Brasil

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A brief history of the nation's air forces
You are encouraged to add to or correct historical information

The beginnings of military aviation in Brazil
The Brazilian Army was the first to show an interest in aeronautics and its possible use. The first military balloon flight in Brasil, on 20 May 1908, ended in accident, killing its occupant. This persuaded the Army to not pursue the development of ballooning for miltary purposes.

The first airplane flights were made in Brazil in 1910. As there were no flying schools in Brazil at the time, those military men who wished to obtain their wings did so in other countries. The first military Brazilian pilot, from the Navy, received his wings on 29 April 1911 from the Farman School in France; and the first Army pilot, became a pilot on 22 October 1912, in France.

The first flying schools
The Aero-Club Brasileiro (Brazilian Air Club) was created on 14 October 1911, with the support of several military and civilian enthusiasts. The Aero-Club immediately launched a national campaign, “Give Wings to Brazil", to collect money "... to allow the creation of a flying school and equip our Army and our Navy with the most modern aircraft..."

The task which the Aero-Club set upon itself was hindered by the difficulties in obtaining aircraft, maintenance material and, foremost, flight instructors and aircraft technicians. In 1912 a member of the Aero-Club, travelled to France to buy material and arrange the affiliation of the Club to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, so that the brevets would be valid once issued. However, during his sojourn in France, an Italian flyer arrived in Brazil and performed a series of flights, including one in Rio de Janeiro at the request of the Club, to help the campaign. The Italian, together with two fellow countrymen set up a firm, with the aim of setting up the flying school of the Club. The members of the Club did not agree with the idea of having foreigners running the school and turned down the offer. The company then offered its services to the War Ministry.

At the end of these events, the Brazilian Aviation School was created on 2 February 1914, operated by the three Italians under contract from the War Ministry. It was located at Afonsos´s Field, which still today houses Air Force installations, including the Air Force University, Afonsos Air Base and the Aerospace Museum.

The first class to enroll had 35 Army and 25 Navy officers. The school did not work for long, for as early as June of 1914 the company decided to stop its activities, causing considerable damage to the development of the Brazilian military aviation. With the closure of the school, its installations were transferred to the Aero-Club.

Another early school was the School of Aviation of the São Paulo paramilitary police, created in 1913. The government of the State of São Paulo wanted to have an independent air arm to minimise the risks of a federal intervention (a common practice in those days). However, the school stopped its activities a few months later.

In 1916, due to the developments in the use of aircraft by other navies, the Brazilian Navy decided to create its own air service. An air school had been set up before on 22 August 1914, which apparently was not activated. Now, however, there was a sense of urgency, since the Great War was already in its third year. The Naval Aviation School was created on 23 August 1916 and in November of the same year three Curtiss F flying boats were in use. The school consisted of several officers and NCOs from the Navy as well as the Army (which at the time did not have its own flying school).

Brasil was the first to use aircraft in a military campaign in South America

Between 1911 and 1915, there was a conflict, involving Army and paramilitary police troops of two states against a group of religious fanatics. In 1914 a military pilot and a civilian pilot flying under a War Ministry contract, flew reconnaissance missions in Morane-Saulnier aircraft. This was the first time an aeroplane was used to support land military operations in South America.

The Great War 1914-1918
In August 1914, a conflict flared up in Europe which soon became world-wide. Brazil, which was neutral until 1917, became involved after attacks on her shipping. On 3 April 1917, a German submarine torpedoed the Brazilian merchantman "Paraná", close to the French coast; this act of war brought the break of diplomatic relations with the German Empire. After 5 more Brazilian were torpedoed and sunk, Brazil declared war on the German Empire on 26 October 1917.

The Brazilian Navy sent a task-force to Dakar (NE Africa), to perform convoy protection missions in an area spanning from Dakar to Gibraltar.

After the declaration of war, the following events occurred, which affected the development of the Brazilian military aviation:

 Officers from the Army and Navy were sent to Britain, in January 1918, to receive flying training from the Royal Naval Air Service. Afterwards, the Brazilian officers flew combat missions, on a flight of the newly-created Royal Air Force, composed of Brazilian, American and British airmen.
 In March 1918, the Naval Aviation School hosted a North-American Military Mission, receiving six Curtiss HS-2 patrol aircraft, two F.B.A. reconnaissance aircraft, four Curtiss F and two Standard (for training). Another Curtiss F was built at the school factory.
 At the end of 1918 Navy officers and NCOs were sent to Italy to receive training.

The Military Aviation School
Soon after the Brazilian entry in the war, talks were started with France to have a French Military Mission sent to Brazil to help modernise the Army. However this was not accepted by some Army officers, which considered it as a foreign intrusion in a matter of national interest; thus only a short mission was sent, with the task of giving aeronautical instruction to the Army.

