The Falklands

[CharlesBronson]

What is confusing to me is the complete utter lack of indication that the weapons ultimately detonated. Assuming that the fuses were set too long for detonation in the target hull, you would expect them to detonate after they had passed through

Yea I see your point. Sometimes the fuzes even with setting "long" after the hit didnt make explode the bomb wich was embedded inide the ship. That could have two explanations.

Too "hard" fuzes, meaning that they need a really hard blow in order to start the ignition process or defective timing device, maybe in the following part Pereyra explain it.

 

[Matt308]

yeah something is amiss here, CB. I think there is another technical reason than fuse length.

In the Korean war they were using WWII bombs and they were notorious for being duds, but as I recall that was due to the age of the explosive fill.

 

[CharlesBronson]

Funny image of a surrended argentine weapon in Stanley 14th 1982. This FM FAL has a image of the virgin Mary in the stock, I suppose the guy who carried it hoped that figure would help him avoid the british bullets and in the same time a supreme power would "guide" theirs to the target.

 

[Matt308]

Where old FALs go to die.

 

[CharlesBronson]

I dont know, ask the britons they took it , actually the argentine made FAL was better because it was full automatic, the british is semiauto.

They captured a lot of FM MAGs, FALs, FAPs, FN M2HB, FM HP 9mm pistols and so. All remained in service because they were compatible with british ammunition...a double edged weapon I think.

 

[Matt308]

Oh the possibilities.

 

[Freebird]

(1) No idea how the rank vicecomodoro in translated in US or UK ranks.

In Commonwealth navies it would be "Vice Commodore", with "Commodore" being junior to Rear Admiral, and above Captain. Vice Commodore is one rank below Commodore obviously. We still use them in Naval Reserves Auxilliary, but I don't know if the UK or Australia does.

 

[CharlesBronson]

Thank you Freebird.

 

[Matt308]

Powerful picture, CB.

 

[CharlesBronson]

Two more:

A-4B and IA-58A in San Julian AFB

454 kg bomb below an A-4b.

 

[Matt308]

Man those thousand pounders are HUGE!

 

[CharlesBronson]

And british made, sorry about that.

 

[The Basket]

I remember an interview with a British soldier who said they used Argentine ammo because of supply problems.

If the Argentines didn't have compatible rounds then they would have ran out!

The SLR was an elephant gun...full auto...eeeek! Only one round was enough. I can imagine that such a weapon would be uncontrollable in full auto.

 

[CharlesBronson]

Yea, Argentina accepted all NATO standars and never belong to NATo , aniway I had saw some display by trained guys who controlled the FAL very well, some guys even modified it to practical shooting like this:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efo7caxdBPg

 

[Airframes]

Some interesting views on the FN FAL rifle there. One of the reasons the British forces adopted the design as semi-auto was to do with 'tradition'. As the British army had not had a semi / full auto rifle before 1958, being equipped before then with the Lee Enfield No. 4 .303 inch cal. bolt-action rifle, it was still 'the done thing' to teach aimed, accurate single shots to infantry soldiers. There was also an element of the possible/probable waste of ammo, the thinking being that, give a soldier, paricularly a conscript under National Service, a fully auto weapon, and he will fire it fully auto, thereby wasting ammo, and probably not hitting the target. (spray and pray.) Another reason the British-made version of the FAL, known as the L1A1 SLR (Self Loading Rifle.) in British service, was introduced as semi-auto only, is that the FAL had a (supposed) reputation,on full auto, of bang, bang - jam. In other words, after one or two rounds fired on auto, a stoppage would occur. Although this is a generally held and accepted belief, personally I have never experienced that, and I have used both weapons in action. The L1A1 COULD be fired full auto, by a simple alteration to the sear, but this was highly unofficial, and a chargeable offence if caught doing so! The L1A1 did not have the heavier barrel or heavier bolt assembly of the FAL, required for full-auto operation. Nevertheless, it was an extremely powerful weapon with the standard NATO 7.62mm round. That bullet could go through a double course brick wall at 300 yards! Hit a target with a FAL /SLR, and it stayed hit!!!

 

[JugBR]

Yea, Argentina accepted all NATO standars and never belong to NATo , aniway I had saw some display by trained guys who controlled the FAL very well, some guys even modified it to practical shooting like this:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efo7caxdBPg

maybe because its an north atlantic alliance and argentina is in south atlantic.

but it was seriously considered at carlos menen administration. i could be wrong but argentina was thinking about sending troops for the gulf war, also i dont know if other presidents supported that ambition after menen administration.

 

[parsifal]

Australians had both the semi and the full auto versions of the SLR. They were used in Vietnam. From memory the auto version was not found to be popular. It had accuracy problems, used too much ammo in the jungle, and IIRC had a tendency to jam.

Its very easy to convert the semi auto version to full auto. All you need is a small file

 

[CharlesBronson]

Argentine Canberra navigator Remains identified

PRELIMINARY DNA tests have identified human remains, returned to Argentina from the Falklands in August, are likely to be those of Air Force navigator Captain Fernando Casado.

Captain Casado is believed to have been shot down during the last air incursion before the end of the Falklands War in June 1982. According to Buenos Aires newspaper Clarin, Captain Fernando Casado (37) who was married with three children, was co-piloting a Canberra MK-62 which together with a second bomber left Rio Gallegos on June 13 at 2130 hours carrying bombs. His aircraft was likely to have been shot down by a British missile. The Canberra pilot survived but Captain Casado did not eject in time.

Fernando Casado.

The preliminary DNA reports are from Argentina's National Genetic Bank, Durand Hospital Immunology Department. The results of the tests were apparently sent to the Argentine Foreign Affairs Ministry last week. Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Taiana refused to comment until the family had been informed.

Clarin said the remains were DNA tested and compared with those of Captain Casado's living brother.

The report continues, "The Argentine Air Force from the very beginning speculated that the remains could have come from the Canberra's incursion given the place where they were found. Although discovered in 1986 they were held at Stanley Police Station.

Mercopress

 

[timshatz]

Sad story. At least they are bringing him home.

 

[CharlesBronson]

Yea, some confort to family also.