Chilean Aircraft Developments, 1948-1949

The Shadow

Thursday, March 26th 2020, 6:15am

It's been a few years since I've provided any update on the other Chilean armed forces, principally the Air Force (FACh), Naval Aviation (Armada de Chile Arma Aérea, AdCAA), etc. So here's an overview of everything going on at present. This runs up to Q3/1949.

Chilean Air Force

Jets
In 1947 and 1948, the Chilean Air Force started receiving its first ENAER F5E Nahuel jet fighters. These are license-built variants of the German Focke-Wulf Fw340 jet fighter. This design was selected due to a pre-existing working relationship between ENAER and Focke-Wulf, which significantly eased technological transfer. The Fw340 also possessed significantly more range than other jet aircraft inspected by the Air Force.

Although the FACh is generally pleased with the F5E Nahuel, production will halt in 1949 before the FACh has replaced all of its propeller-driven fighters, with seventy-two Corsairs to remain in service. This is largely due to financial factors, as the F5E production proved slightly more expensive than desired, and a number of other needs will need to be addressed in 1950.

Trainers
Beginning in July 1949, the Chilean Air Force introduces the brand-new turboprop-powered variant of its distinguished Coati advanced trainer, the N1E-4 Coati. This new variant has a new cockpit which largely imitates that of the F5E Nahuel, with a modern gunsight, bombing aids, bubble canopy, and ejector seats (a first for Chilean aircraft).

Future
Going forward into 1950, the Chilean Air Force is looking at three potential items to pursue for acquisitions:
- Fast Bomber Replacement Program
- Attack Aircraft Replacement Program
- Helicopter Experimentals Unit / 518th Technical Squadron

The Fast Bomber Replacement Program is looking at replacement aircraft for the B1E-1 and R1E-1P Caracaras deployed to the IV and V Brigades. The Russian-designed Caracaras are now pretty comprehensively "dead meat" for most single-engine fighters in the neighborhood, and the FACh is looking for possible options to replace them. The ideal aircraft will be a twin-engine jet with a range of at least four thousand kilometers, a maximum speed of 900 km/h, and a crew of two to four. A formal RFP is published in May 1949 with no closing date.

The Attack Aircraft Replacement Program is designed to replace the Argentine-built Tucan T-18N NB-2 in the ground-attack role. The T-18Ns (designated the Tucan A1T Curiñanco in Chilean parlance) are well-received by the FACh, but their armament is now deemed too light for ground attack duties. These planes entered service in 1939, and the wear-and-tear on the airframes, and the depletion of spare parts, makes their replacement desirable during 1950 or 1951. The FACh is looking at four options:
- Option 1: a variant of the ground-attack variant of the turboprop-powered N1E-4 Coati advanced trainer
- Option 2: replacement by low-hours F4E Corsarios, currently in storage after being replaced by F5E jet fighters
- Option 3: rebuilt TB1E-1 Alicantos retired the Navy
- Option 4: foreign purchase.
The FACh is currently leaning heavily toward Option 2, but has not yet made a firm decision. Foreign tenders will be evaluated but no formal RFP is published.

The Helicopter Experimentals Unit is charged with looking into the acquisition of helicopters for utility and troop-transport purposes. The FACh acquired six SFG SH.40 Tourbillon helicopters from France for this purpose. While experiments are ongoing, initial findings have raised serious concerns whether helicopters can operate successfully in the high altitudes of the Andes and Atacama regions.

Deployments
There are no significant changes to the FACh's order-of-battle since the last published data. However, I will provide a full order-of-battle below.

