Recalling Falklands' conflict: “Farewell to Argentina's Mirages, ”but glory is forever”

The ceremony took place last Sunday at the VI Air Brigade stationed in Tandil, Buenos Aires province, with the attendance of active and retired pilots, Malvinas war veterans, members of Air Force families, officials from the three services and security forces, and locals.
The event under the heading of 'Argentina farewells its Mirages, but Glory is forever' was an air and landing display from four different Mirage models from the Argentine Air Force. They were supported by a pass-by from other aircraft such as the IA-63 Pampa; IS-58 Pucará; Hercules C130; Fokker F-27; DHC-6 Twin Otter; Grob 120 and Embraer-312 Tucano plus helicopters Mi-171; Bell 212 and Hughes 500.
The Mirage III model was designed as a supersonic interceptor by the French Dassault in the mid fifties and was followed by the Mirage V, which became a fighter bomber. They helped Israel win an astounding victory during the Six days war in 1967, and based on this international performance, Argentina five years later incorporated the first units which started flying in 1973.Read more HERE   



(RG)  Whenever I think of the Mirage aircraft I think of the one I shot down in the Falklands War in 1982,

Tony Brought down two enemy panes

I was looking through some of my old photographs the other day when I came across this copy from my local newspaper covering my time in the Falklands War. During our time at San Carlos with my call sign 32 Alpha I shot down an A4 Skyhawk and a Mirage with Rapier missiles. T battery went on to shoot down 14 emery aircraft during the brief but bloody War. You can read about the Air Defence War in my book Watching Men Burn 

Jet fighter threat to the Falkland Islands

SPAIN is selling a fleet of Mirage fighter jets to Argentina in a £10million deal that fuels suspicions over relations between the nations who are both opposed to British territorial possessions, writes Marco Giannangeli.President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner approved the deal, which will give Argentina the capability to attack the Falklands with laser-guided bombs. The 20 aircraft sold to the Argentine military are at Spain’s Albacete air base and will be shipped to Tandil air base south of Buenos Aires.Built in France, the multi-role fighter has a top speed of 1,320mph and a range of 500 miles, boosting Argentina’s ability to “pester” the Falklands from its southern air bases.Spain will provide spares and a training simulator and will train the initial batch of Argentine air force pilots selected from the military’s Fuerza Aerea Argentina Grupo 6 de Caza of the 6th Air Brigade.The Ministry of Defence said the Falklands have adequate air protection from two RAF Eurofighter Typhoon fighters.Read More  HERE 


"WELL THESE AIRCRAFT MUST BE A GIFT FROM ONE SKINT COUNTRY TO ANOTHER SKINT COUNTRY, PLUS THIS IS JUST ONE SMALL PART OF A MILITARY FORCE, THE ARGIES DONT HAVE A NAVY OR MUCH OF AN ARMY AT LEAST ONE THATS WILLING TO FIGHT AND DIE FOR THE MALVINAS, MOST ARGENTINIANS ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH PUTTING FOOD ON THEIR PLATES AND A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS."