Morane-Saulnier L - South American users

We're back with another French aircraft... but this time from the early World War I era and covering the Southern American users of them.
The Morane-Saulnier L was a French parasol one or two-seater that was used as a scout and even as a fighter. In South America it was used by the next countries:

• Argentina: The Morane-Saulnier L nicknamed "Mendoza" made history there as it was the first airplane to cross the Andean mountains by taking off from Neuquen, in Argentina and landing in Cunco, Chile on 13th April 1918. The airplane was part of the flying school of the Argentinean Aviación Militar (Military Aviation) that served from 1915 until 1923.
• Brazil: The Brazilian Army's Serviço de Aviaçao Naval adquired at least one armed Morane-Saulnier L in 1916. However we couldn't find more information about its usage and fate.
• Bolivia: Somehow Bolivian Cuerpo de Aviación got a type L, however as we couldn't find neither graphical nor text evidence of it, the drawing should be considered as speculative. 
• Peru: Peru was another user of the type L. Most probably it was adquired during late World War I when the type L was already outdated and it served with the Peruvian Aviación Militar. However, as we couldn't find graphical or text evidence about it, the drawing should be considered as speculative.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_L

2. https://aerospotter.blogspot.com.es/2014/04/el-morane-saulnier-l-parasol-y-el.html (translated)

3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Avro 504K - Latin American users, part two

Now's the turn for more latin-american users of the Avro 504K.

• Chile: In 1920 Chile feared that Bolivia wanted their sea access back, they started to rearm themselves. They bought for the Chilean Army: Twenty Airco DH.9 Bombers,  eight RAF SE.5a, twelve Bristol M.1C plus two Avro 504 and three Sopwith Baby, one Felixstowe F.2A, six Short 184 and two Avro 504K for the Chilean navy. They served in the Chilean aviation school.
• Perú: They bought at least three of them during the early 1920s in order to equip their flying schools.
• Uruguay: Uruguayan government bough some 504K which served from 1919 until as late as 1934 in the Escuela Militar de Aviación (Military Aviation School). 

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_504

2. http://ivansiminic.blogspot.com.es/2012/04/sucesos-de-1920.html (translated)

3. http://www.insigniamag.com/peru17.html

4. http://www.pilotoviejo.com/avro504k.htm (translated)

5. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Ansaldo A.1 Balilla - Latin-American users

We switch countries and airplanes, France for Italy and the ANF Les Mureaux by the Ansaldo ones.

The Ansaldo A.1 Balilla was an Italian fighter designed in 1917 and it didn't enter into service until July 1918.

In this post we are going to center in the Latin-American users of it.

• Argentina: The 350º Squadriglia was assigned to Argentina in order to try to sell many type of airplanes. From old Farmans to the newly Caproni bombers. That's why many aces flew some propaganda flights there. On 30th April 1919, two Italian pilots, Locatelli and Tenente Silvio Scaroni flew two Balillas from Buenos Aires to Rosario in a round-trip. Later, on 5th September the Tenente Edoardo Olivero made a round trip from Buenos Aires to Tandil and was followed on 27th September by another Buenos Aires-Tandil-Tres Arroyos flight which took three days in total. They couldn't sale any airplane to the government, however it's known that at least one was sold to the Centro de Aviación Civil (Civilian Aviation Center) in the city of Castelar. As we couldn't find any graphical evidence on this one, the colours should be considered as speculative.
• Costa Rica: It's reported that at least one Balilla was flown in Costa Rica in 1920. Again, there isn't any graphical evidence on this, so it's just an speculative drawing.
• Honduras: It's also reported that at least one was flown in Tegucigalpa in August 1920 plus another unspecified others in September, but not further details are known. As the previous ones, the colours are speculative due to the lack of graphical sources.
• Mexico: Mexico ordered the Ansaldos in January 1920 but they didn't arrive until December 1920. It was flight tested by Lievre, crashed and was rebuilt by the Talleres Nacionales de Construcciones Aeronauticas (National Aircraft Construction Workshops) TNCA and given the registration of 1-D-79. It was tested again in April 1921 piloted, most probably by the German pilot Fritz Bieler. The American pilot who was hired to reorganize the Mexican Fuerza Aerea (Mexican Air Force), Lt. Ralph O'Neil flew it on June 10th, August 1st and September 12th 1921. On May 1st 1923 it was assigned to the newly formed 1er Escuadrón de Caza (1st Fighter Squadron) but that unit barely saw any action and was centered in training duties. Unfortunately, the airplane spun while performing a low altitude barrel roll during a fund rising event at Balbuena Airfield, killing its' pilot, the Teniente Ramón Alcalá on 12th August 1923. 
• Peru: Two Balillas were shipped to Peru, where, after a memorable demonstration flight from Lima to Trujillo performed by the Italian pilot Enrico Silvio Rolandi on 28th March 1921 were bought by the Peruvian Aviation Corps. However some sources claim that it was a SPAD S.VII the airplane that performed that flight. In any way, Rolandi made another flight from Lima to San Vicente de Cañete in order to carry a sum in behalf of the government. After that the Italian mission returned to Italy liquidating its' assets at cost. One Balilla is known to have crashed on 7th December 1922.
• Uruguay: The Italian mission in Argentina linked the capital cities of Argentina and Uruguay and, on June 20th 1919, the Tenente Giorgio Michetti and Sergente Nicola Bo flew from Buenos Aires to Montevideo and back, in order to extend the sales to that country. Some sources claim that at least one airplane was sold. As the graphical evidences of this one are lacking, the drawing should be considered as speculative.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansaldo_A.1_Balilla
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters.
3. Windsock Datafile 88 - Ansaldo A.1 'Balilla'