Quoted

Chilean Air Force, January 1949
I Brigade
3rd Fighter Regiment
-- 104th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters
-- 110th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters
-- 502nd Technical Squadron: 4x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters, 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft
4th Fighter Regiment
-- 106th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F4E-3 Corsario fighters
-- 107th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F4E-3 Corsario fighters
-- 503rd Technical Squadron: 4x ENAER F4E-3 Corsario fighters, 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft
5th Fighter Regiment
-- 108th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F4E-3 Corsario fighters
-- 109th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F4E-3 Corsario fighters
-- 504th Technical Squadron: 4x ENAER F4E-3 Corsario fighters, 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft

II Brigade
1st Fighter Regiment
-- 100th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters
-- 118th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters
-- 500th Technical Squadron: 4x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters, 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft
2nd Fighter Regiment
-- 101st Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters
-- 102nd Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters
-- 501st Technical Squadron: 4x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters, 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft
1st Attack Regiment
-- 600th Attack Squadron: 16x Tucan T-18N NB-2 attack aircraft
-- 601st Attack Squadron: 16x Tucan T-18N NB-2 attack aircraft
-- 50th Technical Squadron: 16x Tucan T-18N NB-2 attack aircraft, 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft
300th Recon Squadron: 2x Arado Ar234 recon, 1x ENAER Zafiro liason aircraft

III Brigade
6th Fighter Regiment
-- 10th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters
-- 111th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters
-- 506th Technical Squadron: 4x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters, 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft
7th Fighter Regiment
-- 112th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters
-- 113th Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters
-- 508th Technical Squadron: 4x ENAER F5E Nahuel fighters, 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft
2nd Attack Regiment
-- 602nd Attack Squadron: 16x Tucan T-18N NB-2 attack aircraft
-- 603rd Attack Squadron: 16x Tucan T-18N NB-2 attack aircraft
-- 517th Technical Squadron: 16x Tucan T-18N NB-2 attack aircraft, 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft
301st Recon Squadron: 2x Arado Ar234 recon, 1x ENAER Zafiro liason aircraft

IV Brigade
1st Light Bomber Regiment
-- 202nd Light Bomber Squadron: 12x B1E-1 Caracara fast bombers
-- 203rd Light Bomber Squadron: 12x B1E-1 Caracara fast bombers
-- 511th Technical Squadron: 12x B1E-1 Caracara fast bombers
2nd Light Bomber Regiment
-- 204th Light Bomber Squadron: 12x B1E-1 Caracara fast bombers
-- 205th Light Bomber Squadron: 12x B1E-1 Caracara fast bombers
-- 514th Technical Squadron: 12x B1E-1 Caracara fast bombers
8th Fighter Regiment (Strike Fighter Regiment)
-- 116th Heavy Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E fighters
-- 117th Heavy Fighter Squadron: 16x ENAER F5E fighters
-- 513th Technical Squadron: 4x ENAER F5E fighters, 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft
302nd Recon Squadron: 2x Arado Ar234 recon, 1x ENAER Zafiro liason aircraft

V Brigade
1st Reconnaissance Regiment
-- 303rd Recon Squadron: 12x R1E-1P Caracara recce planes
-- 304th Recon Squadron: 12x R1E-1P Caracara recce planes
-- 510th Technical Squadron: 3x Twin Condor transports, 2x Zafiro liaison aircraft
1st Transport Regiment
-- 400th Transport Squadron: 16x Nord Normandie heavy transports
-- 401st Transport Squadron: 16x Nord Normandie heavy transports
-- 515th Technical Squadron: 4x Alpaca light liaison aircraft
2nd Transport Regiment
-- 402nd Transport Squadron: 16x Nord Normandie heavy transports
-- 403rd Transport Squadron: 16x Nord Normandie heavy transports
-- 516th Technical Squadron: 4x Alpaca light liaison aircraft

VI Brigade
1st Cooperation Regiment
-- 305th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 306th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 307th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
2nd Cooperation Regiment
-- 308th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 309th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 310th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
3rd Cooperation Regiment
-- 311th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 312th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 313th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft

VII Brigade
4th Cooperation Regiment
-- 314th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 315th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 316th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
5th Cooperation Regiment
-- 317th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 318th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 319th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
6th Cooperation Regiment
-- 320th Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 321st Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft
-- 322nd Reconnaissance Squadron: 1x Zafiro liaison aircraft, 6x Alpaca spotting aircraft

FACh Headquarters
-- 518th Technical Squadron: 6x SFG SH.40 Tourbillon helicopters (experimental unit)

Aircraft Totals, January 1949
Note 1: This lists solely aircraft in service; a large number of older aircraft have been retired and placed in storage.
Note 2: Training aircraft counted separately.

