Chilean Air Force

[gekho]

The first step towards the current FACh was taken by Teniente Coronel Pedro Pablo Dartnell, when he founded the Servicio de Aviación Militar de Chile (Military Aviation Service of Chile) on December 20, 1910, being trained as a pilot in France. Although a school was included, the first officers were sent to France for their training as well. One of them, Captain Manuel Ávalos Prado, took command over the Chilean military aviation school that was officially instated 11 February 1913, and remained in command until 1915. The Escuela de Aviación Militar (Military Aviation School) was named in honor of him in 1944, and still carries that name today.

In those early years many aviation milestones were achieved; conquering the height of The Andes was one of the main targets as well as long distance flights. Typical aircraft of that era were Avro 504, Bleriot XI, Bristol M.1C, DH.9, and SE5a. In the following decade, the (Airmail Line of Chile) Línea Aeropostal de Chile was created on 5 March 1929 as a branch of the military aviation. This postal airline later developed into the airline Línea Aérea Nacional (National Airline) that is still the leading airline in Chile today. Shortly afterwards, on 21 March 1930, the existing aviation elements of the army and navy were amalgamated into a dedicated department: the Subsecretaria de Aviación (Department of the Air Force) effectively creating the current independent Air Force. It was initially named Fuerza Aérea Nacional(National Air Force). The international airport of Chile carries the name of Lan's founding father and first commander of the air force, Arturo Merino Benítez.

The first outlines of the organization of the current air force were visible in 1945 with the inception of Grupo de Transporte No.1 (First Transport Group), later renumbered Grupo 10, with two C-45s and a single T-6 Texan at Los Cerrillos. Two years later the first Fuerza Aérea flight to Antarctica was performed. The fifties meant entry into the jet age for the FACh, and Grupo 7 was the first unit to receive them in 1954. Chile got its aircraft from both the United States and Europe. The American supply consisted of Lockheed F-80, Lockheed T-33, Beech T-34 Mentor, Cessna T-37, Cessna A-37 Dragonfly and Northrop F-5E/F for example, whereas the British supplied Hawker Hunters and the French delivered various helicopters and Dassault Mirage 50 aircraft. The Chilean air force hosted the joint exercise Salitre with other friendly nations.

 

[gekho]

In 1919 the Naval Aviation Service starts its flying activities with the arrival of their first naval aircraft delivered by England as compensation for the confiscation, because of World War I, of several naval units under construction in that country, which were delivered by the Royal Navy. Chile received as compensation 50 aircraft, of which a party of 11 seaplanes came to form the first units of the Naval Aviation; 6 Short 184, 2 Sopwith Baby, 2 Avro 504 and a Felixtone F-2A.

 

[gekho]

On 7 March 1925, Curtiss was awarded a contract for 15 production examples of the XPW-8B as the P-1, this being the first fighter to which the company assigned the name Hawk. Externally similar to the XPW-8B, the P-1 was of mixed construction with wooden wings and steel-tube fuselage with fabric skinning, and was powered by a 435hp Curtiss V-1150-1 12-cylinder water-cooled engine. The final five aircraft were completed as P-2s, three of these later being converted to P-1A standards. Follow-on contracts were placed on 9 September 1925 for 25 P-1As (which had a 7.62cm longer fuselage); on 17 August 1926 for 25 P-1Bs (with V-1150-3 engine, larger wheels and modified radiator), and on 3 October 1928 for 33 P-1Cs (with wheel brakes). All these sub-types carried an armament of two 7.62mm guns. In the meantime, the USAAC had ordered advanced trainers utilising the same airframe, these comprising 35 AT-4s (180hp Wright V-720), five AT-5s and 31 AT-5As (220hp Wright R-790), and, in 1929, these were re-engined with the V-1150-3, all 35 AT-4s becoming P-1Ds and four AT-5s and 24 AT-5As becoming P-1Es and P-1Fs respectively. These conversions were essentially similar to the P-1B apart from having only one gun. Four P-1s were supplied to Bolivia, one P-1A went to Japan, and eight P-1As and eight P-1Bs were supplied to Chile.

