WesWorld

1 January
At AFNE Bahia Blanca, the final Pr.326 Class light cruiser, the Delante has been laid down. She should commission during mid-1947. In the basin nearby work continues on fitting out her sister Fortaleza, which should be completed this winter. In the large dry dock alongside the slip, the battlecruiser ARA Patagonia has finally begun her refit. Planned for several years and delayed by funding and manpower shortages and divided Navy thinking on her value, the refit will upgrade her fighting abilities to serve as a carrier escort.
The Tandanor Yard in Comodoro Rividavia is also celebrating, having begun work on two new minesweepers, Calchaqui and Capayan. The yard will build four of these vessels this year. Also, the aging patrol vessels of the Pr.611 Class, many of which saw active wartime service, are being replaced this year and around eight boats are planned for completion this year.
At the Astillero Nav. shipyard in Puerto Belgrano, workers began laying down a new troop transport of the Project 717 Class. The vessel will be named Bahia San Blas.

2 January
A general election for the Chamber of Deputies has been called by President Juan Ramon Mugnolo for 24 February. All parties are now ramping up their election campaigns.

19 January
Aeravias Argentinas S.A., the national airline has announced a new and extensive fleet replacement programme. The airliner has placed orders with Junkers Flugzeugbau for twelve Ju390B and twelve Ju252 airliners with options for another six Ju252. Deliveries will commence later this year.

24 January
The political parties begin their campaigns a full month before the elections.

The Conservative Party, led by former lawyer Jose Marcos de Ballista, was the main opposition party for 20 years but because of close links with the origin of the war and corruption before the war it popularity has ebbed. Despite once being the main middle class party it share of the vote continues to decline, winning 23% of the vote in the last election. The Conservative Party believes in the free market and limited government intervention and is a reactionary party and very close to the Catholic Church (a powerful lobby force within the party) and believes in a minimal government controlling what is essential and that it offers a better option than any left-wing party. Landowners make up the bulk of the reactionary element.

The United Workers Party is led by the current State Minister Lorenzo Dominique, a former shipyard worker from Bahia Blanca and high-ranking trade union leader. Currently it serves as part of the “People’s Government” in a coalition with the National Democratic Party and the Democratic Union. In the last elections it polled 32% of the vote. It is a classic social democrat party formed around the ideals of the European social democratic parties. Its main support lies within the expanding working class but its record in government has been mixed with social progress having stalled and more radical policies being sidelined within the coalition. The party is anti-Marxist and tries to distance itself from any far left influence with mixed results, particularly alienating the potential farm workers vote by not stopping the Democratic Union’s land tax policies. Attempts by the party to blame the coalition for this have not been wholly successful. A swift response to the 1944 San Juan earthquake has gained some rural support though in that region. The party wants to end restrictions on trade unions, improve public health care and begin limited nationalisation scheme of big industries like oil and steel. So far this policy has only resulted in smaller scale nationalisations although the struggling railway industry was one such nationalisation.

The National Democratic Party is led by retired naval officer Almirante Peron and was formed in late 1935. The D’Silva scandal and the backlash of the war meant a large chuck of Democratic Union supporters turned to the NDP in disillusionment but this support has ebbed away. In the last election it only attracted 5% of the vote. Currently it serves as part of the “People’s Government” in a coalition with the Democratic Union and the United Worker’s Party. While having three current Cabinet ministers offers some political impact, its support has dwindled and its policies have failed to materialise. Policy-wise the NDP has much in common with the United Workers Party in regards to social policy but favours the free market and is reactionary towards Marxists and could be seen to have tendencies to be State-centric. It is doubtful whether the party has a long-term future as many kind of force in politics unless it can seriously challenge the Conservative Party and improve its image with the voters as credible governing power.

The Democratic Union is led by current Vice-President Enrique Pastelle and was the sole party of power from 1921 until 1937. In the last election it attracted 37% of the vote having rebounded quickly from its scandals involving D’Silva and the war. Currently it serves as part of the “People’s Government” in a coalition with the National Democratic Party and the United Worker’s Party. It has dominated the Chamber of Deputies and Senate for years and has a sizable, some say corrupt, powerbase within the machinery of politics. The party aims to capture the middle class vote away from the Conservatives while still offering a few social policies to attract the increasing strata of affluent workers. Finance Minister, Carlos Santinez’s, recent tax policies to favour farm owners and exports and to lower the rate of land tax and relax rent controls for landowners of large holdings was publicly condemned by several tenant farmer organisations. At the risk of alienating these groups it is actively seeking to gain support from industry and to grab the mantle of low taxation from the Conservative Party.

