Warbirds at La Aurora AP in Guatemala

[Brad]

My little brother recently spent a few weeks in Guatemala with his F-15s. He sent me these pictures and I'm just now remembering to post them.

[mustangdriver]

Very cool pics. That last one looks like it spent some time around Baslier in Oshkosh.

[Michel Lemieux]

First pic of the Mustang.....

Almost looks like it's coming in for landing

Tks for sharing

[mrhenniger]

Are the DC-3s which are not on the ramp part of a museum or some other collection?

Mike

[Tulio]

Mike:

These were active with the Guatemalan Air Force.

540 has been awaiting funding forever, to bring it back into flying condition. The other one, 510 has been abandoned there for as long as I can remember.

There is no museum, there are no plans for a museum (as hard as we have tried....) simply because there is no money, and the groups that should get together to create one, keep pulling in different directions.

Also at La Aurora:
T-6G (FAG-509)
A-26 (FAG-404)
T-33 (FAG-735)

You can see also DC-6 "TG-WOP" a.k.a. "La Vaca" [The Cow] which was the largest transport airplane operated by the Air Force until forced into retirement due to main spar corrosion.

There are several IAI Arava in different states of disrepair, same goes for Pilatus PC-7s and there are at least three hulks of Cessna A-37Bs, completely stripped of anything usable.

The AeroCommander is TG-IGN, which flew with the National Geographical Institute (IGN).

A couple of derelict Fokker F-27 are also in the same general area.

If you need specific coordinates for aircraft in Guatemala (not only at La Aurora), I have them.

Saludos,


Tulio

Last edited by Tulio on Wed Apr 25, 2007 3:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[mrhenniger]

If you need specific coordinates for aircraft in Guatemala (not only at La Aurora), I have them.

You have been holding out on me Tulio?!?!?! What other good info do you have? Send me an email sir!

Mike

[Tulio]

E-mail already sent, Mike.

Saludos,


Tulio

[DB2]

Mike:
The AeroCommander is TG-IGN, which flew with the National Geographical Institute (IGN).

Is it just me or does every single Caribbean/Central American airport have a derelict Aero Commander on the field? Not a very well-loved airplane, which is a shame.

[Tulio]

Love has nothing to do with it.

IGN flew for many years in photogrametry missions, and served its time until it became economically impossible to keep it flying.

I have seen many derelict AeroCommanders in the US, too.

Saludos,


Tulio

[mrhenniger]

I updated the entry for the P-51 and helo. Is that an H-19? You can find the entry at...
http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/Locator.php?Country=Guat

Tulio have also given me a nice long list other sites in Guatamala and El Salvador. They should appear after tonight's upload.

Mike

[Tulio]

Yes, it is an H-19.

Saludos,


Tulio

[jaldo]

More shots:

H-19



F-51:



Note the locally-made rack on the right:


B-26:


Sadly,there's not much left in the cockpit:


This is how the same aircraft looks now: