A message to the readers. This is a story of how a British Sailor, Neil Wilkinson, shot down Mariano Velasco, the Argentinean Pilot who sunk the HMS Coventry. The plane is shown below and the cannon shell is also shown here too. The Falkland Island War was in 1982 and now in 2009 we are planning an expedition to the Falkland Islands to find this crashed airplane. We also want to get a photo of Neil and Marino standing together more than twenty years later. Signing our guestbook would be a great support. Also, you were in the Falkland Islands War, on either side, please write the webmaster a letter at the bottom of this page. This will be a great help for recognition of all of the veterans on both sides. Thank you very much.
C. Jeff Dyrek, Webmaster.

A4 Skyhawk 1/72 Die Cast Model

C-207, Fuerza Aerea Argentina, Falklands/Malvinas War, 1982

Made by Hobby Master, this 1/72 scale die cast model wonderfully replicates the A4 Skyhawk, C-207, flown by 1st Lt. Mariano "Cobra" Velasco of the Argentine Air Force when he dropped three 1,000-lb. bombs to sink the HMS Coventry during the Falklands/Malvinas War in 1982. It features outstanding details such as engraved panel lines; a detailed cockpit with an opening bubble canopy; removable stores including a bomb, missiles and fuel tanks; an aerial refueling probe and a tail hook; optional position landing gear with real rubber tires; a display stand and more. Measures 6" long with a 4" wingspan and arrives ready to display.

12-1-2008

Hi Jeff,

I have found out some very interesting information today!

I will tell you first about the pilot then tell you what i have found out at the end.

Mariano Velascoflew A4 Skyhawks with Grupo 5 Argentine Air force.

He was probably a pilot before I even joined the Royal Navy.

Four years before I joined the navy a friend of mine from my home town of Leeds, West Yorkshire, joined the navy as an officer, he became the Gunnery Officer onboard HMS Coventry.

Before the Falklands started I was given my next sea draft, it was going to be HMS Sheffield, Sheffield was sunk by an Exocet, I stayed on my original ship Intrepid.

When the Falklands broke out and we sailed there on the 23rd May that year I hit a Mirage fighter and he crashed.

On the 27th May Mariano Velascoattacked and I managed to get 6 rounds off at the two planes that were incoming, although another ship eventually got recognition for the hit, it was given to me by my captain as he was on the bridge and saw everything.

Mariano Velasco, on the 25th May sunk the Coventry!

My best buddy survived, but suffered as we all do.

Now the good bit.

When I hit Velascohe went over the hill with a lot of smoke trailing from the rear of his aircraft, the history books state he was flying C207, but he was actually flying C215, how do I know?

Well the other day I was trawling through a lot of stuff about A4 Skyhawks and came across a site that had C207 in a museum.

40mm Cannon Shell that Shot Down Marino Valaso

1-26-2008

Hi Jeff,
Many thanks for replying so quickly to my email.
The offer of the story is great and I am in contact with one of my friends as we speak about doing a story for you with some pictures included. You certainly seem to have a broad variation of stories on your site? Since finding out last year that Mariano Velascohad survived the A-4 Skyhawk has suddenly become a more fascinating aircraft to me, I have researched quite a lot about the aircraft and think they are a remarkable aircraft. I will now just tell you a brief timescale of events of things that occurred in the Falklands, if you don't mind?

The shell is 40/60mm Bofors, that was my gun.

The engraving on the shell reads:
Fired in Anger
23rd May 1982
HMS INTREPID
AB(M)Wilkinson.N
D178349K

This shell was fired against a group of Mirages, the shell that hit Velascowas fired a few days Later.

I was on the starboard battery, I have to admit it made a heck of a bang when fired, I do believe that I could be the last person in the Royal Navy to hit an aircraft with a conventional weapon, that could be one for the Guinness Book of records?

The gun I fired was a single barreled Bofors gun 40mm, it is called 40/60mm purely because the shell casing is 60mm and the shell 40mm, it may be called something different by other navies.

On the 21st May we went into San Carlos and off loaded 3 para brigade who had travelled on our ship. Shortly after daylight broke the air attacks started. No amount of training can prepare you for this, it's for real. On the 23rd of May I opened fire on a group of Mirage's (6) and I blew the tail off one of them. Most days were the same, attacks, rest, attacks. On the 27th of May, nothing much happened all day, until late that afternoon. Velascoand his wingman had sneaked through and was now lining up for there attack, I was resting on a box of ammunition. The alarm sounded and I leapt into my gun and as they screamed into San Carlos, I managed to fire 6 rounds off at them. I then saw a lot of smoke coming out from behind his aircraft, he then went over the hill. It wasn't until we got back to the UK that my Captain confirmed to me that I had actually hit the Skyhawk, up until then I wasn't 100% certain.

