Mexico was the first Latin American country to appreciate the value of air power, a single aircraft, flown by a U.S. mercenary pilot, Captain Hector Worden, being used on bombing missions by the Maderista revolutionaries, as early as 1911. A Bleriot XI monoplane was also demonstrated to President Porfirio Diaz, shortly before his overthrow by Madero. Having proven the military value of aircraft, Madero, as President, sent 3 military pilots for training in the United States in 1912. The fall of Madero, in 1913, interrupted the development of official military aviation in Mexico although the Huerta Government had plans for the training of 31 pilots in France which was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I. Meanwhile, the Constitutionalist rebels, in the north, had formed three flights of aircraft, Obregon's "Division del Noroesta" having two Glenn Martin pusher bi-planes, Villa's "Division del Norte", five Wright "L" bi-planes and the "Division del Este" of Pablo Gonzalez having two Morane Saulnier mono-planes. Flown by foreign, mainly U.S., mercenaries, all of the above aircraft were active in support of their respective ground forces as the Constitutionalist forces pressed southward during 1914. The Carranza Government set about the establishment of an Air Arm as an integral part of the new Constitutional Army. The war in Europe had however cut off all external sources of supply, although both a flying school and a central aviation workshop were set up at Balbuena, near Mexico City, in November 1915, with the surviving aircraft of the Divisions del "Noroeste" and "Noreste". With a surprising ingenuity the Talleres Nacionales de Construcciones Aeronauticas set about the development and production of aircraft from scratch in 191-5, the TNCA Serie "A" tandem twoseater bi-plane trainer, powered by the Mexican developed Azatl aircooled six cylinder radial engine, entering production the following year. Despite the highly unsettled state of the country, an air mail service was inaugurated in July 1917 with the ninth production aircraft of this type. Further products of the indigeneous aircraft industry followed, including the TNCA Serie "B" trainer, the Serie "C" lightweight singleseater fighter, the Serie "D", "F" and "G", derived from Bleriot and Morane-Saulnier designs, ten examples of the locally-designed Serie "E" sesquiplane and finally 15 examples of the Serie "H" twoseat parasol monoplane light bomber. By the end of the Revolution in 1920 the Arma Aerea de las Fuerzas Constitucionales had a total of approximately 50 locally built aircraft. Many thanks Adrian for this data, as it helps with the illustrations that Chuck Norman is sending in dealing with the Uniforms etc. of the Mexican Revolution period, keep up the good work. T.D.H. More Mexican Revolution Introduction Fall of Diaz, Madero as President Murder of Madero, Huerta Hijacks the Presidency US Intervention and Carranza Becomes President Decline of Villa, Rise of Obregon, and Pershing Expedition Carranza Triumphant: Murder of Zapata and Eclipse of Villa Appendix 1: Mexican Army of Revolutionary Period Appendix 2: Mexican Navy of Revolutionary Period Appendix 3: Mexican Air Force of Revolutionary Period Back to Table of Contents -- El Dorado Vol V No. 3 Back to El Dorado List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 by The South and Central American Military Historians Society This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history and related articles are available at http://www.magweb.com