Air Enthusiast 2001-09
G.Cruz - Spain's Arrow HA-200 Saeta (1)
Only a handful of A.10Bs received the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter-type camouflage scheme - A.10B-37 at Moron on August 27, 1980.
Pictured at San Javier in the summer of 1978, A.10B-69 still wearing the African camouflage scheme of 462 Escuadron.
The Basic School was transferred to the Air General Academy, at San Javier, in the summer of 1972. The E.14As were assigned to the AGA's 793 Escuadron. E.14A-23 was one of four Saetas destroyed after a multiple collision over the sea on July 11, 1975.
Close formation of 21 Grupo Saetas. E.14B in the background had just been drawn from 406 Escuadron, as denoted by the fuselage code numbers.
Line-up of 202 Escuadron E.14Bs at Villanubla. Some of the aircraft in the background still wore the markings of the recently-disbanded 431 Escuadron.
Nearly two months after its first flight, 20/1 was fitted with tiptanks, later replaced by larger ones. Noteworthy are the unpainted intake lip, absence of nose fillet and earlier-size fin extension.
Showing a striking combination of civil and military markings, 20/1 at San Pablo on May 21, 1956.
In November 1962, the E.14s were newly assigned to the Basic School, Matacan, where they were operated by the 742 Escuadron in the basic and advanced training roles.
Close formation of five C.10Bs of 212 Escuadron. Noteworthy is the squadron serial number on the foreground aircraft, as it still lacks the '21'.
Escuadron 202 superseded 43 Ala in November 1967. Though a short-lived unit, its aircraft were used to test different HA-200 weaponry. C.10B-55 with a HASA-designed AH-039208 bomb dispenser.
In order to counter the threat posed by Polisario guerrillas, early in July 1970, some 20 C.10Bs began to be ferried to Gando (Canary Islands), operated by 462 Escuadron. A 462 Escuadron machine at Zaragoza during an open day held in May 1972.
The first HA-200-R1 prototype took to the air on August 12, 1955. This picture was taken at San Pablo eleven days later, when the Saeta was on final approach after a short endurance test flight.
The five pre-production HA-200-R1s were extensively flight-tested by GEV between July and December 1962 - 20/4 at Torrejon.
Pictured at San Pablo on January 11, 1957, the second HA-200-R1 prototype first flew on February 12 that year. It wore an ugly grey factory finish and featured scoops over the gun ports.
During the spring and summer 1958, 20/11 underwent certification trials at Torrejon. Special temperature-measuring equipment is fitted on the aircraft's jet outlets.
Shining under the blazing Andalusian sun, HA-200A c/n 31 soon after leaving the assembly line. External differences between pre-production and production machines were almost indiscernible.
In order to avoid the blazing Andalusian summer sun, work on the HA-200 prototype was partly carried out at night at San Pablo, Seville, in July 1955.
Wooden mock-up of the HA-200 showing the strong resemblance between the twin-jet project and its ancestor, the propeller-driven HA-100. Noteworthy is the use of the latter's canopy.