Catalan Aeronautical Park Foundation

[gekho]

The Parc Aeronàutic de Catalunya Foundation was created in 1997, gathering together a heterogeneous group of well-known entities and people in the world of Catalonian aeronautics. The common link was the aim to retrieve and popularise the aeronautical heritage. Nowadays its headquarters are located at Sabadell Airport with two local branches at El Prat de Llobregat and Vilanova. In the two hangars in Sabadell the aeroplanes, gliders and helicopters are stored and restored to flying condition with the help of an Occupational Training School run by the Foundation. The school has 22 students who are taught the basics of this subject, and they will given a TMA (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer) qualification when they finish their studies. On the third Sunday of each month the headquarters are opened to the public and several of the twelve airworthy aeroplanes can be seen, as well as those under restoration and the static displays. Amongst the airworthy planes are the only T34 Mentor currently in flying condition in Europe, a Fairchild 24R, a T6D, two Bücker Jungmann, one not very old but a very rare S223 Flamingo, as well as a HA220 Supersaeta jet which operates from Gerona airport. The static aircraft include a F86 Sabre, a Lockheed T33 at Vilanova, and a Mignon Pou du Ciel, which can be seen at El Prat, along side an interesting replica of the Monocoqe in which the aviation pioneer, Hedilla, flew from Barcelona to Majorca. The publication of papers and lectures on subjects of historical interest, specially related to the beginnings of the aeronautical activities in Catalonia, complete the activities of this young cultural.

Planes Available:

Bücker 131 Jungmann
SIAT S223 Flamingo
Dornier Do27
Hispano Aviación HA-200 Saeta
Hispano Aviación HA-220 Super Saeta
Fairchild 24R Argus
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
Boeing 75 Stearman
North American T-6 Texan
Aerotécnica AC-12 Pepo
AISA I-115 Garrapata
Lockheed T-33A
Mignet HM-14 Pou du Ciel
Monocoque Hedilla II (rèplica)
North American F-86 Sabre
Polikarpov I-15 Chato (rèplica ¾)
Augusta Bell 47 G-2
Macchi MB-308
Aisa I-11B Vespa
McDonell Douglas F4 Phantom II
Zlin Z326 MF Trener-Master
Zlin Z526 Akrobat
Jodel D112 i D1190S
Cessna 170 A i B
Fairey Tippsy Nipper T66 MkII
DE HAVILLAND DH82 "TIGER MOTH"
Scheibe Mü 13E Bergfalke

 

[gekho]

The HA-200 Saeta (Dart) was the first Spanish turbojet aircraft. It was developed from the earlier piston powered trainer the HA-100 Triana with the participation of Willy Messerschmitt. The HA-200 was a low winged monoplane of all metal construction, with a tricycle undercarriage. It was powered by two Turboméca Marborés mounted side by-side in the forward fuselage and fed from an intake in the nose, exhausting from nozzles just aft of the wing trailing edge. The crew of two was accommodated in tandem in a pressurised cockpit, the first to be Spanish built and designed.

The prototype first flew on 12 August 1955, and the first production aircraft flew in October 1962. The HA-200A aircraft were delivered to the Spanish Air Force with the designation E.14. A single seat version (the HA-220) for the ground-attack role was developed and delivered to the Spanish Air Force with the designation C.10, first flying on 25 April 1970, remaining in service until the end of 1981. The aircraft was built in Egypt under licence as the Helwan HA-200B Al-Kahira by the Helwan Air Works.

FPAC owns a unit for static display that stands at the entrance of our branch of Vilanova i La Geltrú. This Saeta was acquired some years ago by the 'Centre Aeri'. The other one is still airworthy.

 

[gekho]

The North American T-6 Texan was known as "the pilot maker" because of its important role in preparing pilots for combat. Derived from the 1935 North American NA-16 prototype, a cantilever low-wing monoplane, the Texan filled the need for a basic combat trainer during WW II and beyond. The original order of 94 AT-6 Texans differed little from subsequent versions such as the AT-6A (1,847) which revised the fuel tanks or the AT-6D (4,388) and AT-6F (956) that strengthened as well as lightened the frame with the use of light alloys. In all, more than 17,000 airframes were designed to the Texan standards.

