Spanish Civil War: Nationalist Air Force

Potez 25 (also written as Potez XXV) was a French twin-seat, single-engine biplane designed during the 1920s. A multi-purpose fighter-bomber, it was designed as a line plane and used in a variety of roles, including fighter and escort missions, tactical bombing and reconnaissance missions. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Potez 25 was the standard multi-purpose plane of over 20 air forces, including French, Polish and American. It was also popular among private operators, notably mail transport companies.

So desperate was the need for aircraft in the Republican zone during the Civil War, the Basque government did not hesitate to buy the Estonian government eight or ten dilapidated Potez 25 surplus of military aircraft. Throughout the spring of 1937, as Spanish Nationalist forces relentlessly progressed through the province of Biscay on their way to Bilbao, the Basque Government aircraft constantly asked the government of Valencia, as the imbalance of power between enemy aircraft and itself was overwhelming, which partly explains bloody episodes as the bombing of Guernica and Durango. With characteristic usage penny-pinching policy weapons, the government of the Republic sent a handful of devices. The Basque government bought the Potez 25 but could not use them because the aircraft did not arrive until summer, and were landed at Gijon. There they formed along with a few Polikarpov I-16 and other aircraft a motley crew who tried in vain to stop the bombers nationalists until the fall of Gijon, in October 1937.

The Aero A.101 was a biplane light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft built in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. It was an attempt to improve the Aero A.100 by enlarging it and fitting it with a more powerful engine. However, even with 33% more power, performance was actually inferior, and the Czech Air Force was not interested in the type. Production did result, however, when 50 were ordered by Spanish Republican forces for use in the Spanish Civil War.

Spanish Air Force 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 135 in service. They were actively used as bombers during the war, especially on the government (Republican) 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.

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PWS-10 entered service in the Polish Air Force starting from 1932. It was used in escadres nos. 122, 131, 132, 141. Their flight characteristics and performance were mediocre. As soon, as in 1933 they were replaced in combat units by PZL P.7 and moved to aviation school in Dęblin. Some were used there by the outbreak of World War II and in summer 1939 all remaining airworthy aircraft were gathered in Ułęż.

In late 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, 20 PWS-10 were sold in secret to Spanish nationalist forces, via Portugal. Aircraft were transported in crates and were assembled by PZL workers. First aircraft was flown in December 1936 in Leon. Being obsolete by then, they were not used as fighters, only fighter pilot training (for 4. Fighter Group) in El Copero near Seville. Later PWS-10s were transferred to Jerez de la Frontera where were operated between April 1937 and end of 1938. Spanish aircraft received name Chiquita, or unofficial Pavipollo and they had numbers from 4-1 to 4-20. Some were lost in crashes or scrapped, the remaining 11 were operated till the end of the 1938 and were retired in 1939.

The RWD-13 was a Polish touring plane of 1935, three seater high-wing monoplane, designed by the RWD team. It was the biggest commercial success of the RWD. The RWD-13 was a touring plane, developed from a line of sports planes RWD-6 (a winner of Challenge 1932 international touring aircraft contest) and RWD-9 (a winner of Challenge 1934). It was designed by Stanisław Rogalski and Jerzy Drzewiecki of the RWD team, in the DWL workshops (Doświadczalne Warsztaty Lotnicze) in Warsaw, for and order of the LOPP paramilitary organization. The prototype was constructed using parts of a broken up RWD-6 (initially it was even supposed to be designated RWD-6bis), but its construction was more similar to newer RWD-9. It first flew on January 15, 1935 (registration SP-AOA). Since the RWD-13 was not supposed to be a competition plane, the main differences from the RWD-9 were: an inline engine with lower power output, instead of a radial engine, and simpler wing mechanization. It still had advantages, like short take-off and landing and ease of flying, with good stability. By 1939, some 85 were produced.