F4E-3 Corsario prop fighter: 72x
F5E Nahuel jet fighter (Fw340): 216x
B1E-1 Caracara prop bomber: 72x
R1E-1P Caracara prop recce: 24x
Arado Ar234 jet recce: 6x
Tucan A1T Curiñanco prop attacker: 96x in service
Twin Condor prop medium transport: 33x in service
Nord Normandie prop heavy transport: 64x in service
Zafiro prop liaison aircraft: 31x in service
Alpaca prop army co-op aircraft: 127x in service
SFG SH.40 Tourbillon helicopter: 6x in service

Total Aircraft: 753 in service

Pilot Training, January 1949
To keep pilot numbers up, the Chilean Air Force attempts to graduate two hundred new pilots every year. Training is conducted in three distinct classes: ab initio (initiation to piloting), Basic I, and Basic II (combat flight school). On average, the FACh recruits 450 pilot candidates every year in order to achieve their final requirement for 200 graduates. The washout pilots are often redirected to serve as navigators, air gunners, transport cargo-masters, etc.

Ab initio training often occurs with gliders, usually the Constelación G1C "Baby" (licensed Schneider Grunau Baby gliders from Germany), and occasionally with the Constelación G2C sport glider. The Air Force and Navy own about three hundred gliders between them. During ab initio training, powered aircraft are used relatively infrequently, but the ENAER Zafiro is usually the aircraft of choice.

Basic I pilot training is undertaken with the ENAER Zafiro, giving an introduction to powered flight, navigation, radio use, etc.

Basic II pilot training is undertaken with the ENAER Coati (and, starting in 1949, the N1E-4 "Turbo-Coati").

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Hood

Ugly Aircraft, Inc

Posts: 8,155

2

Thursday, March 26th 2020, 10:37am

Fast Bomber Replacement Program
English Electric can tender its Canberra, specs will be as the OTL B.2. Delivery not likely until later in 1951 though.

Koolhoven can tender its F.K.62 bomber and deliveries could begin as soon as late 1950. Specs here

Attack Aircraft Replacement Program
Since Koolhoven is posting a brochure for their F.K.62 bomber, they will thrown in one for the F.K.65. Specs here.

Fokker-Avia might still be able to offer you WW's Il-10 clone, the B-33. Can't say this isn't beefy enough... Specs.

Australian Aviation is known for exporting aircraft but since you've asked for unsolicited approaches, a glossy brochure on the new Woombera tactical bomber is on the way, part bomber, part torpedo bomber, part strafer. Tandem wing craziness but its powerful. Specs.

FMA could offer the I.Ae.30 Nancu, not really designed as aground-attack type but its packing cannon, bombs and rockets and its fast. Specs.
The older I.Ae.23 Jaguar has been out of production for 5 years but they might get the jigs back out of there was a large order.

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Brockpaine

The Shadow

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Thursday, March 26th 2020, 4:16pm

Quoted from "Hood"

Australian Aviation is known for exporting aircraft but since you've asked for unsolicited approaches, a glossy brochure on the new Woombera tactical bomber is on the way, part bomber, part torpedo bomber, part strafer. Tandem wing craziness but its powerful. Specs.

Can you re-link on the Woomera? I was going to look at the specs but it redirects me to the Avia instead.

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BruceDuncan

Ex chaos ordo

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Thursday, March 26th 2020, 5:12pm

Fast Bomber Replacement Program

The requirements contained in the RFP are certainly ambitious, and nothing in the Luftwaffe inventory comes close to meeting the requirements as stated - (4,000 km range?) though the Junkers Ju322 would come close.

However, the German air attache would point out that the Arado 234 is in full scale production and deliveries could commence immediately upon signature of contract.

Attack Aircraft Replacement Program

A suggestion would be Arado Ar334 which not only has the virture of being in production but partial parts commonality with the Ar234 bomber.

