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at [email protected]http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #367 OCTOBER 2018 // 23New look for Argentine
Army Bell 212
THE SOLE Bell 212 operated
by the Ejército Argentino
(EA, Argentine Army) has
been converted into a troop
transport. Serial AE-450 (c/n
30767) had been configured
as a VIP transport, a role inwhich it served since it was
received from Bell Textron in- Befitting its new task,
the helicopter has received a
new colour scheme as worn
by the EA’s UH-1H Huey II
fleet. Juan Carlos Cicalesi
Argentine Fellowship retired
FUERZA AÉREA Argentina
(FAA, Argentine Air
Force) Fokker F28-1000C
Fellowship serial TC-52 (c/n
1074) made its final flighton August 31. The FAA
originally received five F28-
1000Cs (TC-51 to TC-55)
between January and
October 1975, losing one inan accident in August 1989.
The FAA’s II Escuadrón
at El Palomar continues
to operate F28 TC-53
(c/n 11020), which it aimsto retain in service until
September next year when
its service life expires.Juan Carlos CicalesiThird Brazilian
Legacy 500
for FAB
A THIRD Embraer IU-50
Legacy 500 has been
delivered to the Força
Aérea Brasileira (FAB,
Brazilian Air Force) for
operation by the Grupo
Especial de Inspeção
em Vôo (GEIV, Special
Flight Inspection Group)
at Rio de Janeiro.
It was handed over to
the GEIV in Rio on August
23 as part of a contract
for six of the type signed
under Project I-X on April
30, 2014. The first was
delivered on September
23, 2016. Previous reports
suggested that budget
constraints had cut the
order to two aircraft, but it
appears that funding has
now been found for four,
the last of which is due
for delivery by the end of
next year. Dave AllportEcuadorian
T-34s for
Uruguay
THE AVIACIÓN Naval
Uruguaya (ANU,
Uruguayan Naval
Aviation) is to take on
four Beechcraft T-34C-
1 Turbo Mentors from
the Aviación Naval
Ecuatoriana (Ecuadorian
Naval Aviation). The
trainers, similar to the
single example still
operated by the ANU,
are being provided under
a defence co-operation
agreement between
the two navies.
At least two of the
Turbo Mentors will be in
an airworthy condition
with the remainder used
for spare parts. Three
T-34Cs were operated
by the Aviación Naval
Ecuatoriana, one of
which was written off
on February 17, 2004.
The other two had been
retired and placed
in storage at Manta
by October 2014.
In related news, the
three Cessna O-2A
Skymasters donated to
the ANU by the Aviación
Naval (Chilean Navy)
have been delivered.
They made a technical
stopover at the Argentine
Navy’s Comandante
Espora air base en
route to Uruguay.
The O-2s will operate
from Laguna del Sauce/
Capitán de Corbeta
Carlos A Curbelo
International Airport
in Maldonado. Juan
Carlos CicalesiNew Bell 429s for Jamaica
Defence Force
BELL HELICOPTER has
delivered the first two
of a planned three new
Bell 429 GlobalRangers
to the Jamaica Defence
Force (JDF), the company
announced on August- The rotorcraft had
previously broken cover
when photos were
published by the JDF Air
Wing earlier that month.
The third Bell 429 is
scheduled for delivery
to the JDF next year.
According to the
manufacturer, the helicopters
will be used for searchand rescue (SAR), medical
evacuation (medevac),
natural disaster relief,
national security and
military training. The
first two are the former
N837KB (c/n 57337), now
H-36, and former N837LT
(c/n 57338), now H-37.Argentine Army DA42s join
National Gendarmerie
THE THREE Diamond DA42-
TDI Diamond aircraft (serials
AE-043, AE-044 and AE-045)
delivered to the Ejército
Argentino (EA, Argentine
Army) have transferred to
the Aviation Directorate ofthe Gendarmeria Nacional
Argentina (GNA, Argentine
National Gendarmerie).
Following a decision by
the country’s defence
ministry, the DA42s – built
in 2006, formerly on theUS civilian register and
originally received by the
EA in January 2016 – will
be used by the GNA for
border surveillance after
being equipped for their new
role. Juan Carlos CicalesiFacundo RoviraBell HelicopterJ Baez/FAdeA22-23 LatinNews AFM Oct2018.indd 23 10/09/2018 14:02:36