my father flew 4 of the 6 Uruguayan Pucaras from the factory to their base in Uruguay back in 81. he was the Uruguayan Air Force 1st Pucara instructor.

I love these aircraft. Without wanting to offend, it's the "lightweight" A10 warthog.

Our Sri Lankan Air Force used the Pucara during the Civil War against the Tamil Tigers. They were of invaluable service especially to the ground troops. Though I believe we lost 3 of the 4 aircraft operated by the SLAF. A friend of mine was lost in one after being hit by ground fire. Once the LTTE got their hands on shoulder fired SAMs the remaining Pucaras were quickly replaced by KFirs and F-7Bs. The Pucara was a massively underrated aircraft.

The one thing that was never in doubt during the Falklands conflict, was the size of the Argentine pilot's cajones.

Greetings from Argentina: 1- It is Pucará (accent on the last syllable) 2- I agree, the timing was horrible for this plane. 3- The engines were also a weak point. They weren't as reliable as the rest of the plane 4- You failed to mention a version, the IA-66, with Garrett engines, intended for export and to explore other engines

Always liked the clean nose shape of the Pucara.

If I had a choice of what aircraft I could have for a two seat sport plane, this one would work for me.

Interesting how the bodyplan is reminiscent of WWII heavy fighter and light bomber designs; ie this thing looks like a transplanted and updated Me-410.

Damn, looks like a modern day ME410.

I always found the Pucara very interesting....it reminds me of the OV 1 Mohawk and the OV 10 Bronco. Thanks for posting.

Excellent video. As an Argentine I must say that you do an incredible job, you even give secondary details such as the political situation and so on. :)