Ansaldo SVA - Foreign Users, Second Entry

We continue with the Ansaldo SVA, this time with more foreign users of this multi-role airplane.

• Lithuania: Lithuania kept some SVA.10 used in observation role during the 20s. There's not much more many information.
• Paraguay: As many of you have already guessed, the Ansaldo SVA played an important role in south American countries not just for being one of the first airplanes in many of these countries air force's, but also for being the protagonist of the first aerial combat ever in that territory when two opposing SVA.5 faced together in a dogfight. It was also used as a trainer, and not just as a fighter.
• Peru: Peru had some SVA.5 in active during the 20s. Their fate or where they were based is unknown.
• Poland: The newly created Wojska Lotnicze (Polish Air force) adquired some trainers in order to equip their flying schools. The one that employed the SVA was the advanced pilot's school, based first at an ex-German airfield in the city of Poznan but moved to Grudziądz in December 1920.

Ansaldo SVA - Foreign Users, First Entry

We start a new saga of airplanes!. This time we take a deep look into the Italian Ansaldo SVA.

The Ansaldo SVA was a saga of Italian reconnaissance airplanes designed and employed during The Great War and employed also in many other post-war conflicts.

There were various versions:

• SVA1: Later identification of the SV prototype
• SVA2: Pre-production series of the SVA.
• SVA3: Interceptor version. Powered by an SPA 6A engine. Featured one upper-wing mounted fiat machine-gun. AKA 'SVA Ridotto'
• SVA4: Reconnaissance version. Featuring one Vickers Machine gun on the left side and two photo-cameras.
• SVA.5: Recon-Bombing version. Two side mounted frontal Vickers Machine guns and equipped with bomb racks under the fuselage. Some versions were tested with early radio equipment.
• SVA.6: Purely reconnaissance version of the SVA.5. One wing-mounted Fiat machine gun. Equipped with two cameras.
• SVA.7: Recon/bomber of the SVA.6. Racks for 6 bombs under the fuselage.
• SVA.8: AKA Ansaldo A.201/A.202 Prototype of an armoured ground attack variant. It was powered by an Isotta-Fraschini engine. It was written off from inventory in May 1923.
• SVA.9: Two-Seat trainer of the SVA.5. One of them was modified in order to perform the flight over Vienna with the cockpit of the pilot and the observer reverted.
• SVA.10: Two-seat Reconnaissance version.
• ISVA/SVA Am: Floatplane fighter version (ISVA) or floatplane observation airplane (Am), made on request of the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy)
• SVA AP: AP stands for 'Ansaldo Postale' which was just a regular SVA.5 powered by an V6 Isotta-Fraschini employed as a postal airplane.

