Chile’s bicentennial air power on display

Air shows & aviation events
Carlos Ay
For the first time in a Great Military Parade and a Naval and Maritime Review, FACH’s Grupo 1 exhibited its recently delivered lead-in fighter trainer, the EMB-314 Super Tucano. Nine aircraft deployed to Santiago and eight of them took part in the Sunday 19 and Monday 20 ceremonies over Santiago and Valparaiso. With an exotic jungle cammo departing from the predominant low-viz grey scheme now dominating FACH’s fleet, two of the type can be seen approaching Santiago’s airport on Sunday 19 (photo by author).

Chilean traditions and official schedules get this South American nation in a festive mood in mid-September every year. Schools take a week-long holiday and the entire nation can get up to four consecutive non-working days to commemorate the beginning of Chile’s independence movement in 1810.

Chile’s four armed services (Army, Navy, Air Force and Carabineers) usually get their greater public exposure on 19 September, as they march through O’Higgins Park in downtown Santiago during the “Gran Parada Militar” (great military parade).

Military bicentennial ceremonies, however, were planned to outstand over celebrations in previous years. And indeed they did, because not one but two large-scale ceremonies (and countless minor exhibitions) where held in the “long week end” starting on Thursday 16. Army was the leading organizer of the great military parade held in Santiago, while Navy was innovative holding its second Independence “Revista Naval y Marítima” (naval and maritime review) in Valparaiso.

Not to be outdone, Air Force played a prominent part in both large ceremonies and was noted displaying in several other minor events; while the Carabineers (a militarized and highly respected police force) was also part of the main parade.

As a large part of the capital’s population moved out to holiday destinations, air action began in earnest with the great parade’s preparatory review, a rehearsal held mid afternoon on Thursday 16 involving subsets of the forces that were to take part of the Sunday event. Friday 17 recorded additional air activity at midday, when a huge national flag weighing 200 kg. (441 lbs.) was raised for the first time in front of the presidential palace. Mid-afternoon, in turn, the Air Force aerobatic team and paratroopers performed over Father Hurtado Park in Eastern Santiago. Saturday 18, usually a “quiet” day, saw Air Force aircraft dropping leaflets containing poems, lyrics, historical speeches and popular phrases. Closing down an unforgettable week end, the two main courses took place on Sunday 19 (great parade) and Monday 20 (naval review).

El premio al modelo más colorido sin lugar a dudas quedará para los Twin Otters del Grupo 19. Desde su asiento administrativo en Puerto Montt, la unidad opera a lo largo de todo el año en la base aérea antártica Teniente Marsh, lo que explica su llamativo uniforme rojo (foto: Carlos Ay).
Undoubtedly the most colourful aircraft in the September parades were three Grupo 19 Twin Otters. Headquartered in Puerto Montt, Grupo 19 operates most of the year from Teniente Marsh air base in the Antarctica, hence their distinguishing red livery.(photo by Carlos Ay).

Approximately 120 aircraft were involved in the celebrations. Chilean Air Force entered their most recent acquisition, the EMB-314 Super Tucano lead-in fighter trainer, into the military parade roster for the first time ever. The Navy displayed their first C-295 Persuader (delivered in June) at the naval review. And the Army put seven of its eight new AS532AL Cougar helicopters up in the air for the Sunday parade. Yet probably the most eccentric exhibition was that of four Air Force UH-1H Hueys participating in both events, which were decorated with Chilean and Argentine flags and United Nations stickers to represent the yet-to-be-formed flying wing of the bi-national “Cruz del Sur” (Southern Cross) combined peace force parading on the ground.

Cuatro Hueys del Grupo 9 portaron autoadhesivos que representaban el aún inexistente componente aéreo del batallón binacional “Cruz del Sur”, la fuerza de despliegue rápido que Chile y Argentina están montando para poner a disposición de las Naciones Unidas. Estas marcas tuvieron una vida efímera: Detectadas en la parada militar del sábado 19, habrían desaparecido para la revista naval del lunes 20 (foto: Antonio Segovia R.).
Four Grupo 9 Hueys carried stickers representing the yet-to-be-formed flying wing of the bi-national Cruz del Sur (Southern Cross) combined rapid reaction force that Chile and Argentina are assembling for the United Nations. The special marks purportedly lasted less then 48 hours: First noted on Sunday 19, they were apparently gone by Monday 20 (photo: Antonio Segovia R.).

The remainder of the participating aircraft comprised a number of “veteran” participants in these ceremonies. Several Air Force Extra 300s, Pillanes, Fighting Falcons, CitationJets, Twin Otters, JetRangers, Bell 412s, Hueys, Learjets and Hercules; as well as unitary Boeing KC-135, 707 and 737 and were noted over Santiago and Valparaiso. Army also paraded its Defenders and a lone Puma on Sunday 19; while Navy did so with several Turbo Trainers, Orions, Cougars and Dauphins, plus two JetRanger camera ships and their sole Persuader, on Monday 20. The Carabineers did not take part in any of the flying parades, but one of their AgustaWestland A-109Es was noted at O’Higgins Park on Sunday. Rounding up this memorable celebration, several foreign naval helicopters were noted in Valparaiso during the naval review; while a number of supporting transports also transited through Santiago’s international airport at Pudahuel during the long week end.

