ANOTHER PIECE OF OUR PROUD HISTORY
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Precised from ROC Journal Volume 26 April 1984 No 4 by Edwina Holden.

“When the Falkland Islands Task Force was being assembled it was realised that there were no aircraft recognition filmstrips or slides of either the 1A 58 Pucara or the Dassault Super Etendard, two of the more significant aircraft operated by the Argentine Air Force and Naval Air Arm.

Then, someone remembered an article in the April 1980 issue of the ROC Journal featuring the Bentley Priory model collection and so it was that HQ ROC received an urgent request for 1:48 scale models of the Pucara and Super Etendard.  In striking contrast to the timescales suggested by the commercial companies, the ROC offered to do the job in days rather than weeks.
 
Those involved in this great feat were ex-Observer Eric Vine and Observer Byron Scot of No 6 Group who had each contributed to the Bentley Priory Collection.  Ob/Lt/Commander Mike Rose at HQ ROC and Obs/Lt Roy Garwood scoured every book and magazine they could find which had reference to the two aircraft, and when complete the photographs were despatched post haste to the modellers.  Two days after the initial request was received at HQ ROC the completed models were delivered to Bentley Priory, and sent to the MoD studios situated beneath Whitehall, next door to Winston Churchill’s War Room.

The completed film strips were flown aboard the Queen Elizabeth II by helicopter just as she was about to sail for the South Atlantic.   They were used to train members of No 63 Rapier Squadron together with personnel of the All Arms Air Defence Element of 5 Brigade during the voyage to the Battle Zone.
 
HQ ROC comment:   “Thus members of the Royal Observer Corps were able to play a small but significant part in the Falklands Conflict.  We offer our congratulations on a commendable achievement to all concerned.”