North American's rapid production of the T-6 Texan coincided with the wartime expansion of the United States air war commitment. As of 1940, the required flights hours for combat pilots earning their wings had been cut to just 200 during a shortened training period of seven months. Of those hours, 75 were logged in the AT-6.

FPAC owns a T-6 for static display in Vilanova i la Geltrú and there is another one from a private collector in airworthy condition. This last one is the D version and comes from France. Due to an engine failure that ended in an emergency landing in La Cerdanya, it will remain in the workshop and away from air displays for some time.

 

[gekho]

In the early 1990s, New Zealand pilot and entrepreneur Tim (later Sir Tim) Wallis' Alpine Fighter Collection organised the restoration of three I-153s and six I-16s to an airworthy condition, this project being completed in 1999 as the third and final I-153 arrived in New Zealand. These aircrafts are equipped with AZsh-62IR geared radials instead of M-62, which were non-geared. The reason is that AZsh-62IR is just a version of M-62, with absolute equality in all instead of a frontal gearbox and weapon synchronizer absence. Also, none of original engines from recovered wrecks could have been brought to life. After a spectacular international debut at Warbirds over Wanaka 1998 (for the I-16s) and 2000 (for the I-153s), some of the aircraft were sold off around the world, to the Commemorative Air Force in the U.S., to Jerry Yagen of Virginia, and an I-16 to Spain. All of the I-16s have been sold to overseas owners, and although some I-153s remain at Wanaka, it is believed all will eventually depart for elsewhere.

 

[gekho]

The plane was specifically designed as a trainer for RAF pilots and became the most famous biplane constructed by De Havilland. Little after its maiden flight it was approved by the Training Command as an elementary trainer. It performed excellently this role till the type was retired in 1951. It is a two-seat biplane with steel tube fuselage and wooden wings, all of it with fabric coverings.

The Tiger Moth was treasured by the pilots. Not only did it fly smoothly but it was also possible to do aerobatics. Almost all British and Commonwealth pilots who participated in WWII had begun to fly in a Tiger Moth. After the war the RAF retired and transferred the aircrafts to flying clubs in the UK and Europe alike.

In our country the Tiger Moth was also used as a trainer by the Republican Army. It did the same function as the Bückers of the National side. About a dozen of them survived the war and were handed over to flying clubs, being a highly appreciated plane by pilots. In 1963 they were finally retired except the EC-AFM that kept flying in the flying club of San Sebastian until it suffered a serious accident beyond repair in 1971.

Our unit, which bears a RAF scheme, belongs to a private collector and flies in our trust's displays. It was brought from England by Ignacio Duch and Pepe Rubira at the end of 2004.

 

[gekho]

German biplane designed in 1934 as an elementary trainer. The airframe is made of steel tubes covered with wood and metal panes. The wing structure is entirely made of wood. Both fuselage and wing has fabric coverings. The first German type used to have a 105 HP Hirth HM 504A-2 power plant. The plane enjoyed an enormous success and it was produced under license in four different countries. As an example, only in Japan 1.037 units were produced. Karl Clemens Bücker served as an Imperial German Navy pilot during WWI. After the war, it was not possible to build planes in Germany on account of the ban imposed by the allies. So in 1921 he founded in Sweden the aviation factory Svenska Aero Aktiebolaget, its main asset being the fighter J.6 Jakfalk which was used by the Scandinavian air force. In 1933 he moved to Berlin where he established his own corporation: the Bücker Flugzegbau GmbH. It is in Berlin that he began to build the planes which were to bear his name. The first of them was the Bücker 131 Jungman, which was designed by him and the Swedish engineer Anders J. Anderson.

