Argentina's CH-47C

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, we have very little information on the CH-47s that operated in Argentina. We do not believe there are any left, except possibly H-91, and hopefully someone out there will send us more photographs and information.

 

The government of Argentina acquired three CH-47 Model 308 Chinook helicopters in 1980 for use in their Air Force - Fuerza Aérea Argentina or FAA. The tail numbers were H-91, H-92, and H-93. The role of the helicopter was transport and Antarctic support. One helicopter, H-91, was spotted in September of 2001 undergoing restoration for a static display in a museum. An additional two helicopters, AE-520 and AE-521, were purchased on an unknown date for use in the Argentine Army - Ejército Argentino or EA.

 

Five Argentina Chinook tail numbers were manufactured by Boeing. The airframes H-91, H-92, and H-93 were built to CH-47 Model 308 (similar to the CH-47C or BV-114) specifications, and AE-520 and AE-521 were Model 309 helicopters (similar to the CH-47C or BV-114):

 

	Tail Number	Construction Number	Build Number
	H-91	CG-071	B-800
	H-92	CG-072	B-801
	H-93	CG-073	B-802
	AE-520	CG-101	B-797
	AE-521	CG-102	B-798

 

 

H-91

 

 

 

 

As of September 2001, H-91, possibly the only remaining CH-47-308 built for Argentina, appeared headed for museum display at Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica's new facility in Morón, located in the Province of Buenos Aires (B.A.).

 

The next two photographs show H-91 at Dr. Mariano Moreno Air Force Base, near Buenos Aires in Argentina on 10 July 1989.

 

 

 

 

 

 

H-92

 

 

H-92 was an Argentine Air Force helicopter and was attritted on 28 January 1982. H-92 accumulated at least 558.0 aircraft hours. The details of its attrition are unknown.

 

 

H-93

 

 

H-93 was also an Argentine Air Force helicopter. The current status of this airframe is unknown.

 

 

AE-520

 

 

AE-520 conducting a training flight. The location is Iguazu Falls, Misiones, Argentina. Date unknown.

 

 

AE-520 was an Argentine Army helicopter and was captured by the British forces on 14 June 1982. AE-520 was taken to the Fleetlands Facility, in the United Kingdom (UK) and placed into service as ZH257 where it was utilized as a trainer. Fleetlands is a Royal Navy aircraft overhaul facility in Gosport, U.K., located on the English channel near Portsmouth. AE-520 accumulated at least 268.0 aircraft hours while in service to the Argentina Army. ZH257 was not cycled through the HC-2 or HC-3 mid-life update programs and remained a CH-47 Model 309 helicopter (basically a C model) until an accident occurred with ZA704. After an accident in which ZA704s aft pylon was severely damaged, ZH-257's (AE-520) aft pylon was cannibalized, upgraded to HC Mk II standards, and placed on ZA704. All remaining serviceable mechanical items common to RAF Chinooks were removed from ZH257. As of early 2010, the remnants of ZH257 lay at RAF Odiham serving as a Battle Damage Repair training device.

 

 

AE-520 conducting a training flight and lifting a M-113 weighing 9500 Kg, May 1981.

 

 

AE-520 conducting water landing training near Escobar, Buenos Aires, Argentina, date unknown.

 

 

A group photograph of AE-520 and the crew . Left to right is: ??? Mussante (Argentine Army Pilot), Glenn Miller (Boeing Mechanic), William Coffee (Boeing Instructor Pilot), Pedro Angel Obregón (Argentine Army Pilot). Date unknown.

 

 

AE-521

 

 

Argentina's Chinook tail number AE-521. Location is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Date unknown.

 

 

AE-521 was hit by canon fire on the ground on 21 May 1982 during the Falklands War while in service with the Argentine Army. AE-521 was delivered to the government of Argentina on 3 August 1978. The administrative strike date was 30 June 1982. AE-521 accumulated at least 402.0 hours before being destroyed on the ground. During the Falklands War, AE-521 was hit by a British Royal Navy (RN) Fleet Air Arm (FAA) Hawker Sea Harrier FRS.1 aircraft using a 30 mm canon. Once disabled, the aircraft was later completely destroyed by a cluster bomb dropped by another Harrier. The wreckage was still extant in 2002. The aircraft belonged to Battalion de Aviacion de Combate 601. Below is a photograph of AE-521 at the site of the wreckage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maps

 

 

This map shows the principal Air Force Bases in Argentina, including Dr. Mariano Moreno AFB - where H-91 was stationed for several years, as well as Morón - the site of the aviation museum where the aircraft was destined to become a display.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Boeing Certificate of Achievement presented to Pedro Angel Obregón, an Argentine Army Chinook pilot, circa 1979.

 

 

An Argentine Chinook, tail number unknown, transporting an air conditioning system in La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 1 May 1981.

 

 

An Argentine Chinook in formation flight with an A-109 Augusta Irundo, near Campo de Mayo, tail number and date unknown.

 

 

An unknown Argentine Chinook conducting water landings somewhere in South America, date unknown.

 

 

Tell us about your flying experiences on the Argentine Chinooks. If you flew or crewed one, send us you Rank, Name, Crew Position, Dates you flew on the airframe, and any stories and photographs that you may wish to share.

 

 

This aircraft was piloted by:

 

Your Name Here.

 

 

This aircraft was crewed by:

 

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Related Sites

 

H-91 Mishap Report

 

 

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