Fouga Magister CM 170 - AVIKAT Katanga Airforce

 

Katanga Airforce Fouga Cm-170 Magister

The Fouga Cm-170 Magister is a first generation two seater jet trainer. Its distinctive V-shaped tail makes it easily recognisable to most aviation lovers. While primarily operated as a trainer aircraft, the Magister was also  used in combat as a close air support platform by 22 air forces. It saw action during the Six-Day War, the Salvadoran Civil War, the Western Sahara War, and the Congo Crisis. The Magister was also chosen by many aerobatics display teams, including the Patrouille de France, the Belgian Red Devils, Brazils Smoke Squadron, Austrian Silver Birds, the Luftwaffe flying school FlugzeugFuhrerSchule and the Irish Silver Swallows. The Fouga Magister was nicknamed "the whistling turtle" by the Belgian Air Force and the “whistling Rooster” by the Finns due to the motor whistling while in idle. 

The aircraft could be equipped with two 7.5 mm or 7.62 mm nose machine guns and had two hard points for bombs or missiles. 

The Fouga Magister in AVIKAT service 

In 1960, after the independence of Congo, the province of Katanga separated and became an independent republic. The President of Katanga, Moïse Tshombé, ordered 9 planes from Potez Air Fouga. Only three aircraft were delivered to Katanga at Luano (Elisabethville airfield). 

On February 15, 1961, the arrival of the three Katangese Fouga was announced by the "Daily Mail" of February 6, 61. 

The six Fouga Cm-170 Magisters that were still to be delivered to the Katangese government were in Pointe Noire (Congo Brazaville) in October 1961. But following the UN embargo, the ship brought them back to Antwerp where they were taken care of by customs. These were later sold to the Irish Airforce. 

AVIKAT Markings 

Katangan Fouga KAT 91. 

It crashed on June 23, 1961, during a maneuver over the old Eville runway. 
Very few photographic documents exist of it.

 

Katangan Fouga KAT 93

Its engine was being repaired when the UN launched Operation "Rhum Punch" on August 28, 1961, which aimed to expel foreign personnel from the Gendarmerie and the Avikat. KAT 93 flew a few missions but was seized by the UN at the end of August 1961. 

The most common depicted AVIKAT Fouga

KAT 93 in front of the Luano control tower.

KAT 93 on the tarmac at Luano. 

President Moïse Tshombe sits in the passenger seat

  

  

Standing next to KAT 93 the Swedish Air Force Colonel Sven Lampell, head of ONUC air operations and head of the UN fighter wing which included the "F22" Saab J-29 squadron, the Iranian Sabre jet squadron and the Ethiopian Sabre jet squadron. 

Katangan Fouga KAT 92

Markings for AVIKAT aircraft 

Without a doubt, the most infamous of the Katangan Fouga Magisters, KAT 92 seen the most service and caused the most controversy. Kat 92 operated from September 14 to 19, 1961, against UN forces. Damaged by ground fire on the 18th but grounded while peace talks commenced and then came into effect on the 20th. 

On the 3rd December 1961 it was damaged during an air attack, Indian UN Canberra bombers permanently grounded it at Kolwezi. Damaged, it was evacuated by rail on December 5, 1961, to Kisenge where it awaited replacement parts.

Thanks to this single training aircraft, based in Kolwezi, the Katangese "hunt" caused panic among the United Nations. The KAT 92 carried out rapid overflights of UN positions, dropping a few 50kg improvised bombs here and there. These interventions boosted the morale of the Katangese Gendarmerie and mercenary troops and sowed consternation among the ranks of the ONUC troops. The Fouga were an excellent means of psychological warfare against the ONUC soldiers and forced them to deploy air support. This Fouga also played a vital role in the attack on UN Kamina Airbase on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th of September destroying one DC4 on the ground and killing two UN pilots. Then the strafing and bombing of the Irish at Jadotville between the 13th and 17th. During at ground attack on the Kamina Airbase on the 18th it received damage. 

José Magain “the lone Prowler”

The pilot of the Fouga 92 was the Belgian José Magain who had flown with the Belgian Air Force. Joseph Delin the commander of Kolwezi airbase accompanied him as co-pilot on several missions including the staffing of Jadotville But when the journalists and photographers showed up in Kolwezi, José Magain disappeared… because no one could know that he had piloted the Fouga Magister. In reality he should no longer have been in Katanga and should have returned to Belgium on August 28, 1961, just like the other members of Avikat expelled by the UN (Operation “Rumpunch 27th August - October 1961”).
 

