WesWorld

Noticias Argentinas

July 2
After some initial delays owing to the situation affecting the economy the 1937 Naval Programme has been slow in starting but already has replaced some of the losses of the recent war. This month finally sees the proper start of the programme with three new destroyers and two submarines beginning construction for completion next year and the old battleship Capitan Gascon is to start a reconstruction that will turn this aging ship into an equal of any battlewagon afloat. The size of this programme shows the industrial strength of the nation has returned and that the Navy shall be able to defend our waters with a fleet equal to our neighbours.

July 8
Trials began today of the new T-3M36 Leopard tank with three prototypes now completed. The first is armed with a 75mm gun but the two others appear to be armed with the standard Italian 47mm tank gun. Three months of firing trials and tactical exercises along with reliability trials have now begun.

August 9
The Inspector General of Weapons placed orders earlier this year for a semi-auto rifle trial. The following firms were requested to supply a batch of five semi-auto rifles; Solothurn Kar.35(S), Johnson semi-auto 7.92mm x 57 and the STPR-36 Radichkov 7.92mm x 57. After firing tests to determine accuracy and reliability trials under service conditions the Solothurn rifle is declared the winner but the lack of funds prevents any purchases. The five Solothurn test rifles will be kept, the others returned to the manufacturers.

August 14
Rumours around the FMA facility seem to indicate that an ex-FAA IMPA Vanquish bomber is currently undergoing modifications and being fitted with a FMA/ RRF RL-FNO-103 rocket engine in the rear fuselage. The rocket uses red fuming nitric acid mixed with kerosene to produce power.

September 11
Today the first prototype of the new IMPA Vanquish III bomber was rolled out in front of the world’s press. Several changes have been made to the basic design to take into account all recent war experience. Protection has been increased with self-sealing fuel tanks and a 5mm armoured bulkhead behind the pilot. The nose glazing has been reduced to limit the effects of glare and unwanted reflections and to limit battle damage and risk to the crew from fragments of Plexiglas. The self-defence armament comprises a dorsal turret with twin Browning MGs and another in the bomb-aimers section. The wing root guns have been omitted to save weight. Two 1200hp Ripon R-1200-010A supercharged radial engines are now fitted in revised nacelles and IMPA expects a speed increase of at least 30mph and improved service ceiling with these engines. The airframe has been cleaned up a little and a retractable tail wheel is now fitted. The first flight is expected within the next few weeks.

September 29
The Navy today is presenting to the Chamber of Deputies their proposed 1938 Naval Estimates. The Navy is seeking two destroyers to meet the Navy’s needs and six sloops. Funds for another battlecruiser may already have been approved. The recent war has shown the deficiencies in the Navy’s auxiliary fleet. Therefore the Navy is asking for funds to build two coastal tankers and one large oilier to support larger warships, a repair vessel, two destroyer tenders and a tender for the new aircraft carriers. Operations from remote bases were hampered during the war because of a lack of ships able to provide support and supplies to warships. This argument is being stressed today in the Chamber by the Navy Commander-in-Chief.

September 30
Two brand-new Guardia Class sloops, the Mantilla and the Azopardo today were formally commissioned and will shortly join the Minesweeper Squadron for working-up exercises. The builder’s trials have been completed satisfactorily.

Solothurn is disappointed but not surprised by the lack of an order, it's a well-known fact that semi-auto rifles are expensive in and of themselves and many countries find the expected costs of additional ammunition daunting. However, in the future, Argentina might be interested in the improved version of the Kar. 35 adopted by the German army and air force.

Time Warp!

July 20

Capitan de Navio Torrez-Bucholz could hardly believe the words as the came out of the mouth of his superior officer, Almirante Peablo (the disgraced former Chief of Staff) and had to ask him to repeat it. Peablo gave him a searching quizzical look before he spoke, "I said we have orders to set sail for the Chilean coast, recall all men, prepare ammunition stocks, full bunkers for aviation gasoline and get out the war operating procedures."
No sooner had he said these words the Captain of the cruiser Almirante Storni arrived on the deck and saluted. "Sir my ship has been assigned to your command. Have you any orders Sir?"

In response to the Chilean losses at the Battle of Ilo, the Argentine Ministry of Defence offered a fast battlegroup to patrol the Eastern Pacific. The Navy created a new group, Force D. It comprised the carrier Independencia, the light cruiser Almirante Storni, the scout cruisers Nueve de Julio and Comodore Py and the destroyers Contra Almirante Barbera, Simon Bolivar and Capitan Tejada under the command of Almirante Peablo. He had wanted the battlecruiser Patagonia but the Naval Staff refused his request. Peablo was given strict rules of engagement and had to radio Bahia Blanca before any action to get offical approval.

The entire Independencia Carrier Wing under the command of Capitan de Navio Santana comprised;
Independencia Squadron 1, 12 Mitsubishi NF-1 (A6M)
Independencia Squadron 2, 12 Tucan T-18 NB-1
Independencia Squadron 3, 12 Spartan NT-1 (TBN-7)
Only a third of the aircraft were embarked, on the 22nd the remainder of the aircraft were flown aboard after several touch-and-go practises. In fact some pilots had never landed on a carrier at sea before and all but the senior officers had less than ideal amounts of deck-time.
It was a feat but on the 23rd Force D set sail from Bahia Blanca en route to Chile (where they would refuel).