In the history books HMS Fearless took credit for knocking Velascoout of the sky, but I now know different! My life after the Falklands took a dive and I suffered from PTSD and a lot of mental stresses due to the conflict. Last year with it being the 25th anniversary I put on a program and found that the pilot in the documentary was in fact the very same pilot I thought I had killed and I decided to track him down. After 8 months of trying I hit the jackpot and we are now in contact with each other, the feeling of guilt was lifted, he has confirmed to me that fearless could not have shot him down as previously recorded.

These stories I had heard happen from ex World War 2 vets, but I never thought it would happen to me.

Once again many thanks and I look forward to your replies. Regards Neil

11-24-2008 This is the first letter that Neil Wilkinson sent to the Webmaster at YellowAirplane.com, Jeff Dyrek.

Dear Sir,

I have just being on your website and found a model that is of interest to me.

It is C207 Mariano Valasco`s A4 that flew in the Falklands. I am very pleased to see that he was one of the most successful Argentinean Skyhawk pilots. But on the 27th May 1982 his run came to an end although he did survive. I am in contact with Velascoon a regular basis, we have a lot in common, he flew his plane on many dangerous missions against us. I am hoping to eventually meet him some day in Argentina and shake his hand, I am really glad he survived, after all it was me who shot him down.

Great model.

Regards

Neil Wilkinson

Ex AB Gunner HMS Intrepid

A list of Argentinean Pilots who have ejected

Date: Thursday, 11 December, 2008, 6:02 PM
From: Mariano Arribillaga
Subject: May 27, 1982

Mr. Wilkinson,

Click Here I am sending you my translation of the paragraph about the May 27th. 1982 war facts that is now found online in the official Fuerza Aerea Argentina website. Hope this can help you. And please excuse some translation mistakes.

regards,

Mariano Arribillaga

May 27, 1982:

3 A-4B Skyhawk, flight indicative “Truco”, armed with parachute-retarded bombs.

Pilots: 1^st. Lt. Mariano Velazco (C-215), Lt. Carlos Osses (C-228), Lt. Fernando Robledo (didn't take off given technical inconvenients).

Flight took off from Rio Gallegos AB at 1530 hrs.

They flew into Falklands Sound (San Carlos Sound) 1 minute after “Poker” Flight, also south-north direction, and confirmed the sighting of 4 ships. They received intense anti-aircraft artillery fire. They dropped their eight bombs over Ajax Bay cooling plant.

The Flight turned left, chased by missiles. Number 1 (1^st. Lt. Velazco) got hit by a 40mm. Bofors shell from HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid, in the left plane root.

Having crossed Falklands Sound west-bound, and over West Falkland (Gran Malvina), Number 2 (Lt. Osses) saw fire in Number 1 left plane, very close to the oxygen tank; he informed this immediately. Number 1 answered that he had a red light (alarm) on the hydraulics indicator, reason why he exchanged speed for height and informed he was ejecting in position 51 29' S / 59 32' W; it was about 1700 hours.

1^st. Lt Mariano Velazco fell between Port Fox and Port Howard. After recovering from the ejection, he walked two days and two nights until he got into an uninhabited house where he found canned food. On the following day two kelpers on horseback passed near the house, he called them and offered to buy them a horse, they refused but they told him they would call Port Stanley. In the afternoon a Land Rover showed up, driven by a kelper and with an Argentinean Army officer on the other seat, who brought Velazco to Port Howard.

Lt. Osses came back alone to the continent, with his aircraft damaged by light gun fire. He landed at Rio Gallegos AB at 1800 hours.

Source:

http://www.fuerzaaerea.mil.ar:80/conflicto/dias/may27.html

Hi Jeff, I think a kelper is somebody that farms seaweed! sounds ridiculous but I think it's true or it is another name for a fisherman. Neil.

Click Here's a little more clarification on the term "Kelpers" There are huge Kelp beds in this area. Kelp is harvested and then sold commercially worldwide for use in many products from sushi to toothpaste.

Click on Images for Close-Up View.

Ejecting in position 51 29' S / 59 32' W.

Hi Jeff,

I have the rough lat and long of where the Intrepid was on the 27th May 1982. 51.32S - 59.04W it is near to where we were, if you look at the bay he came in from about the SE end and when you pinpoint the Intrepid he flew over the hill towards the west.

A letter from Neil Wilkinson. 12-13-2008

I feel it may help more veterans who do read literature and maybe don't believe in ways round things. So if my story can help anyone who is in difficulty, then I am more than happy to do it. As you say though there have being so many veterans taken their own lives, the Government is now doing something about it, but it is a slow process in the UK.