The Pucaras are/were of an excellent design and could have very well competed with OV-10 Broncos and a few other aeroplanes had they come in service slightly earlier (but the conditions of politics in Argentina and the way the yanks go about in selling their kit probably would have still made it difficult for the FMA plane). They were a great implementation of the Astazou and with MGs, cannons, rockets and bombs had tremendous firepower against insurgents (and their use during the Dirty War was probably extremely cruel and ridiculously asymmetrical). I'm Chilean and although I wasn't alive at the time and when both countries were under criminal right-wing military juntas, a war spook with Argentina in '78 (as mentioned in the video) who would not accept international arbitrations upholding the Chilean claim over some island in Tierra del Fuego (and more importantly, their sea projection that technically provided a mostly symbolic sort of sovereign Chilean waterway to the Atlantic) was hours away from turning into a very nasty war. It was avoided by bad weather hampering Argentina's FLOMAR operations at the original D-day and at the last minute by (officially at least) papal intervention brokered by the yanks. Argentina had at the time almost overwhelming numerical superiority and relative technological superiority that was most visible in the much superior capabilities of their airforce and, whilst the Chilean dictatorship had been hit by a US embargo (after carbomb-killing an opposition politician in exile and his American secretary in the middle of Washington, DC using former CIA assets and Miami-cuban henchmen) and even trade-union action in Britain, with Scottish Rolls-Royce workers refusing to work on Chilean Air Force Hunter engines, the Argentine junta had faced no such thing, even though they were kidnapping and killing tens of thousands, including foreigners, priests (that the current pope, then archbishop of Buenos Aires didn't do much about), stealing newborns to give them to approved (Junta-alligned) families and other assorted ugliness, with even the UK supplying them around that time with newly-built Type 42 destroyers and whatnot. The Chilean Air Force, although we like to believe they were good pilots, certainly now that they have good kit and fly quite a bit, had little real action other than having fired at the very Chilean seat of government and some antennae during the day of the 1973 coup d'etat, whilst the Argentine Airforce and Aeronaval had been firing on their own people, and at times their own forces, army and navy apart from insurgents for decades. The Chilean FACh was terribly ill-prepared to confront the FAA. Argentinian officials are on record saying the junta needed a "clean war" (as opposed to the dirty one) to save face under gross economic calamity and the recent world cup victory had them and the official press feeling drunk on chauvinism. Chile had managed to obtain 12 very capable at the time but short-legged F-5Es (still going strong) just prior to the yanks closing shop (hardly a coincidence) but the pilots were just familiarising with them and by sheer numbers the MIII and derivatives and even the 'hawks that are certainly no slouch would have made mincemeat out of them and the few Hunters capable of flight, agile and Shafrir missile-augmented as they were. With air superiority, these Pucarás along with MS.760, MB.326s and even Turbo Mentors would have wreak havoc on Chilean ground targets and Pinochet's planned "prolonged infantry war with guerilla-like tactics". As someone mentioned above, what the Argentinean pilots lacked in state-of-the-art tech, they overcame with courage, bravery, determination and a slight mix of madness and a deathwish that here in the Southern Cone we prefer to call "bolas" or "pelotas" rather than the more Mexican-sounding "cojones". What they did was giving quite a lot more than a black eye to the Former Empire, who had done an ill-fated attempt at Buenos Aires a hundred and some years prior. Going to war with the cold-war era UK military, even though it had recently lost Buck and Phantom-equipped Ark Royal and with that a huge amount of power proyection, was not a clever thing to do. Yes, the Pucará shot down a combatant target of opportunity that happened to be picking up casualties, but "Sharkey" Ward who shot one down (mentioned) lethally finished-off with ADEN fire on the stabs an Argentine Herc (TC-63) that he had already disabled with Sidewinder, was on fire and certainly going down. As an aviation enthusiast I've always admired the exploits of those Argentine pilots that, have things gone differently, would have done a great deal of damage to my countrymen and women. A not-so-secretive effort was run by the Pinochet regime with the Chilean Air Force's and navy southern radars, EW Petrels and supposedly providing corridors and even airstrips for RAF/RN transports and Nimrods to get back at the Argentines, whilst pretending to be neutral. It was a filthy, treacherous job but Galtieri and others hinted on-record that Chile was next, even when already aware of what was coming towards them. That also provided much needed MB ejection seats, hand-me-down Hunters and parts for the Shafrir-armed Jordanian-serviced older Hunters. I went on to study in the UK and bumped my head on the barrel of a Rheinmetall Rh202 AA dual-mount reading "Fuerza Aérea Argentina" in London's Imperial War Museum by clumsily rushing to it in excitement. Didn't manage to visit Pucarás on museum displays there. I also have very close friends in Rio Negro province, Southern Argentina where many of the brave pilots and service personnel hailed from, the father of one of my friends served onboard the POMA (WWII Vintage Colossus-Class light carrier ARA 25 de Mayo) shortly before the war and I have visited with respect the impressive Malvinas Memorial in neighbouring Neuquén Capital. I've seen the former FMA now FadeA IA-63 Pampa II and III jet trainers in flight and stationary display and the world-beating South American COIN champion (and excellent trainer) Embraer A-29 Super Tucano both in its country of origin Brazil and in service with the Chilean Air Force. Never managed to see Pucarás flying but here's hoping with the Fénix project. I hope to never have to see any war ever, much less in South America and between Chile and Argentina. Don't come for our shared fresh water reserves and resources in Patagonia. FAA might not have much of an air force right now but you'd be surprised at their ingenuity and what they'd be capable of doing with the humble Pampas. Chilean Armed Forces are decently equipped, train and exchange regularly with their Argentinean counterparts (who have been always there to help with massive wildfires, earthquakes with tsunamis just as the Chilean navy greatly helped during the terrible tragedy of submarine ARA San Juán).

I remember when they were testing one at Boscombe Down, I was speaking to one of the hangar supervisors, who told me that it was a simple aeroplane that gave no trouble at all.

Kurt Tank spent some time in Argentina after WW2, his presence there would have been a positive boost for aeronautical engineering in Argentina. The FMA Purara is a great looking plane.

For what it was, I belive the Pucara filled it's role pretty well, and even during the Falklands it managed to provide some much needed air support for ground troops that the overworked Skyhawks couldn't fit in their tight schedule. It's an aircraft that could have some commercial success if it were to be put on the market now, considering many nations are delegating the CAS role to prop aircraft when unable to afford more expensive jet pwoered counterparts like the A-10, Jaguar or Tornado. If the argentine miltary industry were to magically regain traction and favor by the government, a moderenized variant might actually make for good competition for alternatives like the Super Tucano, and it would prove an extremely valuable asset for the Argentine Air Force itself.

