroys Puma, SA330L of CAB 601, while flying over Choiseul sound with Sea Dart SAM at a range of over 10 miles. All three crew members are killed.

Official Argentine Sources state:
May 9th:
Yes, they crashed in bad weather. According to recent information, the 2nd plane has been found in shallow waters in the same island (South Jason). While trying to defuse the bomb of Casco's plane, a fire caused by the explosion burnt 90% of the island.

12th May 1982.
1244 hours.
A SAM finds it's target Four A-4B Skyhawks of FAA Grupo 4, attack H.M.S. Brilliant and H.M.S. Glasgow, 15 miles south of Port Stanley. Brilliant destroys two with Seawolf missiles and a third crashes into the sea while trying to evade missile. All three pilots, Lt Bustos(C-246), Lt Ibarlucea(C-208) and Lt Nivoli(C-206) are killed.

1304 hours.
One A-4B Skyhawk, in a group of four, destroyed by Argentine anti-aircraft fire at Goose Green after attacking HMS Glasgow and HMS Brilliant. Pilot, Lt Gavazzi (C-248), is killed.

Official Argentine Sources state:
May 12th:
13:04 hs. HMS Glasgow was damaged and retired from the Theater

14-15 May.
Six Pucaras, four Turbo-Mentors and a Skyvan transport lost, destroyed by the SAS during a raid on the Pebble Island airstrip.

Official Argentine Sources state:
14-15th:
2 destroyed, 4 damaged but not recovered (see details below)
Pucara A-502 and 520 destroyed, damaged 523, 529, 552 and 556.

21st May 1982.

08.00 hours
Chinook CH-47c of CAB 601 destroyed on the ground near Mount Kent by Flt Lt. Hare RAF. Flying a Harrier GR3.
Hare destroyed the Chinook using his 30mm cannon. In the same attack Sqn Ldr Pook badly damaged a Puma ( SA 330L ) of CAB 601 also on the ground near Mount Kent, again using his GR3s 30mm cannon. Pook returned to finish the job of on the 26th of May, destroying the helicopter.

0840 hours.
Pucara wreckage Pucara of FAA Grupo 6 shot down by Stinger SAM near San Carlos. Pilot, Captain Jorge Benitez (A-531), ejects and walks back to Goose Green, which was still in Argentine hands at this time. The Stinger was fired by a senior NCO of D Squadron Air Troop SAS. The shot turned out to be a lucky one because the operator of the weapon had had no training on the Stinger before. The Stingers had been supplied to the SAS by the United States Government. Staff Sergeant O'Connor of the SAS had been trained on the weapon and it was intended that he would teach other troopers how to use the weapon. Sadly O'Connor was killed along with 21 others when the Sea king he was aboard crashed into the sea on the 19th of May. He was carrying all the Stinger training manuals at the time. The pilot of the Pucara, Capt. Benitez, ejected safely from the aircraft.

0930 hours.
Three Mirage Daggers attack H.M.S. Broadsword and H.M.S. Argonaut causing slight damage. One Dagger is destroyed by either H.M.S. Broadsword's Sea wolf or H.M.S. Plymouth's Sea cat. The pilot, Lt. Bean(C-428), is killed. In addition to her Sea wolf missiles, H.M.S. Broadsword had another secret weapon. Her upper deck small arms battery, a mixed crew of sailors and Royal Marines, who fired at the passing Argentine aircraft with the ships 40 mm Bofors, machine-guns and rifles. The team was lead by Royal Marine Sergeant Leslie. Boardswords small arms party shot down two Argentine aircraft and damaged two others. Sergeant Leslie was awarded a DSM for his actions during the Falklands War.

1045 hours.
Two Pucaras intercepted by No.801 Squadron CAP ( Lt. N. Ward, Lt. S. Thomas and Lt. A. Craig ). One destroyed by cannon fire from Ward's Harrier and the pilot, Major Carlos Tomba(A-511), ejected and walked back to Goose Green. Ward later complemented Major Tomba on how he continued to fly his aircraft after Ward had filled it with so many holes.