The General Democratic Union is a splinter group of the Democratic Union led by the eminent former Foreign Affairs Minister Alfredo Castagone. At the last election it won 1% of the vote and was left out of the “People’s Government”. It has the same liberal capitalist free market principles of the Democratic Union but generally is more left-wing. It is a protest party with little future and since being denied a place in the coalition their support has slumped further despite its attempts to garner support from the farm workers.

The Marxist Party has fringe support among trade union activists, young students, the left-wing intelligentsia and other disaffected groups. Its leader is Don Calbria, a trade unionist, industrial foreman and a former Patagonian lightweight boxing champion. It is broadly similar to all Marxist parties but seems unconnected with foreign parties. At the last election it only received around 2% of the vote. Since 1944, it has attracted a sizable following from farm workers in agricultural disputes and has largely imported the agricultural policies of its Paraguayan comrades.

9 February
A team of Instituto Aerotechico engineers and officials led by Technical Director of Research and Development Erhard Milch have set off to visit Europe by flying boat. Their mission is a fact-finding one and to potentially order new aircraft and begin joint research ventures.

11 February
Erhard Milch and his Instituto Aerotechico team arrived at Clieto aboard a PanAm Clipper today to begin their five day technical mission to the country as the first part of their European tour. The day has been spent in early talks with the Atlantean Air Force Technical Branch.

12 February
Rocketry engineers as part of the Instituto Aerotechico team have had discussions with their Atlantean counterparts regarding the AAM-4 research programme and future developments. An agreement was made to carry out an ambitious mission to place life into space and return it to earth by the end of the year.

13 February
Erhard Milch and two electronics experts were given a tour of Atlantis’ premier supplier of radio-location devices based in Celeste, including a thorough examination of aircraft sets for search functions. For some time the Fuerza Aerea Argentina has been hampered in the acquisition of an effective night-fighter force.

14 February
The Instituto Aerotechico party today visited the rocketry testing site in Sagittaron where they witnessed trials of guided anti-aircraft rocket projectiles undergoing early testing.

15 February
The Security Minister, Enrique Velasco Rojas, today announced to the Senate that the Coordinación de Informaciones de Estado (State Intelligence Coordination, CIDE) had been officially opened. This new body will collate intelligence from the intelligence branches of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Guardia Civil and the Ministry of Security to provide the Cabinet and Security and Defence Ministries with collated and centrally interpreted intelligence.

The Instituto Aerotechico party today returned to Clieto to meet with Spartan engineers and in the afternoon a series of talks with the Atlantean Air Force Technical Branch. Argentina has agreed to join their glider bomb trials programme and provide secure testing grounds in Patagonia and have asked for the loan of a heavy bomber for the period of the trials.

16 February
The Instituto Aerotechico party led by Erhard Milch arrived in Paris today aboard an Air France airliner.

18 February
Erhard Milch and several of his party made an official visit to the works of Société des Avions Dassault. Noted in aeronautical circuits for their fighter designs and recent work with turbojets the firm was of prime interest. After touring the well-equipped factory they inspected the new jet-powered MD.450 Ouragan. The same aircraft also made an impressive demonstration flight. Its powerful Rateau-Anxionnaz A.65 turbojet was also of interest being among the most powerful in the world apart from the Rolls-Royce Nene. Spartan officials had previously briefed the team on the Atlantean version to be built, a noted favoured supplier to Argentina.

19 February
The Instituto Aerotechico group spent the day in discussions with their counterparts in the Service Technique de l'Aéronautique and Dr. Rodez of FMA took two other aerodynamicists to meet with ONERA engineers to discuss high-speed aerodynamic problems.

20 February
The Instituto Aerotechico group today visited the Breguet-Nord factory to see some of their latest civilian and transport aircraft.

21 February
The Instituto Aerotechico party led by Erhard Milch arrived at the new Heathrow Airport, London today aboard a British European Airways airliner. They have been hosted by the Air Ministry.

22 February
The Instituto Aerotechico party visited Gloster Aircraft Ltd. at Hucclecote today where they visited the Meteor production line and were given a demonstration by three Meteors. They also received a full briefing on the Hawker Sea Fury, built by Glosters.

