111th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution
On 20 November 2021, the 111th anniversary of the start of the Mexican revolution of 1910 was celebrated in style over Mexico City’s main square Zocalo.
Scramble Magazine's local correspondent Enrique Giese visited Santa Lucia air base, near Mexico City, to witness the preparations for this event. Although not very big in terms of aircraft, the Fuerza Aérea Mexicana (FAM, Mexican Air Force) turned it into a historic event.
The aircraft formation that flew from Santa Lucia consisted of three Beechcraft T-6C+ Texan II, six Pilatus PC-7 Turbo-Trainers, and last, but not least, three Boeing PT-17 Stearmans! The FAM keeps four Stearmans in airworthy condition at the Escuela Militar de Aviación (EMA) at Zapopan, thanks to the magnificent aircraft mechanics. From Mexico City’s international airport three Eurocopter EC725 Cougars carried three monumental flags for over the Zocalo.
The formation of the nine training aircraft (PC-7 and T-6C+) took the name Jackal and flew over the capital’s Zocalo, lighting up the skies with tricolour smoke in green-white-red of the Mexican flag.
The most colourful part of the aerial component took place when a PT-17 Stearman performed an aerial bombing simulation over the ship Guerrero, recreating the first naval aerial bombardment of the world on 15 April 1914 in Topolobampo, Sinaloa state, Mexico. This bombing was carried out by a Martin Pusher biplane called 'Sonora', manned by Captain Gustavo Salinas Camiña and the naval mechanic Teodoro Madariaga, with rudimentary bombs made with pieces of pipe and a grenade with dynamite charges, from a height of more than 900 meters. The bombing caused panic among the sailors of the Guerrero, and caused federal troops to surrender and flee the place to be safe from aerial bombs.
In 1920, the Revolutionary War came to an end.
Photos by Enrique Giese