1205 hours.
No.800 Squadron CAP (Lt.Cmdr. N. Thomas ad Lt.Cmdr. M. Blissett) intercept four A-4C Skyhawks. Thomas and Blissett destroyed one A-4C each with Sidewinders and Blissett damages another with cannon fire. The pilots of the two downed aircraft, Lt. Lopez(C-309) and Lt. Manzotti(C-325), were both killed.

1335 hours.
No.800 Squadron CAP (Lt.Cdmr. R. Fredriksen) vectored towards four Mirage Daggers. Fredriksen destroys one with a Sidewinder missile. The pilot, Lt. Luna(C-409), ejects.

Aircraft crashes into San Carlos 1350 hours.
No.801 CAP (Lt.Cmdr. N. Ward and Lt. S. Thomas) vectored towards three Mirage Dagger As of FAA Grupo 6 north of Port Howard. In a turning fight, three Daggers were destroyed with Thomas accounting for two and Ward for one, all with Sidewinders, All three pilots, Maj Piuma(C-404), Capt. Donaldille(C-403) and Lt. Senn(C-407), were seen to eject from thier aircraft.

1406 hours.
Three A-4Q Skyhawks of CANA 3 attack H.M.S. Ardent. They are intercepted after attacking the ship by No.800
Squadron CAP (Lt. C. Morrell and Flight Lt. J. Lemming). All three aircraft are destroyed. Morrell accounting for one with Sidewinder and another, flown by Lt. Arca(312), with cannon fire Lemming shoots down the third Skyhawk with cannon fire. One pilot, Lt. Marquez(314), is killed. Lt-Cdr Philippi(3-A-307) ejects. Lt. Arca fly's his damaged aircraft towards Stanley, hopping to land there. His undercarriage had suffered damage in the attack and his is forced to eject.

These attacks inflicted the following damage:
HMS Antrim seriously damaged by an unexploded bomb
HMS Ardent sunk by attacks from A4-B (Carballo), Dagger (Mir Gonzalez, Berharndt, Robles - and Luna shot down before reaching the target) and then the A4-Q from the Argentine Navy.
HMS Argonaut damaged and retired from theatre of operations. Only damage to the 5 attacking Skyhawks was the loss of the end of the drop tank of the leader (Filipini) when it touched one of the masts of Argonaut. That's on top of Owen Crippa's MB339 attack with guns and rockets.
HMS Brilliant was slightly damaged by cannon fire.
HMS Broadsword was slightly damaged by cannon fire.

Official Argentine Sources state:
May 21st:
9:30 hs HMS Broadsword did not shot down any plane using small guns.
12:05 No gun damage to the 2 surviving Skyhawks
13:35 The other 3 Daggers hit HMS Ardent with 2 bombs
13:50 Both Donadille and Piuma Justo fired their guns to Ward

23rd May 1982.
0930 hours.
No.800 Squadron CAP (Flt.Lt. J. Leeming and Flt.Lt. D. Morgan) encounter four helicopters near Port Howard. One Puma, SA330L, of CAB 601 fly's into the ground while trying to evade Morgan. A second Puma is also damaged with cannon fire. An Augusta A109 is also destroyed on the ground by Morgan and Flemming using cannon fire.

1245 hours.
Two flights of A-4B Skyhawks attack HMS Broadsword, HMS Antelope and HMS Yarmouth south of Fanning Head. Antelope hit by two unexploded bombs, one of which later explodes while being defused. HMS Antelope sank the next day. One A-4 destroyed, possibly hit by Seawolf from Broadsword or Rapier from land. Pilot, Lt. Guadagnini(C-242), is killed.

1405 Hours.
No.800 CAP (Lt.Cmdr. A. Auld and Lt. M. Hale) encounters three Mirage Daggers over Pebble Island. One is destroyed by a Sidewinder from Hales' aircraft. The pilot, Lt Volponi(C-437), is killed.