The French personnel arrived in Brazil by the middle of 1918 and training of the Brazilian personnel was duly started. By the end of the year the Army Military Aviation Service was created. On 29 January 1919, the Military Aviation School was created; its mission to prepare officers, observers and aeronautics technicians. The School started its activities on 10 July and was equipped with Sopwith Snipe, Morane-Saulnier, Bréguet 14A2 and Spad VII aircraft.

Further development of aeronautical training
In April 1917, sergeants of the paramilitary police of the State of Paraná organized a money collecting campaign to buy an aeroplane for the Police; in 1918 a monoplane, two seater Borel was acquired and baptized with the name " Sergeant”. In the same year the Aviation School of Paraná was created but did not manage to train any pilots, lacking instructors, and was soon forgotten.

In 1919 the São Paulo paramilitary Police restarted its aeronautical activities; on 9 December the School of Aviation was re-activated at the Mars Field. A previous instructor at the Naval Aviation School was contracted to give flying lessons. The school used initially three Oriolles and five Curtiss JN. The first class completed the course on 1 August 1920.

By this time the Naval Aviation School was already well-developed. On 15 August 1919 the first air mail Navy flight was made, initiating the Fleet Air Mail which later became the Naval Air Mail. On that year the following aircraft were incorporated to the school: two Farman F-41, four Curtiss N-9, four Ansaldos ISV A, a Macchi M7 and five Macchi M9; in 1920, several Avro 504K were bought, as well as two Farman F-51, four Curtiss N-9 and four Aeromarine; a Curtiss MF was donated by the US Government.

Military aviation in Brazil, from 1920 to 1941
After the end of the Great War 1914-1918, the Brazilian aviation schools continued to train personnel; however in small numbers, due to the many difficulties which arose. In 1921, the federal government issued a directive for coastal defence, with the establishment of two air lines - one for the interior and the other along the coast - linking the federal capital, Rio de Janeiro, with the southern states. Those lines were to be operated by the Army Aviation and Naval Aviation, respectively. The latter, in 1922, established the naval aviation centres at Galeão in July and at Santos in October of that year.

In August 1921, the Army Aviation activated two airfields, at Santa Maria and at Alegrete, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. Units remained there until 1930, when they were disbanded and their equipment was transferred to the Army Aviation School.

From 1924 until 1926 aeronautical activities were almost stopped, due to political unrest in Brazil. In 1927, however, the Army Aviation Service became an “arm”, on 13 January 1927, on a par with the other Army arms (Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery and Engineering). This shows how important military aviation was to the Army.

In 1931 the Naval Aviation Service acquired eleven Savoia Marchetti SM-55A flying boats. Those airplanes were brought to Brazil during the famous Roma-Rio de Janeiro raid, by pilots of the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force), under the command of Gen. Italo Balbo.

On 21 March 1931, the Army Aviation arm created the Composite Aviation Group. Based at Campo dos Afonsos, it was equipped with ten Potez 25 TOE; several Curtiss 256’sFledgling constituted a training flight.

During the 1932 revolutionary movement in Brazil, the Government acquired 14 Boeing 256 fighters in the U.S.A.; six of them were taken on charge by the Navy and the remaining eight by the Army. Where they were known as the P-12.

In 1932 the Navy created an air demonstration flight, using Boeing 256 aircraft.The flight soon became renowned for its precise handling of the aircraft. In January 1933, it was invited to attend and perform at the opening of the Montevideo International Airport (Uruguay); from August to October of the same year, it escorted President Getúlio Vargas during his voyage to the State capital towns of Northern Brazil. While on their return voyage to Rio de Janeiro, they escorted the German dirigible "Graf Zepellin". From 1934 to 1936, the Army expanded its flights inland, activating airfields in the States of Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso, supporting the Army installations located nearby.

During the War of the Chaco in 1934, between Bolivia and Paraguay, the Navy dispatched Boeing 256 and Vought Corsair aircraft to the Brazilian frontier with those two countries.

It should also mentioned that the Brazilian aeronautics industry, with the Empresa Aeronáutica Ypiranga (founded in 20 January 1932) and the Companhia Nacional de Navegação Aérea contributed to the development of the Brazilian aeronautics. The Muniz M-5 (a biplane, two seater trainer) had already been designed and built in the early 30s; it was followed by the M-6, M-7 (the first to be designed and built with national components), M-8, M-9 and M-11. The M-7 and M-9 were used by the Army Aviation School.

By the second half of the 1930s, the Navy started to use German aeroplanes from the Focke-Wulf company; a factory was installed at Galeão, producing FW-44J Stieglitz and FW-58B Weihe aircraft. These were introduced in the Service from 1936 and 1938 respectively; a dozen North-American NA-46 training aircraft were in use by 1938 also. The Army introduced 128 new aircraft from 1937 to 1940, of different types - fighters, bombers, reconnaissance and primary and advanced trainers.

Military aviation and the revolutions, 1922-1935
In the 1920s the Brazilian society was troubled by several rebellions.

The 1922 rebellion
Some officers from the Army Aviation School participated in the events of 5 July 1922. Among those was the then lieutnant Eduardo Gomes, later to have strong influence in the development of the Brazilian Air Force. The school was closed and occupied by Army troops, reopening only in November of the same year.

