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Author
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Topic: The last piston fighter showdown - Corsair vs. Mustang 1969
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Lothar
Pilot
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posted 11-02- 07:34 AM
   
We all are interested in the era in which the P-51s ruled the skies, when the F4U was a shiny new weapon. I found this page which describes thier end - the 1969 'Soccer War' between El Salvador and Honduras, which pitted Mustang against Corsair, and was the last time these planes were used in combat:"The Salvadoran campaign to invade Honduran territories, began on 14 July 1969, when more than 12,000 men, divided in two columns, attacked three key border posts near the cities of Nueva Ocotepeque, Gracias a Dios and Santa Rosa de Copan. The same day, the FAS begins attack and bombardment flights against Honduran troop concentrations, utilizing for this task, the FG-1Ds and the Mustangs as escort. At the same time, the C-47s are sent on several bombing missions against Tegucigalpa, and during which the bombs were rolleded out from the cargo door of the aircraft. The FAH’s F4U-5Ns are alerted on the presence of the FAS’ C-47s and take off near 18:00 hrs. However, bad weather impedes their making contact with the enemy aircraft." ... "That day, Mayor Trabanino would have “the fortune” of becoming one of the last piston engine pilots to be shot down in a dogfight. According to an observer, Mayor Trabanino was an excellent aerobatics pilot, but committed the cardinal error of trying to evade Mayor Soto’s attack with these tactics. According to Mayor Soto, “it was fantastic to see those Salvadorans fly”."
http://www.internetmodeler.com/sept99/awn/july98/history-2.htm
  [This message has been edited by Lothar (edited 11-02-2000).] IP: Logged |
nealg
Pilot
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posted 11-02- 12:27 PM
Fascinating! I had never even heard of that before...thanks Lothar!
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Lothar
Pilot
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posted 11-02- 03:43 PM
I found another link, with a detailed description of the action by Mayor Soto, including:"After three days of non-stop activity, on my tenth mission while strafing enemy positions near El Amatillo, we were attacked by two P-51 Mustangs. The cannon of Capt. Zepeda, my wingman, jammed so he called for support. I was the first to arrive. After maneuvering, I got behind one of the P-51s, fired a couple of volleys and it caught on fire, lost control and spun to earth."
http://www.freeforums.com/forums/Skyzer's%20AirCombat%20Forum/000371-000000.asp IP: Logged |
nealg
Pilot
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posted 11-03- 02:06 AM
Again, excellent! Great reading about those two venerable old warbirds...hard to believe they would be still dogfighting in 1969, and a bit sad that they were fighting against each other. Yes, they were 'modernized', but from the sound and look of it, were basically the same planes that served so well in WWII.Sometimes it is more amzing the history we don't know than the history we do. 
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semmern
Pilot
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posted 11-03- 09:07 AM
Finescale Modeler dealt with an 1/24 scale FAS Mustang a few months ago. Actually, the Cuban Air Force used Mustangs until 1982. 1982!!!!!!
That's wacky.......IP: Logged | |
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