Gran Colombia's Fuerza Aerea

[The Rock Doctor]

At the start of 1914, all military heavier-than-aircraft are under the jurisdiction of the Ejercito.

Two grass airstips exist - one in Monteria, in the Heartland, and the other in Jaguey Grande, Cuba.

A mix of eighty OTL 1910 single-engine aircraft (the 1906 tech) are in service, out of an initial purchase of one hundred.  These have been used primarily for pilot-training and doctrine development.

The recent wars suggest that aeroplanes may now provide useful functions to a military - a primary troop-observation role, with secondary roles of defending the observation aircraft and driving away an enemy's observation aircraft.  As such, Gran Colombia is now looking at a possible expansion of the Fuerza Aerea.  The question is - what, and where?

Panama

With troublesome neighbours sharing a land frontier to the west, the Panama Isthmus is a potential site for large scale land combat in the future.  Both observation and scout aircraft would be of use here. 

How many airstrips?  The isthmus has a spine of mountains for most of its extent, and this will probably hamper aircraft movement between the north/Caribbean and south/Pacific coasts.  Pairs of airstrips, on either side of the cordillera, might run from near the border to a point east of the Darien Canal.

Cuba

A potential target for would-be attackers, Cuba could benefit from having a unit of observation aircraft, along with training aircraft.  The existing strip can be expanded, but one assumes other strips will be necessary due to the island's extent.

Jamaica

Another potential target in a serious war, Jamaica would benefit from observation and training aircraft.  Two strips would provide some redundancy.

The Lesser Antillies

Campaigns against these islands would be fairly straight-forward:  whoever controls the major port controls the island.  Aircraft are unlikely to have a significant influence in such battles.

Guayana Francesa, Guyana

Dutch-controlled Surinam lies between these territories, but this is not considered a likely hotspot or future battlefield. 

The Colombian Heartland

Facilities for training pilots would be useful as this is where the bulk of the population resides.  Keeping some dismantled/crated aircraft here, for rapid transport to Panama, an island, or elsewhere, would also be useful.

[Guinness]

I should think that you'll want to continue developing a maritime reconnaissance role in the Caribbean to keep an eye on us pesky Confederates. Frankly, I think for GC, the driver of heavier than air development should probably be the Marina, and not the Ejercito.

The only place you really need to worry about a land war on the scale we saw in Europe recently is the Panamanian frontier, but the terrain there just isn't conducive to such a thing. Between the mountains and the jungle, I wouldn't expect anyone could bring large numbers of troops across the border there and get very far. Against smaller contingents, air observation would be pretty useless because of the terrain, I think.

Now, if you are thinking about your South American neighbors, that might be a different story...

So I say, concentrate on Cuba and the Caribbean Islands. Eventually a general purpose airstrip in Panama would probably be a good idea, but I don't think it's your first priority.

[The Rock Doctor]

Interesting perspective.  I'd been leaving the maritime recce role out of it - assuming that the Armada was going with airships in this manner - but you may have something there.  It would certainly offer a change from most historical precedents.

[The Rock Doctor]

I may not have more aircraft than everybody else, but I wonder if I might have more airstrips than anybody else - seven in the Americas, and six in Africa.  More planned, too.

[ctwaterman]

I may not have more aircraft than everybody else, but I wonder if I might have more airstrips than anybody else - seven in the Americas, and six in Africa.  More planned, too.

You may very well be right I only have 8 1913: Historic 1916 Tech Airfields currently and while I have plans for alot more I simply lack the BP to build them as quickly as I would wish.
I have one Each in Eritrea, Somalia, and Burundi, 2 in Italian South Africa, one in Tunis, one in Sicily and one in Northern Italy.

Future Plans call for Airfields near the Ports of Taranto, Brindisi, and one on Novo Liparai and one in Montivideo Uraguay.

[The Rock Doctor]

I\ve come round to thinking that I'd like at least two in any substantial chunk of territory, so I have some redundancy or backup if I lose a strip to enemy action.  Hence the likely addition of a second strip in Jamaica...

[The Rock Doctor]

Annual Report of the Fuerza Aerea Conjunto de Gran Colombia

Submitted to:  Edmund Fitzroy, Minister of Defence

Submitted by:

General de Brigada Horacio Hoyos, Ejercito de Gran Colombia
Contralmirante Alvaro Pineda, Armada de Gran Colombia
Sergio Obregon, Diputado Ministro de Defensa
Junta de Jefes

Summary

This report summarizes the administration, deployment, and equipment of the Fuerza Aerea Conjunto de Gran Colombia, as of 31 December 1918.

Administration

The FACGC is a military entity subordinate to both the Ejercito and Armada.  It is administered by a junta de jefes consisting of a general de brigada from the Ejercito, a contralmirante from the Armada, and the senior bureaucrat within the Ministry of Defence. 

