Air International 1984-10
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??? - Colombia's Air Arm
The Douglas B-26 Invader entered service in the early 'fifties with the Escuadron de Bombardeo at Palanquero.
The Boeing 707-373C acquired from Korean Airlines late last year for use by the Escuadrilla Presidencial.
This C-47 of the Escuadron de Transporte photographed earlier this year at Bogota is one of two, which, together with a single DHC-2 Beaver, have received a new low-visibility camouflage scheme. At the lime of closing for press, a decision concerning the repainting of the entire transport fleet had still to be taken.
One of the Colombian Hawk single-seat fighters seen on floats prior to delivery.
The Texan served the FAC in both training and counter-insurgency roles until the last was grounded early 1972, this AT-6D being preserved at the Museo Aeronautico.
Numerically the most important of the FAC's helicopters is the Iroquois, the Bell UH-1H seen having been photographed at Cartagena earlier this year. The suffix "A" appended to its FAC serial indicating that it is a replacement for an earlier helicopter that had been lost.
A Bell UH-1H Iroquois of the Grupo Aereo de Helicopteros photographed at the main FAC maintenance base at Madrid
The FAC has been a Hercules operator for the past 15 years and illustrated is the sole survivor of the three C-130Bs that, originally operated by the RCAF, were obtained after refurbishing from Lockheed-Georgia in 1969. This sole C-130B Hercules, photographed earlier this year at Bogota, has since been joined by two new-production C-130H-30s, restoring the FAC Hercules fleet to three aircraft. The Hercules is popularly known as the "Little Horse of the Andes".
One of the RT-33As in the inventory of the Grupo Aereo de Combate 2 based at Apiay.
One of two other exhibits at the Museo Aeronautico is this Beech AT-11 Kansan, withdrawn from service in 1956
SATENA introduced the Pilatus PC-6/B2-H2 Turbo Porter on short, multi-stop routes last year, one of the six procured being seen above at Villavicencio.
One of the three A-37Bs which primarily fly patrol missions from San Andres island photographed earlier this year
One of the amphibious float-equipped Cessna A185E Skywagons of the Escuadron de Enlace photographed at Leticia.
The Aero Commander 560A currently included in the very mixed inventory of the Escuadron de Enlace
One of two other exhibits at the Museo Aeronautico is this F-47D Thunderbolt which served from 1949 until 1956.
The HS.748 Srs 2B procured for SATENA in 1981 to supplement the fleet of earlier HS.748s.
Beech Mentors lined up at the Escuela Militar de Aviacion at Cali. The two nearmost aircraft are survivors of the original batch of aircraft procured in the mid-fifties, but the third aircraft in the line is one of the ex-US Navy T-34Bs acquired in 1978 as attrition replacements.
The Canadair Sabre Mk 6 entered service in 1956 as the FAC's first jet fighter, surprisingly preceding the F-80C Shooting Star
A T-41D Mescalero primary trainer of the Escuela Militar de Aviacion at Cali.
One of the two F28 Mk 3000s ordered for SATENA in March 1984 to replace C-54s on the longer-distance routes
One of the two surviving IAI 201 Aravas of the Escuadron de Transporte photographed at El Dorado Inter­national Airport, Bogota.
A Mirage 5COA of the Grupo Aereo de Combate 1 based at Palanquero.
This Junkers W 34, one of nine acquired in 1932 and shared with SCADTA, is preserved in the Museo Aeronautico at Bogota.
Колумбийские летчики, как сообщалось, несколько побаивались летать на четырех поставленных в страну самолетах семейства Model 77.
Three of the four float-equipped Bellanca 77-140 bombers that reached Colombia after the Leticia conflict and remained in service until 1942.
The Boeing Stearman PT-17 Kaydet served from 1943 until replaced by the Mentor in the mid-fifties. The PT-17 illustrated is preserved in flying condition at Cali.
The float-equipped Curtiss D-12 Falcon, which, dubbed "Ricaurte", was flown by Lt Mendez Rey from New York to Bogota between the end of November 1928 and the beginning of January 1929.
One of the Colombian Cyclone Falcons, which, acquired for use during the Leticia conflict, were operated with both wheels and floats