DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY AVIATION

IN THE PHILIPPINES

COLONEL FRANCIS KAREM E NERI PAF

(MNSA)
BIRTH OF AVIATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

Skylark Biplane

Date of flight:
James C “Bud” Mars 21 February 1911
 THE FIRST FILIPINO IN THE AIR

12 February 1912, the first Filipino to ever fly as a

passenger, an Igorot Chieftain named "Gagaban”

An American pilot, Lee Hammond took the

chieftain in a Red Devil biplane over Luneta Park
during the 1912 Manila Carnival...
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL
GUARD (1917)
W0RLD WAR I (1914-18)
 MILITIA ACT 2715

Approved on 17 March 1917

Enacted in anticipation of the

United States participation in World War I

Creation of an Aviation Unit composed of

15 officers and 135 enlisted personnel

50 Filipinos (19 National Guard officers)

were accommodated to undergo pilot training
Martin type “S” tractor hydroplane

Major Joseph EH
Stevenot
 PRIOR TO FLIGHT TRAINING THE HYDROPLANES
WERE RECALLED BACK TO THE US

ON 16 FEB 1918, 35 FILIPINO STUDENTS WERE

READY TO BE SENT TO THE US FOR FLYING
TRAINING AND COMPOSE A FILIPINO SQUADRON

A NEGATIVE REPLY FROM THE US ARMY ADJUTANT

GENERAL WAS GIVEN ON 15 MARCH 1918

THE AVIATION SECTION WAS DISBANDED

ON 18 MARCH 1918
 PHILIPPINE
AIR SERVICE (1920)
 AFTER WORLD WAR I LARGE NUMBERS OF
SURPLUS AMERICAN PLANES BECAME AVAILABLE
 The surplus planes became the
basis for the first real effort to
train Filipinos to fly

The establishment of a
commercial air service within
Stevenot the country
 4 JN-4 Jennys

1 HS-1L Seagull
 CURTISS SCHOOL OF AVIATION

Stevenot approached the US Governor General with

the proposal to train Filipino Military Pilots

The Philippine Militia Commission drew plans to

create the Philippine Air Service
The Curtiss School was established at Camp
Claudio in Parañaque

After a rigid physical screening, 33 Military &

10 Civilian students composed the first class
 FIRST FILIPINO SOLOISTS

Alfredo Carmelo first Filipino pilot

(Flight solo, 09 January 1920)

Leoncio Malinao, first military pilot

(Flight solo, 26 April 1920)
 During the middle of June 1920 Croft & Stevenot
presented an aerial demonstration to
top government officials

On 07 July 1920, the Council of State had approved

the establishment of the PHILIPPINE AIR SERVICE
 On 29 December 1920, Pilot Wings were awarded
to the 25 Military students who completed the course
 ABOLITION OF THE PAS

Funding problems seriously affected the plans for PAS

Leonard Wood the new Governor General ordered the

abolition of the PAS

On 19 December 1921, Wood turned over to the US Air

Service PAS aircraft, equipment & facilities
In scuttling the PAS, Governor Leonard Wood delayed
the genesis of an indigenous air arm for 13 years but
resigned PAS pilots contributed to civilian aviation
Philippine Constabulary
Air Corps (1934)
 On 05 September 1934, the Aviation Committee
presented a new proposal for the activation of a PC
Aviation Unit to the 10th Philippine Legislature
THE LEGISLATIVE BATTLE TO CREATE AN AIR ARM
UNDER THE PHILIPPINE CONSTABULARY

Capt Russell Major Porifirio General Basilio

Maughan Zablan Valdes
 ACT 4194

Created an Aviation Unit in the Philippine

Constabulary

Governor Murphy signed the Act on 08 December

1934, taking effect on 01 January 1935

Zablan Field was constructed from a portion of land

appropriated near Camp Murphy (Cubao)
Zablan Field, the Philippine Air Arm’s
first airfield/installation
Stearman Model 73L-3
Primary Trainer Plane
 The Philippine aircraft insignia design used by
the PAAC was made by 1LT BASILIO FERNANDO