 

[gekho]

The first Wal takeoff, with BMW engines, made the sixth novembra 1922nd Total produced about 300 pieces. This number has been produced in Italy for firms Costruzioni Meccaniche Aeronautiche SA (CMAS) in Marina di Pisa, Piaggio 150, CASA in Spain in 40, in the Netherlands in the company Aviolanda to 50 in Japan at Kawasaki 3 aircraft. Javascript constraints arising from the peace treaty after Versailskej I. World War II, was produced in Germany until 1932. There were two basic versions, a civilian transport (Wal-Verkehr) and military (Wal-military). Of these, unfolded subversion, differing in most engines. The biggest changes were made to type, called the Super Walmart, a sophisticated hull and equipped with two or four motormy. Wal-Verkehr flown by civilian carriers in Italy, Japan and Deutsche Aero Lloyd. Military version used by the Navy of Spain, Chile (8 pieces, produced by CMAS, from 1926 to 1943) and Brazil (7), Argentina (5 pieces made in CMAS), Colombia (4) and Uruguay (2).

 

[gekho]

At the beginning of years 1920, Henry Ford along with other 19 investors, including a their Edsel son, invested in the Stout Metal Airplane Company. In 1925, Ford bought the Stout and its designs of airplanes that were influenced by Hugo Junkers. Ford adapted the conventional airplane of Stout of a unique engine with three radial engines air cooled of Wright Company. After a series of evidence and a fire that destroyed the previous designs, one obtained airplanes 4-AT and 5-AT. Ford Trimotor used a metallic construction that was not an innovative concept but he was not either the habitual thing in the decade of 1920. The airplane had an aspect similar to Fokker F.VII, but completely metalist: their wings were of aluminum that was indented to increase its resistance, becoming the characteristic of the airplane. The Transcontinental Air Transport, that later would comprise of the TWA, used the airplane for its air service between San Diego and New York in 1929.

An 4-AT equipped with J-4 engines made de Wright of 200 CV for the Air corps of the Army like C-3 model, and seven airplanes with R-790-3 engines (of 235 CV) like model C-3A. These last ones were updated with R-975-1 engines of 300 CV and famous ones like C-9. Also five made 5-AT with the denominations of C-4 or C-4A. The original model of the 4-AT was equipped with three radial engines of Wright. It took a crew of three people who consisted of a pilot, a copilot and a stewardess, and could transport eight or nine passengers. The 5-AT took engines of greater power of Pratt Whitney. All the models used indented aluminum laminae for the fuselage and the wings. Nevertheless, like many airplanes of their time, the surfaces of flight control were of fabric. Also, the indicators of the engines were mounted in the outside, on the engines and the pilot had to read them through windshield.

Like the automobiles and tractors, the airplanes of Ford well were designed, were relatively cheap and reliable for the standards of their time. The fast development of aviation then (Douglas DC-2 would appear in 1932), obtained that Ford stopped being interested in aviation industry. Although Ford did not remove benefit from the business of aviation, the reputation of Ford supported the credibility of aviation industry and helped with the introduction of aspects of the infrastructure of modern aviation, like paved landing fields, terminal of passengers, hangáres, airmail and navigation by radium. The Engine was not the last operation of Ford in the aeronautical production. During World War II, Ford constructed the greater factory of assembly of airplanes of the world and mounted B-24 bombers under license of Consolidated Aircraft.

In the case of Suramérica and they were used to the aerolineas: Avensa of Venezuela, Varig of Brazil, LAN Chile of Chile, Avianca of Colombia, Aerolineas Argentine of Argentina and Aeroperú of Peru. The Chilean National Air Lines LAN operated the Ford TriMotor between 1930 to 1939.

 

[Gnomey]

Interesting stuff!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Amen!

