A little way on from where we’d stopped to take a look at the installation on Mount Kent that wasn’t there (see: Falklands Battlefields Tour: Estancia) we stopped to take a look at some evidence of the 1982 Falklands War in the form of the wreckage of an Argentinian CH-47C Chinook helicopter. Somewhat surprisingly (although you’d think we’d be used to see it with our cruise tour experience now) some people didn’t want to get off the coach to see the wreckage. Yes, it was windy and a little chilly but why wouldn’t you want to go see some piece of wartime history when you’ve explicitly booked an excursion to tour battlefields? People are strange.

Argentina had two Chinook helicopters in operation during the Falklands War. One was captured by British forces but the other one – the one we were looking at – was destroyed. It had been moved to what the Argentinians thought was a sheltered location to protect it but the position was already under surveillance by special forces in the nearby hills. They duly called in its position and the helicopter was strafed by Harrier GR.3 XZ963. Our tour guide explained that the removal of the wreckage hadn’t been a priority in the aftermath of the war and that due to a lack of resources it had simply been left in situ. Over time it had become a tourist attraction and we were glad of it.

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4 Comments

  1. Hi Mark
    I am starting the research for a painting depicting the RAF Harriers over Mount Kent on the Falklands in 1982. As the photos you have posted show the downed relic of the Chinook in the story would it be possible to use them as reference ? Also is it possible that you remember the position of the wreck in relation to the radar tower on top of Mount Kent ? would it be possible that you could show me its position on a google maps ?
    thanks in advance.
    Steven Winter

    • Yes, you can use the images as reference material. The map locations for the site are reputedly

      -51.659285,-58.100675

      Although Google and Bing Maps don’t show the wreckage from the satellite imagery that feels about right. Just south of there is the road we were driving along and there’s a layby that we pulled into and walked across the ground to see the wreckage.

  2. Garry Crawford

    Just been to that site an hour ago…so strange to see the wreckage…i didnt realise it was an Argentine one.

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