Captain Basilio Fernando

Its diamond shape was derived from the insignia
of the Signal Corps, the first military arm
in the country to experiment in flying aircraft
 The first Filipino Para-jumper
• Melecio Vergara was a former employee of
the Ford Motor Company in the US prior to
his enlistment to the PCAC

• Private Melecio Vergara underwent training

in the USAAC Technical School in Chanute
Field

• He specialized in aircraft maintenance and Private

Melecio
parachute rigging which also required him
Vergara
to perform a parachute jump

• Vergara graduated on 29 June 1935 with an

excellent rating for both courses
 On 15 November 1935, the Philippine
Commonwealth was inaugurated

The Philippine National Assembly passed

National Defense Act on 23 December 1935
Organizing the Philippine Army

11 January 1936 Philippine Constabulary Air Corps

was redesignated the Philippine Army Air Corps
PHILIPPINE ARMY
AIR CORPS (1936)
A few days after its first Stearman flew, the PAAC
started operating a small flying school at
Zablan Field to meet the need for trained pilots
Out of 245 applicants, 35 Military Officers &
41 Flying Cadets qualified for flight training
FROM THE PAAC FLYING CADETS
TO THE PAF AVIATION CADETS
Patterned after the US Army Air Corps Flying
Cadet Program later becoming the
Aviation Cadet Program in 1941
PAF AVIATION CADETS
From 1937 to 2006 about 70 classes of Flying &
Aviation Cadets served the country’s military &
civilian aviation industry with unique distinction
The PAF benefitted much from the combined services
of the Officers coming from the PMA, PAFFS Aviation
Cadets, ROTC & other sources of commission
IN 1999, DUE TO THE LACK OF TRAINING AIRCRAFT
& GROUND OFFICERS RECRUITMENT THROUGH
THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM WAS HALTED
AS A REPLACEMENT THE PAFOCS WAS CREATED TO
SATISFY BOTH FLYING & NON-FLYING POSITIONS
 PHILIPPINE ARMY AIR CORPS BASES
BY THE BEGINNING OF WORLD WAR 2

Zablan Field at Camp Murphy

Batangas Field, Batangas

Maniquis Field at Camp Tinio, Cabanatuan

Lahug Field at Cebu

 By 1941, the PAAC had 74 planes, 142 pilots and
1,700 enlisted personnel deployed in 4 installations
Creation of a fighter squadron
(6th Tactical Pursuit Squadron)
Creation of aafighter squadron
Creation
th of bomber squadron
(6 (8Tactical
th Pursuit Squadron)
Bombardment Squadron)
Conduct of Air Exercises throughout the country
Aircraft maintenance capability
LT ISIDRO
PAREDES

LT RUPERTO
BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR
07 December 1941
Japan launched air strikes on the Philippines
 OPENING ATTACKS ON 08 DECEMBER 1941 DESTROYED
103 AMERICAN WARPLANES MOSTLY ON THE GROUND, BY THE
END OF THE MONTH ONLY 10 FIGHTERS REMAIN
 THE FILIPINO 6TH PURSUIT SQUADRON FOUGHT WITH
INFERIOR MACHINES & AGAINST NUMERICALLY
SUPERIOR JAPANESE FORCES

SHOOTING DOWN 1 ZERO & 1 BOMBER FOR THE LOST OF

2 FIGHTERS DESTROYED & 4 OTHERS DAMAGED
 VILLAMOR JULIANO BASA MANLUNAS

ARANZASO KARE GOZAR ACLAN MONDIGO

THE FILIPINO FIGHTER PILOTS OF THE

6TH PURSUIT SQUADRON
P-26 PEASHOOTER
A6M2 ZERO-SEN
Max speed:
234 mph Max speed:
311 mph
Armament:
Two 7.62mm MGs Armament:
Two 20mm cannons
Two 7.7mm MGs
 CONFIRMED
FILIPINO
“KILLS”
CPT VILLAMOR:
1 Mitsubishi G3M
Medium bomber

CPT
VILLAMOR
CONFIRMED FILIPINO
“KILLS”
LT KARE:
1 Mitsubishi A6M2
Carrier Fighter

