The “Owls” Flew at Night to Detect the British
Fleet
The extraordinary history of the Naval Air Antisubmarine Squadron
Obtained from a note made to the current Captain VGM Naval Aviator (RE) Daniel Alberto Marinsalta . Exploration missions, little-known stories, but no less dangerous for that reason. Operating from the aircraft carrier (V-2) ARA 25 DE MAYO first and then from continental bases, in marginal conditions, with slow aircraft, lacking defensive weapons and dangerously close to the enemy. History of the air-naval battle that could not be.
By: (*) Oscar Filippi – For: OHF Press
THE CATAPULT:
South Atlantic, May 1, 1982, aboard the aircraft carrier “ARA 25 DE MAYO” (PAL V-2) at 8:30 p.m., Lieutenant Commander Emilio Goitía (pilot), Frigate Lieutenant Daniel Marinsalta (co-pilot ), along with Second Petty Officer Rodolfo Lencina and First Corporal Néstor Conde, walk on the deck of the aircraft carrier towards their “bird”, an S-2E TRACKER, registration (2-AS-26). The mission of this flight is to confirm the position of the British Task Force located NE (Northeast) of Malvinas by the two previous exploration flights (2-AS-23 and 2-AS-24) aircraft also belonging to the Naval Air Squadron. Anti-submarine, which because of its shield (an owl in flight throwing balls at a submarine) is known and respected as “THE OWLS”.
It was the last flight of that long and tense day, everything was
activity on the deck, the crew carried out the visual inspection of the
device in the middle of the cold and wind characteristic of that area of the Argentine Sea. Located in their respective seats, the naval
pilots prepare to start the twin-engine that will take them to “sweep”
the surface of the sea. A characteristic flight of anti-surface
exploration and MAE, but this time, on a war mission.
“… – TOCO (control tower) , this is DOS ALFA SIERRA DOS SAIS, authorization to launch.”
“… – TWO SAIS, authorized.”
Quickly, the two engines are running, the systems are thoroughly
verified and especially the navigation system on which the accuracy of
the information obtained about the enemy will depend. The “radar alert”
system is verified, a spectrum analyzer and a “laboratory” oscilloscope
that, with Argentine ingenuity and the help of the Technicians of the
Aeronaval Arsenal No. 2, had been recently adapted and was the only
“survival” element. that would allow them to receive emissions from
English radars, letting them know if they were detected.
“…– TOCO, this is TWO SAIS, ready to catapult.”
“…– TWO SAIS, authorized to catapult.”
The rolling of the aircraft carrier is permanent, it is already facing the wind. With the wings spread and the engine test complete, the TRACKER begins taxiing, carefully the legs gently press the wheelhouse, stick behind, nose lightened. They precisely align with the axis of the catapult.
The mechanical chocks in front of the main landing gear wheels are
raised, the throttles are reduced and a group of six men jumps on the
plane to check various elements. They secure the plane to the deck of
the aircraft carrier (tail hold) using a fuse that is cut by giving
steam pressure to the catapult.
With everything secured, the mechanical chocks are lowered. Full throttle (full throttle) on both engines. Everything trembles and shakes, the control systems and instruments are verified and checked, with everything in order, by signs, they give the OK to the deck officer. The crew tenses in their seats, the momentum of the catapult will immediately put them into flight.
The two R-1820-82C radial engines roar and the plane shakes even more, still clinging to the deck..., the tail fuse is cut and the takeoff run begins, approximately 30 meters that are covered in just over a second, obtained The takeoff speed of the TRACKER is dependent on the 3,050 HP of its two “fans”. It was exactly 9:00 p.m. of that historic May 1st.
IN FLIGHT:
The
reference of this story is the current Captain AN (RE) Daniel
MARINSALTA, co-pilot in this mission that he tells us aboard the TRACKER
registration 2-AS-26. An “OWL” from the NAVAL AIR flying in its element, at night and over the sea.
“…– Already in flight heading east, we headed towards the last verified point of presence of the enemy naval units, the tactic used was simple and dangerous. Flying low, in the middle of the dark night and over an even blacker sea. We rose and turned on the search radar, just two turns of the antenna, thus trying to prevent the British ships from picking up our broadcast. The first two times it swam, we watched the screen and stuck to the water again. We continue firmly towards the East (E), the third time was the charm. Around 11:00 p.m. we ascended, two turns of the antenna and obtained a large contact and three medium ones at latitude 50º00'(S), longitude 56º25'(W), simultaneously obtaining a MAE signal, distance to the contact, only 38 nautical miles ( NM), about 68.4 kilometers. A chill ran through all of us, we knew that they had detected us, we dived back into the water, at ground level we began to carry out evasive maneuvers. The pilot was flying instruments and I was looking out, the water was splashing on the windshield, that's how low we were flying. The silence was total, like the adrenaline in our bodies.”
