The Argentinian Corsairs
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 Author: JARA, Fernando  

The operating life of the Corsair in the Argentine naval aviation is done reality in August 1956, with the creation of the Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Batalla (Navy Air Battle Squad); but the history of this airplane in the Armada Argentina (Argentine Navy) begins a year before, when they are a matter of acquiring airplanes embarked surplus of the US Navy. In a beginning thought about acquiring the Douglas Skyraider, but due to that France was in war in Argelia, the USN priorized the sale of those airplanes to the French Aeronavale, with who they had greater commercial interests. Parallel to this Argentine request, the USN did an offering for two models of the known Corsair: the F4U-4 and the F4U-5, to a greater price. The purchase was decided of this last model by having greater perfomances and less years of service. 12 airplanes of the model F4U-5 acquired intially, they were stored since toward some time and in poor conditions, which they would be traveled through (to all would be placed them a new engine) and took to zero by a private firm (Aerocorporation) of Atlanta, USA; business to which should help enough some Argentine mechanics. Almost immediately and of separated form, other 10 airplanes were bought, of the model F4U-5N/NL, equipped with the AN/APS-19 radar (being becoming the first military airplane of South America equipped with radar), automatic pilot and automatic fire extinguishers in the engine (which was distinguished for their square exhaust, as opposedded to the F4U-5, where they were round). Additionally, in May 1957 eight airplanes more than the model F4U-5NL were bought to supply the initial losses (some airplanes were lost due to the little initial experience of their pilots). Of those eight airplanes, three went untidy as fountain of replaces. The first in arrive at the country went the F4U-5N/NL, that they did it for maritime way in July 1956 to the port of  La Plata and they were carried in trucks until the Punta Indio Navy Air Base, where they formed the Escuadrilla de Combate Nocturno (Night Fighting Squad), that was put in operation barely the airplanes were traveled through and repainted. In August 1957 arrived in flight ferry (some they say the most long one of all the Argentine history) since the USA. The 11 remaining airplanes (one was lost in an accident in USA) and themselves active the Escuadrilla de Combate Diurno (Day Fighting Squad). It fits to clear up that before that the purchase was summarized of the Independencia aircraft carrier in 1958, the crews of Corsair already practiced landings in a runway of Punta Indio with simulated painted carrier deck and equipped with brake lines, under British officials direction. Among June and July 1959 the first couplings and take-off  from an aircraft carrier of Argentine airplanes are carry out. During the revolt of April 1963, the F4U performed attacks in proximities of Punta Indio and Magdalena, being lost an airplane (0384/3-A-211) and resulting with damages other various. Near the end of its operating life, the Corsair performed exercises with airplanes F9F-2 Panther, but already began to be noted failures in it old structures. For 1965 only remained in average flight a dozen of airplanes, that were very tendency to suffer accidents. The most common they were the loss of oxygen pressure in the cockpit, or the emanation of gases of the engine to the interior of airplane. Due to a fatal series of accidents, in January 20, 1966, the 2da Escuadrilla de Ataque (Attack Squad) is inactived, although their airplanes no longer flew since end of November 1965.

Colors and markings

 Before explaining as they were registered the airplanes, is necessary to do a reservation upon the identification system utilized by the Aviación Naval Argentina (Argentine Naval Aviation). Since the ’30 decade, it is assigned to each airplane a registration number of four digits, which is invariable and unique to each airplane, followed by an alphanumeric characteristic that identifies not alone to the airplane, but also to the squad to the one that belongs. Thus, for example, an airplane of the Squadron N° 2 and of the 3rd Escuadrilla de Ataque (Attack Squad) will be identified like 2-A-3XX. This characteristic changes as are assigned the airplanes to the distinct squads. Initially, the airplanes had reserved a series of registration numbers, they went from the 0374 to the 0395 (0374 to 0383 for the Escuadrilla Nocturna -Night Squad- and 0384 to the 0394 for the Escuadrilla Diurna –Day Squad-). To the last five airplanes positions
in service had assigned the registration number 0395 and 0432 to 0435. Upon being assigned to the 3° Escuadrón Aeronaval (Air Naval Squadron), during the first years was identified them like 3-C-1 to 3-C-22, but after 1959 -date in which the Flotilla de Batalla (Battle Fleet) passes to be called 2da Escuadrilla de Ataque (Attack Squad) of the now 2° Escuadrón Aeronaval (Air Naval Squadron) in Punta Indio, the airplanes carried the registration number 2-A-201/224 (note that the number of airplanes in service was 24, from the initially 35). Since 1964, the survivors airplanes was identified as 3-A-2XX, when was transfered again to the 3° Escuadra Aeronaval, in Comandante Espora base. In all the airplanes, the registration number was painted in both sides of the fuselage behind the cockpit, with the rounded shield of the Aviación Naval (Naval Aviation) near behind, in a place at the beginning of the tail. However, the last two number of that they painted at the rear of the rudder, and on the main landing gear front doors. On the engine hood were painted the numbers of the airplane under the legend MARINA DE GUERRA (War Marine) –1956/60-, ARMADA NACIONAL (National Navy) –1960/beginning 1964-, ARMADA (Navy) -1964/66-. The USN BuAer number was painted under the tailplanes on both sides, and their size was not standardsized. Upon 1960 was common to paint the pilot name under the cockpit of some airplanes.

