Attack on HMS Argonaut.

Other Wars Falklands/Malvinas War
#21

Thanks, seems like there are alot of Veterans doing that in alot of countries these days, I live in the USA Now and work as a 3d Modeller, I used to work on Aircraft in the Royal Navy, the Lynx in the picture is XZ233 “466” Named “Jason”

We had not had any action up until this point and the first we knew of something going on was an order over the Speaker system in the hanger to Launch the lynx - Once the Lynx was Airborne they Hid in a small alcove in the rocks Hovering for a while.

I was out on the flightdeck just in front of the hangar sharing a pair of Binoculars actually having a look around, when my colleague spotted something, then all we heard was a loud Roar (Possibly the rockets which impacted the sea in a group next to the ship), then a hammer noise accross the hangar roof, we actually didn’t know what had happened until it was all over, I did catch a glimpse of the aircraft as it swooped low to the sea and climbed again, it was gone before we knew what it was.

I actually have a sketch somewhere of the attack since I did a few drawings while there, I’ll have to see if I can find it and scan it, you will see the position of the Aircraft is not where it is on the Paintings.

Tim C

#22

There will be nice if you can use your 3D modelling skills to illustrate the history of this war.

I was out on the flightdeck just in front of the hangar sharing a pair of Binoculars actually having a look around, when my colleague spotted something, then all we heard was a loud Roar (Possibly the rockets which impacted the sea in a group next to the ship), then a hammer noise accross the hangar roof, we actually didn’t know what had happened until it was all over, I did catch a glimpse of the aircraft as it swooped low to the sea and climbed again, it was gone before we knew what it was.

I guess that the MB-339 was flying to low for the RADAR.

#23

What symbol was painted on aircraft that sunk ships ?

#24

That symbol doesn’t look right, I will have to see if I can find a internet version but the symbols shown in most books do not have the stripe.

A full silhouette indicates sunk, with the date, an out line sihouette indicated damage. The most memorable photo I have, in a book somewhere, is a moustachioed pilot with two thumbs up with a claimed damage to a Frigage on a date when no attacks were recorded.

I will have to do some ferretting. AS AR.

#25

Here you go

The picture I spoke of earlier did not have the name under it though. Not sure if these are a true account of this planes attacks to be honest, two attacks in one day!?

Also Argonaut never sank, she returned to UK (eventually) therefore there are no distinctions on this plane between sunk and damaged.

From http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/a-4p.htm

#26

What symbol was painted on aircraft that sunk ships ?

I saw some with two diagonally superimposed red strips or a single red dot in the center of the silhouette, but I guess there was no a single rule for the painting.

#27

I have some first hand Knowledge of Antelopes attack, one aircraft managed to drop one bomb, this bounced over the ship, the second aircraft dropped its bomb which penetrated the Starboard side amidships, that aircraft clipped the mast and Crashed as a result.

See the image below, previously unpublished, this shows the hole in the side with the Forward mast appearing to be missing, its actually bent over!

The Image shows Antelope coming in to anchor just after the attack to have the bomb removed, as you can see we were also still carrying 1 Unexploded bomb in the forward magazine when Antelope exploded, we were quite close at the time.

Image38a.jpg

#28

See the image below, previously unpublished

Very preciated.

You probably know this already, the mast was hit by an Argentine A-4 moment after it dropped the bomb. The skyhawk was hit by 20mm cannon or some missile in the final approach.

More info here:

http://www.ww2incolor.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4177&page=4

#29

Yes, It can get quite confusing especially with the speed this all happens, too much for the brain to take in sometimes.

#30

Yes, It can get quite confusing especially with the speed this all happens, too much for the brain to take in sometimes.

Add to that a crippled Skyhawk and you got the entire picture.

By the way Tim, is the picture above taken from the HMS Argonaut??

#31

Yes it was taken from the Argonaut, when the Antelopes magazine exploded we were in the same location as we were in the image, I have more on this and will post tonight

#32

Thanks. bring those pictures on.

Did the HMS Argonaut receive more damage in the wartime period ?

#33

Only damage to Argonaut, bar the unexploding bombs, was the explosion of two Seacat missiles in the magazine. Caused bythe passage of the bombs in to this compartment.

She reached UK about a month after being hit.

She also rescued Bransom when his balloon attempt to go around the world came unstuck and he landed in the Atlantic.

She was broken up a few years ago.

#34

Thanks for the information.

hopefully Tim court would provide more.

#35

There was a little more damage although it was inclusive to the a$ attack on may 21st in that the ship surrefered some pretty major fire damage forward due to the Diesel in the tanks/Magazine igniting after welding set it on fire when welding the holes created by removal of the Forward Magazine Bomb- I’ll post a few more details later, pretty busy tonight but will post some pics later.

#36

Take your time but remember…we are waiting your pictures. :rolleyes:

#37

Hi, Been away this week (Partially on purpose) and will get back to this thread later in the week since I had promised some pictures.

Tim C

#38

Tim…look what I found ¡¡¡¡

The bomb that hit HMS Argonaut and didnt explode.

wht a lucky ship.

http://www.falklands25.com/memories.php

#39

PK how many more times are you going to attack HMS Argonaut - even Jason had an easier time of it? :slight_smile:

#40

And why you worry ?

The ship make it after all.