“… – We stayed like this for about fifteen minutes, thinking that we
had evaded, we rose to 1,500 feet (ft) about 450 meters, we turned on
the radar in search of our fleet, the radio silence had to be absolute,
we had to find the aircraft carrier and deliver vital information. We
detected the presence of a large fleet of Russian and Polish fishing
vessels, then our radar screen began to receive interference (cart
wheel), we could no longer do radar search and our fleet continued on
its course. We decided to contact the “Air Controller” of the aircraft
carrier. Twice and nothing, on the third attempt the “Air Controller”
only limited himself to saying: …”
“… – You have two Lobos (enemy aircraft) on the tail, continue heading west (W)”. Again we pointed the nose of the TRACKER at the water and we stuck level again.”
“… – Obviously, the British Task Force had intercepted our radar emission and decided to investigate, they had sent a section (2 planes) of “SEA HARRIER” that, under the command of Captain Mórtimer, took off from the aircraft carrier “HMS INVINCIBLE” shortly after the midnight from May 1st to May 2nd.”
“The two “SEA HARRIER” were approaching us at 450 knots (Kts), about
810 kilometers per hour, we could barely get away at 135 Kts, about 243
kilometers per hour. Fortunately, the “Wolves” were emitting on a radar
frequency very close to ours and we both suffered the same interference.
We change the radio frequency to listen to our fleet's communications.
The anti-aircraft radar of the Destroyer (D-2) “ARA SANTISIMA TRINIDAD”
had detected and “illuminated” the two “Wolves”, consequently on our
radio we heard that the Destroyer requested “Free Birds” (authorization
to launch the SEA anti-aircraft missiles). DART). Praying that they
wouldn't get the wrong white, we stuck even closer to the water,
everything outside appeared even blacker."
“But Captain Mortimer, seeing himself illuminated and knowing that it came from Radar 909 of the Type 42 destroyers, did not risk entering within shooting range and put his “wings on the ground.” “We could return to the aircraft carrier, but the English had also detected us.”
The Flt. Lt. (captain) Mortimer, the British protagonist of this chase, was shot down in combat on 06/06/82 by the impact of a SAM ROLAND missile on his “SEA HARRIER” FRS-1, individual registration XZ-456. Our respect goes to a fallen warrior. (N of R).
THE HOOK:
Captain Marinsalta continues : “We had been flying for some time with both low fuel lights on, under the stress of a prolonged night flight and in contact with the enemy, we were facing the last challenge of this long day, the final of Attachment to the aircraft carrier, it was 01:10 am. from May 2nd. We could not fail, we had to deliver the precious information.”
“We had fewer visual references, the deck lights were
minimized, communications had to be minimal, already on the final
approach, we made a brief flash with the landing beacon to indicate to
the aircraft carrier's “signalman” that we had the reference in sight.
visual, “ball” at the center of the mirror (light that materializes the
slope of approach to the deck).
“Gear
down… flaps down… hook down…, everything down and locked. Lieutenant
Commander Emilio Goitía flew with absolute precision the 18 seconds that
took us to see the line of green lights that indicate, reduce the
accelerators to minimum to hook into one of the four arresting cables on
the deck. The pressure of the safety harnesses on the torso, the helmet
that seems to push on the back of our neck, everything indicates
that... WE ARE HOOKED! We were back home. When we checked the tanks, the
remaining fuel was not enough for another approach attempt.”
WINDLESS DAWN: Captain Marinsalta ends his story: “Unfortunately, at dawn, when the six A-4Q SKYHAWK aircraft of the 3rd. Naval Air Hunting and Attack Squadron were loaded with three 500 lb bombs. (250 Kg.) each, ready to launch on the British fleet, unusually for the time, the absence of wind was total. The enemy fleet was less than 150 NM (270 km), but the wind component (sum of the relative wind speeds and the aircraft carrier's navigation speed) was not enough to make the launch safe with a full war load. The attack was given up, as were the British. The air-naval battle that perhaps would have changed the course of events in the conflict could not take place.”
It should be noted that the Naval Aviation during the conflict, totaled 1,000 hours of exploration flight of the Argentine Sea in search of the enemy, making contact on 180 occasions, allowing the subsequent action of the attack aircraft and in others certifying their absence and facilitating security. of flights and logistics navigation. No aircraft were lost on these missions.
Regarding the Aeronaval Antisubmarine Squadron “LOS BUHOS” , during the conflict it was made up of 79 men, of which 18 were pilots and only 12 system operators. There were four “S-2E TRACKER” aircraft embarked on the aircraft carrier (V-2) ARA “25 DE MAYO” , 2-AS-22, 23, 24 and 26, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Héctor SKARE.
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