The 1924 revolution
On 5 July 1924 some Army officers - including Ten. Eduardo Gomes - lead by the retired Army general Isidoro Dias Lopes, started the uprising, taking São Paulo city. The rebels were the first to use aircraft in the conflict, requisitioning all those available in town. The pilots included members of the paramilitary police, civilians, two german and two Italian. Reconnaissance and propaganda leaflet dropping missions were carried out; a mission whose aim was to bomb the federal government main office in Rio de Janeiro was aborted due to an aircraft failure.

The uprising was already several days old when the federal government decided to undertake aerial bombing of the city. Two units belonging to Army Aviation School left Rio de Janeiro and were based near Mogi das Cruzes, State of São Paulo. Six Bréguet 14, two Nieuport and two SPAD made 21 bombing, liaison and air spotting missions. On 22 July the aerial bombing of São Paulo started, by then damaged by heavy artillery fire.

The Naval Air Service also performed reconnaissance missions supporting the naval blockade of the port of Santos. The units involved were the 1st and 2nd Flights using Curtiss F-5L, Curtiss MF and HS-2L aircraft. Other elements of the Naval Air Service performed missions in the North of the country, to where the rebellion had spread.

The 1930 revolution
The uprising of 1930 removed from power the elites of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. Aerial operations were however minimal due to the economical crisis of the time. Some aircraft from the Army Aviation Schhol (three Morane 130 and a Potez 25) were taken by pilots supporting the movement and flown to join the rebel forces. The Potez 25 was used in the regions of Rio de Janeiro, Juiz de Fora- and Belo Horizonte on reconnaissance and propaganda leaflet dropping missions. With the victory of the rebel movement, a detachment of the three Potez 25 TOE from the Army Air Arm was based at São Paulo.

The 1932 constitutionalist revolt
The constitutionalist revolt of 1932 was a movement headed by influential politicians of São Paulo against the federal government, headed by the leader of the 1930 movement and president since then. The revolution started during the night of 9-10 July 1932 and lasted for 85 days; since the rebels did not obtained the support of other states (especially from Rio Grande do Sul), they were left fighting alone on three separate fronts.

On 10 July the Campo de Marte (an airfield in São Paulo) was taken by the rebels, which captured two WACO CSO and two Potez 25 TOE. Another two aircraft (a WACO CSO and a Nieuport Delage NiD-72) were flown to São Paulo by officers supporting the movement. The number of aircraft available to the rebels was increased when civilian aircraft were offered by their proprietors: three de Havilland DH-60X Moth, two Hanriot 410, a Nieuport Ni-81, a Morane-Saulnier MS29, a Curtiss JN-2 and a Caudron 93-bis. A few days after the start of the uprising, a Latécoere 28 transport aircraft belonging to the French company Aéropostale was requisitioned by the rebels, with the intent of using it on bombing missions.

The loyalist troops had obviously a larger number of aircraft at their disposal. The Army Air Arm deployed the Grupo Misto de Aviação (twelve Potez 25 TOE and five WACO CSO) and the Army Aviation School (an Amiot 122, a Nieuport Delage NiD-72 and eleven de Havilland DH-60T Moth). Naval Aviation contributed to the campaign with four Vought O2U-2A Corsair from the 18th Observation Division, three Martin PM and seven Savoia-Marchetti SM-55A from the Flotilha Mista Independente de Aviões de Patrulha, as well as twelve de Havilland DH-60 and two Avro 504K.

Both parties tried actively to obtain more aircraft. The federal government had asked other countries not to sell aircraft to the rebels. They had to resort to an operation via Buenos Aires to buy Curtiss O-1E Falcon built in Chile. However only four of these aircraft arrived in time to join the hostilities.

The loyalists received thirty-six WACO C9O (which had been bought before the conflict); ten of those were assembled and used in combat missions. There were problems with the ammunition used in the machine guns and few of them were actually in the fighter role.

The first missions carried on by both loyalists and rebels were those of reconnaissance and propaganda leaflet dropping. Already on 13 July (third day of campaign), loyalist Potez 25 TOE aircraft found and strafed rebel troop positions; a rebel WACO CSO was intercepted but managed to evade. On 18 July, two Corsair from Naval Aviation were attacked by anti-aircraft fire while on an armed reconnaissance mission; a rebel Potez was intercepted but again evaded.

On 20 July loyalist aircraft bombed rebel artillery positions, relieving the pressure being put on loyalist troops at the Vale do Paraíba front. On the 21st, Corsair aircraft from the Naval Aviation destroyed a large rebel ammunition depot. On the 29th, a SM-55A escorted by a Corsair performed an attack to rebel positions at Cubatão, without much success.

On 8 August, the Potez 25 TOE 'A-117' from the Army Air Arm was twice intercepted by a rebel flight made up of two Waco CSO and a Potez 25; the second interception left the 'A-117' with a radiator damaged by enemy bullets, forcing the pilot to make a forced landing. This can be considered to be first aircraft to be downed as a consequence of an aerial combat in Latin America.

