Southern Cross Aerobatic Squadron

Escuadrilla Acrobática Cruz del Sur ("Southern Cross Aerobatic Flight") is the aerobatic demonstration team of the Argentine Air Force ((in 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.

Southern Cross Aerobatic Flight
Escuadrilla Cruz del Sur
Southern Cross Aerobatic Flight logo
Active1962-1962

1997-2010

2013-present
Country Argentina
BranchArgentine Air Force
TypeAerobatic display
RoleFlight demonstration team
SizeSix pilots
Garrison/HQMorón, Buenos Aires
Colorslight blue and white
Aircraft flown
Trainer6 FMA IA 63 Pampa

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 ((in Spanish) Grupo 1 Caza-Bombardero) of the 4th Air Brigade ((in 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 —

References

Notes
  1. Escuadrilla Acrobatica Cruz del Sur, Reseña Histórica - Taringa! website (accessed 2016-05-23)
  2. "Cruz del Sur". AerobaticTeams.net. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
  3. Aeroespacio, Issue 993
  4. 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

Further reading
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