The FACGC is headquartered in Cartagena, with secondary headquarters located at Camaguey, Cuba and Ciudad Jorge, Guyana.

Equipment - Aeroplanes

The FACGC operates approximately one thousand aeroplanes, of which seventy-five percent may be considered modern.  The current rate of advance of aircraft technology is such that modern aircraft are obsolete within three to five years.  Combined with high attrition rates from accidents and wear, the inventory requires near-constant rejuvenation, albeit at modest levels of spending.

Fighter aircraft (or, "Cazas") are small, agile, fast, single-seat aircraft intended to attack and destroy enemy aircraft.  They are typicall armed with one or two machine guns, and may carry a light bomb load.  They may be employed for light bombing, reconnaisance, or courier roles.  Three models are currently in use; the Gonzalez C16G and Arsenal de Bogota C16B are modern designs, while the Arsenal de Bogota C14B is a first-generation fighter aircraft now considered relatively obsolete.

Reconnaissance-Bombers (or, "Bombarderos Reconocimientos") are twin-engined aircraft intended to observe and report enemy ground and sea forces, and to undertake tactical bombing missions.  They typically mount a forward-firing and a pintel-mounted aft-firing machine gun, with the capability of a modest bomb load.  Two models are currently in use; the Anderson-Wolfe R16A is a modern unit in frontline service, while the older Anderson-Wolfe R14A has been relegated to secondary functions.

Bomber aircraft (or, "Bombarderos Estrategicos") are large twin-engined aircraft which may have several crewmen.  The aircraft carry machine guns for defensive purposes, but are primarily intended to carry large bomb loads over long distances.  The type is relatively new, and two models are in service, the Anderson-Wolfe B16A and the Grupo San Jorge B16G.  The long construction and complex construction time, and the desire to foster competition in the domestic bomber sector, explain why two contractors were selected to supply only one hundred aircraft.

Training aircraft (or, "Entrenadores") have not been ordered as unique types, but rather as modifications of existing aircraft.  A portion of the R14A inventory was ordered as dual-control trainers for early training, and aircraft not lost to attrition remain in service at this time.  A portion of the C14B inventory has been set aside as advanced solo trainers, without modification, allowing students to practice on aircraft with fighter-like performance.

Equipment - Aerostats

The FACGC operates fifteen aerostats at this time:  three non-rigid and twelve rigid airships.  All are manufactured by Aerostatos de Alvarez.

The non-rigid airships, of the supposed "Type 0" variety, are relatively small vehicles.  The gas bag is cylindrical, and a suspended pod houses the three man crew, fuel, and an aircraft engine.  The type has been used for naval scouting duties, primarily in conjunction with the Armada, for which their small size and collapsibility allow for use aboard specific vessels.

The rigid airships, of the "Type 1" variety, are over twice as lare as the non-rigids.  They can carry a limited payload of cargo or bombs, along with a defensive machine gun, but are usually operated unarmed in the maritime patrol function.  All are land-based at this time.

Facilities

The extent of the FACGC's physical bases is relatively limited.  Our wide geography, historically limited budget, and the comparitive youthfulness of the service have precluded coverage of the entire nation.  Consequently, establishment of infrastructure has been and will continue to be on a priority basis according to perceived strategic needs.

It is important to distinguish between the differing types of facilities present.  Airstrips support airplane operations and consist of level, grass landing fields, with operations and maintenance facilities.  Hangers support airship operations, and consist of a large storage shed, a mooring mast, and operations facilities.  For the most part, differing operational requirements have precluded the two types of facilities from being in the same location, but the so-called "aerodrome" at Guantanamo is an exception.

Airstrips have been placed primarily to allow for aerial intervention into possible ground wars - therefore, mostly in the Darien, Cuba, or Jamaica.  Cuba now has four airstrips across its width to allow for coverage of the entire island and adjacent waters.  The airstrip at Guantanamo is close enough to Lionel Town, Jamaica, to allow for ferrying of some aircraft.  Lionel Town will be supplemented by an additional airstrip in Jamaica next year, following which additional airstrips are to be built along the Darien Isthmus.

A series of more basic airstrips are being emplaced on the southern and east parts of Zaire and Montana in Africa.  In time, it is expected that some will be upgraded to allow servicing of newer aircraft.

Hangers are primarily situated to favor airship patrols of strategic waters.  This includes the approaches to the Darien Canal, the waters around Cuba, and the lesser Antilles.  A second chain of hangers, between Cuidad Jorge and Manaus, allows for rapid courier and mail delivery into the heart of the Amazon.

