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Re: Nice to be proved right :0)
Posted by Chris Hinch on Sat Jan 05, 2002 03:52:01 AM
In reply top Re: Nice to be proved right :0) posted by Paul McMillan on Wed Jan 02, 2002 10:08:13 AM
According to the free online translation service at www.altavista.com:
Some sources erroneously say that the first F-51D Mustangs appeared in Cuba in 1947 under the terms of the Pact of Rio of that year, which is false. In fact they arrived at Cuba only in 1958, and clandestinely. The guerrilla of the brothers Fidel and Raul Castro organized her own small Rebellious Air Force (Officers' Club of Revolutionary Armed Forces) in the Second In front " Frank Country " the 12 of April of 1958. " Movement 26 of Julio " of Castro had financial support of Cuban exile, and the clandestine purchase of several airplanes in the outside financed. Contacts in Venezuela were made to buy two F-51D Mustangs, without result. But in the United States success was had. Between the bought apparatuses there, there were two F-51D that were acquired in Miami, the USA like remainders military and without equipping with artillery. The 13 of November of 1958 the coordinator Hayd?e Santamar?a wrote to him to Raul Castro (under his control it was the Officers' Club of Revolutionary Armed Forces): " we wait for within two days Michel will be in that with two F-51 to equip with artillery them there " . Michel Yabor was one of the rebellious pilots.
The Mustangs rebellious
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First Mustang (N5422V) was already being examined from April of 1958 by revolutionary supporters, and belonged to the Leeward Aeronautical Salts, of Miami, that had bought it by $1.067.00 in 1957 as remainder military. He was bought the 18 of November of 1958, and the pilot Allen McDonald filled to form ACA-1362 for a " local test and test flight ", supposedly taking it that day from the USA to Cuba. Second Mustang (N68DR) originally was terminated by the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1956 and given to the Stinson Field Aircraft, of San Antonio, Texas. There it received matriculation N68DR, happening through several users of Tennessee and Kansas, finishing in Miami like N3990A, where it was bought by the same Allen McDonald, who also supposedly took to Cuba clandestinely the 20 to it of November. Third Mustang (N89E) also ex--RCAF, supposedly suffered a same fate towards Cuba, acquiring three matriculations FAR-201, 301 and 401 respectively.
This is the well-known version in the USA But in fact they appear in only two Cuba Mustangs (N5422V and N68DR), that later arrive at the Caribbean island together few days, the 23 of November at noon, flying directly from the USA to the rebellious aerodrome of Mayar? Arriba, piloted by Michel Yabor and Adolph Diaz V?zquez and not by Allen. The matriculations of both will be FAR-400 and 401.
One of the Mustangs finished landing in Mayar? Arriba, 23 of November of 1958 Photo taken in January of 1959. Still they are not painted with the emblems of the Officers' Club of Revolutionary Armed Forces The FAR-400 in the aerodrome of City Freedom, Havana. N?tese " fauces of shark " in its nose The FAR-401 in a Museum in 1982. The same scheme of the previous one is visible
That same day 23 of November in the morning this aerodrome of Mayar? Arriba had been attacked by two F-47D Thunderbolt of the FAEC of the government, and the rebellious artillerymen, when seeing again the quick silhouette of two huntings, give the alarm voice, and begin to shoot. He happens of the first Mustang in grazing flight was saluted by a burst of Browning Cal.30, that hit in wing tank straight and the tail. Rebellious Captain Orestes Of the River, that was waiting for the arrival of the Mustangs, leaves running shaking the arms and ordering the stop to the fire towards the artillerymen, who surprised, let shoot.
Both Mustangs lands and is towed to a refuge to equip with artillery them and to hide them of the FAEC (whose F-47D continued attacking the same aerodrome the following day, without discovering them). Raul Castro is contented with the appearance of the first airplanes battle rebellious F-51 and writes: " They are a wonder, being at the moment in safe places, hoping by the artillery to begin to operate, since we are preparing the pumps Napalm, this is going to be puntillazo of the regime in the battle by East "
The intense work in Mustangs is begun both, and the 28 of December its transfer to just captured aerodrome of Im?as is ordered, for which both airplanes had to be prepared as soon as possible. The 31 of December from 1958 to ten at night already one of them is ready. And the 1 of January of 1959, early in the morning, the mechanics of the Mustangs find out by radio ADF of F-51 of the Batiste flight. The war finished victoriously. The euphoria of the news stimulated them, and to the 11 in the morning both apparatuses they were ready. Now only we could be imagined the consequences of the encounter of the Mustags of the Officers' Club of Revolutionary Armed Forces with the Thunderbolts of the FAEC. Supposedly Mustangs in Venezuela for the rebels of Castro existed other two the attempt to buy, without result.
Despues of the revolution
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To the triumph of the revolution in January of 1959, the Mustangs was transferred to the aerodrome of Columbia, Havana. There the journalists taught the holes in one of them (tracks of " warm " the recibimiento of the 22 of November) as tracks " battle ". Of lack of pieces and the problems of the new Air Force in 1959-1961, both Mustangs, were in favor frequently of loss. After the bombing of the 15 of April of 1961, antecedent one of the disembarkation by Bay of Pigs , it was decided to put them of discharge, and N?400 or is ready the 20 of April in City Freedom, when or the combats have finished. F-51 N?401 was still of loss by pieces in San Antonio.
He is interesting which the dictator of Nicaragua Anastasio Somoza proposed to the invading forces of exiliados Cuban of Bay of Pigs four F-51D Mustags, due to the strong losses of B-26 Invader . These F-51D arrived the 18 from April of 1961 at the air base of B-26 in Port Heads, Nicaragua. But they were not used, alleging the little familizaci?n with that apparatus, and its insufficient operational range until the combat zone.
In June of 1961 they arrive the MiG-15bis , and the Mustangs they are terminated definitively (and not in 1963 as they indicate some sources). Repintados (even with shark mouth) during the years the 70 FAR-401 was exposed next to Is Fury in the Museum of the Revolution (Presidential ex--Palace). Today only it is left one of them, N?401 in the Museum of the revolutionary air force and air defense division, Havana.
Number Tipo Series You register previous Observations
FAR-400 F-51D-30-NT 45-11700 N5422V It arrives the 23.11.1958. Of high until April of 1961
FAR-401 F-51D-30-NA 44-74505 RCAF-9233, N68DR, N399OA It arrives the 23.11.1958. Exposed in Museum
F-51D FAR-401 today in the Museum of the revolutionary air force and air defense division. Photos of Rub?n Urribarres
Fuentes
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- The Rebellious Air Force. Commission of History of the Rebellious Air Force, Havana, 1988
- John Dienst and Dan Hagedorn. North American F-51 Mustangs in Latin American Services
- Archives of the author
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