LT
 LT
BASA

THE ONLY FILIPINO FIGHTER PILOT KILLED IN AIR

COMBAT, LT CESAR T BASA
LT SALVADOR MANLUNAS DIED FROM JAPANESE BOMBS
WHILE MANNING A MACHINEGUN POSITION

LT
On 24 Dec 1941, the PAAC was ordered to destroy all
remaining air assets & join the retreat to Bataan
 ISSUED WITH FIREARMS & GIVEN A HASTY
TRAINING ON LAND COMBAT, THE PAAC LATER
BECAME KNOWN AS THE FLYING INFANTRY

AT BATAAN THE PAAC PERSONNEL WERE GIVEN

THE DUTY OF MAINTAINING CABCABEN AIRFIELD
PLUS BEACH DEFENSE WEST OF BATAAN
BATTLE OF THE POINTS
(22 January 1942)
 MAJOR PELAGIO
CRUZ
MAJOR PELAGIO LED THE PAAC BATTALION IN FIGHTING
THE JAPANESE AMPHIBIOUS OPERATION TOGETHER
WITH OTHER USAFFE UNITS
 SGT LINO ALCASID
For his accurate marksmanship in killing
numerous Japanese troops

PFC BENJAMIN MERCADO

“My Ball” performance in throwing back
Japanese grenades

PFC WILSON ESTRADA

Stood his ground & was wounded during
fierce Japanese infantry attacks

TSG JOSE MARAVILLAS

A machinegunner who repulsed the Japanese

PFC VICENTE TUMANENG

A machinegunner who kept firing his weapon
until he fainted from the loss of blood
2 JAPANESE BATTALIONS WERE DESTROYED
WITH HUNDREDS OF ENEMY TROOPS KILLED,
PAAC LOSSES 2 OFFICERS & 40 EPs
BATTLE OF THE POINTS
(22 January 1942)

VILLAMOR’S “SUICIDE” MISSION

(09 February 1942)
Photo-recon mission to locate
Japanese artillery batteries
bombarding Corregidor
 Photo shots from Villamor’s phot-recon mission discovered
the location of the Japanese artillery batteries, soon Corregidor’s
gun initiated a counter-battery bombardment
 FERNANDO’S RECON MISSION
(21 February 1942)
MAJOR BASILIO Clearing operation to secure the
FERNANDO President Quezon’s escape
through the Visayas
• To verify if there were Japanese activities along the route a
Stearman biplane in Barbara Airfield in Iloilo was used to
recon the route
• Majors Fernando (pilot) and Andres Soriano (backset) flew
the unarmed recon mission at the Stearman’s maximum range

• On their return flight the biplane encountered engine trouble

and Basilio made a beach landing within Negros Island
 LAST PAAC COMBAT SORTIES
(April to May 1942)

• After the fall of Bataan on 09 April 1942, the

American Airfield at Del Monte in Northern
Mindanao became a USAFFE staging area for the
air evacuation of vital military personnel

• Also at Del Monte Air Field was one operational

Seversky P-35A fighter that was no longer part of
any squadron and has no pilot
CAPTAIN RAMON
ZOSA • One PAAC pilot Captain Zosa easily checked-out on
the P-35A and soon flew missions for the USAFFE
in Mindanao
• During that time Captain Zosa utilized his Seversky P-35A mount in performing recon
and ground strike missions against Japanese forces in Northern Mindanao and Leyte

• When the time came to abandon the Del Monte Air Field to the invading Japanese
forces on 19 May 1942, Captain Zosa flew his P-35A to a remote farm airstrip and hid
the aircraft there
PAAC after the fall of the Philippines

Survivors joined the Guerilla Movement

Performed missions for the Allied

Intelligence Bureau

Many surviving pilots were sent to the

US for flying training
LT ALBERTO ARANZASO ATTEMPTED TO ESCAPE FROM
CORREGIDOR BUT GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE

LT
 1944 LIBERATION

Surviving pilots, officers and troops of the

PAAC started returning to military control

The surviving pilots left for the US to take

refresher courses in flying
COLONEL EDWIN DB ANDREWS became first
Filipino PAAC Chief after World War 2
 st
1 TROOP CARRIER SQUADRON

CAPTAIN ROBERTO H
LIM

First flying unit of the PAAC after WW2, activated

on 01 September 1945, commanded by
Cpt Roberto H Lim with 22 C-47 Gooney Birds
 st
1 AIR SQUADRON

