Foreign Purchases
3 additional BCAC Freighters bringing the total fleet to 15
12 Gloster Meteor Trainers, assigned designation T-07 for jet conversion training
9 de Havilland DH.104 Doves, assigned designation T-06P, acquired for the Prefectura Naval Argentina for transport and coastal patrolling
New Aircraft
FMA I-02IIIN
A naval version of the I-02III Pulqui with the folding wings and strengthened fuselage with arrestor gear of the I-02N. 48 were ordered in July 1947 and deliveries began in January 1948. Construction numbers are C/N01186-C/N01234.
Powerplant: one 1600hp Spartan 1500S-SP V-12 inline engine with modified two-stage supercharger, maximum sea level output to 16,000ft
Performance: max speed 431mph at 15,000 feet; service ceiling 38,500ft; rate of climb 3,062ft per minute at 1,500ft; range 975 miles full fuel load including two drop-tanks
Armament: four 13mm Browning HMG in wings and one ventral bomb-rack for one 250-500lb bomb, and underwing mounts for 8x 75mm RPs
In Development
Gloster AXP-1001 (FMA I-05 Pulqui III)
In 1946 Argentina sent a mission to Britain and negotiations saw an order for 100 Gloster Meteor F.Mk.IV fighters and for Gloster to co-operate with FMA engineers on the design of a new fighter. Argentina sent thirty FMA engineers to Hucclecote in September 1946. The new fighter was to have a Rolls-Royce engine and be delivered within thirty months and FMA had the option of purchasing the manufacturing rights. The initial contract signed in July 1946 was for three prototypes. Based on Gloster designs for jet fighters the design work moved along quickly and the mock-up was inspected during September 1947 and by then construction on the prototypes was underway. The design was basic with a nose intake, the cannon being mounted around the nose, a mid-set tailplane was fitted and the wings had moderate sweep of 20 degrees. Internal fuel capacity was 470 gallons. The first prototype made its first flight following taxi trials on 14 July 1948. The second prototype will fly during early 1949 followed by the third prototype, which will be shipped to Argentina and reassembled for its first flight around June 1949. The third prototype and all production aircraft will be fitted with Rolls-Royce Nene III engines rather than the Nene IIs fitted to the first two prototypes.
Dimensions; 38/ 41.9/ 14.10/ 360 sq ft; 1x 5,000lb Rolls-Royce RB.41 Nene III; max speed 600mph at sea level; range 1,000 miles with maximum external fuel; sea level rate of climb 6,000ft/min; service ceiling 40,000ft; all-up weight 14,250lb and overload weight 18,700lb. Armament: 4x 20mm Orkileon FFB cannon and 2x 500kg bombs or 12x 75mm rockets underwing. Two underwing 100 or 200 gallon drop tanks and one 195 gallon ventral tank can be fitted.
I.Ae.29
This project is a single-seat advanced jet-powered conversion trainer, design work began in early 1948 using experience gained in helping Gloster develop the I-05 Pulqui III. The design is aerodynamically sleek with two lateral intakes for the single turbojet engine and a conventional straight wing for good controllability. The first prototype is planned to fly during summer 1949.
Wingspan: 9.50m
Length: 9.20m
Height: 3.40m
Wing area: 18.70 m2
Wing loading: 179kg/m
Empty Weight: 2250kg (4,960lb)
Maximum take-off weight: 3150kg (6,944lb)
Powerplant: 1x 3,500lb Rolls-Royce Derwent V turbojet
Maximum speed: 800km/h (497mph)
Cruising speed: 630km/h (391mph)
Landing speed: 170km/h (105mph)
Take-off run: 660m
Service ceiling: 14000m (45,930ft)
Absolute ceiling: 15600m (51,180ft)
Endurance 1.5 hours
Range: 900km (560 miles)
Armament: 2x nose-mounted 20mm Orkileon FFB cannon and provision for 2x 50kg bombs or 8x 75mm rockets underwing.
I.Ae.35
Design work on this all-metal low-wing cantilever monoplane general purpose design began in early 1948. The prototype will fly probably in 1949 or 1950. The aircraft is designed to fulfil several training and transportation roles with the Air Force and serve as a rugged, low cost commercial feederliner.