Another attack of historical importance was the first night attack mission in Latin America, carried on by the rebels against the loyalist airfield at Resende, at 0130h on 13 August. However, only little damage was caused. In September, three SM-55A escorted by a single Corsair successfully attacked the Itaipu Fortress, on the 3rd and 5th, exacting heavy damages.

Several other missions were carried out, either ground-attack or air interceptions. Although by now the rebels were suffering heavy pressure from the government troops - for instance, loyalist WACO aircraft based at Mogi-Mirim were carrying five daily missions - they mounted an attack on 20 September using two Falcon, a WACO and a Nieuport Delage against that loyalist airfield, leaving two burned WACO and two others slightly damaged. On the 24th, the rebels made a diversionary attack on the Brazilian Navy warships participating on the Santos naval blockade; their aim was to engage the Navy defences thus allowing the merchantman "Ruth", carrying ammunition and weapons, to reach the port. One of the Falcons was shot down by anti-aircraft fire from the "Rio Grande do Sul" cruiser, both crewmen being killed.

Only one loyalist pilot died in the conflict, killed when his WACO was hit by anti-aircraft fire, while supporting the advance of the loyalist troops during the offensive at Mogi-Mirim.

The communist uprising of 1935
The Brazilian Communist Party, aided by Comintern, tried to take over the government in 1935 through an armed uprising. It started on 23 November at Natal and at Recife on the next day. The Army Air Arm immediately dispatched three Vought Corsair which just by their flights in the area made the rebels surrender; the aircraft had already been found out to be a terrible weapon and the memories of the combats of 1932 were still afresh.

In Rio de Janeiro, the communists tried to take the Army Aviation School during the night of 26 November. The school was ably defended by loyalist troops based there, commanded by Ten.-Cel. Eduardo Gomes, already at the time a highly respected officer of the Aviação Militar. Nine men, officers and soldiers, died while defending the school; those from the Military Air Arm who had sided with the communists were expelled from the Army.

Military, Naval and National Air Mail services
Both Brazilian air arms created their own, separate, air mail services during the 1930s. As early as 1919 Naval Aviation had made the first air mail flight; however, it would be the Army Aviation which first carried a postal bag between two cities.

On that memorable day of 12 June 1931, the Curtiss Fledgling 'K263' from the Army Air Arm carried mail between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. It was a pioneering flight, in which difficulties arose: a heavy front wind reduced the speed to less than 80 KPH, increasing the flight duration by 2 hours. When they arrived in São Paulo, 5h 30min after having taken off from Campo dos Afonsos, it was already dark; the town lighting made impossible the recognition of the intended landing site, Campo de Marte. The intrepid flyers landed in the running track of the Moóca Jockey Club and, jumping across the Club walls, took a taxi and delivered the postal bag to the Mail offices downtown. The devotion to duty showed by these pioneers was to be repeated, day after day, by their fellow pilots of the Military Air Mail.

After the first flight, the Military Air Mail began activating routes to other regions of the country. After some initial problems, on 30 November 1931 a regular service started on the Rio de Janeiro-Minas Gerais line. In just six months of operation, the existing routes covered 1,731 Km, and 340 Kg of mail was carried. Most important of all, 37 pilots became experienced on long-distance flights.

In 1932 the Military Air Mail extended its routes to cover 3,630 Km, opening the routes to the States of Mato Grosso and Paraná, using WACO CSO aircraft, with a longer range than the Fledgling - all of this despite the four-month lapse caused by the Constitutionalist Revolt of that year.

1933 saw the Military Airmail turning its attention to the northern regions of the country, opening a route to Fortaleza. The route followed the São Francisco river and many were the riverfront communities that benefited from those flights; the aircraft used was the WACO CJC Cabine.

In 1934 the Military Airmail opened a route linking Porto Alegre and Santa Maria, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul; in August, a circular route covering 2,700 Km was opened in Mato Grosso, supporting the Army garrisons stationed there. In that same year, the Navy started operation of the Naval Airmail, flying along the southern Brazilian coast from Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande. Seaplanes WACO CSO and WACO CPF F-5 and land-based aircraft such as the WACO CPF F-5 e WACO CJC Cabine were used.

Army Airmail reached Amazônia in 1935, and in that year 18,365 Kg of mail was carried, the routes covering 10,280 Km. By opening routes inland, the Military airmail served two purposes: the population was being integrated and the sovereignity over the National Territory was affirmed.

International routes were opened in the following year, with a flight on 23 January to Assunción (Paraguay); 23,907 Kg of mail was carried in 1936. In 1937 and 1939, northern and southern routes reaching locations inside Amazônia were opened, respectively. WACO EGC-7 Cabine aircraft were in use by 1939, by which time more than 65,000 Kg of mail had been carried over 19,709 Km of routes.