Armament for KAT 92, originally armed with 7.50 mm guns and ammunition, it was re-chambered for 7.62 caliber as ammunition was readily available. for bombing ground attack missions required manufacture of 50 kg bombs from mortar rounds and a primitive dropping and aiming system organized with the means at hand. The Fouga KAT 92 flew about 50 missions, claiming a UN DC-6, a DC-4, a DC-3, a dozen trucks, strafing the positions Jadotville, and a UN radio installations was destroyed at Kamina. The end of each of these missions was punctuated by a message to the control tower manned by the UN: "See you soon, gentlemen; I will be happy to come and see you again!" 

“The Ghost Sqaudron” a dummy aircraft on Kolwezi runway

 Hammarksjöld “affair”

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The event that has attracted the most attention regarding KAT 92 is the crash of Dag Hammarksjöld's DC-6 on September 17, 1961. Dag Hammarksjöld was the Secretary-General of the United Nations and was dispatched to the Congo to try to resolve the crisis. 
On the evening of September 17, his plane took off from Leopoldville for N'Dola. He was going there with the aim of meeting Moïse Tshombé...… The DC-6, "Albertina", never landed in N'Dola and crashed around midnight on a hill near N'Dola. Initially, the Fouga Magister KAT 92 was accused of having shot down the plane of the Secretary General of the United Nations, later it is thought a De Havilland Dove that did have night flying ability dropped mortar bombs onto the aircraft. 

DC-6 “Albertina” registered SE-BDY which transported UN Secretary General Dag Hammarksjöld on September 17, 1961.

The international commission of inquiry sent to the scene by the UN to analyze the causes of the crash concluded that the reasons were certainly accidental. This same international commission from Rhodesia went to Kolwezi on October 20, 1961 to monitor the activity of the Fouga KAT 92 on the day of Mr. Hammarksjöld's death. On site, Major DELIN proved to them that the aircraft's autonomy was insufficient to reach N'Dola and, what's more, the Kolwezi airfield was not equipped for night flights. This exonerated (officially), at the same time, the Belgian pilot of the Fouga, Joseph Delin... (unofficially) we have since known that it was José MAGAIN who was the jet's assigned pilot! 

Cheers

Matt

Congo Militia

 Congo Militia 

Completed a few Congo plastic militia from Caesar Miniatures. A simple paint job, base colors, wash and one highlight. Quite happy with them, I plan on adding some more metal ones so I can have a decent sized battalion of militia. 

Cheers

Matt

Book Review - Zimmerit the ultimate modeling guide.

 Zimmerit the ultimate modeling guide. 

So still diving down the modeling project if 17th SS vehicles in Pays de Loire and Normandy in June to August 1944. With that in mind I picked up the latest publication of Ammo paints, the tools and zimmerit paste. 

The books is an absolute cracker with the most comprehensive covering of the various patterns used on German vehicles I have ever seen. Each pattern is covered then a guide of how to achieve it with the tools and paste. Color me impressed, now to trial the paste myself in the coming weeks on some StuGs and panzer IVs. 

I will let you know how it performs 

Cheers

Matt

Book Review -Sturmartillerie de la Waffen SS Tome II

 Book Review -Sturmartillerie de la Waffen SS Tome II

I am finally catching up on some reading this week, I have built a few fast build StuGs last week and then purchased the new MIG Zimmeritt book, the tools and the paste. I also ordered some new reference books to look at the patterns for my 17SS StuGs. 

The book is hardcover in French and has a lot of period photos for the three divisions Totenkopf, Polizei and Wiking. The book is published by Heimdal and is Tome II of a three part series. 

The photos are from the propaganda stock and quite a lot personal images also. Short stories of commanders or the photographers there are very few colour photos. Quite a lot of personnel named vehicles and several different zimmeritt and camo patterns which was exactly what I was looking for. There are lots of good maps and in most cases daily fighting reports. A good resource for the wargamer and researcher for certain. 

Cheers

Matt

Wip Wednesday- African militia

 African Militia WIP

I watched Mister Bob about a week ago so it got me excited again to build some more bits for the Congo, so off upstairs to find my plastics stash and I found quite a few pieces suitable for militia to paint. Hopefully get them finished by the weekend, highlights to go. 