24 February
Election Day.
Voters across Argentina head to the polling stations to cast their votes. Pundits agree the result is going to be close, some fear a further socialist government and others fear a return to the dark days of right-wing cronyism and corruption.

The Instituto Aerotechico party visited the Rolls-Royce aero-engine works at Derby today and in the afternoon a small group visited Fairey Aircraft in Stockport where they examined the new private-venture Fox II ground-attack aircraft and its Spearfish naval attack cousin.

Quoted

12 February
Rocketry engineers as part of the Instituto Aerotechico team have had discussions with their Atlantean counterparts regarding the AAM-4 research programme and future developments. An agreement was made to carry out an ambitious mission to place life into space and return it to earth by the end of the year.

Well that's a rather ambitious goal. 8|

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Quoted

12 February
Rocketry engineers as part of the Instituto Aerotechico team have had discussions with their Atlantean counterparts regarding the AAM-4 research programme and future developments. An agreement was made to carry out an ambitious mission to place life into space and return it to earth by the end of the year.

Well that's a rather ambitious goal. 8|

Do amoebas count? :P

One has to have goals in life.

Quoted from "The Rock Doctor"

One has to have goals in life.

True. One must have goals. This one is surely attainable; the time constraint is what surprises me - unless one is aiming for lower life forms. Insects, say, would count.

25 February
Election results; overall turnout was 87%.
The parties received the following share of the votes in the Chamber of Deputies; 158
The Democratic Union 30% (48 seats)
The United Workers Party 45% (71 seats)
The Conservative Party 19% (30 seats)
Marxist Party 4% (6 seats)
National Democratic Party 1% (2 seats)
General Democratic Union 1% (1 seat)

There is no overall winner. Here are the largest possible combinations as drawn up by Political News Weekly;
UWP- Democratic Union (119 seats)
Democratic Union-Conservative (78 seats)
Democratic Union-Conservative-NDP (80 seats)
UWP-Marxist-NDP-GDU (80 seats)
UWP-Marxist-NDP (79 seats)
UWP-Marxist 49% (77 seats)

The leader of the Democratic Union, Vice-President Enrique Pastelle, has ruled out a repeat of the People’s Government coalition with the United Workers Party, a clear sign that he is in talks with the Conservative Party about forming a coalition.
Analysts have quickly grasped that neither of the two biggest parties can form a majority government without the few key seats held by the National Democratic Party and the General Democratic Union. The main questions are; can the United Workers Party swallow their anti-Marxist rhetoric; can the Democratic Party successfully court its former defectors, the General Democratic Union and will the National Democratic Party’s coterie of powerful cabinet ministers be willing to do a deal with any side to potentially retain their positions?

The Instituto Aerotechico party today visited the Armstrong Siddeley Motors Ltd. factory at Coventry where they build piston and jet engines, with the team having strong interest in the ASX axial-flow design. In the afternoon they briefly discussed power-operated control systems with Boulton Paul Ltd. in Wolverhampton and examined their designs for night-fighters.

26 February
After just twenty-four hours of talks behind closed doors at the San Martin Theatre in Cordoba the leaders of the Conservative Party, Jose Marcos de Ballista, the Democratic Union, Enrique Pastelle, and the General Democratic Union, Alfredo Castagone, emerged to shake hands in front of the press announcing they had agreed a power sharing deal. Meanwhile, a mile or so away at the Trade Unions Congress building, the leader of the United Workers Party, Lorenzo Dominique shook hands with the leader of the Marxist Party Don Calbria. They spoke of forging a new government for all the people. At this moment, the failure of success of either of the blocs, conservative or socialist, depends on courting the National Democratic Party.

While the Instituto Aerotechico team left Ringway aboard a Lufthansa flight, Erhard Milch and couple of associates returned to Hucclecote along with Ministry of Supply officials for further talks.

27 February
The Democratic Union leader Enrique Pastelle in a radio interview this morning rubbished claims that the Socialist-Marxist pact was the only pro-worker government in being. He pointed out that his party would ensure good wages and social conditions and would pursue business policies to allow commerce to grow and provide more jobs. On street corners, enthused students and fellow Marxist supporters could be found handing out government manifestoes.
Not until just after noon did the leader of the, National Democratic Party, Almirante (ret.) Peron, make a statement. He had decided to go into government with the Conservative Party, the Democratic Union and the General Democratic Union. This gives them 81 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, a very slender majority of two.
All four leaders went to the Presidential Office to seek approval to form the government.