In 1940, the Navy acquired four Beechcraft D-17A to be used by the Naval Airmail on a route between Rio de Janeiro and Belém, but the service did not run regularly.

The creation of the Air Ministry in January 1941 brought the amalgamation of both air mail services; on 20 February National Air Mail was created. It was not a very favourable time to undertake an expansion of the service, since the Second World War was entering its third year. However by the end of the year six Beechcraft D-17A, denominated C-43 were acquired. At the year's end, the CAN was operating 14 routes and more than 70,000 Kg of mail had been carried.

On 4 April 1943, the Tocantins route was extended northwards reaching Cayene, French Guyana, with stops at Macapá and Oiapoque. On 19 May 1945, the Rio de Janeiro-Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) route was created, using Beechcraft C-45 aircraft.

Douglas C-47 aircraft were received in 1944 and, after the end of the Second World War, they were used on the National Airmail routes, allowing an even greater expansion of services. Thus on 5 March 1946, the route to La Paz (Bolivia) was created, overflying the Andes.

In 1947 the National Airmail initiated a service to the Territory of Acre, in the westernmost part of Brazil, which brought significant help to the population along its route.

1951 saw the activation of the line to Lima, the Peruvian capital and the creation of the Air Transport Command on 5th June, which in turn became responsible for the National Airmail operations. In the following year, support posts were established along the routes and the Araguaia service was started, supporting the activities of the " Protection Service”.

In 1956 the route to Montevideo (Uruguay) became a regular service and in 1958 the routes to Quito (Equator) and the U.S.A. were started. In 1958, the National Airmail started operating Catalina aircraft in the routes over Amazônia, along the rivers Solimões, Javari, Negro, Purus and Juruá. These aircraft were veterans of the anti-submarine patrol missions carried by the FAB in the Second World War and had been refurbished in the U.S.A. for transport use, having received the designation C-10 upon its return.

In support to the Brazilian Army troops belonging to the United Nations Emergency Force at Gaza Strip (Egypt-Israel border), a service was established by National Airmail. The crews of 6º GAV ran the service using B-17 aircraft until 1960, when they were replaced by Douglas C-54G transport planes. In that same year a route to Santiago de Chile, stopping at Buenos Aires (Argentina), was established using C-54G aircraft.

On 1 September 1971 the Centre for National Airmail was created with the purpose of co-ordinating Naional Airmail and Aeronautics Ministry transport activities. The centre draws crews and aircraft from those units under control of the V Division of the Air Force as well as from the Air Transport Squadrons under local control of the six Air Regional Commands.

Since 1995 the Centre has co-ordinated its transport activities with the Brazilian Navy.

Fighter Aviation in the jet age
The pilots of the 1st Group fighting in Italy returned to Brazil bringing new Republic P-47D aircraft to their new base at Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro. A second was formed, functioning as a conversion unit on to the P-47D, these being veteran aircraft from the Italian campaign.

Another fighter available in large number was the Curtiss P-40, in five different versions: E, K-10, K-15, M and N. In 1946, the thirty-two P-40s were concentrated at a single base. In 1947, under the re-organisation of the units, a new group was formed, inheriting the personnel and equipment of those two fighter squadrons. Fighter instruction on the P-40s continued until 1954, when a P-40 lost a wing in flight (the pilot being killed as a consequence) due to fatigue in the main wing spar. All the remaining thirty aircraft were grounded, thus ending their operation.

By the end of the 1940s the piston-engined fighters were outclassed and jet fighters were sought in the USA. Claiming that the supply of jet fighters to Brazil would provoke an imbalance of power in South America, the USA denied selling such equipment and Brazil looked for alternatives. Eventually in 1952, 71 Gloster Meteor were bought from Britain (61 Meteor F.Mk 8 and 10 Meteor T.Mk 7), equipping Squadrosn at Santa Cruz and Canoas. The Meteors were taken off flying duties in December 1966 due to main spar fatigue.

In 1956, the first of 58 Lockheed AT-33 fighters arrived. In May 1958 a few Lockheed F-80C Shooting Stars arrived which were operated exclusively by one group. The AT-33 (TF-33 as it was known in Brasilian air force service) was not heavily armed however and lacked the interception capability needed for such a large country as Brazil. The F-80Cs and TF-33s wore a natural metal finish, being used until the mid-1970s.

In 1970, the Brazilian aeronautics company, EMBRAER, signed a contract with Aermacchi of Italy to license build the MB-326G jet trainer (Brasilian air force denomination AT-26 Xavante), with ground-attack secondary capability. These have been deployed operationally since 1971 for training (jet transition), reconnaissance and ground-attack duties. The AT-26s are painted in the standard USAF Southeast Asia finish of dark green, green and tan.

In 1972, the first of 13 Dassault-Bréguet Mirage IIIEBR and 3 Mirage IIIDBR arrived in Brasil, being stationed at the Anapolis air base near the capital Brasília. Some 10 others arrived in 1977-1978 and 1988-1989; they were retrofitted with canards to improve their manoeuvrability. Initially the Mirage were in natural finish but by the mid-1980s they received a dark grey air supremacy finish.

