Argentine use of napalm during the Falklands war

Started by Dr Dave, 28 April 2018, 11:21:59 AM

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Dr Dave

We all know that the Argies had napalm in 82, it's in the cwc lists - though oddly the British don't get PGMs (laser guided bombs)  >:(

We all know it was dropped on a company of 2 PARA at Goose Green by a Pucara.

We all know that the men were "showered" with what some thought was aviation fuel, but others thought was un-ignited napalm.

Doesn't the third point above mean that it never went off - might it not have been aviation fuel from the Pucaras ruptured tank - it was shot down.

Does anyone have ANY accounts of the Argentines dropping Napalm that actually went off?

Duke Speedy of Leighton

They had it at Goose Green, but it was ununsable due to salt water contamination.
https://www.arrse.co.uk/community/threads/did-argentina-drop-napalm-on-there-own-dead.264031/

And, no, they didn't bomb their own dead either!
You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

Duke Speedy of Leighton

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

Duke Speedy of Leighton

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=hDCUBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA197&lpg=PA197&dq=argentina+napalm&source=bl&ots=Dnc4arGwO3&sig=u6ofmZufkJghFhV9QmMqFve8NkM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwip58Kmlt3aAhXsJ8AKHUQrDYk4ChDoATACegQIBxAB#v=onepage&q=argentina%20napalm&f=false
You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

Sunray

Its a long time ago and mature memories of talking to mates. (I missed it being stuck on an Operation Banner Op, and  I did not do my tour of the Islands until 83). However, we made a point of learning the lessons on the ground and absorbing the intel.

The Pucara was feared and respected as it was (a) based in the Falklands on both prepped   runways like Stanley and  improvised fields like Pebble Island and Goose Green., and (b) designed for ground attack/COIN.  Against that it was slow and vunerable to the Blowpipe or GPMG.  We lost a chopper to a Pucara. 

Goose Green, 2 Para was hit with a Skyhawk attack on the morning after the night action. Conventional iron bombs etc.  The British use of night attack was possible due to the high level of professional (elite) training.  It also downsized the Argentine capacity for airstrike as I believe the only aircraft in the Argentine air force with all weather/night capability as the aging Canberra we are sold them.   

And Pucara's were used on an attack on British positions on Mount Kent later in the war. Again conventional iron.  Yes there was napalm stocks discovered at Goose Green and Felix ( the ATOs)  bitched about the unstable condition.

From the debrief of Senior Argentine officers there was a sense that they were reluctant to deploy "mass destruction" weapons like napalm once the Task Force was ashore.   There was even speculation that the Pucara's would use napalm against the Royal Navy/QE2 in San Carlos.  I doubt - given slow speed if they would have survived the AAA ring of Rapier, Blowpipes, and the RNs own  Seacat, plus the multiple GPMGs and .50s on improvised mountings.  It also explains the bold but effective Pebble Island raid ?

No help was coming from Argentina. Thompson expected an assault on San Carlos which is why he held his best unit, 40 Royal Marines (who else?) in reserve until late in the campaign.  The intel crew got the sense that Argentine command were content to put up fight, save some sense of honour and avoid escalation ?  Once the Task Force was ashore and proving they could deliver an indirect approach, the prospect of ultimate defeat/surrender was ever present in the minds of Argentine Head Shed.  Did this temper the mood for aggressive action ?

If you are gaming the war, add a few N gauge tractors and trailers to the Brit forces.  That was the secret of how tons of logistics/menwere moved at night, on sheep paths that only the Islanders knew.  :)



Dr Dave

Thank you both, very useful. Due to effectiveness of Napalm in cwc and the lack of evidence of any effective use I was going to ignore it.

Sunray - noted on the tractors and trailers  :D

I'm nearly ready to do Goose Green. A pal of mine goes there every year and has even brought me back soil from Darwin Hill to go on the bases!