The first airplanes of this type arrived in Spain during the Spanish Civil War in order to help the rebel army. Later, during WWII the Bücker Jungmann was the standard trainer of the Luftwaffe and the Japanese Imperial Navy Aviation. About 500 units of the airplane were constructed under license in Spain by CASA (Construcciones Aeronáuticas, S.A.) between 1941 and 1963. Most of them were fitted with the 125 HP engine Tigre, which used to be produced in Barcelona by the corporation Elizalde and later by ENMASA. Several generations of Spanish pilots learned to fly with "La Bücker'; this is the name the aviators used to give to this plane. It is a very demanding plane on the ground, but once in the air it flies smoothly and has a staggering maneuverability. Besides it 'warns' the novices of their errors so that they are still on time to correct them.

FPAC owns tree Bücker. Two of them are in airworthy condition (EC-DAU and EC-FTZ), while the third is at present undergoing restoration to make it airworthy too. All of them were built by CASA under the name CASA 1131. They were used as elementary military trainers for many years, till at the end of the 80's the last of them were definitively removed from service. Most of the airplanes were sent to foreign countries. However the Air Force gave some of them to DGAC, which delivered them to flying clubs and other organizations. The Bücker EC-FUU (in the Air Force EB554 and in CASA nº 2167) was specifically destined to FPAC and needed a thorough refurbishment. DAU and FTZ have been operated for many years by the flying club of Sabadell to form aerobatic pilots. Flying the Bücker means also the preservation of a very special kind of aviation skills, mainly thanks to the remarkable task of flight instructor Josep Maria Arroyo. He has been in active service with Bükers since 1953. From January 2003 onwards FPAC operates these airplanes.

 

[gekho]

This was the first jet plane destined to be a trainer of future jet fighter pilots. Known by pilots as the 'T-Bird' or just 'T', it was actually a two-seat development of the F-80 'Shooting Star' (the first North American operative jet). The T33 would be one of the most famous trainers ever. Thousand of pilots received training in this aircraft and it served in tens of countries besides the USA, among them Spain. Sixty aircrafts of the type were deployed in our country in 1954. They were designed E15 and were the first jets to enter service with the Spanish Air force. The E15 served as trainer in the 'Escuela de Reactores' of Talavera Real (Badajoz) and later with the '41 Grupo' in Zaragoza. The aircraft was retired from active service in 1985. It was replaced by the Northrop F5B and the CASA C101 in Talavera and Zaragoza respectively.

It was an easy to fly and maneuverable aircraft that made Spanish pilots familiar with a new way to operate, which was far more based on procedures than before. They also got used to the high speeds and less response of the jet engines. The type flew 79000 hours and almost all the jet pilots of that time trained in it. Only two T-33A were lost in accidents. FPAC owns a unit for static display in Vilanova and there is another one in front of the Terminal of Reus Airport, which was restored in 1999. Both of them come from the 41 Grupo of Zaragoza.

 

[gekho]

Because of the ban on constructing aircrafts in Germany after WWII, Professor Klaus Dornier junior established in 1949 the technical office of the company Dornier in Madrid, Spain. His company competed in a contest of the Spanish Air Force to evaluate an aircraft with STOL characteristics that was to substitute the old fashioned WWII Fiesseler 'Storch' (stork in German). Thus, the Dornier DO25 was designed. It was built by CASA and fitted with an ENMASA Tigre engine (the former firm Elizalde of Barcelona). It never got through the prototype phase because of an utter lack of power. Nevertheless, when fitted with a Continental engine it won the contest in front of the design of AISA and Dewoitine. It was renamed Dornier DO27.

The Dornier DO27 was the first plane to be built in the Federal Republic of Germany after WWII, where more than six hundred units were produced. Besides, CASA constructed fifty units for the Spanish Air Force. The first of them were delivered in 1960. It became such a popular aircraft that in 1973 some additional Dorniers were bought from the German Air force.

It is an all-metal airplane but for the control surfaces, which has fabric coverings. The wing's leading edge bears slats and the flaps are of the double slotted type. A part of the ailerons are lowered together with the flaps.

