Spanish English Aviacion Cubana


Aviacion Cubana

Articles about the Cuban Civil and Military Aviation


Ruben Urribarres





Artículos sobre aviación Cubana

Cuban Air Force

 Cuban MiG Fighters
 Others Cuban aircrafts
 Period 1913-1952. Beginnings
 Period 1952-1958. Batista's Government and Fidel's Revolution
 Period after the Revolution, to today
 The Cuban Revolutionary Air Force Today
 Cuban Aviators

Cuban Civil Aviation

 Cuban Civil Aviation History

Cuban Tanks

 Combat History of Cuban Armored Forces


Cuban Air Force

Cuban MiG Fighters Los cazas MiGs de Cuba

Los MiG-15 en Cuba The MiG-15 Fagot in Cuba
Ruben Urribarres

The first MiG-15 arrive at Cuba at the end of May of 1961, a month after Bay of Pigs. They were 20 MiG-15bis and 4 MiG-15UTI. With these equipment are formed the first two MiG-15bis Squadrons. Cuban Missile Crisis. Hunting the CIA ship Rex.

Los MiG-17 en Cuba The MiG-17 Fresco in Cuba
Ruben Urribarres

The first MiG-17AS arrive at Cuba at the beginning of 1964, destined to Santa Clara. Its main mission was to fight as fighter-bombers. The MiG-17AS were a rare version with air-air missiles. In foreign campaign. Angola, Ethiopie, others countries.

Los MiG-19 en Cuba The MiG-19 Farmer in Cuba
Ruben Urribarres

By the Missile Crisis in October of 1962, were in service 11 MiG-19P. This aircraft converts the FAR in the first Latin American Air Force with supersonics fighters. At the same time they are the first soviet interceptor with all weather capacity, thanks to its radar.

Los MiG-21 en Cuba The MiG-21 Fishbed in Cuba
Ruben Urribarres

In total from 1962 to 1989 to Cuba arrives some 270 MiG-21 fighters in 9 versions, being the main combat aircraft of the country during the Cold War.

Los MiG-21 de Cuba en acción The Cuban MiG-21 in action (spanish)
Ruben Urribarres

Fight the enemy ships. Participation in Angolan and Etiophie Wars. Collaboration with Chile, Perú.

Operacion Pico The Operation Pico (spanish)
Ruben Urribarres

The Cuban MiG-21 'attack' the Dominican Republic. An incident with a Cuban ship retained by the Dominican Republic in 1977, almost carries to a conflict between the two countries, resolved after the demonstration of power of various MiG-21 of the Cuban FAR over the neighboring country.

Los MiG-21 de Cuba en acción The Cuban Air Force in the Ogaden War (Etiophia) (spanish)
Ruben Urribarres

Somalia never recovered from the defeat in the war of the Ogaden in 1977-1978 at the hands of Ethiopian and Cuban armies. The decisive participation of the MiG-17 and MiG-21 Cuban in this conflict.

Los MiG-23 en Cuba The MiG-23 Flogger in Cuba
Ruben Urribarres

This was the most important fighter of the USSR in the 70-80s, with their variable-geometry configuration and nuclear capacity. The appear in the FAR of these airplanes, considerably growed its attack capacity, which trembles the political circles in USA. The Cuban MiG-23 Crisis.

Los MiG-23 cubanos en acción (misiones aire-tierra en Angola) The Cuban MiG-23 in air-ground action (in Angola) (spanish)
Ruben Urribarres

Air support missions in the Angolan War, against the South African Army and the UNITA guerrillas. The Cuito Cuanavale victory, Attack of Calueque, others actions.

Los MiG-23 cubanos en acción (misiones aire-aire en Angola) The Cuban MiG-23 in air-air action (in Angola) (spanish)
Ruben Urribarres

The Fighters that won the air Superiority in Angolan War against the South Africa Air Force, armed with Mirage F1 and Mirage-III

Los MiG-29 en Cuba The MiG-29 Fulcrum in Cuba
Ruben Urribarres

The first 4th generation soviet fighter. The shoot down of 2 Cessna-337 of the the exiled organization Brothers to the Rescue Cessna-337





Cuban Air Force. Others aircrafts Sea Fury de la FAEC


Aviones de fabricacion cubana Cuban built airplanes (spanish)
Ruben Urribarres

Without being an industrialized country, Cuba has made a modest effort in the field of the national aeronautical engineering, reflected today in this article.

Los North American F-51 Mustang en Cuba The North American F-51 Mustang in Cuba
Ruben Urribarres

Arrival of the Mustangs to Cuba in 1958 on clandestine flights into the rebel territory. Membership in the rebel antibatistianos. His fate after the revolution

Lista de aviones de Cuba Cuban Air Force and Airlines Equipment
Ruben Urribarres

List of airplanes that were in service in Cuba.





