Dellepiane's Injured A-4
An A-4B piloted by Ensign Guillermo Dellepiane
Photo provided by Alejandro Granero; a little-known image of Dellepiane’s aircraft losing fuel. Photograph taken from Litrenta’s Hercules. From a previous publication:
Malvinas 1982: “A Falcon in Trouble”
Malvinas, June 13, 1982 – Malvinas Radar:
“Can you see me?” “No.” “Then neither can they.........”
During an attack mission against British rear positions on Mount Dos Hermanas, his aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire that pierced the fuselage and damaged the fuel tanks.
With the gauge reading zero and constantly losing fluid, he flew for several minutes, attempting to reach a Hercules KC-130 aerial refueling tanker.
Vice Commodore Luis Litrenta (pilot of the Hercules, nicknamed "La Chancha") flew out to meet him. Dellepiane—who, due to his inexperience, had never even practiced in-flight refueling—managed to connect the probe on his first and only attempt.
They flew back together while he simultaneously took on and spilled fuel, miraculously managing to land without the aircraft catching fire.
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