Utente:Payu/sandbox: differenze tra le versioni

Versione delle 19:27, 8 giu 2009

Versione delle 20:28, 8 giu 2009

Riga 2:

Poco più di un mese prima dello scoppio della guerra, ''Cardiff'', sotto il comando del capitano [[Michael Harris]], aveva appena iniziato un periodo di sei mesi di dispiegamento nel [[golfo persico]] con [[Armilla Patrol]]. La ''Cardiff'' aveva appena sostituito la sua nave gemella nonchè capoclasse ''HMS Sheffield'' in questo ruolo, ma il [[23 aprile]], venne assegnata sul fronte delle Falklands. Navigò da sola attraverso gibilterra e raggiunse il [[14 maggio]] il resto della flotta già diretta verso la parte meridionale dell'arcipelago.

Durante il viaggio l'equipaggio della ''Cardiff'' eseguì varie esecitazioni, compres, simulazioni contro attacchi aerei, nucleari, biologici, chimiche e contro missili anti nave.

Visto che anche la flotta argentina disponeva di alcuini Type 42, a tutte le navi britanniche appartenenti a questa classe vannero dipinte due righe nere verticali a metà dello scafo in modo che fossero più facilmente riconoscibili da parte dei sottomarini alleati. ilIl 22 maggio, un aereo da ricognizione argentino [[Boeing 707]] venne attaccato dalla ''Cardiff''. L'aereo venne rilevato mentre stava seguendo la flotta, la cardiff fu la nave ad essere incaricata di arretrare e abattere il veivolo. La nave sparò due [[Sea Dart (missile)|Sea Dart]] alle 11:40 (ora locale) dalla massima distanza; il primo cadè in mare, il secondo mancò il bersaglio a causa delle manovre diversive fatte dall'equipaggio dell'aereo. Dopo l'attacco il TC-92 scese al disotto del livello dei radar e fece ritorno alla base di [[El Palomar (Argentina)|El Palomar]]. Il [[25 maggio]], la ''Cardiff'' è stata incaricata di recuperare 4 paracadutisti della [[Special Air Service]] che si erano lanciati da un [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules]] passato sopra la nave. Il gruppo Bristol si unì alla task force principale il [[26 maggio]]. L'arrivo della ''Cardiff'' permise alla [[HMS Glasgow (D88)]] di tornare nel regno unito per le riparazioni necessarie

Four SAS troopers rendezvous with Cardiff via airdrop, en route to the islandsThe Bristol Group met up with the main task force on 26 May.[24] Cardiff’s arrival allowed the damaged HMS Glasgow to return to the United Kingdom for repairs.[25][26] Cardiff’s primary role was to form part of the anti-aircraft warfare picket, protecting British ships from air attack and attempting to ambush Argentine aircraft that were re-supplying Port Stanley Airport.[27][28] She was also required to fire at enemy positions on the islands with her 4.5-inch gun. In one engagement she fired 277 high-explosive rounds,[19] although later problems with the gun prevented continual use.[29]

On 22 May, an Argentine reconnaissance Boeing 707, no. TC-92 of the Argentine Air Force's Grupo 1, De Transporte Aereo Escuadron II (Spanish for "2nd Air Transport Squadron, Group 1"), was fired on by Cardiff.[21] The aircraft was detected while shadowing the Bristol Group, and Cardiff was ordered to drop back and engage.[21][22] The ship fired two Sea Darts at the aircraft at 11:40 (local time) from maximum range; the first fell short and second missed[21] due to evasive manoeuvres taken by the aircraft's crew.[23] After the attack, TC-92 dropped below radar level and returned to El Palomar.[23] On 25 May, Cardiff was tasked with the recovery of four Special Air Service (SAS) troopers, who had parachuted from a C-130 Hercules passing over the destroyer.[19]

Four SAS troopers rendezvous with Cardiff via airdrop, en route to the islandsThe Bristol Group met up with the main task force on 26 May.[24] Cardiff’s arrival allowed the damaged HMS Glasgow to return to the United Kingdom for repairs.[25][26] Cardiff’s primary role was to form part of the anti-aircraft warfare picket, protecting British ships from air attack and attempting to ambush Argentine aircraft that were re-supplying Port Stanley Airport.[27][28] She was also required to fire at enemy positions on the islands with her 4.5-inch gun. In one engagement she fired 277 high-explosive rounds,[19] although later problems with the gun prevented continual use.[29]

Shortly after arrival, she was involved in the final Exocet raid against HMS Invincible.[19] In the early hours of 6 June, Cardiff shot down a friendly Army Air Corps Gazelle helicopter (no. XX377 of 656 Squadron), in the belief it was a low flying enemy C-130 Hercules.[30][31] All four on-board were killed,[32] the factors contributing to the accident were a poor level of communication between the army and navy, and the helicopter's "Identification Friend or Foe" transmitter had been turned off due to it interfering with other equipment.[30][33] However a board of inquiry recommended that neither negligence nor blame should be attributed to any individual and that no action should be taken against any individual.[34] The number "205" was later painted at the crash site (51°47′01″S 58°28′04″W / 51.783600°S 58.467786°W / -51.783600; -58.467786) as a memorial, the significance being that two of the helicopter's passengers were from 205 Signal Squadron. Approximately an hour after the shootdown, Cardiff spotted four landing craft carrying troops from the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards.[17] Having been told there were no other British forces in the area, Cardiff's crew assumed they were Argentine, and fired illuminating star shells over them in preparation to attack. When the Guards saw the star shells and realised Cardiff’s intentions, the officer in charge of the landing craft, Major Ewen Southby-Tailyour, moved them to shallow water in an attempt to outrun her. Cardiff, still closing on the craft, signalled to them a single word "friend" via Aldis lamp, Southby-Tailyour responded with "to which side".[35] At this point Cardiff "left them alone",[35] neither attacking or assisting them, nevertheless another "blue on blue" incident was avoided.[36]