Now the users covered in this post are:

• Argentina: Both Ansaldo SVA.5 and SVA.10 were employed by the Argentinean Servicio Aeronáutico del Ejército (Army Aeronautical Service) both in their first two fighter squadrons and their military flying schools. One SVA.5 became very famous after crossing the Andes twice, piloted by the Captain Parodi.
• Bolivia: Apparently some of them were used by the Bolivian Cuerpo de Aviación (Aviation Corps). We couldn't find graphical evidence so the drawing should be considered as speculative. UPDATE: The only Ansaldo SVA (most probably a SVA.5) to flight over Bolivia was the one belonging to Count Aldo Barbaro, one of South America's aviation pioneers. He flew in many occasions from lake Titicaca in Peru, to the city of La Paz, in Bolivia achieving various records within South American flights and was also the first South American aviator to reach 4000m high on a flight from Arequipa, in Peru to Oruro, in Bolivia. During one of those flights that took place on July 1923, his aircraft malfunctioned while he was approaching La Paz and his plane crashed killing him on the spot. Nowadays Count Aldo Barbaro is a hero both for Peru and Bolivia.
  It seems that in May 1920 an Italian officer, named Evaristo Ruffo, assigned to the military mission in Argentina, crossed the Argentino-Bolivian border to offer the Bolivian government five SVA.5 (among other many aircraft) in order to set-up an aviation school. However the deal couldn't be closed so the aircraft weren't delivered.
  Thanks to our follower Bluewarrior for giving us the information and providing us with photos.
• Brazil: It seems that some SVA were used by the Brazilian navy aeronautical service. As we couldn't information about these airplanes under Brazilian command, it's considered as speculative both the colours and the sub-model.
• Chile: The Italian colony in Chile bought an airplane and, when performing a demonstration flight, it crashed off the shore of Valparaiso in 1924.
• Ecuador: During 1921 Italy sent a military mission to Ecuador in order to form new pilots there. They bought together with them, an Ansaldo SVA.10, a Macchi M.18 a SAML S2 and an Aviatik D.I. The Ecuadorian aviation school opened up on July 1922.
• Georgia: During the Russian civil war, the Soviet Red Army invaded Georgia in 1921. It is known that the Georgians had a tiny air corps comprissed of some Sopwith Camel and some other SVA.10. Basing on how the Camel looked like, we have drawn the SVA.10, speculating of course.
• Latvia: The Latvian aviation corps had some SVA.10 in active during 1924 when one of them was sent for four days to the Estonian capital of Tallinn as a diplomatic action in order to improve relations between both countries.

Source (for Aldo Barbaro's history):
1. The comments and photos left by our follower, Bluewarrior. Thanks to him.
2. http://aviationpioneers.blogspot.com/2010/05/count-aldo-barbaro.html

SPAD S.VII - Second entry, foreign users vol. 2

Previous note: This is a continuation of this post If you haven't read it, i recommend you to check it out.
We continue with the SPAD S.VII, this time with more foreign users for this French Fighter.

We are covering the next countries this time:

• Imperial Germany: During the very first part of 1918 a single S.VII was captured from the French SPA65 unit. It was heavily repainted by his new owner. 
• Greece: The Royal Hellenic Army Air Service bought some airplanes. The one depicted below served in 1920.
• Kingdom of Italy: Italy used them widely during the Great war and it became very popular since it was flew by various of their best aces like Francesco Baracca or Giorgio Pessi. It was also among the very first planes that composed the Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force) with planes carried over from the previous Corpo Aeronautico Militare (Military Aeronautical Corps) during 1923.
• Empire of Japan: The Imperial Japanese Army Air Service employed them, allegedly for domestice defense purposes during the 20s. As we couldn't find any graphical evidence, the drawing are speculative.
• Netherlands: The Luchtvaartafdeling (The Dutch Aeronautical corps) employed some SPAD S.VII. Supposedly they were airplanes that were forced to land in neutral Dutch territory during the Great War, as we couldn't find graphical evidence on this one neither, the colours are speculative.
• Peru: Allegiadly Peru used some Ex-Argentinean planes during the early 20s for evaluation purposes. However they were rejected. The graphical evidence on Peruvian SPADs doesn't seem to exist, so the drawing is considered speculative.
• Poland: One of the main post-war users of the SPAD S.VII and one of the very first airplanes that constituted the Wojska Lotnicze (Polish Air Force) back in 1918. It saw action during the Polish Soviet war.