Cuban Air Force. Period 1913-1952. Beginnings Sea Fury de la FAEC


1913-1917. Nacimiento del Cuerpo Aéreo del Ejército Birth of the Cuban Army Air Corp (1913-1924)
Ruben Urribarres

Historical beginnings - First airplanes in Cuba - The Aviation pioneers Parlá and Rosillo and the legendary "Flight of audacious" - The military aviation born - Some flights of the new aviation - The First World War - After the war. The first official airplanes - The epoch of the Curtiss Jenny in Cuba - The conspiracy of "Veterans and Patriots" and Rubén Martínez Villena

Vuelo de audaces Audacious Flight of Rosillo and Parlá (1913)
Ruben Urribarres

The first international flight of Latin America, and world record of distance, made in 1913 over the sea by two Cuban aviation pioneers, in the epoch of the fragile airplanes and audacious feats.

1925-1933. La Aviación bajo el Presidente Machado The Cuban Air Force and the President Machado (1925-1933)
Ruben Urribarres

The Military Aviation Grows - New equipment acquisitions in 1927-1932 - The Curtiss Hawk and Vought Corsar - Lindberg strolls the President - Other illustrious visitors - The Aviation Military School - The events of Gibara - Other activities of the period

1933-1938. La Revolución de 1933 y sus consecuencias The Cuban Air Force and the Revolution of 1933 (1933-1938).
Ruben Urribarres

The Revolution explodes - Organization changes of the Aviation Corp - Some aviation actions in 1933-1934 - The quiet years 30 - Purchases of airplanes in 1933-1939 - Important Flights of the Air Corp in 1936-1939 - The "Cuban Eight"

El vuelo Trasatlántico de Menéndez Peláez The Trasatlantic Flight of Menéndez Peláez (1936).
Ruben Urribarres

The Cuban military aviator Menéndez Peláez, becomes in 1936 the first Hispanic that crossing the Atlantic Ocean from America to Europe, opening new air routes that later would be exploited with success.

Vuelo Panamericano Pan-American Flight "For the Columbus Lighthouse" (1937).
Ruben Urribarres

In 1937 the Cuban and Dominican aviators made this famous flight of good will by various countries of the continent, that finishes tragically, perishing Menéndez Peláez and six of their companions. In 1938 and 1940 the Aviation of the Cuban Army and the Cuban Navy repeat the feat.

1939-1945. La Segunda Guerra Mundial The Cuban Air Force at the Second World War (1939-1945).
Ruben Urribarres

Organization changes of the aviation - Airplanes bought in 1939-1941 - Cuba enters the war - New airplanes for the conflict - The Americans landed in Cuba - The training programs increased - Accidents in the period 1943-1945

1947-1952. La bonanza de Cayo Confites y renovación del equipo The Cuban Air Force: The Cayo Confites prosperity with their New Equipment (1947-1952)
Ruben Urribarres

Expedition against Trujillo - The airplanes of the Legion are confiscated - Results for the Air Corp - Promotions of the Aviation School and events of the period 1947-1952 - New airplanes and the first helicopters





Republic F-47D Thunderbolt Cuban Air Force. Period 1952-1958. Batista's Government and Fidel's Revolution


The Cuban Army Air Force (FAEC) and Batista (1952-1955) The Cuban Army Air Force (FAEC) and Batista (1952-1955).
Ruben Urribarres

Batista´s changes in the aviation. The FAEC - Mutual Defence Program with United States - Promotions of the aviation school under the new programs - New equipment - The sound barrier and other events - The F-47D Thunderbolts. Activities and accidents

The Cuban Army Air Force during the Revolution. The Cienfuegos Revolt (1956-1958) The Cuban Army Air Force during the Revolution. The Cienfuegos Revolt (1956-1958).
Ruben Urribarres

September 5, 1957: The Naval Revolt of Cienfuegos and its consequences - New equipment in 1957-1958 - Promotions of the Aviation School in 1956-1958 - Accidents in 1956-1958

The Cuban Army Air Force against the Fidel´s guerrilla (1956-1958). The Cuban Army Air Force against the Fidel´s guerrilla (1956-1958).
Ruben Urribarres

The hunt of the Granma yacht - The battle of Alegría de Pío - The Army´s offensive in May, 1958 - Operation "Antiaérea": Kidnap of Americans to stop the FAEC - The Battle of Guisa

The Cuban Army Air Force: last operations against the guerrilla (1958) The Cuban Army Air Force: last operations against the guerrilla (1958).
Ruben Urribarres

Last combats in Oriente and the Invasion to West - The FAEC seen by the guerrilla - Battle of Santa Clara - Problems of the FAEC in COIN operations - Batista´s escape and the remainders of the FAEC

