Squadrons

Guardia Nacional del Aire

Last updated:
of the Panama Air Force

History

The unit was formed in 1931, when the decision was made to replace the Panama navy with an air force under the control of the Guardia Nacional. Very little military flying took place until Pearl Harbor 1941, because the United States operated some Naval and Army Air Force units based in the Canal Zone. Some reorganisation took place in the 1940s and the Air Force was renamed Fuerza Aérea de la Guardia Nacional and was disbanded in 1945.

Subordinate Units

None.

Aircraft

Type Qty Service Example Serials
Travel Air Speedwing 2 1931 – 1932 1,2
Keystone K-84 Commuter 2 1931 – 1934 3,4
Travel Air 6000B 1 1933 – n/a 5
Sikorsky S-38B 1 1936 – 1937 n/a
Piper J-3F Cub 1 1940 – 1941 R-6E
Luscombe 8A Silvaire Master 1 1941 – 1942 n/a


Unit Markings

Guardia Nacional del Aire
 


Main Bases

Base Duration
Base Aérea de Paitilla/Ciudad de Panamá 1931 – 1945


Photographs

None currently available.

More Information

References

  • Central American and Caribbean Air Forces (Daniel Hagedorn)
  • Latin-American Military Aviation (John Andrade)

Other Sources

To be added.

Escuadrón de Patrulla Maritima

Last updated:
of the Panama Air Force

History

No unit history available.

Subordinate Units

None.

Aircraft

Type Qty Service Example Serials
CASA CN-235M 1 1988 – 1995 265


Unit Markings

Escuadrón de Patrulla Maritima
 


Main Bases

Base Duration
Tucumen IAP/Ciudad de Panamá n/a – 1995


Photographs

None currently available.

More Information

References

  • Latin-American Military Aviation (John Andrade)
  • World Air Forces Directory 2004/05 (Ian Carroll)

Other Sources

To be added.

3er Escuadrón Aéreo

Last updated:
of the Panama Air Force

History

The 3er Escuadrón Aéreo was formed 1988 as 3er Escuadrón de Entrenamiento y Reconocimiento Aéreo with four T-35D. In 1989 the unit received six T-35B and was renamed 3er Escuadrón de Entrenamiento, Reconocimiento y Ataque. The squadron was renamed another time at an unknown date as 3er Escuadrón Aéreo. The T-35s Pillan were refurbished with assistance of the Chilean manufacturer during 2002 and 2003.

Subordinate Units

None.

Aircraft

Type Qty Service Example Serials
Enaer T-35B/D Pillán 6/5 1988 – Present 020-029


Unit Markings

3er Escuadrón Aéreo
 


Main Bases

Base Duration
Base Aérea Teniente Coronel Jorge Jurado/Ciudad de Panamá 1988 – 1999
Tucumen IAP/Ciudad de Panamá 1999 – Present


Photographs

None currently available.

More Information

References

  • Latin-American Military Aviation (John Andrade)
  • World Air Forces Directory 2004/2005 (Ian Carroll)

Other Sources

To be added.

2do Escuadrón Aéreo

Last updated:
of the Panama Air Force

History

The 2do Escuadrón Aéreo was formed as 2do Escuadrón de Helicópteros on 17.5.1969 with 3 Hiller FH.1100. The unit received some UH-1 Iroquois during the following years and moved to Base Aérea Teniente Coronel Jorge Jurado (the former USAF base Albrook AFS) on 7.5.1986.

Subordinate Units

None.

Aircraft

Type Qty Service Example Serials
Fairchild Hiller FH.1100 3 1969 – 1976 101-103
Bell UH-1H Iroquois 15 1970 – Present 101,104,105,110,123-134
Bell UH-1B Iroquois 10 1970 – 1997 102,103,111-117
Bell 212 9 1975 – Present 100,101,120-125
Bell 205A Iroquois 6 1976 – Present 102,103,106-109
Bell 412 1 1984 – Present 1011,135
Aérospatiale AS-332L Super Puma 1 1985 – 1991 1012
Bell 407 2 2002 – Present 110,112
McDonnell Douglas 500E Defender 1 2008 – Present 111
Eurocopter EC145 1 2009 – Present 136


Unit Markings

2do Escuadrón Aéreo
 


Main Bases

Base Duration
Tucumen IAP/Ciudad de Panamá 1969 – 1986
Base Aérea Teniente Coronel Jorge Jurad/Ciudad de Panamá 1986 – 1999
Tucumen IAP/Ciudad de Panamá 1999 – Present


Photographs

None currently available.

More Information

References

  • Central American and Caribbean Air Forces (Daniel Hagedorn)
  • Latin-American Military Aviation (John Andrade)
  • World Air Forces Directory 2004/2005 (Ian Carroll)

Other Sources

To be added.

1er Escuadrón Aéreo

Last updated:
of the Panama Air Force

History

The unit was formed as 1er Escuadrón de Transporte in 1969 and later renamed 1er Escuadrón Aéreo.

Subordinate Units

None.

