South American Air Forces

[CharlesBronson]

Very good work Gekho. the Bolivia Air Force has been historically lame, incompatibleif you realize the enourmous natural resources the country has.

[imalko]

Interesting stuff here. Thanks for sharing.
Just wondering, is there some country in the world that didn't operate C-47/DC-3?

[gekho]

The Fuerza Aérea Mexicana was founed during the revolutionary period, when different revolutionary factions used aircraft for aerial reconnaissance and bombings on ships as well as enemy positions. The majority of the pilots being American mercenaries. The first naval air combat on the American continent occurred in 1914 in Mexico. The Air Service, later known as the Mexican Air Force, established its first airfield at Balbuena, just outside Mexico City. Aviation workshops producing aircraft of national design as well as engines were also established. The Air Force participated in many campaigns through the 1920's and 1930's in support of the army in putting down many rebel factions and armed bands, flying a number of Mexican, American, French, English general purpose aircraft (DH DH-4B, Douglas O-2M, Farman F-50, Bristol F2B, Chance Vought Corsairs O2U-2M, TNCA Serie B etc.)

During WW II the FAM undertook anti-submarine patrols using armed AT-6 Texans and Vought Kingfishers. During the second half of the war the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force, fought in the liberation of the Philippines in 1945, flying Republic P-47D Thunderbolt fighterbombers, that would later serve in the post war air force as the sole pure fighter of the FAM. During the 1960s the FAM received its first jet aircraft in the form of the Lockheed T-33A and the DH Vampire Mk3, forming the first jet squadrons. The seventies saw the beginning of the phase out of the majority of the lend-lease aircraft that served the FAM.

In recent years the FAM has undergone a major reorganization to meet the needs in the war against drugs and in humanitarian roles. In the late nineties many Russian built helicopters were procured. A decision concerning the fate of the Northrop F-5E/F fighters and the surviving T-33s has yet to be taken. Recently six Hercules transport aircraft were bought and delivered from either the United Kingdom and Israel, boosting the FAM's heavylift capacities. Two additional Arava transports were also bought in 2002. On the helicopter front, four Bell 412EPs were delivered during the same year. A recent order for four ex-Israeli CH-53-2000 marks the switch from Russian to American equipment. With the arrival of three EMB145s the FAm now has a considerable airborne early warning capacity, demanded in its ongoing counternarcotics battle.

[gekho]

More pics

[Gnomey]

Nice stuff!

[gekho]

The birth date of military aviation in Uruguay is 17 March 1913 when the Escuela de Aviación Militar was formed on a small airport 50 km from Montevideo. As with many other Latino countries the first instruction was performed by a European, a French instructor using Farman biplanes. Ten army officers formed the select group chosen to be the first Uruguayan military aviators. Among this first group were Juan Manuel Boiso Lanza (the first martyr of the FAU dying in a plane crash 10 August 1918) and Alférez Cesáreo L. Berisso (the future commander of the aviation school).

Along with two other young officers, Adhemar Saenz Lacueva and Esteban Cristi, they gained their military aviator status in Argentina and Chile and formed the Escuela Militar de Aviación (EMA) on 20 November 1916. This school exclusively performed military aviation in Uruguay until 1935. Several European aircraft types were used in fairly large numbers during the twenties, among which were about sixteen Avro 504K, up to thirteen Breguet XIV, at least five Castaibert 80, about 28 Nieuport 27, and various other aircraft in smaller quantities. These pioneering years saw many air routes opened and an overall increase in interest in flight and its military potential.

[gekho]

The first significant boost in capability occurred 21 December 1949 with the arrival of ten TBM-1C Avengers that were flown from Fort Worth to Laguna del Sauce by Aviación Naval personnel. Three SNJ-4 Texans and six more Avengers followed in April and May 1950. All aircraft were delivered through air, no mean feat for this fledgling air arm. This year also saw the first naval aviators trained in Uruguay graduate from the Escuela de Aviación Naval. Further aircraft that were taken on charge during the fifties include the PT-26, ten F6F Hellcats, two PA-18 and three Martin PBM Mariners. The first helicopter also arrived in this decade in the shape of two Bell 47G. This exciting period also had its bleak moments, for example on 20 June 1957 when a SNJ went missing during a search mission for an Argentinean ship and the PT-26 sent out to find it crashed also.