In 1937 an air ambulance variant RWD-13S was built (prototype markings SP-BFN), with a starboard hatch for stretchers in the fuselage. There was also developed a similar universal variant RWD-13TS (or ST, or S/T), that could be converted from a touring plane to an ambulance by removing the right-hand seat. By 1939, 15 RWD-13S were made, including a few RWD-13TS. A development of the RWD-13 was the five-seater RWD-15. Around twenty RWD-13 were exported before the war. Six were sold to Spain and used as liaison planes by Franco's Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War, under the name Polaca (numbers: 30-1 - 30-4). After the civil war, the remaining ones were used in aero clubs.

The DH.83 Fox Moth was a successful small biplane passenger aircraft from the 1930s powered by a single de Havilland Gipsy Major I inline inverted engine, manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. The aircraft was designed late in 1931 as a low cost and economical light passenger aircraft. Many components including the engine, tail plane, fin, rudder and wings were identical to those being used for the de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth then being built in large quantities as a military trainer, which were fitted to the purpose-built wooden (longerons: ash forward of the pilot, aft Sitka spruce), plywood covered fuselage. The pilot sat in a raised cockpit behind the small enclosed passenger cabin, which was usually fitted with three seats for short range hops. The "Speed Model" was fitted with a canopy and fairing. The wings folded for space saving storage.

The De Havilland D.H.89 Dragon Rapide six/eight-passenger airliner was a scaled-down, twin engined version of the D.H.86 Dragon four-engined biplane airliner. The D.H.89 had a squarish section fuselage with large side windows, tapered biplane wings, and a trousered fixed undercarriage. Initially, it was powered by a pair of 200 hp De Havilland Gipsy Six six-cylinder air-cooled engines. The first prototype flew on April 17, 1934. The D.H.89 remained in production for ten years, a total of 728 being built. In its day, it was one of the most widely-used air transports in the world. Although officially known as the Dragon Rapide, it usually known simply as the Rapide.

The D.H.89 had a maximum speed of 157 mph, and a cruising speed of 132 mph. Initial climb rate was 1000 feet per minute, ceiling was 19,500 feet, and range was 578 miles. Weights were 3346 pounds tare, 5500 lbs. all-up. Dimensions were wingspan 48 feet 0 inches, length 34 feet 6 inches, height 10 feet 3 inches, and wing area 336 square feet. The first British operator of the Dragon Rapide was Hillmans Airways Ltd., making its debut with that airline on July 13, 1934. Railway Air Services Ltd. operated D.H.89s on trunk route between Croydon, Speke, Renfrew, and Belfast, and for summer services between Speke, Whitchurch, Eastleigh, and Shoreham. Two Dragon Rapides were acquired by Jersey Airways Ltd. The 1936 Dragon Rapide had a nose landing light, thickened wingtips, and cabin heating.

There were even combat adaptations of the Dragon Rapide. Specification G-18/35 called for a coastal command and general reconnaissance aircraft for the RAF. A standard Rapide was fitted with a Vickers machine gun on the starboard side of the nose, a bomb bay for two 100-lb and four 20-lb bombs, one Lewis gun on a flexible mounting on top of the fuselage, extra cabin windows, and a long curved dorsal fin. A crew of three was carried, pilot, radio operator/gunner, and navigator/bombardier. A single prototype was built under the designation D.H.89M, and was assigned the serial number K4227. It lost out to the Avro Anson for production orders.

Three modified D.H.89Ms were delivered to Spain in 1935 for police duty in Morocco. A Vickers E gun was mounted in the nose, a bombsight was built into the floor, and twelve 27-lb bombs could be carried in a rack under the fuselage. The mid-upper gunner was provided with a Vickers F gun and a second gun fired downward through the floor. When the Spanish Civil War began in 1936, these planes saw combat on the Nationalist side. One famous incident involving the use of a DH.89 was in July 1936 when two British MI6 intelligence agents, Cecil Bebb and Major Hugh Pollard, flew Francisco Franco in one from the Canary Islands to Spanish Morocco, at the start of the military rebellion which began the Spanish Civil War.

