The Pucará Story
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Authors: Dr Ricardo Caballero and Phil Cater
Publisher: Mushroom Model Publications
ISBN: 978-83-61421-82-5
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 152
The FMA IA 58 Pucará is an indigenously designed Argentine counterinsurgency aircraft that first took to the air in 1967. Powered by a pair of turboprop engines, the Pucará was designed to fly from rough fields as well as traditional runways. A solid aircraft with good performance, the Pucará would have likely remained on the edges of aviation history except for its combat debut in 1982. The war with Britain over some small islands in the south Atlantic brought the Argentine Air Force into the limelight, and with it the Pucará. Since that war, the Pucará has gone on to serve in several nations, and continues to take part in the air forces of Argentina and Uruguay.
This newest title from Mushroom Model Publications is definitely the most complete history of the Pucará available in the English language. The authors have done a thorough job of collecting information on the aircraft, from factory records to personal anecdotes, and have crafted a well written story that follows the path of the Pucará from prototype through its military operations in Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Sri Lanka, and Britain.
Complementing the written text, this book contains an incredible number of photographs showing the Pucará throughout the years, including a detailed walkaround series that will provide plenty of information for the modeler. Further adding to the value are the many color profile illustrations. In addition to the operational aircraft, these profiles also cover several what if subjects, showing what the Pucará might have looked like in the various nations that had expressed interest in the aircraft.
For those interested in aircraft outside of the mainstream, this is an excellent book to pick up. The story of the Pucará is a fascinating one, as it discusses both Argentine military development as well as the evolution of the aviation industry in Argentina. My thanks to Mushroom Model Publications for the review copy.