02/12/2005. Remarks by Alfred
Damen: "This machine, shown in new colours, is actually the
ex RAF RA390, supplied to Argentina under export registration G-5-105
and accepted by the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea
Argentina, FAA) on March 3, 1948. This particular airplane seems to
have been a bit ‘error-prone’ because only 9 days after it
was accepted by the FAA it was involved in a complicated accident at
Tandil AFB which kept it out of the air for 3 years! The next
accident came at Rafael Castillo on October 14 1958 and soon
afterwards another accident occurred on March 20, 1959 at Mar del
Plata. Despite these accidents, C-005 was one of the five Meteors
that made the ‘farewell’ flight over Buenos Aires in
December 1970. The airframe was struck off charge December 30, 1970.
More photos:
C-020 in the new ground
attack colour scheme, also at Moron AFB near Buenos Aires, late 1963.
This machine is the ex RAF EE546, supplied to Argentina under export
registration G-5-120. It was accepted by the FAA on October 2, 1948,
suffered one accident (January 19, 1961 at Moron AFB) and was struck
off charge on May 12, 1970.
C-062. A rare photograph
taken during the summer of 1963 at the Instituto Aerotechnico (FMA)
in Córdoba (Argentina) showing several Meteor Mk.IV’s
undergoing a major overhaul and being re-sprayed in the new
camouflage scheme. No serials are visible on the airframes in the
center of the photograph, but the one at the bottom show C-062 on the
right wing. This is the ex G-5-162, built specifically for the FAA
and accepted by them on December 12, 1948. C-062 is somewhat of a
mystery in this picture because it was involved in an accident in
1961 and seems to have been struck off charge in that year. The only
explanation I can suggest is that it is in the process of being
‘cannibalized’ of it’s spare parts to keep the other
Meteors flying.
The Argentine Meteor history is a nice tale. Read
about it."
