Argentinian B-42B Mixmasters

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Douglas B-24B Mixmaster - 1 Grupo de Bombardeo, Fuerza Aérea Argentina, 1955

At the end of the Korean war the United States Air Force declared the B-42 Mixmaster to be obsolete and surplus to requirements. Despite the tense relations between the USA and Argentina during WW2 and throughout the Perón years the US Department of Defence authorised the sale of 30 B-42B's to Argentina which were delivered in two batches during early 1954 where they replaced the Fuerza Aérea Argentina's remaining Avro Lancasters and supplemented the Avro Lincoln in Fuerza Aérea Argentina service.

On June 16th, 1955 two B-42B aircraft from 1 Grupo de Bombardeo operated alongside a mixed force of aircraft from the Comando de la Aviación Naval Argentina in the tragic bombing of the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires where approximately 400 civilians were killed in the largest ever aerial bombing on the Argentine mainland. The type was subsequently used by both the government and rebel forces during the 'Revolución Libertadora' coup which eventually saw Juan Perón being deposed. As late as June 1966, the B-42B's remained in operational use with a force of ten B-42B's taking part in a flypast during the official inauguration of Juan Carlos Onganía as President of Argentina following the 'Revolución Argentina' coup d'état.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2020 by Spinners