Birth, first steps and pre-war planes of the Spanish Military Aviation

[gekho]

In February 1028 the government approved the acquisition of three different models bombers (a Fokker, a Junkers and Rohrbach) for the purpose of tests and select the one best suited to Spanish needs. Seems to have finally arrived in Spain a single Junkers K-30 bomber that would be tested even wearing the same summer the Swedish civil registration S-AABH (due to the restrictions of Versailles the Junkers had moved their production to Malmoe). The K 30 was a three-engined (engine Junkers L 5, 310 hp), low-wing monoplane with fixed landing gear and the cladding of corrugated iron typical Junkers, as can be seen as a clear precursor of the famous Ju-52.



The K-30 received in 1928 was the only specimen of this model acquired by the Spanish Air Force, so late into the civil war there will be no real aircraft bombing in Spain. The Junkers K-30 was the numeral 49-1 and served in the Training Squadron where he usually piloted by Captain Gallego. In late 1931, the Junkers were integrated into the Fleet Trimotor Unit No. 1 (Getafe), accounting for several years the only material that drive wheel, where it would mount Cascón usual captain. By this time the detachments made ​​trimotor newspapers in the Cape Juby airfield (Sahara).

[gekho]

Aeronáutica Militar bought a prototype and a license in 1923, and started production in the CASA works, in A2 and B2 variants. The first 19 aircraft were imported, the next 26 completed from French parts, then 177 were manufactured (50 of them had Hispano-Suiza engine, the rest the Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb engine). The Breguet 19 was the basic equipment of Spanish bomber and reconnaissance units until the initial period of the Spanish Civil War.

In July 1936, there were less than hundred in service in the Spanish Republican Air Force. They were actively used as bombers during the war, especially on the government's side. In 1936, the Nationalists bought an additional twenty from Poland. With an advent of more modern fighters, the Br.19 suffered many losses, and after 1937 were withdrawn from frontline service. The Republican side lost 28 aircraft, and Nationalists lost 10 (including 2 Republican and 1 Nationalist aircraft, that deserted). The remaining aircraft were used for training until 1940.

[gekho]

The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two- to three-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and used as a light bomber, torpedo bomber and in the army cooperation roles. While first flown in 1928, it remained in service at the start of the Second World War, with the last Vildebeests flying against Japanese forces over Singapore and Java in 1942.

The Vildebeest was ordered by the Spanish Republic in 1934 and licence production of 27 Vildebeest was undertaken in Spain by CASA most receiving the Hispano-Suiza HS 600 inline engine, though some other engines were also used. Around 20 survived to fight with the Spanish Republican Air Force on the loyalist side of the Spanish Civil War, some equipped with floats.

[gekho]

The Spanish "Aeronautica Militar" started to take deliveries of ND-52s in 1930, production continuing until 1933, equipping three fighter units, Grupo 11, Grupo 1 and Grupo 13. The Nieuport fighter (known as the "Hispano-Nieuport" was unpopular in Spanish service, being described as heavy and unresponsive, while it was slower than expected, with Spanish aircraft only able to reach 225 km/h (140 mph) compared with the 260 km/h (162 mph) claimed by Nieuport. Losses to accidents were heavy, with only 56 remaining when the Spanish Civil War broke out on 18 July 1936.

[gekho]

On Septembre 1929, comes to Barcelona from Calende Sesto (Italy), the first Savoia SM-62 that later form the basis for making a series of 36 seaplanes, which were manufactured in Barcelona, with Hispano-Suiza engines in the workshops of the Naval Aviation. The first aircrafts were delivered in early 1931 and finished in early 1936. Flew during the SCW on both sides and were discharged at the end of 1938.

[gekho]

The Macchi M.18 was a flying boat produced in Italy in the early 1920s. Originally planned as a passenger aircraft, it entered production as a bomber before eventually being offered on the civil market that it was originally intended for. A conventional design for World War I, it was a biplane flying boat with unstaggered wings of unequal span braced by Warren truss-style struts. The engine was mounted pusher-fashion in the interplane gap, and the pilot and observer sat in side-by-side open cockpits. An open position was provided in the bow for a gunner.

In addition to the standard military version, a version with folding wings was produced for shipboard use as the M.18AR. This equipped the Italian Navy's seaplane tender Giuseppe Miraglia and the Spanish Navy's Dédalo. The latter service used the type in action against Moroccan rebels. Six of the 20 machines purchased by Spain remained in service at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War and were used to attack Nationalist forces on Majorca as well as flying reconnaissance patrols. Portugal also operated the type, buying eight examples in 1928.