Official Argentine Sources state:
May 23:
12:45 Guadagnini killed when trying to recover his plane (after missile hit) and crashed against HMS Antelope's mast.

24th May 1982.
1005 hours.
Four Mirage Daggers attack HMS Fearless, HMS Sir Galahad and HMS Sir Lancelot off Ajax Bay. Two Daggers damaged.

1015 hours.
No.800 Squadron CAP (Lt.Cmdr. A. Auld and Lt. D. Smith) vectored towards four Mirage Daggers A's of FAA Grupo 6 north of Pebble Island. Two destroyed by Auld using Sidewinders and Smith accounted for another again with Sidewinder. Maj Puga(C-410) and Capt Diaz(C-430) manage to eject but Lt Castillo(C-419) is killed. The picture sequence on the right was taken from Aulds gun camera as he destroyed one of the Daggers.

1045 hours.
Five A-4B Skyhawks attack HMS Sir Galahad, HMS Sir Lancelot and HMS Sir Bedivere. All ships were hit and some A-4Bs were hit.

1215 Hours.
Three A-4C Skyhawks attack ships in Falkland Sound. All aircraft damaged and one later crashes into King George Bay, West Falkland while trying to reach the main land. The Pilot, Lt Bono(C-305) was killed.
RFA Sir Galahad and RFA Sir Lancelot damaged by unexploded bombs. RAF Sir Bedivere damaged by a glancing bomb hit.

Official Argentine Sources state:
May 24:
1005: No Daggers were damaged
1045: No Skyhawk hit

25th May 1982.
0837 hours.
HMS Coventry shoots down an A-4B Skyhawk of FAA Grupo 5 with Sea Dart west of West Falkland. The pilot, Lt Palaver(C-244), was killed.

1130 hours.
Four A4C Skyhawks attack shipping in San Carlos Water. Two were destroyed; one by H.M.S. Coventry's Sea Dart and another by H.M.S. Yarmouth's Sea Cat. Both pilots ejected, one, Lt. Ricardo Lucero(C-319) is found. Lt. Garcuia's(C-304) body is never found. The image on the right shows one of the Argentine Pilots who ejected. Lt. Ricardo Lucero of the Argentine Air Force . He was picked out of San Carlos Water and taken aboard H.M.S. Fearless where his wounds were treated by Cmdr White, a Naval Surgeon aboard Fearless. He had dislocated his left knee as he ejected.

1400-1419 Hours.
No.800 CAP called down on A-4B Skyhawks but is called off twice by HMS Coventry. HMS Broadsword is hit and HMS Coventry sunk. HMS Fearless damaged. Possibly HMS Avenger was damaged, seeking confirmation.

Official Argentine Sources state:
May 25:
11:30 Capt Garcia's body found in 1983 North of Pebble. Lucero had both his legs injured.
Carballo's C-225 slightly damaged under one wing during attack to HMS Broadsword (he damaged the ship with his 1000 lb bomb)

27th May 1982.
1550 hours.
Four A4B Skyhawks bomb shore units on north shore of San Carlos. One destroyed and three damaged, by HMS Fearless's 40mm guns. HMS Intrepid als claims the kill. The pilot of the destroyed aircraft, Lt. Velazco(C-215), ejects.

Official Argentine Sources state:
May 27:
15:50 Velazco's plane was shot down. Two of the others were damaged.

28th May 1982.
0800 hours.
Three Pucaras attack troops at Darwin. One shot down by Royal Marine Defence troop Blowpipe SAM.

1100 hours.
Two Pucaras flown by Lt. Giminez(A-537) and Lt. Cimbara(A-555) attack RM Scout helicopters near Camilla Creek House. Lt. R Nunn flying one of the helicopters is killed with a burst of cannon from Giminez and crashes. After the attack the two Pucaras evaded Blowpipe missiles and headed back to Stanley. They flew so low that stones and mud from the ground shattered Cimbaras canopy. Both aircraft flew into low cloud and Cimbara lost radio contact with Giminez. He never returned to Stanley. Sadly his body was not found until 1986 when the wreckage of his aircraft was found on Blue Mountain. He had flown straight into the mountain in poor visibility. Lt. Giminez was buried at Goose Green by his family. They were the first Argentine relatives to visit the island since the War.