 

[gekho]

The Arados were commissioned in January 1939 Aviation Group 2 in Quintero. The serial numbers were 1 to 9. In March of that year the n º s 7, 8 and 9 were transferred to No. 6 Group in Punta Arenas. Subsequently, the N ° s 7 and 8 were changed by s 3 and No 5 of G2, since these were the only radio available. The only incident recorded is the No. 4, on June 3, 1942 sinks in the Bay of Quintero on impact with a log right float semi-submerged in the career of ditching. Since late 1942 there were only 3 in service, mainly by corrosion problems in engines. These were magnesium is very sensitive to the marine environment. All aircraft were able to be equipped with either wheels with floats, which were interchangeable. "

 

[gekho]

The Ba 65 was part of a consignment of aircraft purchased in Europe in 1937, by the committee led by the Commander in Chief Diego Aracena, backed by the comprehensive and compelling report provides one of the officers responsible for evaluating pilots of the model in Italian factory, then 1 st Lt. Enrique Flores Alvarez. Along Engineer 1st Lt. Raul Barros Alamos, arrived in September 1937 to conduct the technical evaluation test flights in the Breda factory in Milan and an operational visit to the Spanish Nationalist aircraft at that time employed in the Civil War.

The Chileans B-65 were fitted with a Piaggio PXI-C 40, 14-cylinder radial double star, which gave a power of 900 HP and reached the 1,000 HP with Cento Piu system, which was a kind of afterburner That could be used in case of emergency or high altitude (was triggered automatically to 15,000 - 5,000 meters - feet through a system of altimetry), but only for a few seconds, intermittently at low altitude, otherwise risked to melt the engine and the plane caught fire as a result. As a result of not complying with the restriction itself Test Pilot melted Italian Nicola Magaldi FACH Breda motor 1, having an emergency landing in a field of La Cisterna, north of Air Base El Bosque.These aircrafts were armed with four machine guns (2 of 2, 12.7 mm and 7.7 mm) mounted inside the wings and a tower with a 7.7-mm machine gun., commanded hydraulically and mounted on the central section of upper fuselage behind the cockpit , Which was dismantled and the section covered with a fairing cover is screwed to the structure, could also carry bombs in a compartment located in the center plane of the wing. In Chile, used very little time, being removed in its entirety.

The 20 aircraft, 17 Ba 65 and 3 twin-seaters Ba 65a arrived in Chile in December 1938, being assigned to Group 4 Advanced Attack and Instruction in the historic Air Base in El Bosque. Unfortunately, the Breda 65 suffered a lot of accidents, and for example the lieutenant fell Fernando Traub September 13, 1939 while starting a practice flight for the military parade in 17 and the air force lieutenant Ramon Ortiz in the Breda 11 FACH on November 3, 1939, both died as a result of accidents. On 31 October the same year 1st Lieutenant Hernán López Angulo providentially saved, when flying the FACH Breda five suffers an engine failure starting to catch fire, so the pilot to maneuver the aircraft makes emergency landing in a pasture north of Los Cerrillos, with some injuries, leaving the plane, it ends on fire destroyed resulting in 95% (report FACH) so obviously it is dropped from the inventory, finally FACH Breda 8 is with considerable damage when the pilot made ​​an emergency landing. In November 1939, the 15 survivors are left out of flight, but are kept until 1941 when they retired from active duty. The entrance of Italy into the war and the consequent lack of supply of spares sealed the fate of the Breda 65 Chileans.

When Americans began their intervention in the Chilean Air Force evaluated the plane, giving a favorable report thereon, which was summarized in that statement was the poor responsible for the accident and not the technical quality of the aircraft, except in specific cases failure as the FACH 5, even proposed that there will be a prior instruction in the Texan, and later started the course in the Italian plane. Assertive or should report, since the instruction they were given after 1940, so it was supposed to be optimal.