I think the men and women of our countries have a very hard job in who they are fighting and any casualties or fatalities are deeply sad news. It is when they return home that the lack of care is not there for them, and speaking from my experiences they do not treat you with any respect or dignity.

I had to talk to a veteran a few months ago and he was messed up, but by the end of our chat although he was no better off, he felt better that he had somebody to talk to and by the end of it all i knew everything he had done in the Falklands, because i was willing to listen and we had a common connection.

Sinking of the HMS Coventry during the Malvinas War
showing Mariano Velasco
This was the Pilot that Neil Wilkinson Shot Down

An Actual Letter from Mariano Velasco,
the pilot of the A-4 Skyhawk

Dear Mr. Neil Wilkinson
First of all I want to greet him warmly and apologize for not having answered your e-mail promptly.
I would also like to thank your concepts and manifestarte has wholeheartedly despite the difficult times we live in, not going through my mind any restrictions that would prevent increasing dialogue with you, that would be good until one day we can meet in person. Now the doors of our house are open to welcome you and your family.
We combine bit like my life was going beyond the year 1982
Until 86 years A4 continued flying, make the School of Command and General Staff, Chief of Squadron and Chief of the Air Group IV Air Brigade (Mendoza), Assistant Commander in Chief of the Air Force and was in addition to the Deputy | Embassy of Bolivia (where I play a professor of various subjects at the School of Command and General Staff of the Bolivian Air Force).
In 2000 move to retirement status and I lie in a very quiet place on a mountain, Villa Las Rosas, Crdoba (where my family built a comfortable house rustic, which share a lot with family and friends .
Related to that May 27 will combine little that I lived and appreciated.
After getting around the small hill around San Carlos saw clearly ships landed and materials for your forces.
Before launching armaments (4 bombs braking parachute) land on the goal, I began to feel the impacts on the plane (on the left wing and fuselage), several lights were lit alarm system and hydraulic fuel and saw the jet smoke coming down the left wing through the rearview mirror. I turned west, crossing the channel of San Carlos and on land in Grand Island Malvina I ejected at 1000 feet tall and about two hundred knots.
Then on the ground, I felt at the sound of two planes that turned the plane in flames, and shortly after that left heading east. Prepare the elements for survival and began the march toward the interior of the island, to avoid falling prisoner. Walk slowly around. from 21:00 on 27 because I had an ankle esquinzado to reach land, approximately sixty kilometers left to a post, which arrives on June 29 in the early hours of the morning, where I stayed until three days I was rescued by Argentine troops. The day before I met my rescue three men (villagers) that passed near the shelter, which we exchanged different concepts without any drawbacks.
I was brought up in a car port where Howard spent a few days until I was transferred to the mainland on a hospital ship and then to my home with my family. The sprained my ankle I was a little complicated with tendinitis, so I enyesaron about 45 days. After doing a little physical therapy, I recovered well and here I am enjoying the outdoors, taking care of the park and doing maintenance on a system of trade in parts of my brother, a few hours a week.
In different ways aware that shooting down my plane had taken place by the firing of cannons HSM Fearless, which seems highly unlikely because the vessels were quite right in my career and the flying height was almost impossible shots of the ship that will impact on the left wing, where the fire occurred.
This is a very tight summary of events, I am at your disposal to share other details that serve to clarify the story that we were actors, I repeat again, there is no limitation on my part, each of us and our comrades fulfilled their duty and what happened to us does not establish a genuine friendship.
Possibly for the month of May is likely to have Internet in my house which accelerate the link.
I take this opportunity to welcome you and your family with my highest consideration, an affectionate hug for everyone.
MARIANO

Neil Wilkinson's Recollections of Communications between himself
and Mariano Velasco

Mariano has had a brief outline of events on that day, but when he does reply to me it's in Argentinean and not English so I have to get it translated.

So far he has told me that he did not think that he could have being hit by HMS Fearless because of her position in San Carlos, which does hold an element of truth. The HMS Fearless was down at the bottom end of San Carlos whereas HMS Intrepid was further up towards the entrance.

He told me he was doing roughly 200knots and had to climb to around 1000 ft. before ejecting. He said that he felt the plane jolting as it was hit, at first under the left wing area, which would discount the HMS Fearless as she was on the right of the plane. Also it could discount the HMS Intrepid initially because it could have being ground fire that hit him. Or it could have being my shell exploding underneath the aircraft!

Although the HMS Intrepid was to the right of the planes, we were on a better angle, so as you looked at the aircraft I would be looking at an angle from the nose to 20%, so I could see the left side as well, but he was flying about to evade being hit, so it is also possible that my shell exploded first!

