Boeing Stearman Model 75, part four. The Stearman in America, part one. South American users.

 

The Boeing Stearman Model 75 is an American two-seater biplane trainer of the 1930s that was employed by many countries all around the world, among them, the following ones:

• Argentina: In 1936 the Argentine Navy acquired sixteen new Stearman Model 76D, powered by the 320 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior. They were assigned to the Naval Aviation School and served until 1949 whe, according to some historians, were donated to various flying clubs, however, there were not Model 76s registered in Argentine civil aviation.
  Many years later, in 1947, the Argentine Navy bought thirty Boeing-Stearman Model 75 (AKA PT-17/N2S Kaydet), with thirty additional machines two years later, in 1949. These sixty machines were ex-American machines equipped with radial engines such as the Continental R-670-4 or R-670-5 yielding up to 220 hp of power. They were mainly assigned to the Naval Aviation School, with a detachment to Comandante Espora Naval Air Base (Province of Buenos Aires). From the mid-1950s onwards they were employed for general purposes and, since they were ageing considerably, they were gradually replaced by the North American Texan from 1954 until 1962 when the last Model 75 was sold to private owners.
  One of the Model 76, equipped with floats and registered as 1-E-41, became famous for being the first Argentine aircraft to fly to the Antarctica on 6th February 1942. 
  This flight took off from the ship ARA 1º de Mayo (an old modified steam ship) and was performed by Frigate Lieutenant Eduardo Lanusse at the controls and Corporals Erik Blomquist, Antonio Silva and Mario Pappe as mechanics, radio operator and photographers. This was seen as a national milestone but, unfortunately, in April 1942 both Lanusse and Blomquist died in a fatal accident while piloting 1-E-41.
  
  
• Brazil: During the second half of the 1930s the Brazilian Army Aviation sought to modernize their Military Aviation School, so in May 1937 the first machines of the Stearman Model A76C3 (attack variant equipped with bomb gear and a defensive machine gun were shipped to Rio do Janeiro. By early 1938 all thirty of them were assembled and assigned to the Army Aeronautics School, where they served as basic trainers. 
  However, as they were equipped with bombing gear and a defensive machine gun, they were also employed in the bombing trainer role, ground attack and aerial photography.
  Not all of the Brazilian Model 76s were employed by the Aeronautics Schools, some were also employed by the Training Squadron of the 7th Aviation Regiment, in Belem, and some others with the 4th Aviation Regiment, at Belo Horizonte, however, their presence there was brief and were reassigned back to the Aviation School. 
  Some years later, in October 1940 the Brazilian Army Aviation was transitioning to become an independent branch (the Brazilian Air Force), so many North American NA-72 trainers were ordered and, with the creation of the Ministry of Aeronautics, on 20th January 1941, the Stearmans were passed on to the Brazilian Air Force (BAF).
  With the BAF served a total of twenty Stearmans A-75 and twenty-seven A-76 which, as stated, had previously served with the Brazilian Army Aviation. 
  These machines served until 1948 and 1950 as they were employed as basic trainers by the Aeronautics School. In 1942 the Model A-75-L3s were replaced by the newly-acquired Fairchild PT-19, while one year later, in 1943, th A-76C3s were replaced by the Vultee BT-15 and, finally in 1944, the A-76C3 were definitely replaced by the T-6 Texan and the Stearmans were withdrawn to secondary administrative roles, being definitely written off in 1950.
  
  
• Bolivia: In 1942 Bolivia acquired around twenty PT-17s which served for a long period of time, until 1963. It is known that they acquired six PT-17s from Argentina. 

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75

2nd https://issuu.com/federacionargentinadecamarasagroaer/docs/revista_37_opt/s/15636721 (translated)

3rd https://www.marambio.aq/primervueloargentino.html (translated)

4th Aeronaves Militares Brasileiras 1916-2015 (translated)

5th https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Aeronaves_militares_históricas_de_Bolivia

Grumman J2F Duck - Foreign users

 

The Grumman J2F Duck is an American amphibious single-engined biplane. It was an improved version of the JF Duck and was used by the following foreign users:

