|
The Mexican AF's Escuadron 201, served in the Philippine Islands for about a couple of months, in July 1945 IIRC.
The P-47s that they employed in the P.I., were left behind when the Japanese surrendered; the Mexican Squadron 201 returned to Mexico, and were given brand new P-47s from U.S. stocks, again, IIRC.
Mexican P-47:
25 like-new P-47s were delivered to the FAM, from both Laredo and Greenville, Texas, during the last week of November, 1945 (note please that this date doesn't match with the Nov/04 delivery date mentioned below). Four of the aircraft went to the Mexico City airport, then under construction, and remained there, since runways were under construction, and there was a general lack of 100 Octane aviation fuel. The rest of the aircraft, went to Veracruz, Mexico. All 25 of the P-47s delivered were the -30-RA variant, and not as it has been informed, P-47Ns. The airplanes were funded through Lend-Lease. (Dan Hagedorn claims these to be the 35-RA variant; I could not find anywhere a reference to the -35-RA but this doesn't mean they did not exist, only that I could not find any mention.) The RA's were all built at Evansville, Indiana, actually a duplicate of the D-30 models built at Farmingdale.
The aircraft were moved back and forth between Mexico and Veracruz on several occasions.
Their identifying code "PZT" stands for (In spanish) "Persecucion de Zona Thunderbolt" (roughly: Thunderbolt, zone pursuit, or zone defense). Gunnery and bombing practice was carried at Las Bajadas AB, and bombs were locally made, out of "tree trunks"!!!
44-90210 was a P-47D-35-RA, assigned FAM serial "PZT-1003" and was delivered to the FAM on 04 November, 1945. Reportedly still in service as late as 01Jun1954. It participated, together with PZT-1006 and PZT-1016, in the opening of the Mexico City's International Airport (Benito Juarez) on 01 June, 1954. By that time, there were only three other P-47s in service with the FAM, based at "Las Bajadas AB" in the State of Veracruz, Mexico.
When the decission to finally withdraw the type from FAM service was made, only two examples were preserved, PZT-1016 and PZT-1008, to be displayed at Base Aerea Militar No. 1 and Colegio del Aire.
REPUBLIC P-47D-35-RA THUNDERBOLT S/N 44-33720 Serial PZT-1016 (Spurious)
Located at the Army and Air Force Museum in Guadalajara, Jalisco, MX. This is the P-47 that was exhibited for many years at the "Colegio del Aire" and was later on moved to the F.A.M. HQ, and finally to the "Cuartel del Colorado." It has been fully restored, not flyable though.
REPUBLIC P-47D-35-RA THUNDERBOLT S/N 44-33713 Serial PZT-1003
Preserved at the Base Aerea Militar No. 1 Gral. Alfredo Lezama A. in Santa Lucia, State of Mexico. Restored.
There is also a 1:1 replica, located at a monument to Escuadron Aereo 201, in the city of Zapopan, Jalisco, in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara. No serial number, of course.
For those really interested in Mexican AF P-47s, contact Santiago Flores, through our discussion board at LAAHS.com.
He is without question, the expert on the Mexican Squadron 201.
Saludos,
Tulio
_________________
Why take the best part of life out of your life, when you can have life with the best part of your life in your life?
I am one of them 'futbol' people.
Will the previous owner has pics of this double cabin sample
GOOD MORNING, WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Press "1" for English.
Press "2" to disconnect until you have learned to speak English.
Sooooo, how am I going to know to press 1 or 2, if I do not speak English????
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
