Chile C130

[dragartist]

Taken a few weeks away from t' interweb and PPRuNe but been reading Richard Hutchings book about his Falklands story whilst away.

He describes his flight out of Punta Arenas to Santiago as being on a RAF C130 with Chilean markings. I have not been able to find further references to this. I would have thought at the time we needed all the C130s we could lay our hands on and did not have any up for disposal.

I do recall after the conflict was over seeing the PR9s at Wyton with Chilean stars ready to go. In those days things were very hush hush it appears after 30 years other stories are emerging.

Does anybody know more about this 130?

[Stuff]

Some details about it here: Chile (http://www.spyflight.co.uk/chile.htm)

[SteveTonks]

Doesn't the 25 year silence still apply to the Falklands ops?

[Marcantilan]

30 years...expired the last working day of the last year.

[Biggus]

ST,

1982 + 25 = ????






..... oops, beaten to the draw by Marcantilan!!

[Just This Once...]

The Chilean markings on the RAF Hercules would have been more effective if someone had spelt them correctly.

[dragartist]

Thanks for the spyflight link Stuff. It says that these two C130s were supporting the loan of the PR9s that may have been operating from 30th April. Hutchings flew out on 25th May. Their own 9s did not go till September.

Yes JTO Hutchings mentions about the miss spelling of Aerea

Now as for this 30 year rule. My interpretation is that we are not at liberty to disclose our secrets at will after 30 years. damage could still be done to individuals or relationships with foreign governments.

My original question related to the understanding I got from Hutchings story was that these C130s had been given/sold to the Chileans, not operated clandestinely as appears the case from the spyflight article.

Do I bother to read the official history? I assumed Hutchings manuscript had been vetted prior to publication and had the endorsement of HRH and said to be authentic. I believe Hutchings assessment in the epilogue that Mikado would have been disastrous.

there are a couple of other points from Hutchings book that I have been pondering today. Why, if our relationship with Chile was such, did they have to lie low for 8 days before reporting to the authorities? I know this was before we all had cell phones but they could have reported in sooner. Why such a public exit and entry to UK. He did not fully explain why they separated from the hooligans or state how the hooligans were repatriated. perhaps they are still there!!!

probably best draw this thread to a close having concluded that the c130 was one of ours and hopefully got back safe.

[Just This Once...]

The Hercules were ours and remained in RAF service for many years afterwards.

None of this is a secret anymore - there was a TV documentary on it some years ago. It you speak Spanish then feel free to watch it on YouTube - the links are on this forum somewhere.

[TEEEJ]

Chilean Air Force Commander-in-Chief, General Fernando Matthei revealed the details some years ago in a documentary..

Gen Maffei: "RAF C-130 with electronic intelligence equipment flew from the Pacific via Easter Island disgused as Chilean Air Force aircraft. This was done on the premise they had to fly between internal destinations within Chile collecting intelligence. The aircraft were noted by the misspelling of the Fuerza Area de Chile."

From Google translation of the Matthei interview.

Transport aircraft arrived in English through Easter Island. One day, for example, appeared a Hercules C-130 Force saying "Area" of Chile. It was a plane that had the same number of one of our own and which lacked only the letter "e" Air. That attention. It was painted with the colors of the Fach and had to carry the radar to Balmaceda, which would be installed to have insight into the Argentine facilities in Comodoro Rivadavia (see map).

When the war ended I took from that place, because it was mostly helpful and moved to another, where it works to this day-to monitor traffic to the Antarctic. When the war ended, more fully informed General Pinochet? Yes. There Pinochet told him he had bought all that equipment to the English, only two "green beans". I had to know. He looked at me with a face ... But I told him everything in detail.

The Falklands Conflict - Data Library - Aircraft (http://www.falklandswar.org.uk/matthei_interview.htm)

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/479504-falklands-most-daring-raid-19.html#post7095219

General Matthei interview features in the following Chilean documentary. It is in six parts on You Tube. General Matthei discusses the C-130s in the following.

bCtYn9gYwgA

[dragartist]

Thanks TEEJ, Not going to discuss in open but the Maffei quote puts into context some of the stuff I was aware of at the time. None of us had the complete picture. Good job really. It was a long time ago. I don't suppose for one minute there ever was a contemporary record of all events as they happened. there was so many agencies involved. We were all working very long hours. as soon as one job was complete we were onto the next. Now I have semi retired I appear to have time to contemplate the past, read books and attempt to join the dots.
Drag

[DADDY-OH!]

I remember being in the bar at BAe Flying College, Prestwick in Spring 1994, where some BA (ex-RAF) FltEngs were being re-trained as Pilots. One of the guys, a Geordie whose initials were MB (iirc). He was saying that he was operating on an SF squadron & all his crew got b*llockings for trying to buy postcards in local shops from "...this Chilean owned island in the South Pacific..."

Maybe true or he could well have been yet another 'Bar Stool Flyer'.

Didn't the MoD have a couple of exchange officers or personnel with the FAdC before & during The Falklands War? I would've thought that, Falklands War aside, with all the ex-RAF/RN/BAC kit that the Chileans were using at the time, HMG would've had a couple of advisers of the technical variety on site. Just a thought.

I seem to remember a black & white photo of a RAF C-130 in FAdC markings at a UK civil airport shortly after the conflict still bearing traces of its 'temporary' identity.

[Marcantilan]

Anyone saw a photo of the C130 with the misspelling? Also, a Marconi S259 radar and associate systems (according to some sources, including spyflight, the radar at Balmaceda was that model), fits in just one Herk? Regards!

[TEEEJ]

No problem, Drag. :ok:

[DADDY-OH!]

Marcantilian

I remember seeing an old photo of one of them. It had the incorrect spelling which could be seen under the new paint job, along with the numbers either '993' or '996'.

In the photo I saw, there was a set of aircraft boarding steps in the background with, I think, 'Reed Aviation' on the side.

I tried searching for it on the t'interweb yesterday but couldn't find many pictures of RAF Hercules C.mk.1's. for 1982-83 or before 1984 except the two-tone brown paint jobs.

It was in a magazine in late 1982/early 1983 when I was a schoolboy but it left a lasting impression on me.

[Marcantilan]

@DADDY-OH! Thanks a lot!