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Hood

Ugly Aircraft, Inc

Posts: 8,155

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Thursday, March 26th 2020, 6:00pm

Quoted from "Brockpaine"

Can you re-link on the Woomera? I was going to look at the specs but it redirects me to the Avia instead.

Whoops! Fixed.

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Brockpaine

The Shadow

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Thursday, March 26th 2020, 9:15pm

N1E-4 Coati / ENAER Coati Advanced Trainer
The N1E-4 is a brand-new variant of the 1930s Coati advanced trainer. Although it shares a superficial resemblance to the original 1938 Coati with its Spartan-900 V12 inline engine, the N1E-4 introduced the brand-new Austral Malacara turboprop engine. In many respects, the N1E-4 Coati is a clean-sheet redesign following on the pattern established by its predecessor. Its performance, dimensions, and specifications are all substantially distinct from earlier aircraft.

The Chilean Air Force aims to completely replace its older piston-engined Coati trainers with the new N1E-4 Coati by the end of 1951.

General characteristics:
Crew: 2 (trainee pilot + instructor)
Length: 9.5 m (31.2 ft)
Wingspan: 12.5 m (41 ft)
Height: 3.1 m (10.2 ft)
Wing area: 22m² (237 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,215 kg (4,883 lbs)
Loaded weight: 2,720 kg (5,997 lbs)
Powerplant: 1× Austral Malacara 900 shp (671 kW) turboprop

Performance:
Maximum speed: 432 kph (269 mph / 233 knots)
Max Range: 730 km (453 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,500 ft)
Rate of climb: 2.9 m/s (9.5 ft/s)

Armament:
- 2x MG (wings) for target training
- Underwing smoke bombs for training (can carry up to 150kg underwing stores)

Notes:
The official Chilean Air Force and Navy designation for this aircraft is "N1E-4 Coati". The manufacturer, ENAER, inconsistently calls it the "Coati-4" or the "Coati Malacara", while a number of magazines and newspapers call it the "Turbo-Coati".

Production History
- First flight: February 1948
- Enters production: January 1949
- In service: July 1949

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BruceDuncan

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Thursday, March 26th 2020, 9:47pm

The Philippine Air Force would request the opportunity to evaluate the design to potentially replace its current Coati inventory.

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Brockpaine

The Shadow

Posts: 15,109

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Thursday, March 26th 2020, 11:47pm

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

The Philippine Air Force would request the opportunity to evaluate the design to potentially replace its current Coati inventory.

Would be happy to oblige. A spare aircraft can be crated up and shipped to the Philippines by October or so.

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BruceDuncan

Ex chaos ordo

Posts: 12,916

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Friday, March 27th 2020, 1:18am

Quoted from "Brockpaine"

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

The Philippine Air Force would request the opportunity to evaluate the design to potentially replace its current Coati inventory.

Would be happy to oblige. A spare aircraft can be crated up and shipped to the Philippines by October or so.

Excellent. Will PM with further details.

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Brockpaine

The Shadow

Posts: 15,109

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Friday, March 27th 2020, 10:50pm

Chilean Naval Aviation
The Chilean Navy's air arm is very well-set for the end of the 1940s. At present, a large portion of Naval Aviation's aircraft strength is invested in three aircraft carriers, although the largest ship, Libertad, is in refit until September 1949.

Carrier Aircraft
The new carrier Patria entered service in 1947 with steam catapults purchased from Great Britain. The Libertad's refit also includes the addition of British steam catapults. This allows both of the Chilean fleet carriers the ability to operate heavily-loaded bombers as well as jet aircraft.

Patria entered service with an airgroup composed entirely of French-built Morane-Saulnier MS.662 Aquilons (Chilean designation FA1M-1N Aquilon). Although technically intended as a strike aircraft, some of the Aquilons are instead equipped with 12.7mm gun pods, bringing their total armament up to one 30mm cannon and four machine guns, while the rest are equipped as strike aircraft (as originally designed).

In practice, this all-jet carrier group has certain advantages from uniform parts availability, but Patria lacks any torpedo-bombing or dive-bombing capability. Instead, Naval Aviation equipped Patria's strike Aquilons with the capability to use US-designed Tiny Tim 298mm antishipping rockets and ASM-N-2 Bat glide bombs. Chile acquired relatively few Tiny Tims and Bats from the United States, however.