 

[gekho]

The JU-86 were assigned to the Aviation Group No. 4, settled at that time in El Bosque. However, the commissioning of these aircraft had originally unexpected problems due to repeated failures of the motors, characterized by ruptured internal parts (pistons, rods, etc.), the ghost of the infamous "other" Cheetah "rondo other Once through the forest, the air force so applied again to the experienced German engineer Carlos Warche K., to curb the situation, which resulted in operational problems over which faults in engine plants. Overcome the impasse planes began their normal flight schedules. At the beginning of next year (January 1939) the Group 4 represents a further milestone in aviation history to be the body Chilean first humanitarian airlift established in our country and go to the aid of the victims of the devastating earthquake in Chillan, Amid all this activity has an accident takes the JU-86 No. 7 in the town of Linares. Completed the contingent of emergency triggered by the quake, three months later, on 4 May, appointed a commission to study whether the JU-86 No. 7 could be recovered and returned to service. Chaired the committee the commander Rodolfo T. Berry, seconded by David Yuseff U. commander, Captain Carlos Nogueira G. and engineer Carlos Warche K.

On day 26 the group of airmen returned to Morón to review and provide aircraft refueling and its readiness for the return flight the next day. Early the morning of 27 men in the Chilean Air Force (and passenger) started back to Chile, heading to Mendoza and landing at the aerodrome of Plumerillo about 15:30. The only novelty was the last plane blew a tire upon landing, fortunately, was near the end of the race so that the accident caused only a slow carousel until the Junkers could stop, yet so so good. However, then things would a turn toward disaster, after completing the fuel refuel the five twin-engine that could fly back again, Plumerillo staff were informed of a bad weather front approaching the high mountains and would most likely be on her when she reached the Chilean training that latitude, but inexplicably this timely information was rejected.

So, at 16:45 hours, started the boom of the five remaining aircraft and after a while it seemed that the squad had advanced to bad weather, since it already was visible in the distance the Maipo Valley. At that time the crew realized they swiftly approached a huge, dense, turbulent low cloud cover. So, the first of the JU-86 was able to swoop in the Maipo Valley and San Bernardo after sight, and with little shelter, turned northward in search of El Bosque, where it landed intact with a roof that exceeded 100 meters!. Such fortune did not accompany the other four Junkers, as already blinded by the clouds crews had to descend rapidly and land where they could.

A second Ju-86 down south, managed to land in a field resulting in minor damage to its undercarriage. The third landed in a field also (Puente Alto), but was left with minor damage to fuselage and wings produced by the thorns of the place. The fourth unit, after dodging mountains and trees, was to give in a swamp in the vicinity of San Vicente de Tagua-Tagua. The fifth and final twin was the one who took the brunt: crash-landed in the Andean foothills in the sector "Lontué River Island", result: one minor injury and semi equipment destroyed, eventually being given the only low and scrapped after the abrupt end of the raid to Argentina.

In February 18, 1941 the director of information services to the superiority Dc BMW 132 engines. operational failures were presented again. These anomalies led to broken cylinder head, crank breaks auxiliary general Agrippa overheating and failure of the spark plugs. The technical reason for this was that these engines and compressors to boost them in our country had made ​​various modifications. Moreover, the abnormal wear of the compressor turbine was due to the continued operation unpaved runways and dusty as was the case of El Bosque and then Iquique (High Hospice) consequently resulting in overall failure. The short duration of the spark plugs should be apart from their regular quality, who had worked at higher temperatures than normal for the reasons already stated.

In May 1941 he resigned the JU-86 No. 4, which in February this year had suffered a severe accident during takeoff from the airstrip of Angol, being almost completely destroyed. Then in September 1942, the JU-86 No. 11 crashed in Ovalle, Aerodrome Tuqui, resulting in irreparable damage, worse death of his flight engineer. In all these casualties were added Junkers No. 7, 10 and 12, the last two from his eventful return from Argentina were used as banks of parts, which determined that by the end of 1942 the fleet of JU-86K in service was the only six aircraft (No. 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9), plus one (No. 222, then 901) of the JU-86Z (for zivile or Civil) acquired LAN late last year and used to transport passengers. 1945 was the last year they were operating the JU-86K in the air force, in fact the aircraft that flew this year was only No. 803 and 806 (plus the stated case No. 902), whose latest developments were made in September that year.

