Helion is a UK-based company that produces books on many aspects of Military History from the Late Medieval period through to the present day. Helion was established in 1996, and since then they have published over 1,200 books, with 100 or more new titles coming out every year, for readers around the world.

Antonio Luis Sapienza Fracchia was born in Asunción, Paraguay on 14th May 1960. He graduated from the Catholic University of Asunción where he got a B.A. in Clinical Psychology. He also took specialized English courses at Tulane University of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA and San Diego State University in California. He is now retired but worked for nearly 40 years as an English Teacher and one of the Academic Coordinators at the Centro Cultural Paraguayo-Americano (CCPA), a binational institute in Asunción. Married with two children, he resides in the capital. He is an Aviation Historian who wrote more than 500 articles in specialized magazines and web pages on the Paraguayan Aviation history, and has given numerous lectures in schools, universities, institutes, military and civil institutions in Paraguay and abroad. Since 2010, he has been an aviation history professor in the Paraguayan Air Force (FAP). He has published twenty-two books since 1996, with this one his eleventh with Helion. He received a total of six decorations for his academic merits, two from Argentina, one from Brazil and three from his own country, Paraguay.

Helion’s latest book in the Latin America @ War series is a square back soft cover includes 108 glossy paper pages. This is Volume 1 of a two-volume series. This first volume covers the first phase, 1904 through 1978. The second will cover the second phase, 1978 to 1984 and is scheduled for release in February 2024.

The cover color photograph features a Douglas A-4Q Skyhawk, 0667/3-A-314. There were 16 Douglas A-4B Skyhawks that were completely refurbished and upgraded with a new navigation system. Serving on Argentina’s ARA 25 de Mayo aircraft carrier that was originally the Netherlands aircraft carrier HNLMS Karel Doorman. This aircraft was shot down in combat on Friday, May 21, 1982, by a RAF Hawker Harrier, killing the pilot, Lt Marcelo Marques. Douglas A-4Q 3-3A-208 is currently in the markings of 3-A-314 on a pylon at the Baran / Mar del Plata Aeroclub. The Tom Cooper color profile represents one of fifteen Northrop F-5E Tiger II Aircraft that replaced Hawker Hunters in 1976. Based in Cerro Moreno, this Grupo 7 aircraft could carry AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles. The rear cover features a color illustration by Ivan Zajac of the ex-USS Phoenix [CL-46] that was sold to Argentina in 1951. Re-named the ARA General Belgrano (C-4) she was sunk during the Falklands War by the Royal Navy submarine, Conqueror.

I counted 272 black and white photographs and one color photograph (front cover). There are 48 tables along with 12 maps. There also six armoured fighting vehicle color side profile illustrations from David Bocquelet, two naval color side profile illustrations from Ivan Zajac, eight aircraft color side profiles by Tom Cooper, and one aircraft color side profile by Luca Canossa.

Antonio Luis Sapienza Fracchia opens with the former Spanish colonies and their independence. Initially borders were established to be the same that existed prior to independence. Interestingly, both Argentina and Chile were close allies during their battles of independence from Spain and were united in their war against Peru and Bolivia. This changed during the Chincha’s War over guano where Argentina sided with Spain. Border disputes between Chile and Argentina would continue with a series of border treaties between 1881 and 1902. The most important of the border conflicts was over the Beagle Channel, being one of the few passage ways between the Atlantic and Pacific around the southern tip of South America. Central to this was possession over three islands: Picton, Lennox, and Nueva. Despite the border treaties, Argentina was never able to accept Chile being part of the Beagle Channel. Argentina began challenging Chile’s sovereignty soon after the 1902 treaty negotiated by Britain. Argentine challenges continued to escalate through the years but seemed to always quiet down before all out war.

