The Aviation Historian — January 2018

82 THE AVIATION HISTORIAN Issue No 22

the first two examples, 2-O-23 and 2-O-24, being

delivered to the London docks on October 9, 1946,

by AN pilot Teniente de Navío Osvaldo J. Guaita

and a Supermarine test pilot, for loading aboard

ARA La Argentina.

On January 21, 1947, Supermarine test pilot Lt-

Cdr Mike Lithgow performed a 70min production

test flight in X9573 at Eastleigh, complete with

water landings. On February 24 Lithgow’s

colleague Jeffrey Quill took Walrus N-38 (2-O-

28) aloft for water testing. The second pair of

Walruses, 2-O-25 and 2-O-27, were dismantled

and crated for shipment, and the aircraft and

spare parts were transported to Southampton

docks in readiness for shipment to Argentina

aboard the steamer SS Aylesbury.

On March 21 Lithgow took N-40 (2-O-30) on

a 25min flight test. On April 21 he flew 2-O-29

from Eastleigh to the company’s aerodrome at

Chilbolton in Hampshire, apparently for storage.

On July 21 it was picked up from Chilbolton and

flown back to Eastleigh, where Lithgow took the

Walrus for a 15min flight test. The last Walruses,

2-O-27, 2-O-28, 2-O-29 and 2-O-30 were delivered

during 1947–48, and were assigned to the EOAFM

at BA Comandante Espora, where they were used

for executive transport, tactical reconnaissance

and general communications duties.

Although successful in securing these eight

additional Walruses from Britain, the Ministerio

de Marina had discovered that acquiring replace-

ment equipment from the erstwhile Allied

nations was now much more difficult, owing to

Argentina’s neutral wartime stance. Yet, despite

export restrictions imposed by the USA, the

Ministerio was able to purchase aircraft from

American surplus stocks, including primary,

basic and advanced trainers and transports.

The first two of 32 additional Ducks were

acquired in 1946. The pair, a J2F-4 and J2F-5 then

operating from NAS Coco Solo at the Atlantic

ABOVE & RIGHT In January 1947 Walrus 2-O-24 was

loaded aboard the transport ship ARA Patagonia

(as seen at right), which then set sail southwards

towards the Antarctic to undertake the Primera Gran

Expedición Antártica. The Walrus was offloaded at

Deception Island, where it is seen above, and from

where it made its first survey flight on January 31.

JUAN C. CICALESI VIA AUTHOR

JUAN C. CICALESI VIA AUTHOR