• Argentina: After the success of the JF Duck in the Argentine Navy, in 1939 their fleet of G-20 (company designation given to the JF Duck) was expanded by four Grumman G-15 (company designation given to the Grumman J2F4) with their tailhooks removed. Those Ducks were assigned to two observation units, one at BAN (Base Aérea Naval - Naval Air Base) Comandante Espora (Escuadrón 2 - Squadron 2) and the other at BAN Puerto Indio (Escuadrón 3 - Squadron 3). Few G-15 and G-20 remained airworthy by the end of the Second World War. 
  In 1948 Argentina bought 22 additional J2F-5 and nine J2F-6s from surplus US Navy stock. Some of those Ducks took part in the Revolución Libertadora that, in 1955 ousted Juan Perón. Although observation squadrons were disbanded in 1956, a number of Ducks were still flying in Argentina in 1959.
  The Ducks allowed for the creation of the first true naval aviation observation squadrons within the Argentine Navy. They served as the eyes of the fleet when the ships weren't equipped with radar technology or, later, when they were absent. The Ducks also served as general utility planes and were used to direct naval gunfire, as torpedo spotters, aerial photographic platforms, target towers, medical evacuation aircraft, search & rescue role and submarine support operations role. For four years, 1946-1950, at least one Argentine Duck was entirely painted black for night operations and for undisclosed "special missions". 
• Colombia: This country became a signatory of the Rio Pact, so called Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance and, therefore, took delivery of three ex-USAF OA-12Bs (designation given to the J2F6 serving with the USAF) in 1948. They were overhauled at Warner-Robins Air Force Base, in Georgia. There are no further details about their service in Colombia and, as we couldn't find graphical support, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Mexico: Two Columbia J2F6 (just J2F6 manufactured by Columbia Aircraft Corporation in New York) were acquired by Mexico in 1947 for use with the Aviación Naval Mexicana (Mexican Naval Aviation). They operated in the Veracruz region from 1947 to 1951, when they were sold back to the USA.
• Peru: The Peruvian Instituto Lingüístico de Verano (Summer Language School) bought a single Columbia J2F6 in 1946. It was named "Amauta" and, in 1961 it passed on to the Peruvian Navy until 1964 when it was written off and sold, one year later to Parque de las Leyendas (Park of Legends) in Lima, the capital of Peru. It was displayed there as an attraction until 1977.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_J2F_Duck

2. Squadron Signal - Aircraft in Action Mini 7 - Grumman JF Duck

3. https://www.airliners.net/photo/Peru-Navy/Grumman-J2F-6-Duck-G-15/2289182

4. https://www.facebook.com/aviacionyaeronautica/posts/1600289339992284/ (translated)

Junkers Ju.52 in Argentina

 

The Junkers Ju.52/3m is a German transport aircraft manufactured and developed by Junkers. With 4.485 units having been manufactured, it comes no surprise that the type was widely exported to, among many other countries, Argentina.

In September 1938 the Comando de Aviación del Ejército (Army Aviation's Command) sent a representation to Germany in order to buy 5 Ju.52/3m which were being produced for the Luftwaffe. 

The first three Ju.52 arrived in Argentina in 1939 and in October they were assigned to the newly created "Escuadrilla de Transporte" (Transport Squadron) belonging to the "Grupo 1 de Observación" (No.1 Observation Group) based at El Palomar Air Base, in Buenos Aires. Shortly later the two remaining machines were delivered. All five of them were delivered unassembled by boat and were assembled at Fábrica Militar de Aviones' (FMA) factory, in Córdoba.

Given that Germany was in the middle of the World War 2, spare parts and engines were running short, the Junkers were re-engined with FMA E-1 radial engines which were a licensed copy of the American Wright Cyclone SGR-1820F.2. Between the years 1939 and 1945, they served with the Argentine Army's Aviation Command in the transport role, but also with Aeroposta Argentina (Argentine Air Mail) flying in every occasion under neutrality markings (though Argentine declared war on Germany… on 27th March 1945!). 

After the War, the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (Argentine Air Force) was created , which takes into property the Ju.52 together with ten additional second-hand machines bought from the Brazilian company Cruzeiro do Sul in 1946, which were BMW engined.

