IA-24 Calquin.
This plane was inspired by WWII planes.
It was designed in 1943 and built with local wood. As the in line engines were not obtained these had to be replaced with radial ones.
A hundred units were manufactured and joined the attack squadrons of the FAA.
The painting shows the famous attack to the VII Brigade, home of the fighter interceptors when during an exercise the Calquin evaded the radar chain and the fighters and bombed the hangars and runway of Moron with bags of flour.
Artwork by Exequiel Martínez
This painting is one of the most emblematic works by Exequiel Martínez, aeronautical artist and former pilot of the Argentine Air Force (FAA). The simulated attack with flour bags over the VII Air Brigade at Morón is a real historical episode immortalized in oil, capturing the audacity of the IA-24 Calquín pilots.
The Calquín was one of the most important aircraft produced entirely in Argentina. Through his art, Exequiel Martínez preserves the memory of milestones in Argentine military aviation. His works decorate halls and offices around the world.
Explore more works or learn about the artist in his biography. His books on Argentine aviation are in the store.
The IA-24 Calquín was designed by engineer Cesáreo González and built entirely from national materials, including quebracho and pine wood. This two-seat attack aircraft was a milestone of Argentine aeronautical engineering in the 1940s, demonstrating that the country had the capacity to design and produce high-performance military combat aircraft.
The IA-24 Calquín stands as proof that Argentina possessed world-class aeronautical engineering capabilities. Designed and built entirely domestically in the 1940s, it served the Argentine Air Force’s attack squadrons with distinction. Today, works like this one by Exequiel Martínez ensure that the memory of these pioneering aircraft and the pilots who flew them is preserved for future generations.