In the nocturnal models, of the left side are painted the insignia of the 2da Escuadrilla (squad), acquaintance as the "Parrot", that was an adaptation of the emblem of the squadron VF-144 “Bitter Birds”, of the US Navy.

As for the colors, the nocturnal models were painted in this country totally in Non Specular Sea Blue (FS 35042), including the landing gear and wells, while the F4U-5 were painted in Light Gull Gray (FS 36440) and the lower surfaces in Insignia White (FS 17875), with landing gear, covers and wells in Insignia White.

Two airplanes existed likewise that did the exception to the rule, the F4U-5 0393/3-A-212, that was painted in the nocturnal scheme, and the F4U-5N 0435/3-A-213, painted in the diurnal scheme. In all the airplanes was painted an antiglare panel in matt black in front of the cockpit and for the airplanes with diurnal scheme also an area in Middle Gray was added to dissemble the black one of the gases from the exhaust. The traditional anchor of the naval airplanes was in the four wing positions, although differed in size and location according to each airplane. The color, the same as that of the numbers, was white for nocturnal and black for the diurnal airplanes. The national insignia was painted upon the mobile fabric surfaces of the tailplanes and rudder, with the sun in yellow color. When the airplane was flown by the Unit Commander was added a little flag characteristic that consisted of a white triangle with an horizontal light blue line in his middle (although intially was rounded with the light blue line painted in the edges); while if flew by Division Commander consisted of a white triangle, but with the line in vertical position.

In plastic kits available to do the Argentine model, without have do not conversion, we can elect only among two kits that reproduces the same airplane, alone that in distinct scale and to relatively accessible prices. In 1/48 have the Academy F4U-5N, and in 1/72 still can be found the Italeri F4U-5N, that has a very good relation cost-quality The model in study in this opportunity is that of Italeri, that serves us to carry out any of three Argentines model. Practically it is a kit to do out of  the box, and needs only little additional job to achieve a good model. It measures are not the correct, the fuselage they lack some three millimeters of length, but in which respect to the panel drawings and the propeller, they are well represented. The main problem that is presented with this kit is the encounter of the wing and fuselage, that is enough deficient in their splits subsequent and needs a great deal of sandpaper and putty besides patience, but to the end, if you are careful good results are seen. As for the cockpit, the panel is a faithful enough copy of the one that corresponded to the F4U-5N, with the instruments well marked in the plastic although the screen lacks it of the radar. To carry out a diurnal model (without radar), we should change the disposition of the instruments, and to make some smaller changes (see drawings). In both cases, two boxes of interruptors should be added, located in splits upper of the panel, which was the rockets and bombs launchers.

			F4U-5 0391/3-A-211 (BuAer 121928). Meticulously restored to static condition in 1996, at present is found in exhibition in the Naval Aviation Museum in Bahia Blanca city since 1997. It is the only survivor Corsair in the country.
1	2		3		4
1-    F4U-5NL 0382/3-A-209 (BuAer 124559), taking off  without catapult over the Independencia aircraft carrier, 1965. 2-    F4U-5 0393/3-A-212 (BuAer 122031) heating engines in the Ushuaia Air Naval Base, during one of its last unfold operating, July 1965. It was the only F4U-5 painted in the nocturnal scheme, and toward the end of its time of service had incorporated the cut-flames in the engine exhausts. 3-    F4U-5NL 0378/3-A-205 (BuAer 122192) aboard the Independence aircraft carrier, 1965. 4-    F4U-5NL 0374/3-A-201 (BuAer 124705) in flight upon Bahia Blanca city, circa 1964. The radio-goniometer position and the different antennae distribution is clearly appreciate.
Naval markings used along all Corsairs operating life. This was painted directly over the original airplane colour, without background. The outer rings represent the national insignia, and they are painted in its colors, the sun is in yellow and the bonnet is red with the baton in dark brown.			Drawing of the anchor carried in the four  wing positions for the F4U Corsair in service in the Argentine Naval Aviation.
National flag photo, painted over the fabric surfaces, with the sun in yellow with black narrow.
		These illustrations show differentiates as for the size of the identification of the type of aircraft.