Argentine-British 164 Squadron <<Firmes Volamos>>

World War II Other Military Units
#1

When the II World war exploded, a lot of argentinians, descendant from the United Kingdom did the impossible in order to defend the allied. More than 500 pilots movilized themselves to the Royal Air Force, re-creating the 164 squadron, with the code FIRMES VOLAMOS (written in spanish), in english STEADY WE FLY.

1942
April the 6th was the date of the first flights, with Supermarine Spitfires Mk5, with the main mission of Hunting, the most of the time in Peterhead.

1943
The Argentine-British squadron was reequiped with Hurricanes, and it left the mission of hunting to dedicate to the atack, mobilized to Midle Wallop.
The squadron did that year a lot of succes missions, like ship atacks or coast atacks.

1944
The squadron received new planes, the Typhoons. With this planes the group took part in the historical day of June 6th. The Argentine-British, mobilized to Furtington, atacked with rockets and cannon fire to the german defenses in Normandy.

The 164 squadron was moved to an ALG (Advanced Landing Ground) in France, realizing missions of Close Air Support (CAS) against german armoured units.
Then continued with the CAS in all over west Europe, in France, Holland and Belgium.

1945
In January was consolidated the squadron with a base in occuped german territory. Since January until June, the Argentine-British squadron continued with the atacks to the german positions.

1946
The Argentine-British squadron was reequiped with Supermarin Spitfires Mk9, and a few month later was diluted.

It is known that the Argentinians who fought with the british were 554, and at least 122 died in the battlefield. Respet them, and give up honors to them.


Images of: Gabriel Miranda Naón (hangardigital)

(PD: Forgive my so bad english)

#2

Your english is not bad, i can easisly understand it.
I never knew that the Argentinians had anything to do with WW2, so do you know if they had alot of expirience flying planes?

By the way, welcome to the site mate, and if you need any help with anything your welcome to ask me. :wink:

#3

good post eagle.

I’ve learnt something.

I knew Poles, French, Americans even in some cases Germans flew with RAF but not Argies.

Just watch out for your signaure mate.

#4

Have you any links for the above Eagle. Wouldn’t mind a look.

1000ydstare

#5

good post eagle.

I’ve learnt something.

I knew Poles, French, Americans even in some cases Germans flew with RAF but not Argies.

Just watch out for your signaure mate.

#6

Nice posts and picture eagle ,welcome. :wink:

#7

Welcome to the site Eagle, and congratulations on a very interesting post.

Try these 1000:

This one is in Spanish so you’ll have to brush up your linguistic skills. (Although the rumour says that you are a cunning one.)
http://www.hangardigital.com.ar/164.html

This is a British press release, again on an Argentinian site.
http://www.firmesvolamos.com.ar/prensa/ITNew-Italy.php

You missed meeting some of them last April:
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=143195

This lists where they were based:
http://www.rafcommands.currantbun.com/Fighter/164F.html

Here you’ll find a small section of 164’s Op Diary at Airstrip B-91 in the Netherlands during Mar-Apr 45.
http://home-2.worldonline.nl/~cb008074/airstripb91.htm

Here’s one by the Anglo-Argentine Soc.:
http://www.angloarg.dircon.co.uk/aasevents.htm
A couple of 164 vets may well be there.

Not exactly 164 Sqn, but has WWII connections:
http://212.58.240.132/1/hi/uk/4425035.stm

I read a book which had a fair bit about the Sqn some years ago but cannot for the life of me remember the title.

#8

Thanks for the welcome to all.

Commando, oficially, Argentina didn’t take part in the Second World War, but the pilots were people who had knowledges of flying, here in Argentina.

1000, the page which really helped me was www.hangardigital.com.ar
Search to FIRMES VOLAMOS.
And, please… we are Argentinians, not Argies. Please call us like Argentinians.

Saludes.

#9

Eagle, please replace your signature.

#10

Cheers cuts and eagle.

I’ll look in to these a bit deeper over the weekend

#11

we are not argies.

we are great.
why they fought in the raf!!!.

if they were intelligent they should fight on the american air force instead.

#12

As you want Dani, but I think I am not offending to anybody. It’s only the Malvinas islands map and a part of the Malvinas March.

I don’t see the point of the necessity of change my signature.

#13

If you’ll read the warning thread you’ll see that it was a little bit hot.

I asked anybody to replace the signatures that might be considered offensive.

If no one finds your sig and avatar as offensive, fine by me.
Gracias! :wink:
And welcome to the forum!

#14

Possibly because the RAF had a less blinkered attitude to foreigners and needed pilots. As Eagle points out may of them were British ex-pats anyway.

When these men joined the US may well have still been out of the war anyway (allowing for a five or six month period between starting training and forming an operational squadron). It took the US some time after Pearl Harbour to get worked up into a war footing. Meanwhile the RAF and Commonwealth allies had two years or more experience of fighting and had mature marks of fighter. The RAF also had a considerable amount of worldwide prestige following the Battle of Britain and I suspect hadthe sort of image that appealed to Argentinians while the USAAF was still relatively new and untried.

#15

In order to the advices made by Dani, I reduced my signature and removed the map of the Malvinas islands with the Argentinian flag behind.

I expect I could be accepted now.

#16

Oi, don’t strop of at Dani.

He’s the mod, you’re not.

He is merely trying to keep the fires down on this site.

I’m personally not bothered by your signature, but some may use it as a weapon against you.

There are some very immature people on this site.

You only have to look around some of the debris in other threads.

Don’t make me stare!!!

#17

OK, back on topic now. We could open as for swastika and sickle and hammer an entire thread on signatures.

#18

I’m sorry Dani, but I cannot finish the discussion.

If somebody takes to my avatar or signature like offensive, please try to explain to me why is he/she feels offended by me, and we could arrenge the problem by talking. If the other member shows that he/she is right, I will remove my avatar or/and signature.
Saludes from Argentina.

#19

Because a lot of us had to remove Falklands related sigs or avatars because two of your country men cried about them being insulting.

#20

BDL, look at this…

We both know that your sig is not an offensive message. You admire to the Ghurkas soldiers, but there is a good evidence that the Ghurkas murdered to Argentinian soldiers who had surrended.

But I know your message is not a provocation, is not an insult to me or the other argentinian members. A lot of people who don’t apreciate or don’t respect to the others could ask to the mods to remove your sig. Although, I dont gonna do that, because I know that is not offensive.

With my avatar or sig, I think is the same problem.
My sig/avatar are not offendig to british people. I am only deffending my cause. If I would have an avatar with Argentinian aircraft attaking british ships, or a british flag burning, I could accept that it is a offense.

I expect you will understand me.

Greetings from Argentina.