When Libertad returns to sea in October, following her extensive refit, all indications show that she will retain her existing conventional (propeller-driven) airgroup, composed of a mix of F4E-4 Corsarios and Alicantos, with no jets assigned. This runs counter to the Armada's original intention of transitioning Libertad's airgroup to jets prior to her return to the fleet. Part of this is attributed to fiscal reasons, and partly because Naval Aviation is still uncertain about Patria's unconventional striking power.

Evaluations
The Armada is currently evaluating a number of different aircraft for possible acquisition:
-- The Chileans tested the Russian Sukhoi Su-7 Shershen naval jet fighter in February 1949. It failed to impress anyone, particularly after it spun out of control and nearly crashed.
-- The Dassault Marin carrier jet fighter was tested in April. Chilean pilots praised the plane's handling, but heavily critiqued its short range.
-- A single Lockheed P2V Neptune is being evaluated from July onward as a possible replacement or partial replacement for the PBN Nomad flying boats.
-- The Breguet-Nord Br.930 Pêcheur is being evaluated for carrier-based antisubmarine, cargo, and electronic reconnaissance duties.

The Armada requests to evaluate the following aircraft:
-- UK: Sea Vampire or Sea Venom
-- GER: Dornier Do335
-- US: Grumman F9F Panther
-- US: McDonnell F2H Banshee
-- US: Vought F7U Cutlass
-- Other navalised fighters if available

Airships
Naval Aviation has finished a program to rebuild and modernize their current airship fleet. At present, this fleet has one large metalclad (La Estrella Solitaria), one medium-sized airship (Comodoro Prien) and three small metalclads (the La Serena-class). All five of these airships are based at the Naval Aviation's specially-built base at Puerto Varas, just north of Puerto Montt.

The La Estrella Solitaria and the Comodoro Prien are primarily engaged as scout-escorts for the Armada's carrier or surface-action forces, contributing their small scout-fighter complement and their impressive air-search dradis equipment to the scouting and defense needs of the fleet.

The three La Serena-class metalclads, by contrast, are designed primarily as antisubmarine combatants. Their recent refit saw the replacement of their Austral Streiff radial engines with the new Austral Malacara turboprop engines, as well as a complete upgrade of their antisubmarine electronics. They've replaced their depth charges with a payload of eight US-built Mark 24 antisubmarine homing torpedoes, built by ASMAR under license. The La Serena was modified to carry the earlier-mentioned ASM-N-2 Bat glide bomb, but trials with this weapon provided indifferent results. Overall, the three La Serena-class airships are seen as the single-most effective antisubmarine assets in the Chilean arsenal.

Organization
As of January 1949, Naval Aviation has three carrier airgroups (Portaaviones Grupo Aéreo, abbreviated PGA). In practice, one is deployed ashore in a training and reorganization cycle, while the other two are assigned to the two large carriers. Due to Libertad's rebuild, only PGA No.3 "Traucos" are deployed afloat during the period between March 1948 and October 1949.

Four Coastal Aviation Groups (Grupo de Aeronaves Costeras, abbreviated GAC) are stationed along the Chilean coast. These groups include a number of PBN Nomad flying boats for patrol and SAR, as well as a mix of single-engine Corsair and Alicantos, most of which are carrier-capable. The fighter and bomber squadrons attached to the GACs serve as a reserve of carrier-capable aircraft and pilots, as well as a deterrent factor for coastal defense.

The small carrier Chiloe has no permanently-assigned fixed-wing airgroup at present. Operationally, the ship is regularly sent on short deployments to a coastal zone. The aviators from the GACs will then fly out to the ship and spend several days in operational exercises. This helps them maintain their carrier-landing and takeoff credentials, even though they're not regularly deployed aboard a carrier.

One final portion of Naval Aviation's strength - numerically small but extremely important - is the Scouting Component, which assigns scouting floatplanes to the various capital ships and cruisers which have seaplane capability. As of 1949, nine ships have a total of twenty-six floatplanes deployed afloat; roughly a dozen more aircraft are retained ashore (at the seaplane base at Puerto Montt) as reserves. The small carrier Chiloe also has an airgroup of six helicopters.