The first of 42 Northrop F-5E/B fighters arrived in 1975, equipping 2 groups. They wore the Southeast Asia finish. In 1988, with the USAF disbanding their "Agressor" squadrons, 22 F-5E and 4 F-5F were bought, now equipping the 1st/14th Squadron. These were delivered in their six different Agressor finish styles but now are painted in air supremacy grey. In 1996 the F-5Bs were deactivated.

Bomber and Attack Aviation
From 1941 to 1945, several North-American bomber and attack aircraft were acquired through "Lend-Lease", to modernise the Brasilian Air Force.

In 1941, six medium bombers North-American B-25B were acquired (USAAF serials 40-2245, 2255, 2263, 2306, 2309, 2310, and 2316) arriving in 1942. These aircraft, together with two Douglas B-18, were used by a training unit based at Fortaleza, the "Agrupamento de Aviões de Adaptação". One of these B-25B attacked an Italian submarine in 1942.

A single example of the B-25C (41-12558) was received in 1942 for ground instructional role at the Technical Aviation School (now Aeronautics Specialists' School). Between August and November 1944, the Brasilian Air Force received eleven B-25J-15 and ten B-25J-20 (USAAF serials 44-29007/29011, 29015/29020 e 29493/29502). After the war, between 11 July 1946 and 2 October 1947, other 64 B-25J were acquired. The B-25 were used until 1970, receiving Brasilian Air Force serial numbers in the 5000 and 5100 series.

Units that operated the B-25, included 3 Medium Bomber Squadrons, based at Recife, Salvador and Fortaleza Air Bases, respectively. After the reorganization of the Brasilian Air Force in 1947, it was used at Fortaleza, Salvador, São Paulo and Natal bases.

It was also intended to activate two dive-bombing units, which would use the Vultee A-31/A-35 Vengeance; however these aircraft were grounded by US officials and those units were not organised.

In 1944-1945, the Brasilian Air Force received 30 Douglas A-20K aircraft, registered from 6061 to 6090. The first unit to operate the type was the 1st Light Bomber Group, at Canoas from 1944 to 1946, functioning as an operational and training unit for the A-20K, supported by USAAF instructors.

In 1945, the 2nd Light Bomber Group was activated at São Paulo. The year of 1946 saw the the Brasilian Air Force concentrating the operation of the A-20K at Sao Paulo. In 1947, with the re-organisation of the Brasilian Air Force, the Aviation Regiment and its constituent groups were extinguished; the 1st/10th Aviation Group was formed and drew its personnel and equipment from the now extinct 1st and 2nd Light Bomber Squadrons.

. In 1952, the ten surviving A-20K were adapted for photographic reconnaissance; the armament was removed and aerial cameras were installed, the aircraft being renamed RA-20K. In October of the same year they were once again renamed as R-20. These aircraft were baptised with local Indian tribes names, as for the example '6062' "Aboim-Ena" and '6071' "Calapitis". The R-20 remained in use until 1955, when lack of spare parts became an insurmountable problem; the last flight was made on 10 October 1955.

On 7 September 1957, the Douglas A-26 Invader began to arrive, these being of the B and C versions. In Brasilian service they were designated as B-26B and B-26C. In 1969 some example were transferred to another Aviation Group. Fourteen B-26B (serials 5145 to 5158), seventeen B-26C (5159 to 5175) and one CB-26 (5176) were used by the Brasilian Air Force until 1976.

After the deactivation of the B-26, the attack groups were equipped with the AT-26 Xavante and more recently, by AT-27 Tucano aircraft.

In 1989, the first of the Aeritalia-Aermacchi-EMBRAER AMX fighter-bombers (A-1) were delivered. The A-1 is equipped with a terrain-following radar and a laser designator for armament delivery, being armed with two 30mm DEFA cannons, as well as AAMs (Sidewinder and the Brazilian MAA-1 Piranha) for self-defence.

EMBRAER is now producing an attack version of the Super Tucano, under the ALX program. The ALX will be produced in the single-seat (A-29) and two-seat (AT-29) versions. It comes with a suite of advanced navigation and attack systems, HUD, GPS, NVG and a FLIR turret located below the cockpit. The AT-29 has 5 hard points (one below the fuselage) to carry Mk82 LDGP bombs, SBAT-70/19 MRL, 2x7.62mm twin gun pods, or 2x12.7mm gun pods in ground-attack configuration. For air-to-air missions, it carries 2x12.7mm gun pods or 2x20mm cannon pods, as well as a pair of AAMs (Sidewinder or MAA-1 Piranha). One-hundred aircraft will be procured, most to be deployed in the Amazon area, to counter border invasions and the growing activities of drug smuggling in that area.