With the first machines, back in 1940, the first flights of LASO (Líneas Aéreas del Sudoeste - Southwestern Airlines), LANE (Líneas Aéreas del Noreste - Northeastern Airlines) and SADE (Servicio Aeropostal del Estado - State's Aeropostal Service) took place, which were all merged in 1945 into LADE (Líneas Aéreas del Estado - State's Airlines). All of this while they were still serving with the Air Force in military transport flights, cargo transfer and even paratrooper drop as they were the first transports assigned to the Argentinean paratrooper unit, created in 1943. 

Between 1947 and 1948 they were employed as crop dusters (with additional crop dusting gear fitted in a workshop at the city of Quilmes) to fight the locust plague which was ruining plantations in the Argentinean North and Northeast. 

By late 1948 nine aircraft were transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture and the remaining two were kept serving with the Air Force until as late as 1963.

Sources:

1. http://www.amilarg.com.ar/junkers-ju-52.html (translated)

2. https://www.zona-militar.com/foros/threads/junkers-ju-52-3-m-en-argentina.10321/ (translated)

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Ju_52

4. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerolíneas_Argentinas (translated)

Avro Anson, part three, Some American users

The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined multi-role aircraft manufactured by Avro. With more than 11.000 exemplars manufactured, the type was exported to various countries all around the globe.

• Argentina: Various Ansons were acquired by Argentine private companies after the war like SAETA (Servicios Aéreos Explotación Transportes Aéreos - Aerial Exploitation Transports Services) or Cía de tierra del Río Negro (Rio Negro land's company). They were used for cargo and land exploration purposes from the immediate postwar (1948 until the mid-1950s).
• Brazil: Three Ansons Mk.II were acquired by the Brazilian airline Companhia Meridional de Transportes (Southern Transports Company). This short-lived airline was founded in 1944 and, on 5th October 1945 they operated flights from the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, in Brazil. All their fleet comprised of the three Ansons Mk.II that we mentioned and, after a crash on 19th December 1945 which killed all passengers, including the pilot and owner of the company, Álvaro Araújo, in just three months, the company went bankrupt.
• Cuba: Up to 10 Ansons served with various Cuban companies after the war. Most of them were airlines, like the one we've depicted below, which was made in Canada by Federal Aircraft. It served with the Cuban airline ANSA (Aerolíneas del Norte SA - Northern Airlines PLC) operating from the Cuban city of Camagüey. It's worth pointing that this airplane had extra windows. Other Cuban companies that had the Anson in their stocks were Líneas Aéreas Holguin (Holguin Airlines) , Aerolíneas del Sur SA (Southern Airlines PLC) and Corporación Aeronáutica Antillana (Antillean Aeronautical Corporation). Apparently a single one was used as the personal transport of J. Lobo.
• Paraguay: One Anson Mk.V was purchased by the Paraguayan Air Arm in the civilian market in Argentina in July 1947. It was used as a VIP transport. 
• United States of America: Given the need for extra training aircraft, 50 Ansons were transferred to the USA from Canada in 1943. They were named as AT-20. One Anson Mk.IV was also loaned to the USA earlier, in July 1942, but returned to Canada in November of that year. When the USAAF arrived in Europe, they didn't bring communications aircraft with them, so various Ansons, together with other British types, were used in second-line duties. No accurate records have been kept and the exact numbers are unknown, but by late 1944 the Ansons were given back to the Royal Air Force (RAF) as the USAAF had, by that time, shipped their own communications aircraft to the United Kingdom and even France.
  Some few of them were based at either Warton, Lancashire (the location of the main USAAF's depot during the war) or with the 1st Combat Crew Replacement Centre, in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire. One Anson Mk.XII registered as NL137 was allocated to the Station Flight in Northolt, London in January 1945. It was later transferred to Headquarters Flight in Bovingdon. It was given back to the RAF in late 1945 and was assigned to No.1 Ferry Unit, located in Pershore, Worcestershire.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Anson

2. https://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com/2012/08/lv-agj-avro-652a-anson-v-mb-17.html (translated)

3. https://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com/2012/08/lv-fbr-avro-652a-anson-19-2-1507.html (translated)

4. http://britishaviation-ptp.com/avro652_3.html

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companhia_Meridional_de_Transportes

6. http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/tag/avro-anson-mk-v

7. Aerial Operations in Paraguay - Helion and Co.

8. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 53 - Avro Anson