Terrain Tuesday - Ohh la Vache

 Ohh la Vache 

Some cows for my modern and ww2 wargaming terrain filler. Based on the Normand cream cow that makes up the majority of soft rind cheeses in the Camembert and Brie valleys around us. 

Royal Moroccan Air Force - 1956 -1980

Royal Moroccan Air Force  - 1956 -1973

Summer is almost done and I finally get a few weeks off to complete models and do some airbrushing after one of the busiest Wargame holiday and b&b breakfast holidays .

I often do some resorting this time of year and come across partly complete projects in boxes. One of these was a F5A that I commenced earlier in the year during mad March, I was waiting on transfers to complete the model for my Royal Moroccan Air Force collection, these arrived this week.

The Moroccan Air Force was formed in 1956, its first aircraft were six ex French Morane-Saulniers MS 500 and three Max Holste MH1521 Broussard transport aircraft. In 1961, the Royal Morrocan Airforce gained the Royal title prefix. Its first purchases were twelve Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 fighters, two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI trainers and two Ilyushin Il-28 bombers from the Soviet Union. Eight Fouga Magister training aircraft were also purchased from France. In 1962, 10 Douglas C-47 Skytrain and six Fairchild C-119G transport aircraft were purchased along with 12 North American T-6 Texans were used for pilot training, eight T-6Gs and 56 SNJ-4s had been delivered by France, but most of the airframes were in a very poor condition, and written off soon after their delivery for spare parts. 15 Harvard MkIV were also delivered in 1962 from ex Canadian stock. Several DO-28 SkyServant reconnaissance and light transport/liaison aircraft were also purchased from Germany

A political rift with the Soviet Union during the Sand War with Angola and this pushed Morocco to seek a new ally in the United States.  latter six Northrop F-5 combat aircraft (4 single-seat F-5A and 2 two-seat F-5B) and another 20 F-5A and four F-5B in 1966. 

At that time, the helicopter fleet was composed of six Aerospatiale Alouette IIs and four Bell 47s.
Starting in 1968, Morocco acquired 60 Bell AB205, 25 Bell AB206, two Bell AB212, and nine Bell CH-47C helicopters from Italy. Deliveries lasted until 1977.

The next modernization of the Moroccan Air Force took place just before the Sahara conflict. The first 25 Mirage F1CH fighters were purchased in 1975, together with 38 Aerospatiale Puma helicopters. Six C-130Hs were bought in 1973, and deliveries started in 1974. Modernization of Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter with improved technology and the purchase of 24 Alpha Jet E would later be undertaken by the RMAF. 16 F-5Es and 4 F-5Fs were acquired in October 1979.  Morocco purchased four single-seat Northrop F-5s and two two-seat bombers from the United States. This deal was followed by another to purchase 20 F-5 attack aircraft and four F-5 bombers. Together with the F-5E/Fs, the FRA decided to buy a total of 24 OV-10As from the United States Marine Corps. However, only the first six aircraft were delivered. They were mostly used in a maritime patrol role and for reconnaissance due to their ineffic iency in combat.A total of 30 Mirage F1CHs were received in December 1979. Additionally, 20 Mirage F1EHs (including six equipped with in-flight refuelling probes) were delivered between December 1979 and July 1982. in 1982, a Boeing 707-138B was fitted with Beech hose units at the wingtips for refueling. Two Lockheed KC-130Hs were also delivered, and all of the F-5Es were modified with aerial refueling probes. four refueling aircraft were purchased, including three B-707s and one C-130

Sand War

The RMAF participated in the Moroccan-Algerian border conflict in 1963 known as Sand War. Its Fairchild C-119s and Douglas C-47swere used to resupply troops, North American T-6s for reconnaissance, and Morane-Saulnier Alcyons for ground attack. MiG-17s were only used sporadically, mostly due to their short range.

Yom Kippur War

I cannot confirm completely that the air force fought in any combat sorties, however reports of fourteen Mig 17 and twelve Moroccan Air Force Northrop F-5A joined the Egyptian 69 Squadron at Tanta on 19 October 1973. In January 1974 two F-5As armed with AIM-9Bs and 20mm cannons intercepted a pair of Israeli Air Force Mirage IIICJs on a reconnaissance mission. The Israelis turned away once the F-5As were detected, dragging both RMAF fighters behind them. Concerned about a possible ambush by Israeli F-4E Phantom IIs, the Egyptian Air Force ground control ordered both Moroccan fighters to return, replacing them with two EAF MiG-21MFs. The air force continued to fly missions over the Nile delta after the ceasefire.