[gekho]

In 1917, George Handasyde of Martinsyde designed a single seat biplane fighter powered by a Rolls-Royce Falcon V-12 engine, the Martinsyde F.3, with a single prototype being built as a private venture without an official order, and had flown at Brooklands aerodrome by October 1917. six being ordered in 1917, with the first flying in November that year. Its performance during testing was impressive, demonstrating a maximum speed of 142 mph (229 km/h), and was described in an official report as "a great advance on all existing fighting scouts", resulting in an order for six pre-production aircraft and 150 production fighters being placed late in 1917. It soon became clear, however, that all Falcon production was required to power Bristol F.2 Fighters, so use of the Falcon for the F.3 would be problematical. To solve this problem, Martinsyde designed a new fighter based on the F.3, but powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Hispano-Suiza engine, the F.4 Buzzard. The Buzzard, like the F.3, was a single bay tractor biplane powered by a water cooled engine. It had new lower wings compared with the F.3 and the pilot's cockpit was positioned further aft, but otherwise the two aircraft were similar. The prototype F.4 was tested in June 1918, and again demonstrated excellent performance, being easy to fly and maneuverable as well as very fast for the time.[8] Large orders followed, with 1,450 ordered from Martinsyde, Boulton & Paul Ltd, Hooper & Co and the Standard Motor Company. It was planned to equip the French Aéronautique Militaire as well as the British Royal Air Force, and production of a further 1,500 aircraft in the United States of America was planned.

Deliveries to the RAF had just started when the Armistice between the Allies and Germany was signed. Martinsyde was instructed to only complete those aircraft which were part built, while all other orders were cancelled. The Buzzard was not adopted as a fighter by the post war RAF, the cheaper Sopwith Snipe being preferred despite its lower performance. Martinsyde continued development of the Buzzard, buying back many of the surplus aircraft from the RAF, and producing two seat tourers and floatplanes. After the bankruptcy of Martinsyde in 1924, these aircraft were obtained by the Aircraft Disposal Company which continued to develop and sell F.4 variants for several years.

The Spanish Military Aviation acquired 20 aircraft of this type in 1921, for use in Morocco. In 1931 they were transfered to the Navy. At the beginning of the Civil War in 1936, 10 of these aircrafts are still in service, but only 7 in flight status. Located at the base of San Javier (Murcia) all of them fell in Republican hands. They were coded MS-2, MS-3, MS-5, MS-6, MS-7, MS-8, MS-10, being the MS-6 and MS-7 two-seaters.

[gekho]

In 1922 the Navy was testing the possibility of acquiring torpedo planes so in October of that year he sent to Britain to Lieutenant Vincent Cervera Jiménez-Alfaro and to witness the plane's flight test Blackburn T.1 Swift Mk.II to be held in London in November. The Swift Mk.II was the export version of Blackburn T.1 Swift, a large car biplane (14'55 m wingspan) capable of launching a 760 kg Whitehead torpedo. The Swift was designed to operate from aircraft carriers so its wings were folded back. Cervera's report should have been positive as a Royal Order dated March 17, 1923 provides for the granting of a loan of 663 864 pesetas to the acquisition of two Swift Mk.II the Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Sci. On 27 August of that year one of the Spanish Swift held an impressive demonstration of torpedo on the River Humber to representatives of the Admiralty, the British Air Ministry and commissioned a number of foreign governments (should be noted that the Swift also exported to the U.S. and Japan). The next day would be conducted acceptance tests satisfactorily and the two shortstops be declared fit for service by the Spanish Armada. In September both units shipped would be heading to Barcelona would initially framed in the School of Naval Aeronautics, airport El Prat de Llobregat. Received fees and M-M-NTBB NTBA. In this British airfield became instructors for the new type to several Spanish naval pilots. The original Swift cars were planes but apparently to teaching assignments could open some hatches after the position where the pilot could "accommodate" the instructor. However, in the photographs of the Spanish Swift clearly shows the existence of a second equipped with windshield.

In July 1927 approving the acquisition of a third shortstop Blackburn. It was Blackburn T.3 Velos of a Dart T.2 development which in turn derived from T.1 Swift. Unlike their predecessors had been designed as Velos seaplane (although the floats could be easily replaced by a train of wheels). The Velos was a most versatile device that Swift because, in addition to tasks could be used as a torpedo bomber (4 230 lb bombs.) And as a reconnaissance aircraft, for that it had an observer position with dual control and two Lewis guns of 7.95 mm. Scarff ring on front stock. Along with the Velos acquired two sets of floats with which to equip the Navy Swift was still in service. This constitutes the squadron (or Patrol) Aircraft equipped with 3 Torpedo Blackburn. The registry receives T.3 M-T.1 NTAC while new enrollments are M-and M-Ntab NTAA. The Squadron took part in naval maneuvers held in 1928 and 1929. From that date is already being felt material fatigue. On February 27, 1931 Blackburn occupied by Lieutenant Rafael Romero and Jesús Conde Rodríguez Núñez suffered an engine fire in flight. The pilot, barely visible, manages to turn over in the field of Prat was wounded. The machine was completely burnt. Blackburn were relegated to auxiliary tasks, serving in the Aviation Authority (Madrid) and the Photographic Service of Naval Aeronautics (San Javier). In the summer of 1931 had been made in Britain comparative tests between the Vickers and the Blackburn Ripon Vildebeest Mk.IV to select a new torpedo for the Navy. The Vildebeest was selected and a prototype equipped with Hispano-Suiza engine arrived in Spain in 1932 as a model for the national production of 25 copies. That same year was low the last Blackburn Spanish. The three Blackburn had been a great school that would allow the Spanish Naval Aviation to train pilots in the tactics of torpedoing and develop a doctrine of using this type of equipment that would be the basis for Spain in 1936 to have an independent force of three squadrons Vildebeest torpedo (a deterrent to keep in mind too). The outbreak of the Civil War would destroy all these efforts and within months the force of torpedo planes would be nothing to use their aircraft as a scattered land fronts on missions for which they were not designed.