Quoted

Chilean Naval Air Service, January 1949
Portaaviones Grupo Aéreo No.1 “Peuchens”
-- Fighter Squadron: 16x F4E-4 Corsario
-- Fighter Squadron: 16x F4E-4 Corsario
-- Torpedo Bomber Squadron: 16x TB1E-1 Alicanto
-- Dive Bomber Squadron: 16x TB1E-1 Alicanto
-- Night Fighter Element: 8x F4E-4 Corsario
-- Reserve Aircraft: 2x F4E-4 Corsario, 4x TB1E-1 Alicanto
-- Helicopter Element: 3x Fanaero HF

Portaaviones Grupo Aéreo No.2 “Huasos”
-- Fighter Squadron: 16x F4E-4 Corsario
-- Fighter Squadron: 16x F4E-4 Corsario
-- Torpedo Bomber Squadron: 16x TB1E-1 Alicanto
-- Dive Bomber Squadron: 16x TB1E-1 Alicanto
-- Night Fighter Element: 8x F4E-4 Corsario

Portaaviones Grupo Aéreo No.3 “Traucos”
-- Fighter Squadron: 16x FA1M-1N Aquilon
-- Strike Squadron: 16x FA1M-1N Aquilon
-- Strike Squadron: 16x FA1M-1N Aquilon

Grupo de Aeronaves Costeras No.1 “Los Albos”
-- Fighter Squadron: 18x F4E-4 Corsario
-- Torpedo Bomber Squadron: 18x TB1E-1 Alicanto
-- Patrol Squadron: 12x PBN Nomad
-- Liaison Squadron: 6x Twin Condors, 2x Cessna Bobcats

Grupo de Aeronaves Costeras No.2 “Los Rojos de Coronel”
-- Fighter Squadron: 18x F4E-4 Corsario
-- Torpedo Bomber Squadron: 18x TB1E-1 Alicanto
-- Patrol Squadron: 12x PBN Nomad
-- Liaison Squadron: 6x Twin Condors, 2x Cessna Bobcats

Grupo de Aeronaves Costeras No.3 “Brujo de Chiloé”
-- Fighter Squadron: 18x F4E-4 Corsario
-- Torpedo Bomber Squadron: 18x TB1E-1 Alicanto
-- Patrol Squadron: 12x PBN Nomad
-- Liaison Squadron: 6x Twin Condors, 2x Cessna Bobcats

Grupo de Aeronaves Costeras No.4
-- Fighter Squadron: 18x F4E-4 Corsario
-- Torpedo Bomber Squadron: 18x TB1E-1 Alicanto
-- Patrol Squadron: 12x PBN Nomad
-- Liaison Squadron: 6x Twin Condors, 2x Cessna Bobcats

Coastal Patrol Group
-- SAR Squadron: 8x PBN Nomad, 4x PT1C Paino

Scouting Component
-- Chiloe: 6x Fanaero HF
-- Almirante Blanco Encalada: 4x OS1E Sea Coati
-- Almirante Cochrane: 4x OS1E Sea Coati
-- Constitucion: 2x OS1E Sea Coati
-- Almirante Latorre: 2x OS1E Sea Coati
-- O'Higgins: 2x OS1E Sea Coati
-- Magellanes: 3x OS1E Sea Coati
-- Atacama: 3x OS1E Sea Coati
-- Picunches: 3x OS1E Sea Coati
-- Antofagasta: 3x OS1E Sea Coati

Aircraft Totals, January 1949
F4E-4 Corsario fighter: 154x
FA1M-1N Aquilon: 48x
TB1E-1 Alicanto: 140x
OS1E Sea Coati: 26x
PBN Nomad: 56x
PT1C Paino: 4x
Twin Condor: 24x
Fanaero HF: 9x
Cessna Bobcat: 8x

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BruceDuncan

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Friday, March 27th 2020, 11:19pm

With the Marineflieger's blessings, an example of the Do335 can be made available for Chilean evaluation at its convenience; please advise on desired timeframe.