Commanded by Major Benito N Ebuen equipped

with Stinson L-5 Sentinels
On 04 July 1946, the US granted
independence to the Philippines
PHILIPPINE
AIR FORCE
(1947-Present)
 01 JULY 1947

Philippine Army Air Corps

PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE
 POST WAR FLYING TRAINING

21 January 1948 Major Pedro Q Molina commander

of Lipa Air Base, established the Primary School
Squadron to provide Basic Flying Training
 The Flying Training Squadron was equipped with
Boeing PT-13 “Kaydet” & Fairchild PT-26 Cornell; first
commanded by Captain Horacio Farolan
In March 1948, North American T-6 “Texan” Trainers
equipped the Basic School Squadron at
Floridablanca, Pampanga
 Further Modernization of
PAF Flying Training

On October 1958 signaled the modernization of PAF

Flying Training with the arrival of the first of
the 36 T-34 Mentors from Fuji Heavy Industries
While the T-34 Mentors were used for the Basic
Phase of Flying Training, the T-28 Trojans
were used for Advance Phase of the Training
Cessna
T-41D

SIAI SF-260
Marchetti
On the late 1960s and early 1970s Pilot Training
again undergoes modernization with new aircraft
 th
5 FIGHTER GROUP

Activated on 01 November 1947, commanded by

Major Benito Ebuen equipped with P-51D Mustangs
 COLONEL JULIANO LED
THE ORGANIZATION AND
REVITALIZATION OF THE
PAF’s FIGHTER
COMPONENT BY THE
EARLY 1950s WITH THE
INTRODUCTION OF THE
COLONEL GODOFREDO M F-51D MUSTANG
 FIRST PAF HELICOPTER

First helicopter type of the PAF: Three Bell H-13 Sioux

helicopters were delivered in 1950
 First Filipino pilots to successfully complete
helicopter flying training in the US, LT Herminio
Tiongko, LT Ignacio Canto & LT Arnulfo Acedera
Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw was the second helicopter
type to enter PAF service
1950s THE HUK REBELLION

The Bell Trade Act worsened the economic

situation of the country, with unlimited
duty-free importation of American Goods
 Opposition to the The Bell Trade Act were
eliminated, one of the Congressional Officials, Luis
Taruc from Pampanga was ousted

Taruc went underground & led the Hukbong

Magpalaya sa Bayan or HUKBALAHAP
The HUKBALAHAP, a formidable Guerilla group
well-experienced in fighting the Japanese in
World War 2 rebelled against the government
As a result, President Quirino was directed by the US
to settle the problem, providing aid & appointing
America’s choice, Magsaysay as SND
 Ramon Magsaysay, a WW2 guerilla turned
Congressman launched a full-scale offensive
In 6 months the PAF flew 2,600 sorties with F-51 Mustang
fighters being called in to promptly obliterate Huk targets
with rockets, machineguns, conventional & napalm bombs
L-5 Sentinel Liaison aircraft conducted FAC ops for
F-51s & resupply drops to gov’t ground forces
 Douglas C-47
transports provided
critical troop
transport and
casualty evacuation
support missions
Magsaysay offered battle-weary Huks cash, credit, legal
services, clinics, land in Mindanao and other measures
to entice the mass surrender of rebel insurgents
 1950s KAMLON REBELLION

The rebellion was caused by Muslim resentment of

Christians & Huks settling in their ancestral domain
in addition to political & economic issues
Kamlon seized 4,000 hectares of land from legal owners,
controlling smuggling operations between Jolo &
Borneo & exacted tribute from Chinese businessmen

As a result a PAF Task Force was organized to deal

with the problem, part of its order of battle
were veteran Mustang units fresh from fighting Huks
Due to the effectiveness of the ground & air assaults,
Kamlon was forced to arrange for a surrender
in August 1953, but broke the amnesty after a week

Angered, Magsaysay ordered intensified all-out

drive against Kamlon, once again bombs, rockets &
machinegun fire rained down on Sulu
PBY Catalina flying boats were used to patrol sea lanes
significantly reducing enemy seaborne movements
To supplement recon capability two (2) Sikorsky
H-19 helicopters augmented the L-5 Sentinel
force, flying MEDEVAC & air transport missions
LT SILVERIO
CENDANA

