Southern Cross Aerobatic Squadron
| Southern Cross Aerobatic Flight Escuadrilla Cruz del Sur | |
|---|---|
| Active |
1962-1962 |
| Country |
 Argentina |
| Branch | Argentine Air Force |
| Type | Aerobatic display |
| Role | Flight demonstration team |
| Size | Six pilots |
| Garrison/HQ | Morón, Buenos Aires |
| Colors | light blue and white |
| Insignia | |
| Southern Cross Aerobatic Flight logo 1997-2011 |
 |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Trainer | 6 FMA IA 63 Pampa |
Escuadrilla Acrobática Cruz del Sur ("Southern Cross Aerobatic Flight") is the aerobatic demonstration team of the Argentine Air Force ((Spanish) Fuerza Aérea Argentina), established in 1962 as part of the 4th Air Group based in Mendoza. It was dissolved and reformed several times, and is currently based at Morón, Buenos Aires.
History
As part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Argentine Air Force creation, in 1961 it was ordered to different units to create display teams. The Southern Cross aerobatic team was created in early 1962 by the 1st Fighter-bomber Group ((Spanish) Grupo 1 Caza-Bombardero) of the 4th Air Brigade ((Spanish) IV Brigada Aérea) of the Argentine Air Force, based at Los Tamarindos, Mendoza. It operated six F-86-F Sabre aircraft until its disbandment in December of the same year. Sabres would still be used occasionally in aerobatics until 1985, though not using the team's name.[1]
The team was reformed in 1997 with seven Sukhoi Su-29AR, and disbanded again in 2010 due to budget and maintenance problems. It was based at the IVth Air Brigade located at El Plumerillo Air Base in Mendoza province (Argentina).[2]
In 2012 the Air Force reestablished the team with six upgraded IA-63 Pampa II based at Morón Air Base, in Morón, Buenos Aires.[3][4]
Aircraft used
| Type | Quantity | Period |
|---|---|---|
 United States North American F-86F Sabre |
6 | 1962 — 1985 |
 Russia Sukhoi Su-29AR |
7 | 1997 — 2010 |
| Argentina FMA IA 63 Pampa |
6 | 2013 — |
Gallery
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References
Notes
- ↑ Escuadrilla Acrobatica Cruz del Sur, Reseña Histórica - Taringa! website (accessed 2016-05-23)
- ↑ "Cruz del Sur". AerobaticTeams.net. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
- ↑ Aeroespacio, Issue 993
- ↑ Maximiliano Borches (2012-08-08). "La escuadrilla Cruz del Sur de Argentina incorporó su primer IA-63 Pampa remotorizado". AerobaticTeams.net. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
Online sources
- El Escuadrón de Alta Acrobacia Cruz del Sur. Por Hernan Longoni
- Resurge la Escuadrilla Acrobática “Cruz del Sur”
- Escuadrilla Acrobatica Cruz del Sur, Reseña Histórica - Taringa! website
Further reading
- Baldini, Atilio (1999). Núñez Padin, Jorge Felix, ed. ESCUADRILLA ACROBATICA CRUZ DEL SUR - La Historia de sus Actuaciones, Integrantes y Aviones. Serie Especial Fuerza Aérea (in Spanish). 2. Bahía Blanca, Argentina: Fuerzas Aeronavales. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
- Baldini, Atilio; Núñez Padin, Jorge F. (2009). Núñez Padin, Jorge Felix, ed. F-86F-30-NA Sabre. Serie Fuerza Aérea (in Spanish). 16. Bahía Blanca, Argentina: Fuerzas Aeronavales. ISBN 978-987-20557-5-2. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cruz del Sur aerobatic team. |
- (Spanish) Official site
- Su-29AR Southern Cross Aerobatic Flight / Flickr
- (Spanish) pictures of IA-63
- pictures Su-29
- pictures Su-29
- Youtube clip Cruz del Sur
