Fifty-nine years ago, Fokker launched its first commercial jet aircraft, of which more than 240 units would eventually be built.
The F28 is, without a doubt, a rare sight anywhere in the world. Yet, in a small corner of South America, a single aircraft continues to soar the skies. Specifically, in the Argentine Republic, the Fokker F-28 Mk.1000C TC-53 (cn.11020) still flies regularly despite its age. Whether operating scheduled flights for Líneas Aéreas del Estado (LADE), performing its crucial mission of connectivity with southern Argentina, or serving the Argentine Air Force by transporting troops and cargo wherever required, the TC-53 remains active.
It has fulfilled this role since 1975 and, even today, seems far from retirement.
Of course, in its long history, it bears—imperceptible to most—the marks of an astonishing story, capable of surprising anyone who sees it in flight today.
“In 1995, during an inspection in the Netherlands, Fokker engineers and technicians wondered how the roof of the nose landing gear bay had become deformed” recounted a member of Squadron II who witnessed that episode.
In April 1982, Argentina decided to reclaim the Malvinas / Falklands by force after almost 150 years under British rule.
This decision triggered a major logistical operation to transport troops and cargo to sustain Argentina’s position on the islands, located some 460 kilometres from the nearest continental point and almost 950 kilometres from the city of Comodoro Rivadavia.
On 2 April, the operation to land and occupy the archipelago was carried out. In those first hours, the participation of aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules and, later, two Fokker F28s proved crucial. One of these was precisely the TC-53, which landed that day under the call sign “Litro 6.”
After 2 April, the logistical operation took on a new dimension. A vast number of aircraft began operating simultaneously under circumstances unprecedented for the small island airfield. There was no time to lose: a powerful British task force was already sailing towards the South Atlantic.
Puerto Stanley airfield—renamed Puerto Argentino—witnessed a complex operation that quickly became routine. Its runway was only 1,200 metres long, and the apron could accommodate only a limited number of aircraft. Beyond these limits, massive rock formations surrounded the operational area.
Under normal conditions, an airport of this kind would not pose a major challenge for the Fellowship. But the South Atlantic islands added other factors: constant bad weather, recurring rain, snow or ice, and persistent strong winds.
None of this diminished the enormous patriotic effort of the so-called “Plan Aries 82,” which maintained a continuous operation of cargo and passenger flights. In many cases, aircraft unloaded on the runway without even shutting down their engines. But not everything was due to good fortune.
On 13 April, fate seemed to turn against the TC-53, which was performing mission number 3110. During the landing manoeuvre, after touching down on a runway contaminated with ice, the aircraft veered off course due to a combination of slippery surfaces and strong crosswinds. The nose landing gear collapsed after hitting a depression, and the aircraft’s nose became lodged against a rock formation.
Fortunately, there were no casualties. However, the damaged aircraft had to be moved to the apron, where the anger of the Army personnel was evident. Some senior officers recommended destroying the plane, fearing it could become an easy target for future British bombings.
Nevertheless, the Air Force personnel stationed at the airfield conducted a rapid damage assessment, which was immediately reported to Buenos Aires. The Air Force Command ordered urgent deployment of personnel from Technical Group 1 (GT1), based in El Palomar, where Squadron II of Fokker F28 also operated.
The initial evaluation offered little hope of recovery. The technical team comprised only four people, who had to determine the extent of the damage and, if possible, repair the aircraft in record time.
Upon arrival, they found the TC-53 moved to the eastern threshold of the runway, a position insisted upon by the Army, which still favoured destroying it.
There, the technical team worked day and night, even sleeping inside the aircraft.
Finally, on 28 April, the Fokker was painstakingly positioned at the runway head for evacuation attempts. The nose gear was unusable and lacked steering, so ground manoeuvres required external assistance. Moreover, the gear remained locked down, making retraction structurally impossible due to the damage sustained. As if that were not enough, the magnitude of the deformations also prevented proper pressurisation of the aircraft.
Despite everything, the TC-53 managed to take off for Comodoro Rivadavia, flying below 10,000 feet with the landing gear extended.
“I was in Comodoro Rivadavia performing maintenance on transport aircraft, and I will never forget when the TC-53 flew over the base; we all started jumping and shouting for joy because they had done it” recalled an Air Force non-commissioned officer years later.
The ordeal of the battered Fellowship did not end there. That same day, it continued to El Palomar, where it spent the night, before flying on to Córdoba for final repairs at the Military Aircraft Factory.
Three days after leaving the islands, the fears of many were realised: an Avro Vulcan bomber attacked Puerto Argentino airport, followed by incursions from Harrier jets. This highlighted how close the TC-53 had come to being lost forever in the Malvinas / Falklands.
During April 1982, Squadron II’s Fokker F28s completed over 180 missions, transported more than 230 tonnes of cargo, and carried around 5,200 personnel in approximately 450 flight hours.
Today, more than four decades later, the TC-53 remains in active service. Its continued operation is not only due to operational necessity but also to the virtues of a robust, reliable, and extensively tested design. Despite the passage of time, the old Fellowship continues to demonstrate exceptional mechanical nobility, becoming a true symbol of perseverance for Argentine aviation.
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