Dornier is also willing to provide for evaluation examples of the Dornier Do330 ling-range MR aircraft and its new Do35 amphibian.

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Brockpaine

The Shadow

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Saturday, March 28th 2020, 1:24am

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

With the Marineflieger's blessings, an example of the Do335 can be made available for Chilean evaluation at its convenience; please advise on desired timeframe.

Naval Aviation would prefer to review it sometime in November 1949 or later, since they'd like to use Libertad for trials.

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

Dornier is also willing to provide for evaluation examples of the Dornier Do330 ling-range MR aircraft and its new Do35 amphibian.

Chile will be happy to review the Do330. They'll also take a look at the Do35, but will note ahead of time that there's really no perceived need for this aircraft at present, given the presence of PBN Nomads and PT1C Painos. A commercial sales tour might be a more profitable use of Dornier's time. ;)

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BruceDuncan

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Saturday, March 28th 2020, 1:50am

Quoted

A commercial sales tour might be a more profitable use of Dornier's time

Dornier would happily undertake such; but you never know - come Chilean admiral might want one for VIP transport.
:D

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Hood

Ugly Aircraft, Inc

Posts: 8,155

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Sunday, March 29th 2020, 11:29am

AIRCO can send a standard Sea Vampire FN.Mk.II. The Chiliean aviators must be aware however that the aircraft are essentially Mk.1 aircraft and date from 1944-45.
A production export Sea Vampire for Chile would be improved with the latest engine and improved tailplane, instrument panel and ejection seats from the latest production land-based Mk.4 and 5.
Specs of Sea Vampire FN.II: 1x 3,100lb de Havilland DGo.2 Goblin II; max speed 540mph; range 730 miles and service ceiling 42,800ft. Armament: 4x 20mm Orkileon FFB cannon.
Specs of export Sea Vampire Mk.61: 1x 3,750lb de Havilland DGo.4 Goblin IV; max speed 538mph; range 840 miles; rate of climb 4,800ft/min; service ceiling 42,800ft. Armament: 4x 20mm Orkileon FFB cannon and 2x 1,000lb bombs or eight 25lb or 60lb RPs. Development would take a little while, deliveries could start in early 1951.

The Sea Venom does not exist in Wesworld. With permission, Hawker Siddeley would like to send the Hawker P.1040 Sea Hawk FN.Mk.II, has the more powerful Nene and the Mk.II benefits from powered ailerons and provision for 90gal underwing tanks.
Specs: 1x 5,000lb Rolls-Royce RB.41 Nene II; max speed 600mph at 36,000ft; range 480 miles on internal fuel; initial rate of climb 5,700ft/min; service ceiling 44,500ft and max loaded weight 16,153lb. Armament: 4x 20mm Orkileon FFB2 cannon and 2x 1,000lb bombs or eight 25lb or 60lb RPs. Delivery in 1950 with production alongside RN aircraft.

If Chile is interested in maritime patrol types, I have the Avro Shackleon and the BCAC Type 178 Argus. The Argus being a super-long range type that cost more than the Neptune but more effective.

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Brockpaine

The Shadow

Posts: 15,109

15

Tuesday, April 14th 2020, 7:11pm

So, after some thought, I've made a few decisions about some (but not all) of the RfPs mentioned above.

Attack Aircraft
For the time being, the Tucan T-18N NB-2s will be phased out, with their role taken by Corsairs used in the ground-attack role. Chile already has the Corsairs on hand, and thus this is seen as a minimal-cost solution. Types will continue to be evaluated for future replacement.

Bombers
The Chilean Air Force feels the English Electric Canberra is a likely contender, which seems to meet all of their requirements. The only downside is the relatively long wait for deliveries, that point being at least two years off.

Therefore, the FACh will lease some secondhand Lioré et Olivier LeO-600 Tornade fast bombers from France as a short-term solution, and purchase six more Arado Ar234s from Germany.

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Hood

Ugly Aircraft, Inc

Posts: 8,155

16

Wednesday, April 15th 2020, 11:05am

I think those are good choices.

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