Never heard of this aircraft until now. Have been an aircraft enthusiasts since a young boy. What an incredible and unique aircraft.

I was at RAF Cosford museum a few years ago, taking turns with a gentleman to take photos of various aircraft when we came across the Pucara. "Looks a bit different to the last time I saw her," he said. "Why, have you been here before?" I asked. "No: I flew her back from the Falklands..."

Everything you do is interesting, in depth and complete. Please keep it coming

my father was an aeronautical engineer in in Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) when these were online and was pounding the Tamil tiger terrorists.... there's a nickname for this pukara aircraft in SLAF.... the airmen called this little beast the "flying Armory" because it gave so much of Death Punch to the terrorists back then the only way they had any chance of getting rid of the pukaras was to smuggle in surface to air missiles and made these aircraft's obsolete because of the missiles that they brought in.... but still these are regarded as one of the best combat aircrafts that Sri Lankan Air Force ever had!!!

>if you're British or Argentine Most aviation enthusiasts the world over have heard of the Pucara.

Somewhere halfway the Bronco and the A 10, something like that ? Looks like a cleancut machine, I hope many will survive in museums and withing air enthousiasts groups around the world.

Love the livery and nose art of the Uruguayan Pucará's. Reminds me a lot of the Warthog!

The Pucara definitely fits the 'what if' niche. It could well be that politics crippled sales effort, with Argentina seen as something of a pariah due to its internal problems.

I doodled things like these in high school in the seventies. Must have seen the Pucara in Janes All The Worlds Aircraft at the library that I visited weekly. My design had a single seat, bubble canopy, short, nose, low wing, engine nacelles inspired by the Beechcraft King Air, T-tail, tricycle gear. Machine in the nose, bombs under the fuselage and missiles under the wings.

I'm finally seeing this video. Great work, Sir, as usual. Thank you.

Cracking insight in these vids. Love em.

Now I'm no pilot, but some aircraft just look the business. Like many of his COIN brethren this one looks like it's a joy to fly; the Harrier v. Pucara duel must've been a proper oldschool dogfight challenge for both pilots - a subsonic gunbattle, shame they were on opposing sides.

A story* went round of an SAS trooper attending a course in the US... a young instructor was running some training on the Stinger...which was then still quite new. He asked the class if anyone knew anything about it and the SAS guy said "Yep...Ive fired one" This was quite a shock to the Instructor (who had probably never live fired one himself) he asked how and why... and the answer was "In the Falklands, I shot down an Argie with it".... *as always we must never doubt a good story...lol

Excellent, informative and very well put together video on the Pucara. Videos like this one is why I had no seconds thoughts about subscribing to your channel. Thanks.

Some interesting spots are it could take off from not prepared runways,it could make a 180 degrees turn in only 50 metres,cheap maintenance,can fight helis,very good at hunting narco planes.Well done Ed!!A quite complete description!!Like!!

I was waiting for a video on this aircraft to come around

I was quite honored watching this video, thank you :>

As a retired Commercial pilot and aviation enthusiast, the Pucara might just be my favorite twin engine aircraft as far as looks go.

It was never sell widely to others countries 'cause USA interference, the same happened with the TAM sales to Iraq, Iran and EUA. The Pucara was only saled to Sry Lanka, Colombia and Uruguay in very small numbers. Nice to see an abroad short film about it. Keep the good work, greetings from Argentina

Beautiful, elegant design. Love it

Now a days in FAdeA (Argentinean Aircraft Factory) the IA 58 Pucará has a program to modernize these aircrafts. That include changing their motors and cockipts. Before, the Pucara had Alztou motors from France but, now the IA 58 Pucará Fénix program 's has input the Pratt & Weine Canada PT 6 to the airrcraft. These aircrafts motors are more economics than the french ones.

Thanks for your interesting video. Keep them coming. thanks again.

Thank you for introducing us to all these fascinating aircraft!