The Dornier DO 27 is a worthy successor of its predecessor 'Storch'. It is a robust and powerful plane, capable of landing on rough strips in little space and it is extremely suitable for slow flying. Its only flaws are the tendency to swap ends, little effective brakes and inadequate suspension. It has a monohull fuselage and it mounts disk brakes and oleo struts.

The Dornier DO 27 is a multi role plane. It has been used by about a dozen countries for a wide range of operational missions such as reconnaissance and transport. Besides it has also served many other purposes: Aero taxi, ambulance, passenger airlift, tow plane for gliders, parachuting, etc. It is worth mentioning that there are many different versions of this airplane, for instance it may be fitted with a turboprop, skis, floats, etc.

It has been one of the airplanes with the longest operative life in the Spanish Air Force. Almost every airbase used to have one or more DO27 for transport and liaison operations. For instance, they were often used as shuttles to supply spare parts for Mirages or Phantoms when they were stationed out of their home bases. Till 1975 the Dorniers with base in Aaiun, Smara, etc, performed missions of transport, airlift and reconnaissance over Sahara. FPAC owns three Dorniers. One of them (EC-CHQ) is in airworthy condition and still bears the Air Force's olive green camouflage scheme. The EC-CFO is at present stored awaiting reconstruction and the third one stands on static display at the entrance of Sabadell Airport with the imaginary registration number EC-PAC. It is painted in the colors of the tow airplanes of 'Aviación Civil' of Ocaña and Monflorite. This airplane has had most of its systems and engine removed.

There is also a Dornier (EC-BSX) that flies along us in our air displays. It belongs to a private collector.

All the Dorniers we own were built in Friedrichhafen, southern Germany. They used to belong to a group of 26 airplanes that the Spanish Air Force purchased from the Germans. After their service with the military, they were handed over to 'Aviacion Civil' and were flown as tow planes in sailplane training schools. For instance, in the logbook of CHQ there is amazing number of entries of this activity when it was stationed in Montflorite (Huesca).

After their service as tow planes, the 'Dirección General de Aviación Civil' transferred them to our trust. The EC-CHQ was operated for some time by the flying club of Sabadell, without much success though. The reason was the difficulty of handling a tail-dragger, the fact that to fly it an exam of DGAV was required (because of its weight beyond 1500Kg), etc. As a result it flew very few hours in the flying club and was eventually returned to FPAC once our group of pilots was finally consolidated.

 

[gekho]

The aircraft was designed in 1948 by the Beech Aircraft Corporation and was a development of the civil V-tail version. At the time the USAF was looking for new basic trainer, more simple and economical to operate than the T6. In March 1953, after being evaluated with two other competitors, the T-34A became the USAF basic trainer. The US Navy also chose the aircraft, although with some modifications and named it T-34B. There were built 1.285 units of the aircraft in the United States, Canada, Japan and Argentina.

After some time, the USAF decided to keep the Mentor as their trainer but fitted it with a turboprop instead of the original piston engine. In 1973 the T-34C entered service fitted with a Pratt and Whitney turbine, the Canada PT6-25 which developed 715 HP and enabled a cruise speed of 395 Km/h. In 1957 the first Mentors entered service in Spain at the base of San Javier as trainers for the student cadets. They operated successfully till 1989, when they were replaced by the Pillan.

The retired Mentors were handed over to the Uruguay Air Force. At present only four Mentors remain in Spain. One of them for static display at San Javier, another at the Air Force's museum at Cuatro Vientos, one belonging to FIO (undergoing restoration) and lastly, the one of FPAC which is the only one in airworthy condition in Europe. Our Mentor was given us by the Spanish Air Force. Nevertheless it does not belong to the initial group of aircrafts of American help, but it was purchased from a private in Florida. Thanks to this purchase there are still some Mentors in Spain, since the American help aircrafts were all to be returned to the United Sates or handed over to a third country. The units given to Uruguay were later handed over to Bolivia where they are still flying and being modernized. This is also the reason why our Mentor has characteristics from the T-34A and T-34B alike.