Source: EDITORIAL MANUTARA: LOS JUNKERS JU-86 EN CHILE

 

[gekho]

The flight of the 12 Douglas A-24B to Chile was made in four times of three planes each, identified by the names of the officers leading each of them, this is the captain Alfonso flocking Scheihing and lieutenants Jorge Lopez, Eduardo Alfredo Middleton and Lavin (not necessarily in the same order.) The aircraft journey to Chile was not exactly easy. Great distances, weather variables, several drops, disease and failure of the crew under the bombers characterized various stages of flight, which also can be seen in several cases of the Vultee BT-13 and North American AT-planes 6. These aircrafts had a very rough life in the Chilean Air Force, and due to accidents and the lack of spare parts, they were only six years in service, from 1944 to 1950, when they were scrapped.

 

[vikingBerserker]

I had no idea they used the Ju 86, excellent info!

 

[Gnomey]

Good stuff!

 

[gekho]

After the Second World War, the United States sold a lot of B-25, mainly for version "J"among its allies and partners. In 1946 it is the turn of Chile, which gets 12 B-25J, which arrive only 11, and one was lost in an accident, passing through Peru. Coded 801 to 811, they were destinated to the Medium Bombardment Group No. 1, based in Quintero, Fifth Region. The first instructors were the american crews who had moved to the bombers to the country. In the development of outstanding flight missions, they had the honor of escorting the PBY5A "Manu Tara" at the beginning of his historic trip to Rapa Nui, the January 19, 1951, being three B-25J that accompanied him in training offshore. They also operated in various missions along with the P-47D and was eventually applied to SAR missions, along with PBY5, the No. 2 group Quintero.

On January 6, 1955, provides for the transfer of Mitchell, framed in the now redesignated, Aviation Group No. 8 construction facilities at the Base of Antofagasta. In 1956, Without prejudice to its primary mission, the B-25J is required to support the work of aerial photography, in the then Department of Photogrammetry, current SAF. In its new mission, operating with an AT-11 Kansas in the Department under the command of Captain Flock, Don Juan Soler Manfredini, Air brilliant officer, founder of modern Aerophotogrammetric Service, APS. In 1957, the few units in flight, will be decommissioned, replaced by reconnaissance planes and bombing, the legendary B-26C Invader ...

 

[gekho]

One of the largest - and most enthusiastic - users of the "Valiants" in Latin America was the Fuerza Aerea de Chile, which, due to supply and political problems, did not receive the first of its 61 Lend-Lease BT-13°s until April 1943 under Projects CL-394, 394A1, and 394A2. These projects included 16 spare engines and one aircraft (42-42886) which crashed on its delivery flight in the mountains of Costa Rica on 26 July 1943 and was not recovered. Chile welcomed the "Valiant" for a number of reasons, not the least of which was its utter disappointment with and scandal involving a number of European (particularly Italian) training and two-seat attack/reconnaissance aircraft purchased at considerable expense just before the war. Secondly, the FAC had, by 1943, decided to "americanize" its training syllabus, and was happy to receive - finally - enough good quality, reliable, dedicated aircraft with which to carry out its well founded plans.

The FAC was possibly the most professional air force in Latin America at the beginning of WWII, but it was handicapped by equipment choices that were motivated, in large part, by ideological decisions. From the time of its entry into the inventory until at least 1959, the "Valiant" was seemingly everywhere in Chile.It was second of three links in a classic USAAF-style training program (PT-19/BT-13/AT-6) that trained several complete generations of FAC pilots, and also found itself in the news by being, in a number of cases, the "first" aircraft to alight at new airfields throughout this geographically unique nation. It carried out training and survey duties for LAN, the national airline, which was operated as a virtual branch of the FAC up through the late war years, and it also served to "fill-out" the rosters of a number of operational first-line FAC units.