Another amazing vídeo ed nicd

One of my two favorite planes… Pucara and Super Tucano!

I have seen several captured FMA Pucara close up and always loved these aircraft, coming from a brit like myself and as a lover of aviation there really was never any equivalent at the time for the design of these aircraft, they were unique. I recall one zipping overhead at low level from out of nowhere near RAF Woodvale. I can still remember the Tiger stripe camo scheme and counted the hardpoints before it disappeared below 100 ft.

Very interesting aircraft. Very informative presentation. Thank you very much.

Such a cool plane!

Nice design, very innovative and useful aircraft. 👍

This is one of my favorite modern planes such a cool and unique aircraft

Great looking airframe

Ive always been weary of complex aircraft but I like how this looks and Id be willing to learn this.

one of my favorite Modern day mosquito!

Great video on a great plane.

That fenec update looks ace.

Remember steaming in a boat off the Isle of Wight sometime in the mid 1980s probably. Heard aircraft engines I didn't recognised. Looked round and there was a Pucara flying west! Spot of the year!

Excelente trabajo!

This was one of my favorite aircraft when I was a kid in the mid 1980's

Buen video! Les comento a los coleccionistas de aviones que la Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya tiene aún los Pucara radiados de servicio en 2017, están a la intemperie a la espera de lo que van a hacer con ellos. Uno el FAU 224 está en el museo aeronáutico. Otro hecho con partes de los ejemplares colombianos está de guardian gate a la entrada de la Base Aérea N1. Es probable que sean rematados en poco tiempo.

Would love to see a video on the Pulqui I and Pulqui II. The first one is a forgettable flop, the second a fascinating slice of history.

Also the OV 10 Bronco and the A37 Dragonfly were quite important competitors. Today, a single engine COIN turboprop aircraft such as the Super Tucano or Texan could also operate at the same weapons ordinance weight and even higher top speed and lower cost maintenance. But having an engine is risky because it is possible to lose the plane in the event of fire from machine guns and anti-aircraft guns. And these planes, despite carrying laser-guided bombs, will be met with gunfire in case of rocket launch missions or silly bomb drop missions. There are some videos of Afghan Super Tucanos practicing. In the case of the Pucará Fénix, well, perhaps it is good that the former FMA (now FAdeA) have a project to work on, they will use the existing airframes of the Pucará and involve Argentine companies in the development of the observation pod. All subject to the approval of the financing from the Argentine government. But what if Texan or Beechcraft develop an observer version of their training aircraft? Will they have a more affordable plane? Again it is a question of: is it better suited to a single or twin engine aircraft? Just to add information about the problems of the Pucará in the Malvinas war: the two landing strips selected to disperse the Pucarás over the islands were also not suitable for air operations there. The ground was very muddy and prevented the Pucarás from taking off many times and some of them with the nose landing gear broken as a result.

Neat plane. Never seen one before. Kinda reminds me a bit of the bronco without the double tail booms

There's a captured Pucara on display at the North East Land, Sea and Air museum, struggle to get a sense of just how large and especially tall these are until you stand next to it

I'm from Sri Lanka.. There was a bit of controversy as the pucara was chosen over the Embraer tucano. Nevertheless it did see use during the 90's. Later on the ground attack roles were taken over by the Kfir and the Mig 27.

Thank you for covering this. As an American who is very much a military aircraft enthusiast (as a U.S. Air Force brat who grew up on Strategic Air Command bases) I was unfamiliar with this aircraft.

It’s a beauty!

The Pucará reminds me a lot of the OV-10 Bronco another stellar COIN aircraft (& another aircraft that would be very useful today with modern engines & electronics).

A pretty and (potentianly) dangerous aircraft -cheers Harriers & co!

great video! keep it up!

Worth pointing out that for the Sea Harrier 20 of those 30mm shells represent a total of 0.5 seconds on the trigger😊

Damn the new version for surveillance looks awesome!

This is an attractive looking little aircraft, I wouldn't mind having one myself.

