Hawker Sea Furies to Cuba
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Hawker Sea Furies to Cuba
In 1957, the embattled president of Cuba, Batista, violated the Mutual Defense Assistance Act it had signed with the USA and under which it had received much of its military equipment 9and trained its military pilots). The Cuban Air Force at the time possessed some T-33s, some P-47s and B-26s. At first, in late 1957, the Americans blocked spare parts and ordnance deliveries to Cuba, but on March 18 1958, President Eisenhower escalated that by declaring a full arms embargo against Cuba.
To circumvent the problem and obtain new attack aircraft to use freely against the rebels, Batista turned to the United Kingdom from which he purchased 17 Hawker Sea Furies, 15 single seaters and two two seaters. The first batch of 12 Sea Furies arrived in Cuba in crates in Oct 1958, too late to change the course of the war. It seems that only a couple were assembled in time to see action at the battle of Santa Clara against the Che's column in December 1958. Batista eventually fled Cuba on Jan 1 1959.
One crashed on take off from a Havana Air Base in Nov or Dec 1958. A second one crashed on Feb 1 1959 while making low lever aerobatics over the same airbase. A third crashed in Havana harbor on Jan 28 1960. There were other hard landings, one on Isla de Pinos......
Castro took power and his new Fuerza Aerea Rebelde (FAR) inherited the brand new Sea Furies, some still in crates. Five more arrived in Havana harbor around April 1959.
Hawker sent technicians to Cuba, to assemble the aircraft and train the Cubans on how to fly and maintain the Sea Furies. Some of them were in Cuba as late as early 1961.
During the course of 1959 and 1960, the Cuban government tried to exchanges the Sea Furies against Hawker Hunters, and even sent their Minister of Foreign Affairs, Raoul Roa to the UK to attempt to negotiate a deal. The US Sate Department put pressure on the UK government to block that deal. Cuba then purchased Mig-15s that arrived in Cuba in June 1961, shortly after which Sea Furies were grounded.
The Sea Furies were armed with four 20mm canons (the two seaters had only two cannons it seems) and carried 8 60 pound rockets under the wings and also carry two bombs.
Several crashed in training but when the CIA organised Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961, the FAR still had four airworthy Sea Furies, which were used to great effect against the Brigade. In the first hours of the invasion, the Sea Furies had sunk two of the ships, forcing the rest of the fleet to flee to open sea. This was instrumental in defeating the Invasion. One of the Sea Furies was shot down by the AAA installed on the ships, killing its pilot.
Two of the Sea Furies are still in Cuba, in museums.
Does anyone have information, pictures, names, documents, or memories concerning these transactions between the Cuban Government Hawker, and are any of the Hawker technicians or pilots who went to Cuba still around ?
To circumvent the problem and obtain new attack aircraft to use freely against the rebels, Batista turned to the United Kingdom from which he purchased 17 Hawker Sea Furies, 15 single seaters and two two seaters. The first batch of 12 Sea Furies arrived in Cuba in crates in Oct 1958, too late to change the course of the war. It seems that only a couple were assembled in time to see action at the battle of Santa Clara against the Che's column in December 1958. Batista eventually fled Cuba on Jan 1 1959.
One crashed on take off from a Havana Air Base in Nov or Dec 1958. A second one crashed on Feb 1 1959 while making low lever aerobatics over the same airbase. A third crashed in Havana harbor on Jan 28 1960. There were other hard landings, one on Isla de Pinos......
Castro took power and his new Fuerza Aerea Rebelde (FAR) inherited the brand new Sea Furies, some still in crates. Five more arrived in Havana harbor around April 1959.
Hawker sent technicians to Cuba, to assemble the aircraft and train the Cubans on how to fly and maintain the Sea Furies. Some of them were in Cuba as late as early 1961.
During the course of 1959 and 1960, the Cuban government tried to exchanges the Sea Furies against Hawker Hunters, and even sent their Minister of Foreign Affairs, Raoul Roa to the UK to attempt to negotiate a deal. The US Sate Department put pressure on the UK government to block that deal. Cuba then purchased Mig-15s that arrived in Cuba in June 1961, shortly after which Sea Furies were grounded.
The Sea Furies were armed with four 20mm canons (the two seaters had only two cannons it seems) and carried 8 60 pound rockets under the wings and also carry two bombs.
Several crashed in training but when the CIA organised Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961, the FAR still had four airworthy Sea Furies, which were used to great effect against the Brigade. In the first hours of the invasion, the Sea Furies had sunk two of the ships, forcing the rest of the fleet to flee to open sea. This was instrumental in defeating the Invasion. One of the Sea Furies was shot down by the AAA installed on the ships, killing its pilot.
Two of the Sea Furies are still in Cuba, in museums.
Does anyone have information, pictures, names, documents, or memories concerning these transactions between the Cuban Government Hawker, and are any of the Hawker technicians or pilots who went to Cuba still around ?
Last edited by Gilles Hudicourt; 20th Feb 2015 at 12:27.
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If you search the Internet you will find that they saw service against the US backed Bay of Pigs invasion.
One of the pilots was interviewed.
Sorry I can't be more specific. I read it some time ago.
One of the pilots was interviewed.
Sorry I can't be more specific. I read it some time ago.
Great article in November 2015 edition of 'Aeroplane' that covers the history of the McEwen Field and some of the Baghdad Furies. Didn't see any mention of Cuban aircraft in the article though.
The FAA illustrated 'Hawker Sea Fury' by Kev Darling which is published by Big Bird Aviation Publications certainly does have some information. It appears that 12 aircraft were actually delivered and operational by Nov59. Serviceability, parts & pilots were problematic. Two aircraft were destroyed by ground attacks on 15Apr61. Eventually only three were fly able. Apparently one was shot down attacking the Supply Ship Houston. Two aircraft survived and flew until Jun61. The author claims that both survivors now reside in museums in Cuba. An excellent book that I can whole heartedly recommend. When I ordered mine a few years ago, the author signed it prior to delivery down under to one of the colonies!
The FAA illustrated 'Hawker Sea Fury' by Kev Darling which is published by Big Bird Aviation Publications certainly does have some information. It appears that 12 aircraft were actually delivered and operational by Nov59. Serviceability, parts & pilots were problematic. Two aircraft were destroyed by ground attacks on 15Apr61. Eventually only three were fly able. Apparently one was shot down attacking the Supply Ship Houston. Two aircraft survived and flew until Jun61. The author claims that both survivors now reside in museums in Cuba. An excellent book that I can whole heartedly recommend. When I ordered mine a few years ago, the author signed it prior to delivery down under to one of the colonies!
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A Giggle search of : 'bay of pigs sea fury' produced
cuba heritage .org - Bay of Pigs: In the Skies Over Girón
LAAHS - Bay of Pigs: The Men and Aircraft of the Cuban Revolutionary Air Force
and many more.
cuba heritage .org - Bay of Pigs: In the Skies Over Girón
LAAHS - Bay of Pigs: The Men and Aircraft of the Cuban Revolutionary Air Force
and many more.
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Gilles Huddicourt, there was a thread in this forum in 2012 titled "The nine pilots that saved Castro's Cuba" which contains information and links regarding Sea Furies. Use the "Search this Forum" button to access this.