At the present there are three Dragon Rapide in Spain:

- DH-89A Dragon Rapide (G-ACYR) re-painted in original Olley Air Service Ltd. colours + titles (c/n.6261)
- DH-89A Dragon Rapide (40-1) in camouflage scheme, without titles (c/n ????)
- DH-89A Dragon Rapide (G-ALM) still airworthy with the Infante de Orleans Foundation.

The excellent 1999 guide book "Guia del Museo Del Aire" has a photo of G-ACYR in an earlier 'sand' colour with two thin red central stripes and registration; it is now overall 'silver dope' with blue stripe outlines to the roof top and bottom side fuselage, reg. now in blue (and a plate under the nose to commemorate the aircraft's use to transport General Franco from Tonda, Canary Islands to Tetuan in (then) Spanish Morocco in 1936). The plate quotes 19th July but the sign board says 18th.

The other Rapide, previously noted under restoration, is now complete, in a camouflage scheme, painted as '40-1". Although this serial was a known pre-WW2 Rapide, it is unclear whether or not this is the original aircraft. This is, with no douth, the most beautiful Dragon Rapide I have ever seen. The example of the FIO was made in England during the 30s, flew for some private airliners and took part in the WWII, recibing a hit of the german AAA. It was acquired by the FIO in England for 150.000 pounds, and was introduced to public in 2009.

I like the fact that even the propellor is camoflaged! 8)

Cool....!

In 1935 the Republic´s goverment acquired a Monospar ST-12 for the Tax Office, receiving the civil code EC-6E. With the uprising, this aircraft remained in the goverment hands, being used as a liaison plane. Another example was bought by D.Juan de la Cierva y Codorniú, inventor of the autogiro, serving with the nationalist. During the war the republican Monospar fell in hands of the nationalist, serving both aircrafts in tha Nationalist Aviation, using the military codes 31-2 and 31-3. Both survived to the war and joined the newborn "Ejercito del Aire". The second and the third aircrafts are Monospars ST-25; a total of 16 Monospar took part in the SCW, surviving only five examples. This airplane was still flying in 1947, being used as an ambulance.

Miles' previous experience with the Southern Martlet and Metal Martlet biplanes led to the desire to build a two-seat monoplane replacement for biplanes which had virtually cornered the market. The result was the M.2 Hawk, flown in March 1933 and the forerunner of a brilliant series of Miles monoplanes. Powered originally by the 71kW Cirrus IIIA engine, later M.2c aircraft offered the 89kW de Havilland Gipsy III. Other variants included the M.2a with an enclosed cabin, M.2b single-seat long-range version with an 89kW Hermes IV engine, and the three-seat M.2d. Hawk production totalled 55.

Further development of the basic type led to the Hawk Major series (64 built), beginning with the M.2F with the 97kW de Havilland Gipsy Major engine and encompassing a whole range of variants up to the M.2T. Single-seat racing models were known as the Hawk Speed Six; three were built with 149kW Gipsy Six engines, and another somewhat smaller racing variant was the M.5 Sparrowhawk, of which five were built. The prototype survived the war and in 1953 was modified considerably by the installation of two 150kg thrust Turbomeca Palas jet engines to become the M.77 Sparrowjet with a speed of 370km/h. The final pre-war development was the Hawk Trainer, of which 25 were built, and the basic design was later developed into the M.14 Magister.

Nice shots!

The de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer. The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until 1952 when many of the surplus aircraft entered civil operation. Many other nations used the Tiger Moth in both military and civil applications, and it remains in use as a recreational aircraft. It is still occasionally used as a primary training aircraft, although now most Tiger Moths employed in training duties are used by pilots gaining experience for conventional landing gear license ratings.

In 1933 several examples were acquired by the Republica to be used as military trainers. When the Civil War broke out, both sides used these airplanes as advanced trainers. With the end of the war, the nationalist recovered 12 units, joinning the new Air Force.