What a great and unique plane there's so many uses that this plane could be useful for

Es una máquina excelente que cumplió con creces la tarea para la cual fué creado hace muchos años y aún hoy en día sigue volando. Saludos desde Argentina 🇦🇷

(1)'Minor revision, "Pucara" is pronounced stressing the last "a", "pucaRA". (2) Good documentary about a beautiful airplane. Thanks! (3) A jet propelled version was considered, but never went beyond concept and proposal.

Great video Ed! What was the job of the second crew member?

Yes it is the improved Version of the Focke Wulf 181 by Kurt Tank Thank you for the Video

Nice looking plane and from the standpoint of a modeler a great subject not for it's looks but the varied color schemes. It is on my build bucket list.

Hello. Great video. I read that a British lad bought one with the intention of restoring and present it in air shows. It was left in the isles and brought to the US apparently

You should do the Huanquero, who’s its spiritual predecessor and where the pucara kinda got a few things. (Calquin or DL trainer could also be interesting topics)

Excelente informe

Wow, great video. If it was still made to day it might be a fairly good success.

Nice Video! tho as a Brazilian I have to say this. The A-29 "Super Tucano" (EMB-314) is a dedicated COIN/advanced trainer from it's conception, the plane you are thinking when you said it's a converted trainer is the T-27 "Tucano" (EMB-312)

The second I saw this plane I was reminded of the Ta-154 and Focke-Wulf 187. Considering it's Argentine and Kurt Tank did move to Argentina after WW2 its probably not a coincidence. Love the look though!

the latest D model has a future, one smart looking machine. turbo props with low fuel consumption STAL features, list goes on and on.

Beautiful Aircraft.

I worked on a ward where the consultant and the senior nurse where from the opposite sides of the Argentine political spectrum. It was a bit tense sometimes.

7:44 Pucaras feeding after a long day. he he he sorry.....Bill Gunston commented how Harrier pilots respected the Pucara's fighting ability.

Nice to see other craft covered, reminds me of the bronco and built on my birth year......happy birthday me!, gimme, gimme gimme

This is one of my faverite aircraft.

I think the Pucará is among the most awesome looking ACs in the world. Like the B1 Lancer, Concorde, and Rafale. To name a few.

Very informative video - many thanks. IMO it was one of those "if it looks right it will fly right" aircraft. The strange thing for me is that the wings are high aspect ratio, which might mean, if they are also designed with high lift, it would do well at high altitude. That is, if the power plants were up to that. Just thinking...

FMA for some time had their fighters designed by Focke Wulf's Kurt Tank (the FMA IAe 33 Pulqui II comes to mind)

Can you make a video on Folland Gnat?

Nice looking plane

Beautiful airplane.

It was a little early in the timeline to be a bigger success. As many of us today will know that the world's militaries are looking for that whole low cost , long loiter time, COIN aircraft for ground support purposes. I guess the most famous current examples is the Brazilian Super Tucano or the US OV-10 Bronco ( which has been reacquired for testing and training I believe ). Had this been around today it might have been making a bigger splash with an updated version.

10:44 Fortunately for the pilots, indeed "Argh! Sea Harrier!" ~Pucarás-up I seem to remember one sat outside the Fleet Air Arm museum at RNAS Yeovilton back in the late 80s/early 90s. The undercarriage really is tall. I mean, REALLY tall. It puzzled me as kid, but makes sense now I've watched this. Great vid, Ed!

Modern looking 1960s design ! Could be very useful in present day counter insurgency operations.

now we are upgrading the pucara , the new one is the pucara fenix,new engines ,new avionics etc,a beautiful plane

You can feature anything you want ill watch it :)

I haved talked with a friend of mine, pilot of the Fuerza Aerea Argentina in 1982 Fenix Scuadron, the idea was to replace the doble cockpit for just one pilot and extend the fuel tank in order to get the islands and atack with 40 Pucaras the Estrecho de San Carlos. The Brigadier stoped it until the end of war.

The Pucara in the anti-shipping role would have resulted in heavy losses for the Argentines. They were too slow and had too high a radar signature for such missions.

Could we please have a video about the Armed Jet Provost and Strikemaster which took part in many actions.

Saw one of these in the IWM.