Aircraft

Type Qty Service Example Serials
Douglas C-47A Skytrain 4 1969 – 1984 201-204
Douglas DC-6BF 1 1970 – 1975 401
de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 3 1971 – 1988 205,210,230
de Havilland DHC-3 Otter 6 1972 – 1988 301-306
Convair CV-580 1 1973 – n/a 206
Lockheed L-188C Electra 1 1973 – 1987 400
Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander 3 1975 – Present 207-209
Cessna 402B Utililiner 1 1977 – 1981 209
Cessna 404 Titan 1 1977 – 1981 211
Cessna 172 Skyhawk 2 1978 – n/a 007,012
Piper PA-31 Navajo 4 1978 – Present 200,201,209,300
Short Skyvan 1 1978 – 1988 300
Beech 95 Baron 1 1979 – n/a 600
Aero Commander 560A Commander 1 n/a – n/a 506
Aero Commander 690B Commander 1 1981 – 1988 235
Piper PA-32 Cherokee 1 1982 – 1991 208
Piper PA-34 Seneca 1 1982 – Present 212
CASA 212 Aviocar 6 1982 – Present 215,220,225,250,255,260
Cessna 206 Stationair 1 1984 – 1991 008
Aero Commander 695A Commander 1 1987 – 1997 018
Cessna 152 Aerobat 2 2003 – Present 010,011
Cessna 210 Centurion 1 2004 – Present 017
Rockwell Commander 1121 1 2007 – Present 301


Unit Markings

1er Escuadrón Aéreo
 


Main Bases

Base Duration
Tucumen IAP/Ciudad de Panamá 1969 – Present


Photographs

None currently available.

More Information

References

  • Central American and Caribbean Air Forces (Daniel Hagedorn)
  • Latin-American Military Aviation (John Andrade)
  • World Air Forces Directory 2004/2005 (Ian Carroll)

Other Sources

To be added.

2do Destacamento Aéreo

Last updated:
of the Panama Air Force

History

The unit was formed in 1965 at David. The first operational aircraft was only received in 1967, when a Cessna 180 was confiscated and "donated" to the Air Force.

Subordinate Units

None.

Aircraft

Type Qty Service Example Serials
Cessna 180 Skywagon 1 1967 – 1973 002


Unit Markings

2do Destacamento Aéreo
 


Main Bases

Base Duration
Base Aérea Subteniente Vincente Vargas/David 1965 – 1973


Photographs

None currently available.

More Information

References

  • Central American and Caribbean Air Forces (Daniel Hagedorn)

Other Sources

To be added.

1er Destacamento Aéreo

Last updated:
of the Panama Air Force

History

The unit was formed in October 1963, still under the control of the Guardia Nacional, when a Cessna 185 was bought. The Detachment was expanded in 1969 and became 1er Escuadrón de Transporte of the newly formed Fuerza Aérea Panameña.

Subordinate Units

None.

Aircraft

Type Qty Service Example Serials
Cessna 185C/U-17B Skywagon 1/5 1963 – 1991 GN-001-006
de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (loan) 1 1968 – 1987 HP-757


Unit Markings

1er Destacamento Aéreo
 


Main Bases

Base Duration
Base Aérea de Paitilla/Paitilla 1963 – 1969


Photographs

None currently available.

More Information

References

  • Latin-American Military Aviation (John Andrade)
  • World Air Forces Directory 2004/2005 (Ian Carroll)

Other Sources

To be added.

Escuadrón de Enseñanza de Vuelo Avenzada

Last updated:
of the Honduran Air Force

History

No unit history available. Unit was part of the Academia Militar de Aviación.

Subordinate Units

None.

Aircraft

Type Qty Service Example Serials
CASA C-101 Aviojet 4 1984 – 2003 235-238


Unit Markings

Escuadrón de Enseñanza de Vuelo Avenzada
 


Main Bases

Base Duration
Base Aérea Soto Cano/La Palmerola AB/Comayagua n/a – 2003


Photographs

None currently available.

More Information

References

  • Latin-American Military Aviation (John Andrade)
  • World Air Forces Directory 2002/03 (Ian Carroll)

Other Sources

To be added.

Escuadrón Tucano

Last updated:
of the Honduran Air Force

History

The unit was formed as Escuadrón de Enseñanza Basico de Vuelo and is part of the Academia Militar de Aviación.

Subordinate Units

None.

Aircraft

Type Qty Service Example Serials
Cessna T-41D Mescalero 8 1973 – Present 217-221,223-225
Embraer EMB-312 Tucano 12 1984 – Present 250-261
Maule MT-7-235 Super Rocket 8 2008 – Present 270-277


Unit Markings

Escuadrón Tucano


Main Bases

Base Duration
Base Aérea Mejia/Toncontin IAP/Tegucigalpa n/a – 1981
Base Aérea Soto Cano/La Palmerola AB/Comayagua 1981 – Present


Photographs

None currently available.

More Information

References

  • Latin-American Military Aviation (John Andrade)
  • World Air Forces Directory 2002/03 (Ian Carroll)

Other Sources

To be added.

Escuadrón de Helicópteros

Last updated:
of the Honduran Air Force

History

The unit was formed as Sección de Helicóptero in 1964.

Subordinate Units

None.

Aircraft

Type Qty Service Example Serials
Sikorsky S-52-2 1 1958 – 1965 814
Sikorsky S-55 (UH-19B) Chickasaw 5 1965 – 1988 817-821
Sikorsky S-76A Spirit 1 1980 – 1990 001
Hughes 500 (369D) 5 1987 – Present 900-903
Bell UH-1B/H Iroquois 4/47 1976 – Present 901-929, surviving reserialled 931-949
Bell 412SP 10 1986 – Present 970-979
Aerospatiale AS350 Ecureuil 1 2012 – Present 905


Unit Markings

Escuadrón de Helicópteros
 


Main Bases

Base Duration
Base Aérea Mejia/Toncontin IAP/Tegucigalpa 1964 – Present


Photographs

None currently available.

More Information

References

  • Latin-American Military Aviation (John Andrade)
  • World Air Forces Directory 2002/03 (Ian Carroll)

Other Sources

To be added.