At least 120 units ot this british aircraft were made at the Guadalajara factory, being the last units delivered in 1922. These aircrafts took part in the campaing against Morocco as reconnassaince and light bombers. These De Havilland were called De-Havilland-Hispano, since they were fitted with Hispano-Suiza 8Fb engines of 300 c.v. At the momento of the uprising there were 40 still airworthy, being divided between both sides. Those which fell in republican hands were coded RH and served at Los Alcazares Trainning School, meanwhile the nationalist De Havillands were coded 34 and were destinated to the El Copero Trainning School. Only two managed to survived, staying on service until 1940.

Airspeed AS.6 Envoy was a British light, twin-engined transport aircraft designed and built by Airspeed Ltd. at Portsmouth Aerodrome, Hampshire. The Envoy was designed by N.S. Norway and A. H. Tiltman as a twin-engined development of the Courier. Co-designer Norway also wrote novels under the pen name Nevil Shute. It used the same wooden construction, outer wing panels and aft-retracting main undercarriage legs. The prototype G-ACMT first flew on June 26, 1934 and in July 1934, the aircraft was presented to the public for the first time at an exhibition by the Society of British Aircraft Constructors (SBAC) at Hendon.

The first production Envoy I G-ACVH was used as a demonstrator, the second was delivered to Lord Nuffield. Lord Nuffield's aircraft was due to fly in the MacRobertson Air Race from England to Australia in 1934, but the aircraft was damaged and withdrawn from the race. Another aircraft, a specially modified version with long-range tanks (the AS 8 Viceroy) got as far as Athens before leaving the race due to damage. One Envoy took part in the Schlesinger Race to Johannesburg, but crashed, killing two of a crew. Orders soon came from the whole Commonwealth. Two aircraft went to the Ansett Airlines in Australia. North Eastern Airways and Olley Air Service in the UK also used the AS.6. In Czechoslovakia, the CSA ordered four AS.6 Envoy JC in 1937.

During the Spanish Civil War, ten AS.6 Envoys were obtained by the Spanish Republicans, with the Nationalist side using two, including one that defected from the Republicans, as transport, reconnaissance aircraft or light bombers. The Airspeed AS.8 Viceroy, that was a British racing version of the Airspeed AS.6 Envoy to compete in the England-Australia MacRobertson Air Race, was also sold to the Spanish Republic. The Airspeed Viceroy started the race from RAF Mildenhall, England, but after several reliability problems including with the mainwheel brakes, it was withdrawn from the race at Athens. The pilots concluded that it would be unsafe to proceed and they would probably be unable to finish the race. The aircraft returned to Portsmouth and was then stored until July 1936 when it was sold the following month by the French concern, SFTA and departed to France en route to the Spanish Civil War.

Documentation regarding the Viceroy's service with the Spanish Republican forces is sketchy. The intention was to convert the aircraft into a bomber and photographs suggest that it did receive new markings and was stationed at an airbase, but further information is not available as to its actual service.

In the early 30's, foreign customers were crowding in Hendon to buy this device, though in small quantities due to their high unit cost, caused in turn by the low rate of production of the Rolls Royce Kestrel. Among them was the government of the Spanish Republic. Ordered 3 aircraft, and presumably would manufacture the rest in Spain, with Hispano Suiza motor Xbrs V 12 cylinder water-cooled, and 700hp of power. The purchase of Fury was due to the need to replace the old Niuport 52 as fighters. There were two possibilities, the Boeing P-26 Peashoter of which was a model in Spain (and served under Republican livery) and the other possibility, the cheapest and finally adopted, was the British fighter. Were numbered 4-1, 4-2 and 4-3, and 4-4, which is nothing but a device constructed with the cannibalized remains of two of the above. Anecdotally, one of the Furies was knocked down himself by missing the timing mechanism of the guns ... The Survivor game, 4-4, was framed once the war in the ranks of the rebels with the registration 4W-1. Was based on the Yugoslav Fury, but with Spanish power plant ... which proved to be lower than the Yugoslav Kestrel Fury. 50 units had been manufactured in the factories of the Spanish in Guadalajara, but was never built any.