More Improvised Airforces?

[Hecatee]

Since we are talking mainly about terrorist or rebel groups fighting an assymetrical conflict, what about more wide use of unmanned systems by these groups, such as RC planes or balloon-bombs like the Japanese used in WW2? Any truly improvised airforce is pretty much disposable anyway - the planes are likely to be used once or twice at most. before they are eventually destroyed Actually, in many ways it could be argued that Al Queda made very effective use of an improvised airforce against the most powerful military force on the planet.

Well we know that Liabn's Hezbollah used drones during last summer's war against Israel, both Iran and home built models. The thing is that those systems will not be able to operate well in offensive operations due to a probable lack of terminal command...

 

[TheMann]

This did happen in Africa, let's not forget. South African Dassaults and Mirage IIIs found themselves locking horns with MiG-25s et al at Cuito Cuanavale, among others, and the Bush War in Rhodesia had RhAF Hawker Hunters, Aeorospatiale Alouette helicopters and Canberra B2s (and a handful of American P-38 Lightnings, supposedly) against ZIPRA and ZANLA MiG-17s. And both of those were not fights in unpatrolled airspaces or against guys with no spare parts to keep the planes airborne.

I wouldn't be looking towards dusters and such converted, well-funded groups might be able to buy some of the massive amounts of surplus equipment from eastern Europe or the former USSR.

 

[AMF]

During the Nigerian Civil War, Biffara (sp?) actually had such an air force that I believe did cause the government forces some problems, at least in the early stages.

This is a link to a site describing the use of light Swedish Saab aircraft in the Biafra conflict, http://www.brushfirewars.org/aircraft/mfi_9b_biafran/mfi_9b_biafran_1.htm

and another link describing the use of aircraft by the Katanga secessionists in former Belgian Congo. Here the insurgents' side even seemed to have had air supremacy in the beginning. While they had only a handful of planes, the government seemed to have none. The situation changed only after the arrival of Swedish, Indian and Ethiopian air force units under UN command. http://worldatwar.net/chandelle/v2/v2n3/congo.html

 

[AMF]

The Tigers get away with it because the legitimate government of Sri Lanka is so weak. Aircraft are tied to airfields, even if they are grass strips, and in most insurgencies the insurgents face forces with radar. As an example, can you imagine the Basques, IRA, PLO or Iraqi insurgents pulling the same stunt as the Tigers? Even once? How about twice?

You need unique circumstances, such as exist on Sri Lanka, to make it work. Otherwise you wind up with a few stacks of scrap metal.

CalBear, I basically agree with your point. Nevertheless, the Palestinians seem to have done (as far as I know only once) more or less the thing which you describe as unimaginable. In this newspaper article a Palestinian attack with a hang glider on an Israeli army post is briefly mentioned, apparently the attack was successful.
http://www.wrmea.com/backissues/1297/9712081.html

I have already posted the following link in another context. Among other things, this article also mentions the attempts to supply the FLN fighting for Algerian by means of light aircraft taking off in Tunisia, a threat the French countered with B-26 bombers converted into night fighters.
http://worldatwar.net/chandelle/v3/v3n1/frcoin.html

 

[Thande]

I think the point of the Tamil Tigers' improvised air force is mainly psychological, as they want to be seen as having all the trappings of a state. The Palestinians, for example, wouldn't see that as such a high priority as the entire Muslim world and quite a lot of Westerners already see them as having incipient/rightful statehood. Doesn't apply for the IRA because they theoretically want NI to rejoin the Republic rather than become a new state. Does apply to the Basques and Corsicans but, as mentioned above, the situation means they'd never get away with it more than once.

 

[The Dean]

There are still going to be opportunities for this to happen as I have said earlier the Israeli air force started out in exactly this fashion back in 1948 against the RAF, arguably the finest in the air at the time.

They had the cheek to use machines obtained on the black market still in RAF markings to engage RAF machines.

 

[Berra]

I thought I bump this. Mostly because I thought it was a fun topic but I have done some reading about von Rosen, who flew over Biafra. A interesting character to say the least. Gained flying expirience as a circus pilot, flew as a ambulance pilot in Ethiopia when the Italians attacked, flew in the Finnish winter war (his dad gave them their first airplane!), then built the Ethiopian airforce and commanded it.

And this is just interuptions in his carrer as a commersial pilot (the reason he ended up in Biafra). He sounds like semirealistic version of Biggles.One of his men was the best rocket shooter in the Swedish airforce..

We are talking about some skilled people used to administrate stuff, capable pilots, contacts. I think pliots are what sets the bounderies, not airfields (a lot of guerrillas had safe heavens outside the conlict area), equipment or money.