FMA IA.9 "Trago"

[K5054NZ]

From Classic Wings magazine, Vol.13 No.1 2006 (issue 54)

The sole representative example of the FMA IA.9 "Trago" was rolled out onto the apron at Buenos Aires Air Force Base on February 7 following a comprehensive static restoration by the staff of the Argentinian Air Force Museum.
The Kurt Tank-designed ground attack aircraft, the sole mixed-propulsion type to enter service in South America, first flew in 1962. Revolutionary in its day, it saw limited service overseas but served in the Fuerza Aerea Argentina until the type's retirement in 1984. This example crash-landed on Tierra del Fuego in 1978, and was recovered following the end of the Malvinas Reclamation War in 1982. She was then put into storage, and restoration began in 1994. National markings are yet to be applied, but this will be done before the official unveiling on April 9.
In all 250 IA.9s were built, but today only this and parts of another example remain after all other remaining airframes were scrapped. Efforts by an American team to recover an aircraft rumoured to be in the seas off Islas Malvinas have so far come to nothing.
Due to security restrictions we were unable to get any images of this intriguing airfract, but we hope to run at least one in a mini-feature on the IA.9 in our next edition.

[Tophe]

Wainting to see... when archives (or camera) will be back...
Surprisingly, the FMA IAe.27 Pulqui is dated 1947 - see http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fighter/iae27.html , so how a IA.9 could be dated 1962-1982? Oh, to fool spys, probably...  

[K5054NZ]

Classic Wings, Vol 13 No 2 2006

As related in our last issue, the Argentine Air Force Museum's FMA IA.9 "Trago" has been restored for static display, and was recently rolled out into the sunshine.

These pictures were taken before the aircraft received national markings, although these have since been applied.

The propellers fitted to the preserved aircraft are substitutes tracked down in Africa, as the originals were beyond restoration.

Our resident plastic kit modeller, Zac Yates, has built up this miniature replica of the FAAM's aircraft from the Revell kit, with props from the Airfix offering.



Enjoy!

[gooberliberation]

Wow! Thats weirdly wonderful!

[Tophe]

Wonderful
The idea to mix turboprop & turbojet is great! With long range safe cruise on prop and a dash at high speed with jets if needed...
Not just one more among many Me 262Z, this is a great invention, Zac! Thanks!
Now I will try to see how to direct to it on my Forked-Ghosts update site...    

[The Rat]

 





 

[Brian da Basher]

Zac, that's a truly imaginative, unique and incredible whiff there! I think this is one of your best yet! I love the idea of mixed propulsion and when I see the props on those outboard engines it makes me smile wide and wonder why I didn't think of that. Excellent sir! Aboslutely first rate!

Brian da Basher

[cthulhu77]

Yikes !     That is shockingly funkily cool !  Love the mix, too.

               greg

[Ollie]

Oh, that's something from Hell!

           

[AeroplaneDriver]

Young Zac is turning out to be quite the whiffer!!

Superb job!

 

[Leigh]

Wow what a cool plane, I love the way the twin jets are joined. And smart idea to put the gear up  other wise you would have had that "Doh" moment when you realised there was no ground clearance for the props like I did with my prop 262.

[K5054NZ]

Thanks for all your support guys.......really, I appreciate it.........I'd like to be the next Bri, Baz or the like (sorry that I missed folk out!), I'd like to think I'm getting there. Time;s all I need.


Leigh........um, yeah, I was gonna do some gear, but I had already painted it and didn't want the hassle.




I'm so glad you guys like this one so much. Now, I think you may be ready to be shown my Fokker Gyrocopter.....

[Sisko]

Interesting concept! B)

Good work Zac keep em comin.      

[K5054NZ]

BUMP


Oh yeah...............I still love this! Still waiting on decals to complete her though.



So here she is for ya Upnorth! Enjoy!

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Wow! Did I miss it?? Probably!!

But it's really a beauty Zac!!