The Instituto Aerotechico team, temporarily led by Dr. Fernandez, began their German tour in earnest. They visited Fieseler Flugzeugbau AG today to examine the Fieseler Fi220 naval strike aircraft, which impressed with its agility and carrying ability.

28 February
A new coalition government is formed.
Prime Minister/ Vice President Enrique Pastelle (DU)
Finance Minister Carlos Santinez (DU)
Foreign Affairs Minister Alfredo Castagone (GDU)
Defence Minister Vice Almirante (ret). Juan Perez Benedicto Hood (NDP)
State Minister Jose Marcos de Ballista (Con)
Security Minister Almirante (ret.) Peron (NDP)
Transport Minister Miguel Suraez (Con)
Social Affairs Minister Eduardo Laurencena (DU)
Labour and Industry Minister Carlos Saavedra Lamas (NDP)
Education and Culture Minister Fernando Balbin (Con)

Members of the Instituto Aerotechico team, temporarily led by Dr. Fernandez, today had the honour of witnessing the first flight of the Focke Wulf Fw340 jet fighter. Another of the cutting-edge first generation jet fighters it was hard to tell much from the sedate and careful early flight tests, but the data promise an airframe able to match the latest French and British types.

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Quoted from "The Rock Doctor"

One has to have goals in life.

True. One must have goals. This one is surely attainable; the time constraint is what surprises me - unless one is aiming for lower life forms. Insects, say, would count.

A year would be highly optimistic, using hindsight, for sure. Both nations have been working on the AAM projects for quite some time now and have made great progress getting rockets off the ground successfully so logically new goals would have to be set.

1 March
The river tender ARA Alferez de Navio Gomez, built at AFNE Paraguay, has commissioned and joined the Asuncion Base Support Flotilla today. This special vessel will support the gunboats of the river fleet and civilian construction and other needs up and down the Rio Paraguay.

Members of the Instituto Aerotechico team today had an extensive visit to the Dornier factory. They received a tour of the Do330 MR aircraft production line, the Do27 STOL transport production line and were given a brief look at the prototype Do31 STOL transport, a twin engine development of the Do27.

2 March
Dr. Fernandez and Dr. Rodez visited Arado to witness flight tests on production Ar234 jet bombers, the only ones of their kind in the world in production.

3 March
Dr. Rodez flew back to Britain at short notice last night, others made their way to Czechoslovakia but the Instituto Aerotechico rocketry team left Berlin for a two-day stay at Peenemunde to discuss rocketry developments, especially motor technology and scientific payloads.

4 March
The Instituto Aerotechico has placed orders for a hundred Gloster Meteor jet-propelled fighters to modernise the fighter defences of Argentina with modern fighters. No word has been given on when deliveries will begin or which model will be delivered. Rumours suggest that talks with Gloster have given fruit to a co-operative venture with FMA on a further undisclosed design which will feature the latest advances in aerodynamics.

Quoted from "Hood"

4 March
The Instituto Aerotechico has placed orders for a hundred Gloster Meteor jet-propelled fighters to modernise the fighter defences of Argentina with modern fighters. No word has been given on when deliveries will begin or which model will be delivered. Rumours suggest that talks with Gloster have given fruit to a co-operative venture with FMA on a further undisclosed design which will feature the latest advances in aerodynamics.

...aaaand everyone in the Chilean Air Force says "Oh stuff!"

I'm hoping the RSAF brass in Montevideo and Pretoria will be saying worse things.
Anyhow the I-02 has been knocking around for six years now and later marks I planned never came to fruition. The new Namcu is a good fighter-bomber and bomber destroyer but is not a dogfighter.

OOC info: Those Meteors will not be delivered until next year. The further joint FMA-Gloster project will be the historical CXP-1001 design.
Generally given the new right-wing government you can expect more arms and military modernisation aimed at preventing any future SAE invasion of Argentina. Such a build-up is not aimed at Chile or the other ABC powers. Generally I'm expecting Chile to acquire Ouragans at some point (given previous Franco-Atlantean-Chilean links) and of course SAE has its own projects and programmes (though somewhat slower progress than the European powers it must be said).