LT
CENDANA

LT EDUARDO
ROBLES
 Effective SATAG air operations devastated the rebels,
abandoning their leaders or surrendering to gov’t troops
Kamlon was forced to surrender to Magsaysay in 1955
CAPTAIN
RANCUDO

Top fighter commander during the Huk &

Kamlon campaigns; then
CPT JOSE RANCUDO, flying a total of
247 combat sorties & was hit 293 times
PAF AIR DEFENSE OPERATIONS &
FIGHTER FORCE
 GENERAL PEDRO QH
MOLINA

The PAF established its Air Defense System in the 1950s under General
Molina with full transition to jet fighter aircraft and a working radar network
LOCKHEED T-33 “T-BIRD”
05 AUGUST 1955
On 31 August 1957 30 North American
F-86 Sabrejets arrived from the US
On 12 Aug 1960 radar equipped 20 F-86D “Dogs”
gave the PAF night interception capability
 SUPERSONIC AGE

ACQUISITION OF THE
NORTHROP F-5A/B FREEDOM FIGHTER
27 AUGUST 1965
1978 Arrival of the Vought F-8H Crusader

Most powerful warplane in

PAF aviation history
Arrival of the SIAI AS-211 in 1990
 FA-50PH

In 2016 the first of the

PAF’s FA-50PH Fighting
Eagle light fighter
aircraft entered service
 580TH Aircraft Control & Warning Wing
Wallace Air Station, San Fernando, La Union

14 October 1950 the first Aircraft Control & Warning System

equipped with ground radars was activated, the 580th Aircraft
Control & Warning Squadron was organized in Nichols Air Base
THE AN/FPS-20 RADAR SYSTEM HAD A MAXIMUM RANGE
OF 200 NAUTICAL MILES & A HEIGHT OF 75,000 FEET
 THE UNITED STATES PROVIDED ASSISTANCE IN
ESTABLISHING RADAR SITES THROUGHOUT LUZON & AN
EXTENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PAF PERSONNEL
 COLD WAR DEFENDERS
(from the late 1960s to the 1980s)

Russian Tupolev Tu-95 Long-Range Recon

Bomber
“ON FIVE” ALERT STATUS AT AIR
DEFENSE ALERT CENTERS
PAF F-5A “Freedom Fighters” made actual intercepts
of Russian “Bear” flights
1980s-Present: PAF Fighter Patrol
Missions to West Philippine Sea
AFTER THE TERMINATION OF THE BASES TREATY WITH
THE AMERICANS, AIR DEFENSE ASSETS DWINDLED
SINCE THEN PAF AIR DEFENSE CAPABILITY DIMINISHED
 IN 2005 INTERNAL SECURITY OPERATIONS WAS
PRIORITIZED & AS A RESULT THE PAF AIR DEFENSE
CAPABILITY WAS GIVEN SECONDARY PRIORITY

The PAF primary weapons platform, the F-5A/B was retired

from service in 2005
First Horizon and Second Horizon
Modernization Programs led to the
acquisition of hi-tech systems
 MODERNIZATION (2016-Onwards)

The PAF is gradually revitalizing its Air

Defense Capability particularly in Air
Surveillance and Air Intercept functions
 The PAF’s first
ground-based air
defense missile
system, the
RAFAEL Spyder
from Israel
 PHILIPPINE AEROBATIC TEAMS

2LT
GONZALEZ

The aerobatic concept of flying was first conceived in

1951 by 2LT JOSE FL GONZALEZ & 2 other pilots by
utilizing the North American F-51 Mustang
 The team was named the BLUE DIAMOND & its
maiden performance was a rousing success during
the 1953 Air Show at Manila International Airport
 Later teams would fly more advance types of
fighters, the F-86 Sabrejets & F-5 Freedom Fighters
 Most famous Blue Diamond performance
happened during the 1960 Philippine Aviation
Week with a staggering 16-plane formation
led by then Captain Angel Mapua
 In the early 1970s, two more PAF
Aerobatic Teams were formed flying the
F-86s while the Blue Diamond Team
transitioned to the F-5 Freedom Fighters
The last performances of the Blue Diamond &
Red Aces happened in the late 1990s