Katangese Air Force

Katangese Air Force
Force Aerienne Katangaise
Air Force roundel
Active 1960 - 1963
Country  Katanga
Branch Air force
Role CAS, Ground attack
Garrison/HQ Luano airfield
Commanders
Commander Jan Zumbach
Aircraft flown
Attack Fouga CM.170 Magister, AT-6G Texan

The Katangese Air Force (French: Force aérienne katangaise, or FAK), also known as Avikat, was a short lived mercenary air wing made up of Belgian, French, and British pilots. The FAK was established in mid-1960 under the command of the Belgian Victor Volant.[1] In September 1961, in the aftermath of UN operation Rum Punch, Volant left Katanga and command demised to the Katangese pilot Jean-Marie Ngosa - and his Belgian adviser José Delin.[2] In the aftermath of operation UNOKAT in December 1961, command first changed over to the South African Jeremiah Cornelius Puren,[3] then, in early 1962, to Jan Zumbach, who commanded Avikat until the end of the Katangese secession in January 1963.[4]

History

In 1960, the leader of the CONAKAT party Moise Tshombe, declared the Province of Katanga's independence from the Congo Léopoldville. This action was to secede from the turmoil under Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba.[5] The newly formed Katangese government requested military aid from Belgium, and in desperation Lumumba appealed for assistance to the United Nations.[6] On July 17, 1960 Resolution 143 was adopted, which established the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC), and would provide military assistance to the Congolese forces.[4]

Katanga formed their own paramilitary unit with foreign mercenaries, which also included assembling a small air force, to be commanded by Jan Zumbach. Zumbach was a World War II fighter ace, who had flown with No. 303 (Polish) Squadron of the Royal Air Force. The primary role of the Katangese Air Force was to provide air support for ground troops and air interdiction. Initial aircraft consisted of five DH Doves, eight T-6s, a de Havilland Heron, an Alouette II, a PA-18 and a single S-55 helicopter, which were left by the BAF during the dissolution of the Belgian Congo. Additionally nine Fouga CM.170 Magisters were purchased from France, but only three of these were delivered. The FAK began flying AT-6G Harvards from its command base at Luano airfield, with raids on several ONUC positions. Battles raged on for over two years between the Katangese and UN contingent forces, and on 15 January 1963, the UN had established full control over Katanga. Remnants of the Katangese Air Force were all but gone, as most aircraft were destroyed or abandoned.[4]

Aircraft

The following fixed wing aircraft and helicopters were in service from 1960 until 1963:

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
T-6 Texan United States COIN AT-6 8[7]
Piper PA-22 United States utility 5[4]
Fouga CM.170 France attack 3[7] nine purchased, but only three delivered[4]
Transport
Dornier Do 28 Germany utility / transport 5[4]
DH.104 Dove United Kingdom transport 5[4]
DH.114 Heron United Kingdom transport 1[4]
Helicopters
Alouette II France utility / liaison 1[4]
Sikorsky H-19 United States utility / transport 1[4]
Trainer Aircraft
Piper PA-18 United States trainer 1[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Othen, Christopher (2015). Katanga 1960-63. Mercenaries, spies and the African nation that waged war on the world. Stroud: The History Press. p. 148. ISBN 9780750962889.
  2. ↑ Othen, Christopher (2015). Katanga 1960-63. Mercenaries, spies and the African nation that waged war on the world. Stroud: The History Press. p. 142. ISBN 9780750962889.
  3. ↑ Othen, Christopher (2015). Katanga 1960-63. Mercenaries, spies and the African nation that waged war on the world. Stroud: The History Press. p. 178. ISBN 9780750962889.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Congo, Part 1; 1960-1963". acig.org. 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  5. ↑ Lumumba, Patrice, Congo, My Country, Pall Mall Press. Speeches and selected writing by Lumumba, 1962
  6. ↑ N/A, Brookings; N/A, N/A, eds. (1965). Crisis in Congo: A United Nations Force in Action (1st ed.). Washington DC: Brookings Institution. ISBN 0-8157-5198-2.
  7. 1 2 3 "THE MAGISTER MYSTERY". Flightglobal Insight. 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
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