28 March
Vice Almirante Mendez began his briefing. By no means the most senior officer in the room, the commander of the Submarine Division thrust his pointer at the world map behind him. Among the audience was the Japanese Naval Attaché. “Gentlemen, in six days’ time we set sail in the battlecruiser Constelación to Japan to visit the dockyards where our new submarines are to be built and to receive full technical briefings on their design...”

16 April
Capitan de Navio Honchez could not remember being so busy, papers in neat piles across his desk covered a wide range of topics; the purchase of submarines from Japan, licences for gun mounts from Germany, purchases of ammunition from Germany, details on Atlantean mortars and the purchase of the battlecruiser from the Philippines. He had never known the Contracts Division to be so busy and he hoped his small staff could meet the expectations placed upon them and ensure no mistakes too place and process all this paperwork in time.

28 April
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Almirante Bouchard, and his aide were ushered into the office of the Defence Minister, Vice Almirante (ret). Juan Perez Benedicto Hood. Both men often had regular meetings together to plan and review policies regarding the navy. Today was no exception.
“Eduardo, I have some good news. The Prime Minister approved the funding today. It has to go before the Senate and the President, but as you know that a matter of formality.”
“I’m glad you were able to influence the cabinet’s decision Juan. It is not every day that a battlecruiser becomes available on the open market.”
“It was no trouble, Enrique and Carlos both understand our position. Likewise the submarines went through without concern, some Deputies worried about losing German influence and about buying from Japan so soon after the Sino-Chosen War, but we need advanced submarines like these. We want only the best for the Navy.
“Indeed. With two powerful battlecruisers to screen our carriers and two more for raiding our deep operational concept becomes a reality. My idea is to create out of the assets of Naval Brigade One a dedicated mixed group, probably two forces each built around a carrier.”
“I like the concept very much. With six of the new submarines we could really smash the Atlantic convoys and draw the RSAN away from our coasts.”
“Yes, should the South Africans attempt to redress what happened ten years ago, our Navy will be much better prepared. Much of what we had then was already old.
“Losing the old battleships will be a problem though. Some would see that as a weakness. I think, I can get the Cabinet to approve retiring at least one this year.”
“Tell them we need the manpower. The Libertad and Gascon are little more than floating batteries these days. We both know we were lucky not the loose them during the war. They are too slow and too vulnerable despite all the Pesos we poured into rebuilding them. I wonder if you can get the Cabinet to agree a third Veinticinco de Mayo…”

15 May
At the Astillero Nav. shipyard in Puerto Belgrano the new troop transport Bahia San Blas has slid down the ways. This vessel will make routine trooping missions along the Patagonian coast and will double as an assault transport in wartime. She should be completed in early 1947.

16 May
A new airline has been founded, Aviación del Litoral Fluvial Argentino (ALFA). The company is a joint venture by Corporación Sud-Americana de Servicios Aéreos and the shipping company Dodero Navigation Argentina. The airline will operate routes along the Argentine coast as well as to Brazil and Musaeus via Montevideo, Gran Uruguay, operating a fleet of flying boats. The company is seen as a competitor to Trans Oceanic Airlines, a joint Argentine-African company which has an extensive network across the southern Atlantic and along the south-west African coast.

17 May
National Navy Day. This year several cruisers and destroyers were open for public tours along the coastline and the entire fleet based at Bahia Blanca was on review. A lottery in aid of the orphans of San Juan was held and a hundred lucky winners were given a guided tour of the carrier Independencia. Above Cordoba, around sixty aircraft of the Navy performed a mass flypast and they later repeated the same spectacle above Bahia Blanca. A total of 870,950 pesos were raised in various fundraising activities by the Navy.

Interesting....

In what way? That none of the South Africans managed to win the lottery and get the carrier tour?

Battlecruisers and submarines...

Quoted from "HoOmAn"

Battlecruisers and submarines...

Oh My! :D

Quoted from "HoOmAn"

Battlecruisers and submarines...

You're telling me that South Africa can't build those?

Defence Minister Hood also has dreams of the rebuilt fleet and its bases protected by jet fighters overhead. Meteors are already on order and somewhere in rural Gloucestershire on a drawing board is the first pencil strokes of a new fighter...

It's taken a decade but the lessons of 1935 are finally coming together. Whether that means these answer the questions any future rematch could pose is open to question.