In the first half of the 20th Century, there were several revolutions in
Paraguay, starting in 1904, then 1908, 1911-12, 1922-23, 1936 and
finally 1947. In 1922, a huge internal crisis in the Liberal Party led
to a bloody revolution and for the first time in the history of the
country, both sides decided to use aerial power against the enemy. There
were not any airplanes available in Paraguay at that time, and very few
pilots, just three, so both the government led by President Eusebio
Ayala, and the revolutionaries led by a couple of Army colonels, Chirife
and Mendoza, searched for foreign pilots and planes in Buenos Aires,
Argentina. Many First World War veterans emigrated to Latin America in
search of a better life, either opening flight schools or offering their
services in local conflicts. That is how some of them came to Paraguay
with their own aircraft, which were bought by either the government or
the revolutionaries. The three Paraguayan pilots offered their services
to the government, which soon established the first air base near the
capital, in a wide open field called 'Ñu-Guazú' (a Guaraní name meaning
'Big Field'). Meanwhile, the rebels organized their own air base, first
near the city of Villarrica, and later in Cangó. The main types used by
both sides were the Ansaldo SVA5 and SVA10, but the government also
managed to purchase a Breguet XIV, an Armstrong Whitworth FK.8, a SPAD
S.20 and a couple of SAML A.3. Inevitably the first dogfights took
place, and also bombing raids, strafing enemy troops, and recce missions
on both sides. Finally, in mid-1923, the revolutionaries were defeated
and one of the consequences was the foundation of the Military Aviation
School.
In contrast, the Revolution of 1947 lasted just a few months but it was
as bloody as the previous one, if not more so. The government, supported
by the Colorado Party, fought against the revolutionaries, composed of
almost 70% of the Army, Navy and Air Arm, supported by the Liberal,
Febrerista and Communist parties. Regarding the Air Arm, it split in
two, but at the beginning most of the aircraft in flying conditions were
used by the revolutionaries, whose main base was the city of Concepción,
in the north of the country. Soon, the government air arm had some
aircraft in flying condition although most of the Italian types
purchased in 1939 were out of service. Only Lend-Lease trainers such as
PT-19, BT-13, AT-6 types were used for recce and light bombing raids,
using mortar ammunition. Some weeks later, the loyalists managed to
repair some Caproni AP-1s to be flown against the rebels. There were a
few dogfights but no aircraft were shot down in them, although some were
lost due to AA fire. In the end, the government could defeat the
revolutionaries, mainly because of the lack of tactical organization in
the rebel forces. This is the first in-depth account of them with data,
pictures, maps and profiles, some of them never published before.