1600 hours.
Two MB.339s attack Darwin. One is destroyed by Blowpipe and the pilot, Lt. Miguel, is killed.

1609 hours.
Two Pucaras attack Darwin. One is damaged and the other destroyed by 2 Para small amrs fire . The pilot, Lt. Cruzado, ejected and captured by 2 Para.

Official Argentine Sources state:
May 28th:
0800 No Pucara shot down during this mission.
1100: It's Lt Cimbaro, who damaged the second Scout with his rockets once the helicopter had landed to evade the Pucara's attacks.

29th May 1982.
1135 hours
Two Mirage Daggers attack ships in San Carlos. One destroyed by Rapier and the pilot, Lt. Bernhardt(C-436), is killed.

30th May 1982.
1331 hours.
Two Super Etendards and four A-4C Skyhawks from FAA Grupo 4 attack task group from south. Two A-4s destroyed probably by Sea dart fired from HMS Exeter. HMS Avengers 4.5inch gun also claimed one of the aircraft. Both pilots, Lt. Varquez(C-301) and Lt. Castillo(C-310), are killed.

1st June 1982.
0950 hours.
Sharkey Ward No.801 Squadron CAP (Lt. N. Ward and Lt. S. Thomas) destroy Argentine C-130 Hercules 93 km north of Pebble Island. Wards first AIM-l9 Sidewinder he fired fell short of the C-130, but the second started a fire between the port engines, Ward then fired 240 rounds of 30mm, which broke the aircraft's wing of sending it crashing into the sea killing the 7 crew members. This particular C-130 is believed to have been trying to repeat a bombing attempt made by another C-130 the previous day, when an Argentine C-130 made a bombing attack on a British tanker well north of the total exclusion zone. One bomb struck the ship, but bounced off to no effect.

Official Argentine Sources state:
June 1st:
The C-130(TC-63) was looking for sea targets using the on board weather radar. During the attack you mention to the tanker, bombs were dropped from TERs installed under the wings of the C-130! Not dropped from the back door.

7th June 1982.
0810 hours.
Two reconnaissance Argentine Learjets of FAA Photo Reconnaissance Grupo 1 are engaged at 40,000ft by Sea Dart from HMS Exeter over Pebble Island. One of the Learjets, T-23 is destroyed and Wg Cdr de la Colina and his crew are killed.

8th June 1982
1535 hours.
Four A4C Skyhawks attack Fitzroy area with no hits. All aircraft damaged.

1540 hours.
Four A4B Skyhawks attack LCU F4 in Cholseul Sound. One bomb hit and the LCU sank later. No.800 Squadron CAP (Flt.Lt. D. Morgan and Lt. D. Smith) intercepts and destroys three. Morgan destroys two with Sidewinders and Smith another with a Sidewinder. All three pilots killed. Lt. Arraras(C-226), Lt. Bolzan(C-204) and Ensign Vazquez(C-228)
Sir Galahad seriously damaged and sunk, Sir Tristam seriously damaged, Foxtrot 4 sunk, Plymouth damaged (one Dagger hit by shrapnel but not shot down)

13th June 1982.
1121 hours.
Seven A-4B Skyhawks attack 3 Command HQ on Mount Kent. Some hits. Three A4Bs were damaged by ground fire.

2155 hours.
Canberra B-108 of FAA Grupo2 destroyed over San Carlos by HMS Cardiff's Sea Dart. Of the two crew men, Capt Pastran ejects, but Capt Casado is killed

Official Argentine Sources state:
June 14th:
Pucara's captured in flying condition: A-515, 522, 533, 549 (where armed and ready to carry out an attack mission and then return to the continent to avoid capture)

Back to Falklands Index