With the end of the war, the FAC almost immediately surplused 30 of its oldest "Valiants", passing them to Government encouraged municipal flying clubs. These aircraft consisting mainly of the 24 BT-13A's received between April and July 1943 - the balance of the Lend-Lease deliveries being BT13B's received between April 1944 and November 1944. Some of these latter "Vibrators" survived to outlive there service brethren. FAC "Valiant" serials were in the range FAC130 to 191, and were, so far as can be ascertained, never marked other than shown in out illustration (Fig. 9). The only variations noted were in the size of the national insignia on the wing (some being quite large, early on) and in the dimensions of the white star on the blue rudder. Sole concession to "special" markings were found in the aircraft assigned to "operational" units which, occasionally, carried the distinctive insignia of the assigned unit. The following guide will aid the serious researcher in pinpointing such possibilities. ln all cases, the units consisted of mixtures of various aircraft types, some quite unlikely. The FAC finally retired its last seven airworthy "Valiants" in 1959 when they had, through cannibalization for parts, reached the ends of their useful lives.One, marked FAC164, is now on display, in fair condition, at Santiago.

 

[gekho]

The history of OS2U-3 Kingfisher seaplane in Chile dates back to 1942, during the course of World War II. These seaplanes fresh from the factory, came to the country by sea and steep. The amount of equipment totaled fifteen units, of which nine came for Chile's Air Force Air Base arriving Quintero for immediate assembly. The remaining six came for the Armada de Chile and arrived at the naval base of Talcahuano, wore the distinctive ship, an anchor in the queue. On December 29, 1942 O'Reilly Lieutenant Chile's Navy, operating from the Base Quintero, had the honor to make the first flight of this flying in domestic skies.

 

[gekho]

The T-6 Texan was the final development in a long line of U.S. military training planes that traced their roots to the prototype NA-16 that first flew on April 1, 1935. Altogether, over 17,000 Texans were built by North American and by foreign manufacturers under license, more than any other World War II-era trainer. Derived from the BC-1 and originally designated AT-6 (for Advanced Trainer) or SNJ in Navy service, the Texan flew in all branches of the U.S. military through 1958, with the Civil Air Patrol into the 1960s, and with the air forces of over 50 nations, some well into the 1990s.

The Texan and its relatives filled countless roles for the Allies during World War II. The single-seat P-64 fighter was used for U.S. pilot training, while the earlier BC-1 was sold to Brazil, Peru and Chile as a front-line fighter.

 

[gekho]

Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine.[2] It was one of the main United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) fighters of World War II, and served with other Allied air forces. The P-47 was very effective in air combat but proved especially adept at ground attack. It had eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded the P-47 could weigh up to eight tons. A modern-day counterpart in that role, the A-10 Thunderbolt II, takes its name from the P-47.

Chile Air Force received a total of 26 P47D (Tuition of 750 to 775), at the end of his life were used by the Aviation Group 11. They were replaced in 1958 by the F80 Shooting Star

 

[gekho]

The Air Force of Chile, received from Member States, by means of the Pact of Attendance and Defensa Mutua (MDAP), an important game of airplanes Douglas A-26 Invader models B and C. All of them came from sobrestocks of Aerial Base McClellan. Nevertheless all had serial numbers of blocks A-26B, they were in fact B-26Cs of transparent nose, so all it was turned from B-26B to the standard B-26C before the delivery. The FACh gave serial numbers him 812 to 821. In Chile they received B-26 denomination. From 1954 it was come to replace obsolete the B-25 with the B-26, those that entered in good condition with Brown Hill the N°8 Group, Antofagasta. 38 were received altogether B-26, those that underwent the high accident rate.

Group 8 Beyond sallied several battle during the Military coup of the 11 of September of 1973 against the Rescuing President, but there is no evidence of which they used his armament in the opportunity. Last the B-26 Operational of the FACh was retired in 1979. Nevertheless, many Invaders is in Chile in the door of air bases and the National Museum of Aeronautics.

 

[Gnomey]

Good stuff!