Length: 13.98m (45ft 10in)
Wingspan: 19.6m (64ft 4in)
Wing area: 42.0m2 (452sq ft)
Empty weight: 3,500kg (7,716lb)
Gross weight: 5,700kg (12,566lb)
Fuel capacity: 1,200 litres (143 Imperial gallons)
Powerplant: 2x 740hp El Indio R-2/1 9-cylinder radial engines with three-bladed constant-speed propellers
Maximum speed: 380km/h (236mph) at 2800m (9186ft)
Cruising speed: 370km/h (229mph) at 3500m (11,482ft) (economic cruise)
Range: 1,250km (776 miles)
Endurance: 4hr 10min
Service ceiling: 7000m (22,965ft)
Rate of climb: 6.5m/s (1,279ft/min)
Projecto Tábano (Project Gadfly)
Design work on this experimental guided rocket was begun in 1948 with the first test article planned to be flight tested as a fixed pod beneath an I.Ae.28 bomber by the end of 1949. The engine features a combustion chamber with a regenerative cooling jacket. The engine and its propellant tanks were contained in a streamlined winged body. The primary aim of the project is to research fuel types and performances and guidance systems for a future air-to-ground missile.
Rocket engine: 500kg thrust; 1.923kg/s fuel consumption; specific thrust 174.2kg/s; 15kg/cm combustion pressure; 2,753 °C combustion temperature; 98kg of fuel capacity, 40secs operation time; nitric oxidizer propellant (98.5%) acid; aniline fuel; oxidizer mixture ratio / fuel (by weight) 3 to 1.
Missile: 2.5m span; 2.45m long; 0.45m diameter; 100kg empty weight; 198kg total weight, 900km/h maximum speed, 32kg useful load, infrared guidance
Industrial Matters
Fabrica Militar de Aviones (FMA)
The main state-owned aircraft manufacturer in Argentina and has been in operation since 1927 with its main factory in the capital city Cordoba. The current Director, since 1943, is Mayor de Aero Ing. Juan Ignacio San Martin and the Chief Designer is Luis Barron. The company has been expanded with the creation of several specialist divisions, each focusing on an area of aeronautical engineering.
Divisions
Fábrica de Motores de Aviación (Aviation Engine Factory)
FMA brought the Roth-Packard series of radial engines in 1934; the 235hp Roth 7 cylinder single row radial engine, 700hp Roth-Packard 14 cylinder double radial engine and the 650hp Roth 9 cylinder single row radial which were marketed as the 235hp FMA RR-7-1, 700hp FMA RR-14-2 and the 650hp RR-9-1. Development from late 1935 resulted in two new models, the 750hp RR-14-2-D and the 255hp RR-7-1-B. In 1938 the RR-9-1 was up-rated to 675hp and fitted with an automatic pitch changing three-bladed propeller as the RR-9-1-B. Also in 1938 the 715hp FMA RR-14-2-B appeared. This was further modified as the 735hp RR-14-2-C in 1942.
The current range of engines is:
1940 450hp El Gaucho R-1/1 9-cylinder radial
1944 740hp El Indio R-2/1 9-cylinder radial
1947 840hp El Indio R-2/2 9-cylinder radial
Fábrica de Motores a Reacción (Jet Engine Factory)
Created in 1948 in partnership with British firm Rolls-Royce to undertake maintenance and overhaul work on Rolls-Royce Derwent engines for the Meteor fleet. V. Ing. Raúl Argentino Magallanes was appointed as Director. Machine tools and gauges and equipment enable the factory to build component parts locally with assistance from Rolls-Royce technicians and training.
La Fábrica de Hélices y Accesorios (Propellers and Accessories Factory)
Formed in 1948 as another division to take over running of the propeller workshop which had been part of the Cordoba factory since 1928.
Fábrica de Instrumentos y Equipos (Instruments and Equipment Factory (FIE))
Founded in 1948 to manufacture a wide range of instruments, including Sperry equipment under licence, and electronic equipment. Captain Carlos Pedro Porucini was appointed as Director. It replaces the Taller de Reparación de Instrumentos de Aviación (Aviation Instruments Repair Workshop) which had been founded in 1938.
Fábrica de Máquinas y Herramientas (Machines and Tools Factory)
Founded in 1948 as a separate division, originally it was part of the Engine Department in an adjoining workshop which was opened in 1931. Its products are manufactured for the aviation, locomotive and automotive industries in Argentina.
Dirección General de Fábricas la Escuela de Aprendices (Directorate General Factory School Apprentices)
Founded in 1948 by the Director of the Institute Aerotécnico to formally organise the apprentice training programme. The first class enrolled 270 apprentices and by 1949 there were 536.
División Proyectos Especiales (Special Projects Division)
Founded on 12 August 1947 to oversee all of FMA’s rocket programmes.