Fábrica Argentina de Aviones
FMA IAe 33 Pulqui II
The FMA IAe 33 Pulqui II was Argentina’s first indigenous jet fighter, designed and built by the state‑run Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (FMA) in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Its development began in 1946 under the direction of German aeronautical engineer Kurt Tank, former chief designer of the Messerschmitt Me 262, who was invited to Argentina after World War II. The aircraft incorporated swept‑wing geometry, a NACA‑type laminar flow wing, and a powerful Rolls‑Royce Nene‑type turbo‑jet that delivered about 22 kN of thrust. First flight occurred on 27 April 1950, and the prototype demonstrated excellent high‑altitude performance, reaching speeds over Mach 0.96 and a service ceiling above 15 000 m. Although only five airframes were completed before the program was cancelled in 1955 due to political instability and budget constraints, the Pulqui II represented a remarkable technological leap for South America. It showcased Argentina’s ability to design sophisticated swept‑wing jet aircraft, influenced later Latin American aerospace projects, and remains a symbol of national engineering ambition in the post‑war era. Two surviving examples are displayed at the National Aeronautics Museum in Buenos Aires, where they continue to inspire aeronautical research and serve as a reminder of Argentina’s mid‑century ambition to join the jet age.
Classification
Production & History
- Units Produced
- 5
- First Flight
- 1950