Pebble Island Evacuation
By Santiago L. Aversa, Esq., LL.M.
Co-Editor, www.FuerzasNavales.com
First Published in Fuerzas Navales Magazine #1 (spanish version).
Donated to the Helicopter History Site by the author
In late May 1982 during the Falklands/Malvinas War, the Argentine Naval Command decided
to evacuate the pilots deployed to NAS (Naval Air Station) Calderón -Pebble Island, Malvinas-,
since the station was not operative from May 15th, due to a British SAS attack. In order to
accomplish this hair-rising mission, the 2nd. Naval Helicopter Sqn. (EAH2)
was chosen.
This unit was at the time deployed near Viedma (Argentina), carrying out ASW
(anti submarine warfare) tasks. The squadron's flight line was made up by
Sikorsky S-61D.4 "Sea King" helicopters (the export variant of USN's
SH-3D's), dubbbed locally "SH-3". This helicopters were far from ideal for
the rescue mission; their only strong point was their endurance. But they
had no electronic countermeasures (ECM), no reliable navigation system
(their inertial systems were not very trustable in the opinion of pilots and
crew), had no A-A weapons. To top this, their maximum speed was barely in
the 135 Knots range.
In spite of all, these were the only aircraft available for the rescue
mission. In order to give them more endurance, all ASW equipment was
removed, using up the available space and weight to install fuel bladders,
which would transfer JP-1 to the main tanks due to a manually-operated pump.
Other field improvements were the addition of a VLF-Omega NAV system, as
well as NVG's (night vision goggles) for the pilots. Of course, the SH-3's
had, at that time, no NVG-compatible instruments, so they were to be used
cautiously.
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On May 31st., 1982, two SH-3 helicopters (serials 2-H-234 and 2-H-233)
arrived to Río Grande NAS. At the base, one of the helos was given a
field-expedient cammo scheme, while the urgency of the rescue prevented the
other aircraft from being repainted. The NVG's were tried too, without much
success. On June 1st, 1400L they took off for NAS Calderón. In the first
120 NM of the trip, they had a
Coast Guard SA 330 Puma
as NAV support.
Arround 1725L they landed at NAS Calderón, in the midst of worsening
meterological conditions that, however, gave them some measure of visual
cover against the British Task Force combat air patrols of Sea Harriers and
anti aircraft missiles of their ships.
Once safely landed, the crews soon start to refuel the
helos. However, the hitherto trustable VLF-Omega started to go dead.
Nevertheless, at 1835L they took off, aiming for Rio Grande NAS. The flight
leader even had to gain altitude, since his NVG's were not working properly,
while his wingmen was able to continue flying low. Those were not the only
difficulties, since both helos were flying some 600 pounds above their
design weight, the JP-1 taken at Calderón was contaminated, and there also
was the omnipresent danger of frost.
In any event, the two helos were slowly approaching Rio Grande NAS, and
around 2200L they landed.
Argentine Naval Aviation photo via J.N.Padín :
Argentine Navy Crews
Sea King 2-H-233
Lt. Cdr. Norberto Barro (CO, EAH2)
Lt. Guillermo Iglesias
SCPO Beltrán Giqueaux
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Sea King 2-H-234
Lt. Osvaldo Iglesias
Lt. j.g. Oscar Brandenburgo
CPO Roberto Montani
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They had managed to pull out a seven hour, over-water and between mountains, flight. A truly remarkable feat for two
unarmed, ASW helos, operating under the missile umbrella of the Royal Navy.
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