Canberra PR.9 Falklands War, ‘Operation Folklore’ - is this a plausible scheme?

[petetasker]

I regret I haven’t got anything at all to add to this thread other than a massive thank you to all those contributing. Absolutely fascinating. Until Roland Whites book was published I’d never really known anything about 39’s role in Corporate. Thanks again to everyone and keep the info coming.

[neilfergylee]

My only contribution this this: and it's a classic "I got it from a bloke who knows a bloke" is tha when I worked for a certain British defence contractor in the 1990s, one of our Military Business chaps told me he had been flying Canberras in Chile during the Falklands conflict.

 

Thats all I have and it's been a long time since I was told that.

 

Neil

[raptormodeller]

Posting (extremely) late. But I've done a bit of research on the topic and it would seem that Canberras WERE painted in Chilean colours and made it as far as Belize with the goal of cover photo reconnaissance over the Falklands during the war. But a combination of factors put an end to the operation before it even got underway. Likely the cancellation of the Nimrod R1 ACME missions being the major item at play, or the ditching of the Sea King helicopter in Chile. And a number of PR9's were sold rather rapidly to Chile on the quiet after the war.

 

I found a document on the national archives website that pertains to these missions that in my opinion contains the definitive answer but it has yet to be digitised and you either had to come in person or pay (probably both) to see it. 

[RAGATIGER]

On 6/21/2021 at 4:56 PM, Rabbit Leader said:

 mention of the fuselage Chilean Air Force titles being misspelt too? 

Cheers.. Dave 

That is a very nice story, it was said that suposed to be read as Fuerza Aerea de Chile it was actually written as Fuerza Area de Chile; that was very evident if you read Spanish

 

Regards

 

Armando

 

PD I was on at least 2 diferent C-130H  coming from Pascua Island (Easter Island) and the serials were duplicated with those used by FACh confirmed by aviation fan spotters

Edited November 17, 2022 by RAGATIGER

[RAGATIGER]

On 11/16/2022 at 9:58 AM, raptormodeller said:

Posting (extremely) late. But I've done a bit of research on the topic and it would seem that Canberras WERE painted in Chilean colours and made it as far as Belize with the goal of cover photo reconnaissance over the Falklands during the war. But a combination of factors put an end to the operation before it even got underway. Likely the cancellation of the Nimrod R1 ACME missions being the major item at play, or the ditching of the Sea King helicopter in Chile. And a number of PR9's were sold rather rapidly to Chile on the quiet after the war.

 

I found a document on the national archives website that pertains to these missions that in my opinion contains the definitive answer but it has yet to be digitised and you either had to come in person or pay (probably both) to see it. 

There were  3 Canberras PR-9 delivered to FACh one lost in a crash the 2 remaing still at local Air Museum in Santiago

Edited November 17, 2022 by RAGATIGER

[Selwyn]

On 11/17/2022 at 2:53 AM, RAGATIGER said:

There were  3 Canberras PR-9 delivered to FACh one lost in a crash the 2 remaing still at local Air Museum in Santiago

Yes these were delivered post war, but the question is about Possible operation of RAF operated canberras from Chile  during the war.

 

Selwyn