Enmarcados por el SH-60B Seahawk BuNo 162136 del escuadrón HSL-49 “Scorpions” (“Escorpiones”), marinos norteamericanos rinden honores a las autoridades chilenas desde la cubierta de vuelo del destructor USS “Jarrett” (foto: Armada de Chile).
With the background of HSL-49 Scorpions SH-60B Seahawk BuNo 162136, US seamen salute the authorities from the flying deck of destroyer USS Jarrett while parading in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar (photo: Armada de Chile).

Chilean Air Force participating aircraft

Unit Type Serials Remarks
Escuela de Aviación T-35 111, 112, 114, 115, 118, 122, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135, 137, 139, 143 and 145. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
Grupo 1 Embraer 314 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 459, 460 and 462. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
Grupo 3 F-16C/D 851, 852, 853, 854, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
Grupo 5 Cessna 525 361, 362 and 364. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
  DHC-6-300 945, 946 and 948. Flew on 16, 19 & 20 (grey c/s).
Grupo 8 F-16A/B 721, 722, 724, 729, 731, 737 and 738. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
Grupo 9 Bell 206 H-22 and H-23. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
  Bell 412 H-47, H-49, H-50, H-53, H-54 plus 1 not noted. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
  Sikorsky S-70 H-02. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
  UH-1H H-76, H-80, H-83, H-90. Flew on 16, 19 & 20 (special UN/Chilean-Argentine marks).
Grupo 10 Boeing 707 904. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
  Boeing 737 921. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
  C-130 996 and 998. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
  KC-135E 981. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
Grupo 19 DHC-6-300 932, 933 and 938. Flew on 16, 19 & 20 (Antarctic red c/s).
Halcones Extra 300L 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Flew on 16, 19 & 20.
El último cisterna adquirido por el Grupo 10, el KC-135E Stratotanker 981, participó por primera vez en una parada militar y en una revista naval. Poco después de decolar desde Pudahuel, el aparato formaría con dos F-16C del Grupo 3 para concretar los pasajes sobre el Parque O’Higgins y la bahía de Valparaíso (foto del autor).
Parading for the first time was FACH’s most recently delivered tanker, Grupo 10’s KC-135E serial number 981. Shortly after taking off, the tanker would form up with two F-16C from Grupo 3 before heading into their fly-byes over O’Higgins Park and Valparaiso Bay (photo by author).

Other Chilean military participating aircraft

Service Unit Type Serials Remarks
Army Batallón Helicópteros AS330L H-258. Flew on 19 (dark cammo).
    AS532AL H280 “Co. Huentelauquén” and H281 “Co. Aconcagua”. Flew on 19 (dark cammo).
      H282 “Co. La Campana”, H283 “Co. Fitz Roy”, H284 “Co. El Plomo”, H286 “Co. Caracol” and H287 “Co. Puntiagudo”. Flew on 19 (light cammo).
    MD-530 H-134, H-136 “Co. Imán” and H-135. Flew on 16 & 19 (green/sand cammo).
      H-131 “Co. Tarapacá”, H-132 and H-197 “Co. El Roble”. Flew on 16 & 19 (desert cammo).
Carabineers Sección Helicópteros A-109E Not noted x 1. Noted Santiago on 19.
Navy Escuadrón
HA-1		 AS365N 50 (unconfirmed), 51 and 52. Flew on 20.
    AS532SC Not noted x 1. Flew on 20 (armed with Exocet missile).
      Not noted x 1. Flew on 20 (armed with torpedoes).
      Not noted x 2. Flew on 20.
  Escuadrón
HU-1		 Bell 206 33 and 38. Noted Valparaiso on 20 (camera ships).
  Escuadrón
VP-1		 C-295 501 (unconfirmed). Flew on 20.
    P-3ACH Not noted x 2. Flew on 20.
  Escuadrón
VT-1		 PC-7 211 and 219 (unconfirmed) plus 2 not noted. Flew on 20.
Cougars en la revista naval del lunes 20.
Three of the four Cougars participating in the naval review on Monday 20. The leader carries two Exocet anti-shipping missiles, while the wingmen carry supplementary fuel tanks (photo: Carlos Hirigoyen G.).

Foreign participating and visiting aircraft

Service Unit Type Serials Remarks
Argentine AF I Br Aé F.28-1000C TC-54. Reported Santiago 15, 20 & 21.
    KC-130H TC-69. Reported Santiago 15, 20 & 21.
Brazilian Navy Esquadrão HA-1 Lynx Mk.21A N-4004. On board “Almirante Barroso” (V34) on 20.
Canadian Forces 12 Wing CH-124A 12426. On board HMCS “Algonquín” (DDG 283) on 20.
Mexican AF UETAAM B-737-200 3520. Noted Santiago on 19.
Royal Navy Not noted Sea Lynx Not noted x 1 On board HMS “Portland” (F-79) on 20.
US Navy HSL-49 (detachment not noted) SH-60B 162136/S-11x? On board USS “Jarret” (FFG-33) on 20.
Mexican troops participating in the Sunday parade were flown in by Boeing 737-200 serial number 3520. Just like the Argentine contingent, which was flown in by Herk and F.28, all transited through Pudahuel, Santiago’s international airport (photo by author).

Mauricio Chiófalo, Carlos Hirigoyen G., Katerin Jara G., Carlos Jara N., Gustavo Lepez, Luis Quintana A. and Antonio Segovia R. contributed to this report. Additional information came from Fuerza Aérea de Chile, Ejército de Chile, Armada de Chile and Carabineros de Chile (official sites); as well as from Air Fighters, Aviation Corner, La Tercera, Scramble and Ship Spotting.

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