(Translated with Google translator)

[Gnomey]

Nice stuff!

[gekho]

The Supermarine Scarab was a military flying-boat, based upon the Sea Eagle, built for the Spanish Naval Air Service. It was fitted with a .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun and a bomb load of 1,000 lb 454 kg. In early 1924, the Spanish Goverment acquired 12 reconnaissance and bombing hydroplanes, militarized version of the Supermarine Sea Eagle. Destinated to the carrier Dedalo, five of them were destroyed by an accident in August 25th, being used the rest of them at the landing of Alhucemas

[gekho]

The Macchi M.24 was a flying boat produced in Italy during the 1920s. Originally intended as a bomber, it was eventually produced for civilian use as well. The M.24 resembled a scaled-up version of earlier Macchi flying boat bombers such as the M.9 and M.18, sharing their biplane configuration and Warren truss-style interplane struts. However, while these earlier aircraft were single-engine types, the M.24 had twin engines mounted in a tractor-pusher pair on struts in the interplane gap. Also like the M.18, it featured an open position in the bow for a gunner, but added a second such position amidships as well. Two M.24s made a demonstration flight in 1925 from Macchi's home on Lake Varese, crossing the Alps to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Leningrad and home again. This feat was followed by torpedo-launching experiments. The M.24 saw extensive use with the Italian Navy, and several were purchased by the Spanish Navy.

The Spanish Naval Aviation Squadron used 6 Macchi M.24, mainly to reinforce the squadrons of Macchi M.18, Savoia S.16bis and Supermarine Scarab during the time of landing in Alhucemas (1925). They were mainly used for bombing missions, but the dimensions of the aircrafts avoid to be shipped at the Dedalo, and they had to operate from the airfield at Mar Chica (Nador). On September 14, 1925 they were employed in the activities of Cape Quilates, where they saw combat for the first time. Two of these hydroplanes were lost in accidents, being retired in 1927.

[nuuumannn]

Really fascinating stuff, Gekho. Enjoying your threads very much. Keep it up. The bottom picture in the D.H.9 lot shows a D.H.4, however. I'm also enjoying the Google translation!

[gekho]

Really fascinating stuff, Gekho. Enjoying your threads very much. Keep it up. The bottom picture in the D.H.9 lot shows a D.H.4, however. I'm also enjoying the Google translation!

You are welcome. I´m always glad to know people enjoy my threads. And sorry if the google translation is not the best, but it´s the faster way to do it.

[gekho]

The DH.4 was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland as a light two-seat day bomber powered by the new BHP engine. The prototype first flew in August 1916, powered by a prototype BHP engine rated at 230 hp (170 kW). While the DH.4 trials were promising, the BHP engine required major redesign before entering production, and the Rolls-Royce Eagle engine was selected as the DH.4's powerplant. The first order for 50 DH.4s, powered by 250 hp (186 kW) Eagle III engines was placed at the end of 1916. The aircraft was a conventional tractor biplane, of all wooden construction and with two bay wings. The crew of two were accommodated in widely spaced cockpits, separated by the fuel tank. The observer was armed with one or two .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Guns fitted on a Scarff ring, while a synchronised Vickers machine gun was fitted to the nose. A bombload of 460 lb (210 kg) could be fitted to external racks. While the crew arrangement gave good fields of view for the pilot and observer, it caused communication problems between the two crew members, particularly in combat, where the speaking tube linking the cockpits was of limited use. As production continued, DH.4s were fitted with Eagle engines of increasing power, settling on the 375 hp (280 kW) Eagle VIII, which powered the majority of front line DH.4s by the end of 1917. Because of the chronic shortage of Rolls-Royce aero engines in general, and Eagles in particular, alternative engines were also investigated, with the BHP (230 hp/170 kW), the Royal Aircraft Factory RAF3A (200 hp/150 kW), the Siddeley Puma (230 hp/170 kW) and the 260 hp (190 kW) Fiat, all being used in production aircraft. None of these engines could match the Rolls-Royce Eagle, however there were simply not enough Eagles available.

The Spanish Military Aviation acquired 45 of these aircrafts. They took part in the Morocco War, providing air cover for the Spanish troops in places like Tizzi Assa, Chefchaouen or Tizzi Moren. They carried out the first night bombing of the Spanish Military Aviation, made ​​over Beni Zuia and Zuia of Tisili, as well as other task like provisioning besieged troops . They paid a heavy toll since 35 of these machines were lost in combat or accidents. The last squadron of DH.4 disappeared months before completing the pacification of Morocco.

Source: Ejército del aire. DE HAVILLAND DH-4 -ROLLS- Airco DH.4 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[nuuumannn]

Aaah, that's more like it. Keep it up gekho; very much enjoying your threads.