Western Sahara War

At the beginning of the Western Sahara War, Fouga Magisters (based at Laayoune) and North American T-6 Texans (based at Dakhla) were used for ground support. Later on, the F-5s went into action, to strike POLISARIO targets.

In 1980, construction of the Sahara defensive walls began, consisting of several types of obstacles for infantry and armoured vehicles, such as mine fields and barbed wire. Radars and other electronic sensors were used to detect infiltration attempts, all backed by Quick Intervention Units (Détachements d'Intervention Rapide) able to move to and quickly reinforce attacked outposts along the wall.  It was also decided to use Aérospatiale SA 342 Gazelle helicopters with HOT missiles to engage the POLISARIO armoured vehicles and technicals from outside the range of light anti-aircraft guns. Apart from the ground radars of the Wall, two C-130 Hercules equipped with SLARs were also used for the detection of enemy units. However, the first portion of the wall, completed in 1982, protected only the area considered as “useful” for Morocco's political and economic interests, that is, the capital Laayoune, the religious center Smara, and the phosphate fields of Bou Craa.

After the loss of nine F-5As during combat operations against the POLISARIO, 16 F-5Es and 4 F-5Fs were acquired in October 1979. The main problem that faced Moroccan fighter-bombers in Western Sahara was their insufficient range over the vast battlefield of the Sahara desert.

In December 1977, the Royal Moroccan Air Force started receiving its first Mirage F1CHs. Even though the Mirage F1CH was designed as an interceptor, it was used almost exclusively for ground attack in the war against the POLISARIO. The last of a total of 30 Mirage F1CHs were received in December 1979. Additionally, 20 Mirage F1EHs (including six equipped with in-flight refuelling probes) were delivered between December 1979 and July 1982.

With the outbreak of the Sand War, the Soviet Union betrayed an ally it could have had—Morocco—by supporting Algeria, given its socialist approach. Instead of balancing its relations with both countries, Morocco shifted its focus to a new ally: the United States.



As for transport units, 10 of the famous Douglas C-47s, 18 Fairchild C-119Gs, and six C-130 Hercules were acquired . Due to the conflicts in the Sahara, Morocco saw a need for helicopters, and therefore purchased 24 Augusta-Bell AB205A helicopters. For training, the needs were covered by 60 T-6 ​​Texans. The subsequent development of the air force was through the acquisition of Mirage F1 attack aircraft. Given the importance of the air force and the difficult period it went through and its reliance on aviation, more pilots needed to be trained. Therefore, T-34 Mentor trainer aircraft were acquired, along with the purchase of Puma helicopters and an unspecified number of C-130s to replace their aging counterparts.
Morocco needed aircraft to monitor its long coastline, and after studying the matter, a deal was concluded with the United States to purchase six OV-10 Bronco reconnaissance and attack aircraft.

With the outbreak of hostilities between Morocco and the Polisario Front, Morocco needed light armor-piercing helicopters. This was accomplished by purchasing an unspecified number of Hughes 500MDs, equipped with TOW missiles, which destroyed several T-55/54 tanks and BMP armored vehicles.
To track enemy units, Morocco purchased C-130 aircraft equipped with the SLAR system to track enemy units. It also gifted the Shah of Iran two RF5 reconnaissance aircraft, followed by a significant deal for 20 new F-5 Tiger II aircraft.

Battle of Hill 64

 A rapid fire reloaded game on the table last week, based on Operation Charnwood the remainders of the 16th Luftwaffe division tried to hold up the advance of 3rd infantry division. The 16th had massive losses to the pregame bombardment with two battalions down 50% as per history. The British artillery during the assault dominated the losses in the first two turns. The sug and Marder did manage to make some kills before being destroyed, Only that the Luftwaffe troops were dug in the kept passing morale checks and needed to be winkled out of the buildings. A narrow win to the English with a tank getting off the edge of table in the last turn. 

Counterattack Saint-Mere-Eglise

A few photos from recent learning game of the counterattack at Saint-Mere-l’eglise. The German assault failed due failed activation rolls, both supporting stugs were destroyed, one by a 57mm and one bazooka. 

A few more games of Chain of Command 2 to grasp the new rules fully.