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May 21, 1982 HMS Ardent Mission Debrief DATE: May 21, 1982, 15:01 Argentine time (H + 3). TARGET: Type 21 British frigate located 2 miles north of the West Island ( Bahía Ruiz Puente en el Estrecho de San Carlos). ATTACK GROUP: 1st Section:
Skyhawk 3-A-312 Teniente de Navío José César Arca Skyhawk 3-A-314 Teniente de Fragata Gustavo Marcelo Márquez
Skyhawk 3-A-305 Teniente de Navio Carlos Lecour. Skyhawk 3-A-306 Teniente de Navio Roberto Sylvester. WEAPON LOAD: Four Mark 82, 500 pound Snakeye bombs per plane. Two hundred 20mm rounds per plane. Three 300-gallon external fuel tanks per plane. ATTACK ROUTE: Approach the target below 50 feet altitude. Climb to 300 feet to drop weapons. Drop with 250-millisecond interval. Approach angle, 30º separation between aircraft. NARRATIVE: 1408 - First section ( Skyhawks BuNo. 3-A-307, BuNo. 3-A-312 and BuNo. 3-A-314 ) take off from Rio Grande Navy Air Base. 1425 - Second section ( Skyhawks BuNo. 3-A-301, BuNo. 3-A-305, BuNo. 3-A-306 ) take off from Rio Grande Navy Air Base. Both sections had same mission and take off time, but due to 3-A-305 and 3-A-306 navigational equipment failure, the second section took-off 17 minutes after the first section and conducted their attack independently. 1450 - Begin attack run-in descent. 1501 - First section ( Skyhawks BuNo. 3-A-307, BuNo. 3-A-312 and BuNo. 3-A-314 ) attack over the type 21 frigate on the San Carlos strait in the proximities of the north east islands (North West Island), drop weapons and evade. 1505 - British Harriers intercept the first section during egress from the target. Skyhawks BuNo. 3-A-314 and BuNo. 3-A-307) are shot down and Skyhawk BuNo. 3-A-312 critically damaged, the pilot later ejecting. 1530 - Second section ( Skyhawks BuNo. 3-A-301, BuNo. 3-A-305, BuNo. 3-A-306 ) attack over the type 21 frigate at the San Carlos Canal in front of the San Carlos port, drop weapons, evade and escape. 1640 - The second section lands at Rio Grande Air Base. The first section was shot down. Information provided by: Maximiliano Guillen. Return to the squadron page |