Operation Black Buck
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During the Falklands War, Operations Black Buck 1 to Black Buck 6 were a series of six extremely long-range bombing attacks by Royal Air Force Vulcan bombers against Argentine positions in the Falkland Islands.
Two Vulcans were deployed to Wideawake airfield on Ascension Island, of which one flew the Black Buck raids against the Falkland Islands (XM607). The Vulcans were captained by Squadron Leader Neil McDougall, Squadron Leader John Reeve and Flight Lieutenant Martin Withers. Eleven Victor tankers, including two standby aircraft were required to refuel the Vulcans before and after their attacks on the Falklands. The attacking Vulcan was refuelled five times on the outward journey and once on the return journey. Each aircraft carried twenty-one 1,000 pound (450 kg) bombs or two Shrike anti-radar missiles (Dash 10 pod). The bombs were intended to cause damage to Argentine installations, especially the Port Stanley Airport; it was hoped that the attacks would cause the defenders to switch on defensive radars, which would then be targeted by the missiles.
In spite of being the longest combat flights in history at the time, the military success of Black Buck can be at best described as minimal, the actual damage to the airfield and radars was quickly repaired. The runway was continually used by Argentine C-130's until the end of the war. The Argentines would leave the runway covered with piles of dirt during the day causing British intelligence to surmise that repairs were still in progress. Craters were in fact heaps of earth placed there by the Argentines to make it look as though the runway was damaged. This deception mislead the British as to the condition of the airfield and the success of their raids. [1] [2].
Although, to the British, the raids achieved a number of non-material objectives, including demonstrating the British willingness and ability to attack Argentine forces on the islands. It also demonstrated the ability of the RAF to strike at the Argentinian homeland if necessary.
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[edit] Black Buck One 30th April and Black Buck Two: 4th May
Bombing raids on the Port Stanley airfield, The Attacking Vulcan carried 21 1,000lb bombs, and the attacking Vulcan was the back up aircraft captained by Flight Lieutenant Martin Withers.
[edit] Black Buck Three: 31st May and Black Buck Four: 3rd June
Missile strikes against Argentine Skyguard radar on the Falklands using American supplied AGM-45 Shrike Anti-Radar missiles on improvised underwing pylons. During the 3rd June mission, the Vulcan sustained damage to its air refuelling probe and was forced to land at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, where the aircraft was impounded until the 11th June, and the remaining Shrike missile was confiscated, This Vulcan was captained by Squadron Leader Neil McDougall.
[edit] Black Buck Five: 12th June
The final Black Buck mission was against Argentine troop positions close to Port Stanley using 1,000lb bombs
[edit] References
- Commodore Ruben Oscar Moro La Guerra Inaudita, 2000 ISBN 987-96007-3-8
- Rowland White - Vulcan 607 - 2006 - Bantam Publishing ISBN 0593053915
- ^ Offensive Air Operations Of The Falklands War - USMC
- ^ http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Falklands/vulcan.htm The Avro Vulcan and the Black Buck raids
[edit] External links
| Falklands War |  |
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|---|---|---|
| Military forces | Argentine ground forces | British ground forces | Argentine air forces | British air forces | Argentine naval forces | British naval forces | ||
| Timeline | Background | Invasion | Falklands War | ||
| Battles | Goose Green | Mount Harriet | Two Sisters | Mount Longdon | Mount Tumbledown | Wireless Ridge | ||
| Operations | Algeciras | Canbelow | Corporate | Black Buck | Keyhole | Paraquat | Purple Warrior | Azul (also Rosario) | Sutton | ||
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