Endgame
Riain
Banned
Despite the loss of Sir Galahad and damage to Sir Tristram the noose was tightening around the Argentine forces as more and more troops moved forward by helicopter and sea and in several battles took the heights around the town. It was this more than destruction by air attack of naval gunfire which restricted the Argentine’s ability to fight back. The installation of Rapier on the western slopes ended supply flights to Stanley and the success of Type 64 combos in shooting down exocets meant they were sent back inshore to conduct NGFS.
However the Argentines had one more shot in their locker, and on the night of 13 June it was fired. On Sunday a number of Canberras were detached on stand-by to Rio Gallegos to fly night-support missions for the Argentinian troops in Port Stanley, Falklands Islands. Two B.62 Canberras were tasked and readied along with two Mirage IIIEAs as fighter escort. Take off was 21:00 local time and the B.62s climbed to 36,000ft setting course for Mount Kent. The Mirages took off some time later and held steady about 20 miles behind while the Canberras positioned to the south for their bomb run from 36,000’. Both B.62s ran in and dropped their loads and made a 180 degree turn to clear the area. Just after the escape turn, B-108, the lead aircraft, was hit by a Sea Dart fired from HMS Bristol.(1) Meanwhile HMS Cardiff and HMS Battleaxe were conducting naval gunfire against Port Stanley airfield they detected a pair of fast moving contacts, calling ‘Handbrake’ Cardiff shot one missile down with a Sea Dart while the Battleaxe downed the other with a Sea Wolf.(2)
The following day the Argentine forces in Stanley surrendered.
However the Argentines had one more shot in their locker, and on the night of 13 June it was fired. On Sunday a number of Canberras were detached on stand-by to Rio Gallegos to fly night-support missions for the Argentinian troops in Port Stanley, Falklands Islands. Two B.62 Canberras were tasked and readied along with two Mirage IIIEAs as fighter escort. Take off was 21:00 local time and the B.62s climbed to 36,000ft setting course for Mount Kent. The Mirages took off some time later and held steady about 20 miles behind while the Canberras positioned to the south for their bomb run from 36,000’. Both B.62s ran in and dropped their loads and made a 180 degree turn to clear the area. Just after the escape turn, B-108, the lead aircraft, was hit by a Sea Dart fired from HMS Bristol.(1) Meanwhile HMS Cardiff and HMS Battleaxe were conducting naval gunfire against Port Stanley airfield they detected a pair of fast moving contacts, calling ‘Handbrake’ Cardiff shot one missile down with a Sea Dart while the Battleaxe downed the other with a Sea Wolf.(2)
The following day the Argentine forces in Stanley surrendered.
- IOTL this Canberra was shot down by Cardiff
- IOTL the 2nd land based exocet attack occurred on 12 Jun hitting HMS Glamorgan killing 14 people and damaging the ship