The sixties saw further development and the first of a long lasting string of international exercises called UNITAS was held in 1960 with participation of the Uruguayan Navy, the naval air arm participated with two Mariners. More aircraft arrived with three TC-45J, the first three S-2A Trackers, a single T-34B Mentor and two SH-34J (followed by two CH-34J later), and two TH-13T helicopters continuing the bonds with the United States. In 1971 the Uruguayan navy performed their first operation from an aircraft carrier when S-2A 851 flew from the Argentinean carrier 25 de Mayo. Neighboring Argentina also provided aircraft, for example some SNJ-4 Texans in the sixties and three TC-45H along with nine T-28S Fennec in 1979 were obtained from that source.

[gekho]

From the eighties onward the current inventory of the Aviación Naval was incorporated. With the Beech 200T arriving in 1980, the three T-34C followed in 1981, and three S-2G in 1982 and 1983. Also a Bell 222 was used temporarily in the early eighties. They traded their two remaining Texans for a single air force T-34B (originally from Chile) in 1985, a single Bell 47G-5 arrived in 1988. Three Ce182 joined the force in 1990, a single PA-34-200T and two Wessex were taken on charge in 1992, followed by a single Bell 47G in the same year. Two more T-34A were obtained, again from the Air Force (this time former Spanish aircraft). More Wessex were to be incorporated, a series 60 example arrived in 1994 followed by five Wessex HC2 in 1998 that were included in a comprehensive deal with Great Britain. Under this deal the Uruguayan navy was also provided with two Jetstream aircraft in 1999. The nineties also saw the delivery of the second PA-34 in 1995 and another lone Bell 47G arrived in the same year. Laguna del Sauce remained the main operating base throughout this period and is still very much the focal point of Naval Aviation today. The wish list of the Aviation Naval includes a new patrol aircraft, Orions have been offered but proved to costly to operate.

[gekho]

http://www.pilotoviejo.com/os2uhistoria.htm
http://www.pilotoviejo.com/hellcathistory.htm
http://www.pilotoviejo.com/images/av...erhistoria.htm
http://www.pilotoviejo.com/memoriasna1.htm

[gekho]

More pics

[gekho]

More pics

[gekho]

Argentina was early in its development of a military air element. First usage of 'air power' took place in 1866 when balloons were used for aerial observation in the Guerra de la Triple Alianza (the war of triple alliance) against Paraguay. In those years the aerial demonstration scene was dominated by European daredevils never finding a big following by Argentineans until Christmas 1907 when the first take off was organised by Argentineans themselves. With a hot air balloon Aarón de Anchorena and Jorge Newbery managed to cross the River Plate to Uruguay, a feat that was never accomplished by Latin Americans before (although Americans had done it in 1887). This spurred aviation interest in Argentina. On 8 January 1908 the Aero Club Argentino was formed by a select group of enthusiasts putting Argentina in the forefront of Latin American aviation development. This led to the first motorised flight on 30 January 1910 (by Italian pilot Ricardo Ponzelli in a 50hp Voisin) and the inauguration of the first airfield on 23 March of the same year at Villa Lugano, Buenos Aires. The military showed increasing interest in aviation and the Aeroclub was tasked to integrate military aviation in the army. Eventually, the Escuela de Aviación Militar (military aviation school) was formed 10 August 1912 (later, in 1954, this became the official 'day of the air force').

El Palomar in the Campo de Mayo military area was adopted as the home base of military aviation. The early days saw a big influence from the Aeroclub, especially engineers Alberto Mascias and Jorge Newbery because the government simply lacked knowledge, funds and equipment. In honour of their achievements they were granted military aviator status before the first class of officers graduated. Jorge Newbery sadly died in a plane crash 1 March 1914, the Aeroparque airport of Buenos Aires is named after him. Involvement of the civil Aeroclub in military Aviation School ended in 1915 when the military was sufficiently trained to organise flight instruction and air operations renaming the school in Escuela Militar de Aviación in the process. The name reverted to Escuela de Aviación Militar again in 1944 and it is still known by that name today.