Transport Aviation
Douglas C-47 were received in 1944, being used in cargo and personnel transport missions. With the end of the Second World War, the C-47 was used in the National Airmail routes. Until its deactivation in 1983, the Brasilian Air Force used 82 C-47s. Two Curtiss C-46 Commando were received in 1948, being serialled 2057 and 2058.

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress were received by the Brasilian Air Force in 1950, to be used in SAR and photographic reconnaissance missions. The B-17s were serialled from 5405 to 5411.

On 24 January 1951 the "four-engined aircraft training centre” was created, tasked with the training of the crews. In July of the same year the Centre was transferred to Recife and the B-17s began to be used in operational missions.

The Centre was extinguished on 15 October 1953 and the 1st/6th Aviation Group was activated in its place. In 1954 the number of B-17s in use was increased to twelve, when seven more of the type were received. On 20 November 1957, the 6th Aviation Group was activated, with two component squadrons, the 1st performing SAR missions and the 2nd being tasked with photographic and meteorological reconnaissance missions. At the time the B-17s were the aircraft with the largest range available to the Brasilian Air Force. Thus they were assigned to support the IIIth/2nd Infantry Regiment in Suez, the Brazilian Army component of the United Nations Emergency Force, based at Gaza Strip (Egypt-Israel border). Between March 1957 and May 1960, 24 trips were performed, with the B-17s from 6th Group running the monthly National Airmail service to that part of the globe.

Twelve Fairchild C-82A Packet were received in 1955 and were used in Army parachutist dropping missions, being used until 1967 at Afonsos. The C-82 were serialled 2200 to 2211.

In 1958, Catalina aircraft were sent to the U.S.A. to be refurbished and modified for transport use, receiving the designation C-10 upon its return. They were extensively used in Amazônia, running the airmail routes until 1982.

Also in 1958, the Brasilian Air Force received fourteen Grumman SA-16 Albatross to be used in SAR missions. All examples were operated exclusively from Sao Paulo. The SA-16 were serialled 6528 to 6541 and were retired in 1980. During their 22 years of service, they flew 50,000 hrs and performed 1,600 SAR missions, carrying more than 1,500 casualties.

Douglas C-54G aircraft were introduced into service in 1960, being used in transport missions as well as running some of the airmail routes; replacing the B-17s in the airmail service to Egypt from its introduction to service.

From 1962 until 1975, Fairchild C-119G were used in parachutist dropping missions. They were serialled 2300 to 2311.

The Brasilian Air Force received twelve Hawker-Siddeley 748 (designated C-91) in 1963 and, in 1965, the first Lockheed C-130E Hercules arrived. Sixteen C-130s were acquired, being 11 C-130E, 3 C-130H and 2 KC-130H, these last two arriving in 1976. The C-130 was used in SAR missions; today they are in use by the Transport Group. Soon after its introduction in service, a C-130E performed the first circumnavigation flight of the globe by a Brasilian aircraft. The C-130s are extremely versatile aircraft, being used also in support of the Brazilian scientific missions in Antarctica.

Five Douglas DC-6B (called C-118) were put into service in 1968, serialled 2412 to 2416. In the same year, the first of 24 de Havilland Canada DHC-5A Buffalo (designated C-115) was delivered. Nineteen of these aircraft are currently in use.

Several other aircraft are used for VIP transport, such as the VU-93 (BAe 125), VC-96 (Boeing 737-200), VC-97 (EMB 120 Brasília) and VU-9 (EMB 121 Xingu). A special version of the VU-93 is used for radar calibration purposes. In 1986 the first of 8 Cessna 208 Caravan 1 was introduced in service. Designated C-98, they are operated by the Transport group.

Four KC-137 tankers, modified from Boeing 707s, in the in-flight refuelling mission are operated. Main users are the F-5Es equipped with refuelling probes.

Several of the locally built EMB 110 Bandeirante, designated C-95, are in use performing logistic transport, SAR and photographic reconnaissance missions.

Humanitarian role
Brazil is a country of continental dimensions and the Brasilian Air Force plays an important role in the integration of its communities, specially in the Amazon area, delivering supplies and bringing medical care to those living amid the rain forest. In many situations, the Air Force aeroplanes are the only link to other parts of the country, and help transferring sick people to hospitals. This task is carried on using the C-115 Buffalo, which with its STOL capabilities is very much suited to the small airstrips carved in the forest.

Training the future pilots
During the Second World War, from 1941, the Air Force received several training aircraft: 103 Fairchild PT-19 (primary trainers), 120 Vultee BT-15 (basic trainers), 30 North American NA-44 (advanced trainers), 87 North American AT-6 (advanced trainers) and Beechcraft AT-7/11 (multi-engine pilot and navigation instruction, respectively). These aircraft were flown from the USA, having suffered only one loss during these flights in the four years Brazil was involved in the conflict. After the war, training of the pupils was done in these aircraft at the Air Force Academy and in other units at squadron level.

In 1965, the Air Force acquired 65 jet trainers Cessna T-34, which equipped the Academy training squadrons, being used until 1981. They received serial numbers from 0870 to 0934.