The Armada currently has two vessels equipped to operate non-rigid airships, and is constructing one vessel for operation of up to six aircraft.  The cruiser NGC Guyana has limited support facilities for one non-rigid, and has demonstrated its capabilities during a lengthy deployment to the Indian Ocean three years ago.  This operation resulted in the eventual attritional loss of the assigned non-rigid, but made effective use of the non-rigid in searching for refugees and naval scouting.  The Guyana was deploying to scout for RRC forces in the Malacca Strait when the short-lived RRC/Burmese war was brokered to a conclusion. 

The airship carrier NGC Yubarta is designed for full support and operation of two non-rigids, with an ability to service larger rigid airships.  It is, essentially, a hanger on a hull.  Although the vessel theoretically allows for a completely mobile airship facility to be deployed to isolated locales, the Armada is already concerned that the ship's high profile and shallow draught may result in non-optimal performance.  Both airship vessels will be based at Ciudad Jorge, which is a nexus of airship and naval aviation development.

The protected cruiser Casanare has been used for trials of ramp-launched wheeled fighter aircraft, but is usually laid up in reserve.  The aircraft carrier Espiritu Santo is likely to take on the testing function in addition to her operational duties when she commissions in late 1919.

Deployments

Grupo de Cuba is the largest sub-unit within the FACGC, although this is partly a reflection of Cuba having four of the seven airstrips in the Caribbean.  Equipped with two hundred fighters, two hundred reconnaissance bombers, and fifty strategic bombers, its mission is to protect Cuba during potential hostilities with the CSA, France, and/or Mesoamerica.  Basing of a strategic bomber force on the island allows for offensive operations against Haiti, the Grand Canal, the Confederate enclave at Acupolco, or the Confederate mainland as circumstances may require.

Grupo de Jamaica is charged with the defence of Jamaica from possible naval or amphibious attack.  Its total complement is one hundred aircraft.

Grupo de Darien is charged with the defence of the Darien Isthmus from ground or amphibious attack, particularly as might be launched by France, the CSA, or even Mesoamerica in time of conflict.

Grupo de Heartland has a nominal defensive function, but its primarily purpose is the training of new pilots, navigators, and bombardiers. 

Grupo de Zaire and Grupo de Montana are primarily intended to provide our African possessions with basic reconnaissance and scouting assets.  The deployment of our older inventory of aircraft serves several purposes, including cost-savings in infrastructure due to reduced support requirements, the relative effectiveness of the types in a region where expected threats do not operate significant numbers of aircraft, and the relatively low threat profile that these aircraft should have from the perspective of neighbouring states.

Grupo de Oceano consists of eleven rigid airships, which are generally deployed in pairs at San Miguelito, Colon, Havana, Guantanamo, and (Esmeraldas) and with a single unit at Ciudad Jorge.  The remaining airship is functionally attached to the Grupo for administrative purposes, but operates on the courier/mail run to Manaus.

Grupo de Armada consists of the three non-rigid airships based at Ciudad Jorge and aboard Armada warships as circumstances require.

Looking Ahead

It is the view of the Junta de Jefes that, while one must refrain from over-promoting the utility of aircraft in warfare, the world has not yet seen a truly representative example of sustained aerial combat operations.  The closest analogue would seem to be the use of RRC aircraft against DKB troops in Nord Indokina, but only limited anecdotal information is available.  Even this remains an example of a one-sided aerial campaign. 

We recommend the continued development of additional infrastructure.  Aircraft facilities should be in place to allow the defence of all major military and civilian ports, and the oversight of borders with all non-allied nations in the Caribbean and in Africa.  Airship hangers should be added in the eastern Caribbean and Galapagos, and should be considered in Zaire. 

We recommend continued growth and modernization of the aircraft and airship inventory.  The aircraft fleet should be balanced between fighter and reconnaissance bombers, with a lesser but effective strategic bombing function.  Maritime patrol functions should be further examined with an eye towards complementing the low speed, high endurance airships.  A larger complement of training aircraft is recommended to ensure adequate training of aircrew.

We recommend consideration of means to deploy air units to distant locations in reasonable timeframes.  This may require consideration of aircraft ferrying on ships, as well as transport of related supplies.  In conjunction, we recommend further discussion with our allies in respect to possible cooperation in times of peace and war.

With the Armada now building and developing vessels capable of long-term operation of airships and/or aircraft, we recommend further development of wheeled and float-borne aircraft that might operate from such vessels.  We recommend closer liaison with the Armada's design bureau in the development of these ships, and believe it would be prudent to study administrative and command issues associated with long-term basing of airships and aircraft aboard Armada vessels.

Sincerely,

(signed)

[The Rock Doctor]

I was going to upload this to Photobucket, but it's being uncooperative with me - so the heck with 'em.