In 1919 the first Army air service was formed and after inception of the Grupo 1 de Observación in January 1922, the school was initially dissolved into this unit, but was re-instated in January 1925. After years of operating various small aircraft of European origin (Nieuports and Ansaldos for example), 1926 saw the arrival of about thirty Brequet XIV light bombers. Significant progress in Argentinean aviation was also achieved when on 10 October 1927 the Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA) was created at Cordoba. FMA started building Avro 504K, Dewoitine D21 and Curtiss 75 aircraft enabling the first international flight to Rio de Janeiro with FMA built aircraft in 1933. The military aviation school eventually relocated to Cordoba as well in 1937 and was re-equipped with the license built FW44J Stieglitz. Shortly after that a military passengers service was created with Ju-52 aircraft that eventually led to the formation of the air transport group in December 1941 at El Palomar. The first state airline was formed shortly after: Líneas Aéreas del Estado (LADE).

[gekho]

As can be read in the general military aviation history part, the flying units were still part of the army in 1940. The quest for independence gained momentum in the forties. A revolution in 1943 brought a lieutenant colonel from the aviation branch to power among others and the formation of the independent air force was imminent. Subsequently, Air Force command was formed 11 February 1944 and the secretary of Aeronautics on 4 January 1945. The air force also adopted its own badges and ranks in the intervening period. Although the structure was in place, much of the necessary infrastructure still needed to be created. Paved runways and both military and civil airfields were introduced and the late forties and early fifties saw an influx of modern aircraft. The Gloster Meteor was the first jet aircraft adopted in any Latin American country. They arrived in 1947 and by December of that year the first unit, Regimiento 4 de Caza Interceptora (4th Fighter-Interceptor regiment) became operational at Tandil. Other typical aircraft of that era were Lincoln bombers and DC-3, 4 and DC-6 transports. Meanwhile the FMA produced some indigenous aircraft designs as well like the Pulqui and Calquin. The forces were no longer concentrated in the Buenos Aires province as other military aviation regions were formed from 15 March 1950 onward. These included six Brigadas Aéreas (I at El Palomar, II at Paraná, III at Reconquista, IV at Mendoza, V at Villa Reynolds and VI at Tandil). Moreover, other commands were formed at staff level further enhancing the professionalism of the fledgling air force. Many of these commands and brigades are still operational today.

The sixties saw the first Antarctic base, Base Aérea Vicecomodoro Marambio, being constructed and the first participation of the Air Force in an UN mission in Congo. This decade marked the last one in which American equipment could be obtained (the F-86 and A-4 for example) easily. The seventies saw some harsh internal struggles that demanded attention of government resources. It also led to the restriction of arms sales to Argentina. The FAA had to rely on indigenous manufactured aircraft from the mid-seventies like the IA-58 Pucara and fighter nonetheless received aircraft from several countries (like Daggers from Israel). Thus slowly but gradually modernising its forces the 1982 Malvinas campaign in which the Falkland Islands were captured from the British could be launched successfully. Although some heroic air-to-air and air-to-ship operations were executed, the Argentinean forces failed to ward off the British forces, which recaptured the islands destroying and capturing various Argentinean air assets in the process.

Aided by befriended countries the FAA reinforced itself again to make up for the encountered losses. Mirage 3C were obtained from Israel, Mirage 5 were provided by Peru. More modern trainers were obtained in Brazil (EMB312 Tucanos) to augment the venerable Beech B45 still performing that job at Cordoba. The Pampa project was started aimed at building an advanced trainer and light attack aircraft to replace the MS760 Paris that was still in service in that role. Due to several circumstances the programme was ill-fated and the Paris had to soldier on. More Tucanos were obtained to make up for the delay in Pampa deliveries as well. With a grim economic situation the prospects were not that good for the FAA in the late eighties and early nineties. Noteworthy light at the end of the tunnel was the arrival of the A-4AR Fightinghawk, an upgraded version of the Skyhawk, in the second halve of the nineties. The subsequent boost in the indigenous aircraft manufacturing plant (effectively taken over by Lockheed) meant another leash of life for the Pampa programme as well. Together with Mirage 5 aircraft brought up to 'Finger' standard, the A-4AR forms the backbone of the current FAA which still has a way to go with regard to force-wide modernisation.

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!

[bobbysocks]

man, the Uruguayan Air Force had a pretty nice and diversified fleet.