Last modified: 2004-07-03 by dov gutterman
Keywords: nicaragua | air force | fin flash |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
See also:
Recently I was looking through a book that includes a section
on world airforces. The book is about WWII so some might be out
of date. The Nicaraguan one is a blue circle rimmed in a band of
red with a 'hollow' yellow triangle inside.
Rudi Roo, 17 April 2002
Formed in 1936 as Cuerpo de Aviación and became Fuerza Aérea
de la Guardia Nacional on 9 June 1938, the Nicaraguan adopted
markings of white triangle on blue disc bordered with red ring
and red-white-blue horizontal rudder stripes
(<www.aeroflight.co.uk/nic-afround-old3.gif>
and <www.aeroflight.co.uk/oldfin.gif>).
Aeroflight
report: "1936-1942 - Prior to 1936 Nicaraguan military
aircraft carried the national coat of arms on the fuselage. From
1936 a formal set of markings was introduced. The main marking
featuring a white triangle on a blus disc with a red ring was
displayed above and below each wing, with the tip of the triangle
pointing forwards. The rudder was painted in horizontal stripes
in the national colours. No fuselage roundel was carried.
According to [cos98], in 1942 the
rudder stripes were changed to 13 blue-white horizontal stripes
and a vertical yellow stripe. Aeroflight
show only 7 stripes. and report: "In 1942 existing aircraft
had their rudders markings modified to conform with the markings
of aircraft recently delivered from the USA: seven horizontal
blue stripes on white with a thin yellow stripe next to the
hinge. No fuselage roundel was carried" S
ame year and while keeping the previous roundel on the wings,
there was a new roundel for the fuselage - a blue-yellow-red
roundel (See Aeroflight)
reporteed as:" 1942-c.1962 - With an influx of aircraft from
the USA from 1942 onwards, the national markings were modified to
a form which was easier to adapt from existing USAAF markings. A
new fuselage roundel was introduced, the red in the USAAF rudder
stripes was replaced by yellow and the wings markings were
applied above and below each wing (as before). Most aircraft had
GN and later FAN and the serial number applied on the fin, while
many helicopters had GN and later FAN and the serial number
applied on the fuselage. Some aircraft and helicopters just
showed the serial number on the fuselage or tailfin."
In 1962 the fuselage roundel was replaced to the insignia of the
air corps. [cos98] show another
insignian then Aeroflight.
Theverical stripe was chnged to red (See Aeroflight) reported
as follows: "From about 1962 the fuselage roundel was
replaced by the insignia of the air force. The stripe next to the
rudder hinge line was changed to red, although some aircraft
still carried a yellow stripe and others just the blue and white
horizontal stripes."
Aeroflight
report a change in 1979 ( [cos98]
say it was in 1982): "1979-1990 - With the Sandinistas
taking control of the country in 1979, the old markings were
replaced by new markings in the Sandinista colours or red and
black. The main marking was displayed on either side of the fin
of some aircraft and on the fuselage sides of helicopters. The
rudder stripes were deleted on many aircraft, or repainted in the
new colours if retained. It is not clear if the old wing markings
were retained. The service titles 'Fuerza Aérea Sandanista' were
added to the fuselage sides.(See Aeroflight
- reported
by [cos98] as fin flash, and
also here).
A new roundel is titled by Aeroflight
and [cos98] as 1990-present.
However, it was probably removed in 1995: "1990-Present - By
1990 a new roundel in black, red and orange had come into use and
was displayed on the fuselage sides of aircraft and helicopters.
Following the electoral defeat of the Sandanistas in 1990, the
'Fuerza Aérea Sandanista' service titles were deleted and the
national flag introduced as a fin flash, displayed on the
tailfin. Since 1990 the main marking appears to have fallen into
disuse, with most aircraft and helicopters just carrying the fin
flash. " (see here
and at
<www.acig.org>).
Becoming Fuerza Aérea - Ejército de Nicaragua in 1995, the only
markings used since is blue-white-blue stripes (See <www.scramble.nl>)
or 13 rudder stripes (See <www.airliners.net>).
See also: "Early
days of Nicaraguan Air Force" and "Central
America in the 1980s".
Dov Gutterman, 21 June 2004
by Dov Gutterman and Zeljko Heimer, 11 October
1999
Fuerza Ae'rea de Nicaragua uses the national flag without the
COA in ~5:8 prop. as fin flash.
Dov Gutterman , 11 October 1999