The Rebel Air Force, the guerrilla aviation (1958) The Rebel Air Force, the guerrilla aviation (1958).
Ruben Urribarres

First airplane to the Castro's guerrilla. Creation of the FAR. The FAEC against the FAR. Rebels Helicopter and bombs. Military Airplanes of the FAR

The Rebel Air Force operations against Batista (1958) The Rebel Air Force operations against Batista (1958).
Ruben Urribarres

Attacks of the FAEC to the runway of FAR in Mayarí Arriba - Fidelist Mustangs - Attack to the headquarters of La Maya - Attack to Sagua de Tánamo - Operational Results of the FAR





Republic F-47D Thunderbolt Cuban Air Force. Period after the 1959 Revolution, to today


Bay of Pigs: The Guatemalan connection Bay of Pigs: The Guatemalan connection
Mario Overall 

With the recent declassification of a whole bunch of CIA papers dealing with the Bay of Pigs invasion, some obscure subjects are seeing the light of day. In this article the author takes us on a guided tour inside of a CIA secret airbase in Guatemala, known as JMMadd.

The Rage of the Furies The Rage of the Furies
Mario Overall 

This article deals with the operational history of the Cuban Air Force's Hawker Sea Fury Squadron, including its participation during the Bay of Pigs incident.

Che Guevara, Cuban Pilot Che Guevara, Cuban Pilot
Ruben Urribarres

The Major Ernesto Che Guevara was a great aviation lover, and in Cuba he was graduated as pilot, flying more than 1,000 hours in different types of airplanes of tha Cuban Air Force.

Operación Carlota Operation Carlota
Gabriel García Márquez 

The Nobel Prize of Literature counts the beginnings of the Cuban military mission in Angola, the first secret flights of Cubans special troops to the African country in the legendaries Bristol Britannia, the cultural, political, and historic causes that move Cuba to the encounter of its African roots.

The Four engined Tupolevs in Cuba The Four engined Tupolevs in Cuba (spanish)
Ruben Urribarres

By 1962 the intensity of the loops between Cuba and the Soviet Union required that be to opened a direct air route, that beginning the gigantic aircrafts Tu-114. Later in Cuba were based the aircrafts Tu-95 and Tu-142 Bear of the VVS and the VMF of the USSR, whiles flights around USA would be some of the symbols of the Cold War.

La Guerra de Etiopía (Ogaden) The Ethiopian War (Ogaden)(spanish)
Ruben Urribarres

In 1977 Ethiopia is invaded by Somalia, and asks helps military to Cuba. As part of the military contingent military, arrive Cubans pilots, that fight together the ethiopian until the victory of 1978.

Piloto de la SAAF, I parte The Accident. The Shoot Down of a South African Mirage F1 by Cuban MiG-23
Arthur Piercy

The September 27 of 1987 an air combat is produced in Angola between the Cuban MiG-23 and the South African Mirage F1, one of which was shoot down. Arthur Piercy, the South African pilot of this lost airplane, relate its own version of the event.

Piloto de la SAAF, II parte A SAAF Pilot
Arthur Piercy

Arthur Piercy, the South African pilot of the anterior article, count their Personal data and Flying Career.





Republic F-47D Thunderbolt The Cuban Revolutionary Air Force Today.


The Cuban Revolutionary Air Force Today The Cuban Revolutionary Air Force Today. General view.
Ruben Urribarres

Summary, organization, training.

The FAR today The Cuban Revolutionary Air Force Today. Material situation and pespectives.
Ruben Urribarres

The FAR, today. Equipment, missiles, air bases, air defences, perspectives

Cuban Militaria Cuban Air Militaria
Fighter Wings, badgets, helmets.






Republic F-47D Thunderbolt Cuban Aviators


El primer cosmonauta del mundo junto a Gagarin Prendes, del Pino y Carreras From left to right, the Bay of Pigs veterans Alvaro Prendes, Rafael del Pino, and Enrique Carreras, with the First World Astronaut, the Major of the Soviet VVS Yuri Gagarin (white uniform), one week after the battles. Havana , April of 1961 (Photo from the book "Proa a la libertad")
Rogelio Acevedo GonzálesGeneral. President of the Cuban Civil Aviation Institute (IACC)
Enrique Carreras RolasDivision General, Bay of Pigs veteran, one of the FAR leaders
Julio Casas RegueiroDivision General, DAAFAR´s Chief in 1980-1987 and 1999-2000
Jaime Gonzáles GrocierCaptain, Pioneer of Cuban Aviacion
Rubén Martínez PuenteBrigade General, DAAFAR's Chief in 1987-1999
Pedro J. Mendiondo GómezBrigade General, DAAFAR's Chief from 2000
Antonio Menéndez PeláezCaptain, organizator of the flights Camaguey-Sevilla and Faro de Colón
Agustín Parlá OrduñaCaptain, Pioneer of Cuban Aviation and the first Cuban Pilot
Rafael del Pino DiazBrigade General, veteran of Bay of Pigs and Angola, in 1987 flee to USA
Alvaro Prendes QuintanaColonel, Bay of Pigs veteran, one of the FAR´s founders
Domingo Rosillo del ToroCuban Aviation Pioneer
Juan Luis Silva TabladaPilot of the Rebeld Air Force and Bay of Pigs
Arnaldo Tamayo MéndezBrigade General, first Cuban and Latin American Astronaut
Mario Torres MenierCaptain, Air Corp´s Chief in 1925-1933