 

[gekho]

The Bell 47 might be regarded as the first operative helicopter ever. Although previously other helicopters had flown, it was this simple and practical helicopter that popularized the helicopter's use among civil and military alike. On account of its outstanding visibility, reliability and swiftness, it became one of the most widely used helicopters of the world.

Its design is rather unusual: The fuselage is a structure of welded steel tubes with no coverings whatsoever, with the exception of a simple Plexiglas bubble: the cockpit. The engine and fuel tanks have no cowling and are situated just behind the pilot. Under the two-blade rotor there is a bar with two counterweights for gyroscopic stabilization. The tail rotor is quite big. Altogether 3.500 units were constructed. The Italian corporation Augusta built 1.100 units, the Japanese Kawasaki 300 and the British Westland 100.

In May 1961 the firsts five AB-47s were delivered to the 'Escuela de Helicopteros' at Cuatro Vientos. Other units were later shipped, totaling 25. They operated till 1986. These helicopters have participated in civil and military operations. The Army, the Navy, the FAMET and the 'Dirección General de Tráfico' have used them.

 

[gekho]

It was designed in 1933 as a further development of the I-5 and was deployed in the USSR the following year. In Spain it entered service in 1936. It was a single seat biplane with steel tube fuselage and wooden wings with fabric coverings. It was fitted with a non-retractable landing gear with no coverings and a fixed-pitch propeller that could be adjusted on the ground though. It was one of the most used aircrafts by the Republican Army during the Spanish Civil War. A large number of units were transported by sea, while others, from 1937 onwards, were constructed in Sabadell and Reus. Altogether, 368 'Chatos' entered service in our country.

The nickname 'Chato' stems from the fact that it was an unusually short plane, let alone the enormous cowling of the radial engine. The plane was rather fast for its era, had a good climbing performance and was amazingly maneuverable. It was robust and thanks to its remarkable firepower could successfully face the FIAT CR32 of the National Army. It was only overcome by the monoplane fighters with retractable landing gear. Over the war, the National Army used the remaining 'Curtiss' (so they named them) in their Air Force till 1948.

The unit of FPAC is a ¾ scale replica thought to be flown as an ultra-light. When it was almost finished by Eduard Fatjó I Perellada, he unfortunately suffered a fatal aviation accident. His family donated the 'Chato' to FPAC. The plane was so masterly built that we decided to leave one wing uncovered and put the aircraft on static display, so that everyone could admire the high finish of the aircraft. In many aspects it is identical to the original Polikarpov. This plane is one of our most precious items at our branch of Vilanova i la Geltrú.

 

[gekho]

Acknowledged as one of the finest fighter-bombers ever built, the Phantom was the maximal exponent of the multi-role aircraft, a concept so in fashion nowadays. The project was born in 1953 when the US NAVY initiated a program to develop a new carrier-based jet fighter. The new aircraft should be a compromise between speed, maneuverability, pay load, weight and power. After studying numerous proposals, the product proposed by Mc Donell Douglas showed an evident superiority. So after evaluating two prototypes the US NAVY immediately ordered its mass production.

The potential of the new aircraft was soon demonstrated by accumulating records. For instance, the absolute altitude world record was achieved by the prototype on 6th December 1959 climbing to an altitude of 30.040m. Later, the Phantom would get 14 additional records, among them the absolute speed world record when on 22nd November 1961 a Phantom accelerated to 2.585 Km/h.

Throughout its operative live, 5.201 units of different versions of the Phantom were built. The main versions were the F-4B for the Navy, the F4-c for the USAF, the F-4E for exportation, the F-4K for the Royal Navy and the RF-4C photographic reconnaissance. This aircraft entered combat in many late 20th century conflicts, like in the Vietnam War and the Near East. It was operated by the Air Forces of various countries. The Phantoms were delivered to Spain on 14th June 1971. The new F-4C went to 'Ala 12' where they were organized in two squadrons; the 121st 'Poker' and 122nd 'Tennis', whereas with the RF-4C was born the reconnaissance 123rd squadron 'Titan'. For the first time Spain disposed of state of the art fighters. It represented an invaluable qualitative jump for the Air Force. The Phantoms remained operative until they were replaced by the F-18 Hornet. On 13th September 1990 the F-4C were retired and the RF-4C in 2002. The F-4C of our collection was the 122-13 and it arrived at Sabadell dismantled in three big trucks. It is currently being reassembled and restored.