The next thing I saw was a lot of smoke coming out of the plane, at first I thought it was after burners, then after a short while we were told it had crashed somewhere. Once the aircraft went over the hills or low lying land we were unable to see them or tell which direction they had gone.

The most nerve racking thing was knowing they were coming and then suddenly from nowhere there would be aircraft all over the place. Bombs and rockets were flying about and you could then hear the sounds of our guns and AA fire, the noise was tremendous.

GPMG`s and larger AA guns firing, then Anti-Aircraft Missiles being launched, 20mm Cannon's firing, then there would be an explosion as an aircraft took a direct hit.

As I said before, I have an utmost admiration for those brave pilots, they flew there aircraft to the limits and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

I think one of the most heart breaking sights for me, was sitting in my gun watching HMS Antelope explode! That then brought it all home to us and it was a very tearful moment, watching one of your own ships explode, when hours earlier it had sailed past us.

We lost many ships and many good men, but so did they too. War is not just about two or three nations going on a battle field and killing each other, people seem to forget the aftermath and the people who have lost loved ones, the younger generation (although taught it in schools) don't fully appreciate what the armed forces of the world achieve.

1-21-2009

The initial credit and in some books say Fearless plugged Mariano, some say both ships hit him, but I'm not sure Fearless did actually hit him.

But according to Quinny a junior seaman on Fearless got the praise for it by his captain, then I got praise for it off mine! But when I look back, I have to admit I was exceptionally close to hitting him and I did think I had , but then the doubts creep in and i dismissed it, until we got back and my captain said I had hit it in front of the Defense secretary. So I don't think he would have said anything if I hadn't hit it!

1st Lt. Mariano Velasco

Mariano Velasco's Airplane

Photo from Neil Wilkinson

The A4 is C207, Mariano Velasco's plane! the picture is courtesy of Mariano Arribillaga and the aircraft is in the Museo Nacional do Aeronautica, Moron, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

A-4 Skyhawk

See Roberto Perz Dominguez and his Aircraft Model Collection
Ver Roberto Perz Domnguez y su Coleccin de Aviones de modelo

About The Wilkinsons	Acerca de The Wilkinsons
New Stage Play, "San Carlos Hilton" about the Falklands War	Nueva Obra de teatro "San Carlos Hilton" sobre la Guerra de las Malvinas
Professionally build model of Mariano's Airplane	Profesionalmente construir Modelo de avin de Mariano
Falklands War, Malvinas Art Paintings	Guerra de las Malvinas, Islas Malvinas Art Paintings
Aircraft of the Falklands War	Aviones de la Guerra de las Malvinas
Pablo Carballo Argentine A-4 Skyhawk Pilot	Pablo Carballo piloto argentino A-4 Skyhawk t
British & Argentinean Ships of the Falklands War	Los buques britnicos y argentinos de la Guerra de las Malvinas
Falkland Islands, Malvinas War Books	Islas Malvinas, la guerra de Malvinas Libros
Free Videos of the Falklands, Malvinas War	Videos Gratis de las Malvinas, la guerra de Malvinas
The End of the Falklands - Malvinas War	El fin de las Malvinas - Guerra de Malvinas
Maps of the Falkland Islands	Mapas de las Islas Malvinas
A book about the final Days of the HMS Intrepid	Un libro sobre los ltimos das de la HMS Intrepid
The HMS Brazen	El HMS Brazen

An A-4 Skyhawk Story from the Webmaster.

While I was stationed at NAS Lemoore, in Lemoore California, my friend, Dan Dove, and I took a break and walked around to the side of the hanger to watch flight ops at night. It was almost instantly that we saw an A-4 Skyhawk coming in with its wheels up and at a higher approach angle than we expected. The plane hit the ground and there was a huge flash of light. We didn't actually see the plane hit because it hit the ground behind the hanger of VA-127 which was across from our hanger at VA-125. However, we did see the flash coming from behind the hanger. I can't actually remember what we did after this, but we must have ran across the street because I remember seeing the airplane on the ground and the pilot was opening the canopy.

These A-4 Skyhawks were real good at doing belly landings because of the low wing and the wing tanks that you can see in the picture above. The tanks were ground down, in half, and the flash must have come from the residual fuel in them. The next day we watched the plane being hauled past our hanger with a cherry picker truck. It looked like that there was zero damage to the plane and it also looked like it was just a toy hanging from that huge crane.

Read the Webmasters Story Here.

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Ver Roberto Perz Domnguez y su Coleccin de Aviones de modelo

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Argentina - Great Britain 1982 War for the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands

Air War in the Falklands

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Battle Story of the Falklands

HMS Intrepid

Neil Wilkinson in London 2007 - 2009

Photos taken Later aboard the HMS Brazen

The End of the Falkland Islands War

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