Cuban Civil Aviation

Cubana Cuban Civil Aviation History

Curtiss Robin The Cuban Civil Aviation Beginnings (1912-1930)
Ruben Urribarres

First steps - Flight of audacious - First Cuban airplane - Tropical Goliath - First fatal accident of the Cuban aviation - The first international flights in America and first contract of mail air United outside of States went toward Cuba - Pan American and Cuba - First flights of Pan American to Cuba - Lindberg in Havana - The main airport, Rancho Boyeros.

Sikorsky S-38 The Rise of CUBANA de Aviacion aircompany(1929-1945)
Ruben Urribarres

Rise of Cubana - The Second World War - Development of the Cuban aviation - What is new in the Cubana Company - World Integration

DC-3 de Cubana The Cuban Civil Aviation at the Post War time (1946-1958)
Ruben Urribarres

Decrees of the Government - New Cuban companies - Cubana, its routes and equipment - The State and the aviation - New equipment and routes of Cubana - The other Cuban airlines- Other events of the decade - International airlines operating since Havana at the 1958.

Il-14 de Cubana The Cuban Civil Aviation after the Revolution of 1959
Ruben Urribarres

New times - The legendaryes Britannia - Cubana, the one airline of the country - Confiscated the airplane of Fidel - Bay of Pigs and Cubana - The new Soviet airplanes - Cuban in the Guiness - The seventies. Toward new continents - New equipment - The routes of the decade - Crime over the sea: The DC-8 exploited in Barbados.

Il-62 de Cubana The Cuban Civil Aviation in the eighties. Consolidation.
Ruben Urribarres

Aerocaribbean - New equipment - New routes of the decade - Mirages against Ilyushin - Changes in the headquarters - The nineties. Again the tourists and the western equipment - New politics - New airplanes - The Concord in Cuba - Dismal find - Black Week of Cubana - The American Embargo "Throwing him to the stars" - Reclamation of flights over United States.

Nuevas rutas de los noventa The Cuban Civil Aviation: New routes of the ninetyes
Ruben Urribarres

Routes of today - Economic Results - Chronology of the Cuban airlines in the history.

Equipamiento, aeropuertos, rutas y colegas The Cuban Civil Aviation: Equipment, airports, routes and colleagues
Ruben Urribarres

Equipment of the Cuban airlines - Airports: 11 international and 11 national - Routes of the Cuban airlines - Airlines with representation in Havana.

Secuestros de aviones The Cuban Civil Aviation: Hijacked airplanes
Ruben Urribarres

Hijacked airplanes from Cuba to the United States before the revolution of 1959 - From Cuba to the United States since 1959 - Hicjacked from United States to Cuba.

Accidentes y terrorismo The Cuban Civil Aviation: Accidents and terrorism
Ruben Urribarres

Accidents and terroristic Acts in the Cuban Civil Aviation, before and after 1959.




Cuban Tanks

Cuban Tanks Combat History of Cuban Armored Forces

Ruben Urribarres


Cuban Tanks Historical reviews on all tanks that has received the Cuban army in its history, starting their first tanks in 1942 to enter the war against the axis, Batista tanks, armored Czechs and Soviets after the revolution. The Cuban armoured units successfully in Bay of Pigs, Syria, Angola, Ethiopia, fighting enemies such as Israel, South Africa and Somalia or the CIA.

Cuban Tanks  Marmon Herrington CTMS-1TBI Dutch Three Man
 M3A1 General Stuart
 M4A3 (76)W HVSS General Sherman
 A34 Comet
 T-35-85
 IS-2M
 T-55
 T-62
 PT-76

Enemy Tanks
  M41 Walker Bulldog (CIA backed Brigade 2506, Bay of Pigs)
  Olifant Mk.IA (South african SADF in Angola)
  Eland  (South african SADF in Angola)
  Howitzers G5/G6 (South african SADF in Angola)



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