 

[gekho]

This is a replica of the airplane flown by Salvador Hedilla on 2nd July 1916 in the first flight Barcelona-Palma. It was the first plane ever built in Barcelona. Some time later it made a remarkable flight Barcelona-Santander (the birthplace of Hedilla). It was fitted with a Rotary engine and was entirely constructed in wood with fabric coverings. It is worth saying that it did not have ailerons, so the roll was controlled through the torsion of the tip of the wings.

The 'Associació d'Amics de l'Aeronàutica' began the construction of this replica in 1995. Out of the scarce graphic material available, Joan Llargues managed to drawn the planes. The construction was initiated by Enric Pallarés, resumed and finished in 1992 by Pau Marin with the help of volunteers. The engine is the work of Pere Pérez. When the trust merged with FPAC, the plane enlarged the collection destined for the future 'Museu Aeronàutic de Catalunya'. At present it is displayed at our branch of El Prat de Llobregat. On account of the value of this extraordinary item, FPAC published a monograph explaining the history of the plane, its performance and the whole process of reconstruction.

 

[gekho]

This aircraft is a military trainer designed in 1948 by Iberavia, a company later absorbed by Aeronautica Industrial, S.A (AISA). It was designed by a team of engineers leaded by Juan de Campo Aguilera for the Air Force, in order to replace their obsolete trainers Bücker Jungmann.On account of a lack of raw materials the aircraft was constructed mainly in wood, thus making it notoriously heavy. Moreover it was also underpowered fitted with the only available engines; the national produced ENMASA engines. As a result the I-115 had a disturbing tendency to quickly enter in a spin.

After two prototypes, it entered the production lines in 1956. About 200 units were produced in the AISA factory of Carabanchel, which is close to Cuatro Vientos. The E-9 (its Air Force name) never fulfilled the mission it was designed for; So that the E-9 flew for many years along the Bücker, the plane it was supposed to replace. It was mainly used for basic training in instrumental flight and as re-trainer of pilots. At least it fully replaced the HM1, which was also a Spanish airplane designed by Pedro Huarte Mendicoa. The HM1 'enjoyed' even a worse fame than the Garrapata. Pilots joked saying that HM stood for 'Hombre Muerto', Dead Man in Spanish. This airplane never received an official name. It is believed that it was nicknamed 'Garrapata' by the Air Force cadets because of the annoying tendency to stick to the ground during take-off, like a 'garrapata' (tick in Spanish).

In 1976 they were retired and most of them were handed over to flying clubs. There is one unit still flying in the flying club of Menorca and the FIO owns an airworthy Garrapata as well. The flying club of Sabadell used to operate three of them, but they were retired after two accidents. FPAC owns three units. One of them was thoroughly restored by our workshop's students and painted by voluntary members. There is also the EC-CQO (former military registration number 79-64) that was savaged from a depot by the Amics de l'Aeronàutica. Finally, the EC-DEI used to belong to the flying club of La Cerdanya and we are trying to make it airworthy again.

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots!

 

[DBII]

Thanks for posting, you have some nice shots.

DBII

 

[wheelsup_cavu]

Cool shots.
I especially like the F-4's.


Wheels

 

[gekho]

This new texan has just been restored and now is ready to fly with the FPAC.

 

[gekho]

A couple of years ago an ucranian fumigation company that was operanting in Spain went bankrupt, being all its assets seized by the spanish tax office. Four Antonovs remained at the peninsula, being one of them sold to the FPAC. A group of polish technician moved to Spain to certified that the plane was in airworthy conditions. At the present the Foundation is seeking for money to restore the aircraft, since so many years under the sun has damaged the structure of the plane.