In an effort to minimise the dependence on foreign suppliers, the Brasilian government helped the development of the local aeronautical industry. Companies like Neiva and Aerotec designed and built primary training aircraft, the Aerotec T-23 Uirapuru and the Neiva T-25.

The originally state-owned company, EMBRAER, has also produced primary and intermediate trainers, piston-engined, turboprops and jets. The most successful of these is undoubtedly the EMBRAER T-27 Tucano, of which more than 800 units have been supplied to (or license-built in) several countries, including Argentina, Egypt, Honduras, Iran, Iraq, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela. Both the T-27 and its attack version, AT-27, are powered by a 750 shp P&W PT6A-25C turboprop engine, driving a three-bladed propeller; pupil and instructor sit in tandem on ejection seats, the latter in a raised position which gives very good frontal view. The T-27 is used by the Air Force fighter and training squadrons and its aerobatics team, the Esquadrão de Demonstração Aérea, affectionately called Fumaça ("Smoke Squadron").

Maritime Patrol Aviation since 1945
In the post-war years, the Air Force kept in use its patrol aircraft, Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and Consolidated PBY-5/5A/6 Catalina, veterans of the Patrol Aviation in WWII. Fourteen PV-1 were transferred to the FAB on 30 March 1944, receiving FAB serials 5034 to 5047. The PV-1 were based at Recife.

On 12 December 1944, the FAB received fifteen Catalina aircraft, to operate from Galeão.

In 1945 six Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon were received and became part of the 2º Grupo de Bombardeio Médio at operated from salvador. The PV-2 were serialled 5048 to 5051 and were used during the 1950s, some of them having been modified as transports. By the end of the 1950s, Brazil acquired fourteen Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune, designated P-15 by the Air Force.

From 1958 to 1976, the P-15 made a stalwart service patrolling the Brazilian sea; in one of the those, on 22/23 July 1967, the south-american record of endurance was established, the mission lasting for 25h 15min.

In 1957, the 1st Embarked Aviation Group was created, tasked with the operation of the Grumman S-2 Tracker (denominated P-16) aboard the Brazilian Navy light aircraft carrier Minas Gerais.

Twenty aircraft were acquired, the P-16 (equivalent to the S-2A) being serialled from 7014 to 7026, the P-16E (S-2E) receiving the serial numbers 7030 to 7037. Three P-16 (serials 7017, 7024 and 7025) were converted to UP-16 standard, for transport duties.

A single P-16E was revitalized, with new turboprop P&W PT-6A engines, being re-designated P-16H. Unfortunately the retrofit was not extended to the remaining P-16s and they were deactivated by the end of 1996.

The Air Force also utilises the EMB P-95 Bandeirante Patrulha, a maritime patrol version of the C-95 Bandeirante. The P-95 has a search radar in a modified long nose, search light and is armed with bombs and rockets.

Rotary wings of the FAB
Helicopters have been in use by the Air Force in the tactical support, SAR and transport roles since 1953. In that year three H-13D (Bell 47D1) were incorporated for utilitarian use. Carrying the serial numbers 8500 to 8502 they remained in service until 1968.
In 1957 four H-19D (Sikorski S-55) were commissioned for SAR duties, being used until 1969. They were serialled 8504 to 8507.
Five H-13J (Bell 47J) entered Air Force service in 1958, being used until 1974. The H-13J (serials 8508 to 8512) were used in the liaison and transport.
The first of 48 Bell 47G2 was received in 1959, twelve being used for training pilots (H-13G) and 36 in observation and liaison missions (OH-13H). They received serial numbers 8514 to 8524 and 8600 to 8635 respectively.
From 1961 to 1965 six H-34 (Sikorski SH-34J) were used by FAB in transport, general duties and anti-submarine missions (serialled 8550 to 8555). All of them were transferred to the Naval Aviation in 1965.
In 1967 fourteen Bell 205D entered service. Six of these were designated SH-1D (serials 8530 to 8535) and used in the SAR role; the balance, designated UH-1D and serialled 8536 to 8543, were used for transport and tactical support missions.
Seven Bell 206 Jet Rangers were commissioned in 1969 as VH-4 (serials 8570 to 8572) and OH-4 (serials 8580 to 8583), three of them remaining in service today in the VIP transport and general duties roles.
The first of thirty-four UH-1H (Bell 205H) were received in 1972, being used in the tactical support and utility roles. Serialled 8650 to 8683, twenty-seven remain in active service.
Six Aérospatiale AS-330 Puma (designated CH-33) were received in 1981, for the tactical support role. In 1988 they were replaced by the AS-332 Super.
The Brazilian-built helicopters UH-50 (Helibrás HB-350 Esquilo) and UH-55 (Helibrás HB-355 Esquilo Bi) are used in training, liaison and SAR missions (UH-50) and liaison and VIP and utility transport (UH-55).

Copyright of abstracted from História da Força Aérea Brasileira by Rudnei Dias da Cunha © 1996-2003