Most of the border incidents up to 1978 are covered Antonio Luis Sapienza Fracchia in separate chapters. Ships and aircraft of the Chilean armed forces in the 1958 crisis are shown on Page 15. Six ships of the Chilean Navy are depicted at the top of the page that were involved in the actions near the Snipe islet that involved the destruction of the lighthouse and invasion of the Snipe islet. The Douglas B-26C Invaders at the bottom of the page were based in Punta Arenas. Note the underwing machine gun pods in the photograph on the right. The Chilean Air Force also employed Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, de Havilland DH 115 Vampires, Lockheed F-80C Shooting Stars, and many other trainer and utility aircraft.

Chapter 8 covers the crisis escalation after the border Arbitration Award of 1977 that again saw Argentina refusing to accept the border between Chile and Argentina. The Chilean Navy created Operation Lightning to protect Chilean interests in the Beagle Channel as agreed to in 1977. Page 33 shows off the Chilean Navy destroyer ACH Zenteno along with two transports and two LSM ships. The Chilean Navy Ministro Zenteno [D-16] was the former USS Charles S. Perry [DD-697], an USS Allen M. Sumner class destroyer. The LSM-90 Elicura at the upper left was the first ship constructed entirely in Chile. The LSM-90 Elicura is still active in the Chilean Navy, recently supporting the Army in Tierra del Fuego.

The last two chapters detail the order of battle for both Argentina and Chile as both nations arrive at the edge of war. Some of the Argentine aircraft are shown on Page 53 and include the Dassault Mirage 5M, Douglas A-4B Skyhawk, Douglas A-4C Skyhawk, BAC Mk. 62 Canberra, Boeing 707-387B, FMA IA.58 Pucara, North American F-86F Sabre, and the Morane-Saulnier MS.760 Paris. There are many tables that flesh out the order of battle detail for both sides. Chile’s available resources were decidedly lesser than Argentina’s with a few depicted on Page 89. The Chilean Army were still using Sherman M4Aa tanks along with M113A1 armored cars, Brazilian Engesa EE-09 Mk. II/III Cascavel armored reconnaissance cars (sporting a 90mm Gun), and Brazilian Engesa EE-11 Urutu armored personnel carriers. The Chilean Army also utilized Cessna R172K Hawk XP II for Liaison and Primary Training duties. The Brazilian produced Neiva T-25 Universal was a Basic Trainer / Light Attack Aircraft. In the Light Attack mode they would normally carry two 7.62mm machine gun pods on external hard points. The sections include:

• Abbreviations
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Background
• The Armed Peace
• Chapter 2: The Beginning of the Disputes
• Chapter 3: The First Incidents [Page 015]
• Chapter 4: Escalation in the Border Crisis, in Laguna Del Desierto
• Chapter 5: The Alto Palena Dispute
• Chapter 6: Dispute of the Puna De Atacama
• Chapter 7: More Border Incidents Caused by Argentina
• Chapter 8: The Crisis Breaks Out [Page 033]
• Chapter 9: Mediators Urgently Needed !
• Chapter 10: War Clouds on the Horizon
• Chapter 11: Ready for Combat ?
• Color Profiles [Page 48iii]
• Chapter 12: War Seems Inevitable: The Failure of Negotiations
• Chapter 13: The Argentine Armed Forces in 1978 [Page 053]
• Chapter 14: The Chilean Armed Forces in 1978 [Page 089]
• Appendices
• Bibliography
• Notes

I really enjoyed this book, especially with the historical summary about the early politics and border crises between Argentina and Chile. I spent five days consuming this book in conjunction with the internet to find out even more information. The 272 black and white photographs provide a lot of information on both sides military assets and support the 40 tables quite well. The modeling perspective is going to be quite diverse. There are aircraft, armored vehicles, and ships from Argentina, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and the US. I am looking forward to the next volume in this series. If you own one of the previous releases in the Latin America @ War series, you know what you are getting. If this is your initial entry into this series, you will be quite pleased.

My thanks to Helion & Company, Casemate Publishing, and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great book.

Highly recommended!

Frank Landrus, IPMS# 35035