United Burma Air Force

United Burma Air force

On January 4th 1948 Great Britain granted Burma its independence, having previously been a British crown colony. However, several armed resistance groups some funded and backed by the Empire of Japan operating out of Kingdom of Laos challenged the Burmese regime. Various ethnic, political and religious groups did not support the Bamar majority, and, as a result, internal strife erupted almost immediately. In early 1949, almost the entire country was controlled by Japanese backed resistance groups, although the United Burma Armed Forces suffered heavy losses during the late 1940s and early 1950s, government forces with support of the British and United States who wanted to keep the vital Burma Road, lifeline for the United Republic of China open managed to regained much territory.

With the assistance of an RAF Mission, the Union of Burma Air Force (Burmese: Tandaw Lay) was established on December 15th 1948. The first task of the RAF Mission aimed at organizing and training the UBAF, with flight training being initiated at Meiktila. The main operational air base was established at Mingaladon near the capitol of Rangoon. The first aircraft were DH 82A Tiger Moths, Auster AOP Vs and Airspeed Oxfords. Both the Austers and the Oxfords, later supplemented by a batch of Consuls who armed with both with light machine guns, rockets and small bombs were put to operational use against Japanese backed rebel groups and on some occasions against Japanese and Laotian infiltration units who tried to disrupt the flow of goods moving to the United Republic of China.

From its establishment until the late 1950s, almost all of the United Burma Air force aircraft were of British origin. The first American aircraft arrived in 1957, when six Beechcraft D18S's were ordered by the Embassy of Burma in Washington on behalf of the Burmese government. The first of an eventual 13 Bell 47Gs helicopters began to arrive the following year, providing the United Burma Air force with its first experience with helicopters .That same year the United Burma Air force also received eighteen former Hawker Sea Fury’s and 9 de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otters.

In 1967 the Hawker Sea Furies still in service were withdrawn and replaced with 12 Lockheed AT-33A close support aircraft. A year later in 1968 the United States offered twelve North American F-86 Sabres to replace the eight De Havilland DH.100 Vampires still in service. This offer was accepted and in 1969 the first F-86s began flying with the No.1 Fighter Squadron based at No. 501 Air Base, Hmawbi AFB.

From 1971 to 1976 the United Burma Air force received 12 Cessna T-37C basic jet trainers, 18 Bell 205A-1 helicopters, 17 Westland Gazelle SA 341B helicopters and 4 Westland Gazelle HT.2Ds helicopters brining the helicopter fleet service with the United Burma Air force to 57.

In 1978 the last Douglas C-47s was replaced by five Hawker Siddeley HS 748 Andover and three Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. From 1980 to 1982 the United Burma Air force bought 20 BAE Systems Hawk 50Bs and 12 Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighters who together with the 12 F-86 would provide the fighter capacity with the United Burma Air force.

As of 1982 the United Burma Air force primary mission is to support the United Burma army in counterinsurgency operations against the Empire of Japan and Republic of China-Nanking backed resistance groups and patrolling the Burma Road and Rangoo-Xishuangbanna railroad.

Fighter aircraft

North American F-86 Sabre (12 in service as of 1982)

12 North American F-86 Sabre were delivered from 1968 to 1971 and serve with No.1 Fighter Squadron at No.501 Air Base, Hmawbi air force base.

Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter (12 in service as of 1982)

12 Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter where ordered in 1980, with the first batch of 6 arriving in 1981. The first unit to receive the F-5 was the No. 2 Fighter Squadron at No. 501 Air Base, Hmawbi AFB which attained operational status in May 1981 with 4 F-5As and two RF-5As. A second batch of 6 F-5s was delivered in 1982.

Trainer aircraft

Lockheed T-33 (12 in service as of 1982)

Four T-33A two-seat jet trainer aircraft and eight two-seat attack version (AT-33A) where delivered in 1967.

Cessna T-37C Tweet (10 in service as of 1982)

Twelve T-37Cs were delivered between 1971 and 1972. Although primarily operated as jet basic trainers, they have been modified to carry rockets and/or machine gun pods.

Pilatus PC-7 (17 in service as of 1982)

Sixteen delivered from 1979 to 1981. The PC-7s serving with the United Burma Air force are modified locally to carry armament.

De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk (3 in service as of 1982)

Ten were delivered from 1951 to 1952.

BAE Systems Hawk 50B (20 in service as of 1982)

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Export version of the BAE Systems Hawk 50 of which twenty were delivered between 1980 to 1982 and are used for pilot training and counter-insurgency missions.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Helicopters

Westland Gazelle SA 341B (17 in use as of 1982)

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Military export version built for the United Burma Air force equipped with HOT missiles, 68 mm rocket pods, and heavy machine guns. Delivered between 1975 and 1977.

Bell 205A-1 (18 in use as of 1982)

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Eighteen Bell 205A-1s were delivered in 1975.

Westland Gazelle HT.2Ds (4 in use as of 1982)

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Training helicopter version built for the United Burma Air force. Delivered between 1977 and 1978.

Bell 47 (8 in use as of 1982)

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Thirteen Bell 47s where delivered between 1958 and 1960.

Kaman HH-43 Huskie (10 in use as of 1982)

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Twelve delivered under the mutual assistance program 1963 to 1964. Used primary used for aircraft firefighting and rescue in the close vicinity of air bases, but also utilized as a short range overland search and rescue aircraft and reconnaissance helicopter.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Transport aircraft

Cessna 550 Citation II (1 in use as of 1982)

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">One was delivered in 1982. Primary is used for VIP transport and aerial surveillance.

De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter (10 in use as of 1982)

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">10 single-engine, high-wing, propeller-driven, STOL aircraft where delivered between 1958 and 1961.

Hawker Siddeley HS 748 Andover (5 in use as of 1982)

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Military passenger transport version of the Hawker Siddeley HS 748 medium-sized turboprop airline of which the British Government between 1977 and 1978 donated five to the United Burma Air force.

Lockheed C-130 Hercules (3 in use as of 1982)

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Three delivered between 1974 to 1976.