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Nicaragua - Air Force

Overview
Air Force Fin Flash

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Nicaragua

Overview

Recently I was looking through a book that includes a section on world airforces. The book is about WWII so some might be out of date. The Nicaraguan one is a blue circle rimmed in a band of red with a 'hollow' yellow triangle inside.
Rudi Roo, 17 April 2002

Formed in 1936 as Cuerpo de Aviación and became Fuerza Aérea de la Guardia Nacional on 9 June 1938, the Nicaraguan adopted markings of white triangle on blue disc bordered with red ring and red-white-blue horizontal rudder stripes
(<www.aeroflight.co.uk/nic-afround-old3.gif> and <www.aeroflight.co.uk/oldfin.gif>).
Aeroflight report: "1936-1942 - Prior to 1936 Nicaraguan military aircraft carried the national coat of arms on the fuselage. From 1936 a formal set of markings was introduced. The main marking featuring a white triangle on a blus disc with a red ring was displayed above and below each wing, with the tip of the triangle pointing forwards. The rudder was painted in horizontal stripes in the national colours. No fuselage roundel was carried.
According to [cos98], in 1942 the rudder stripes were changed to 13 blue-white horizontal stripes and a vertical yellow stripe. Aeroflight show only 7 stripes. and report: "In 1942 existing aircraft had their rudders markings modified to conform with the markings of aircraft recently delivered from the USA: seven horizontal blue stripes on white with a thin yellow stripe next to the hinge. No fuselage roundel was carried" S
ame year and while keeping the previous roundel on the wings, there was a new roundel for the fuselage - a blue-yellow-red roundel (See Aeroflight) reporteed as:" 1942-c.1962 - With an influx of aircraft from the USA from 1942 onwards, the national markings were modified to a form which was easier to adapt from existing USAAF markings. A new fuselage roundel was introduced, the red in the USAAF rudder stripes was replaced by yellow and the wings markings were applied above and below each wing (as before). Most aircraft had GN and later FAN and the serial number applied on the fin, while many helicopters had GN and later FAN and the serial number applied on the fuselage. Some aircraft and helicopters just showed the serial number on the fuselage or tailfin."
In 1962 the fuselage roundel was replaced to the insignia of the air corps. [cos98] show another insignian then Aeroflight. Theverical stripe was chnged to red (See Aeroflight) reported as follows: "From about 1962 the fuselage roundel was replaced by the insignia of the air force. The stripe next to the rudder hinge line was changed to red, although some aircraft still carried a yellow stripe and others just the blue and white horizontal stripes."
Aeroflight report a change in 1979 ( [cos98] say it was in 1982): "1979-1990 - With the Sandinistas taking control of the country in 1979, the old markings were replaced by new markings in the Sandinista colours or red and black. The main marking was displayed on either side of the fin of some aircraft and on the fuselage sides of helicopters. The rudder stripes were deleted on many aircraft, or repainted in the new colours if retained. It is not clear if the old wing markings were retained. The service titles 'Fuerza Aérea Sandanista' were added to the fuselage sides.(See Aeroflight - reported
by [cos98] as fin flash, and also here).
A new roundel is titled by Aeroflight and [cos98] as 1990-present. However, it was probably removed in 1995: "1990-Present - By 1990 a new roundel in black, red and orange had come into use and was displayed on the fuselage sides of aircraft and helicopters. Following the electoral defeat of the Sandanistas in 1990, the 'Fuerza Aérea Sandanista' service titles were deleted and the national flag introduced as a fin flash, displayed on the tailfin. Since 1990 the main marking appears to have fallen into disuse, with most aircraft and helicopters just carrying the fin flash. " (see here and at
<www.acig.org>).
Becoming Fuerza Aérea - Ejército de Nicaragua in 1995, the only markings used since is blue-white-blue stripes (See <www.scramble.nl>) or 13 rudder stripes (See <www.airliners.net>).
See also: "Early days of Nicaraguan Air Force" and "Central America in the 1980s".
Dov Gutterman, 21 June 2004

Air Force Fin Flash

by Dov Gutterman and Zeljko Heimer, 11 October 1999

Fuerza Ae'rea de Nicaragua uses the national flag without the COA in ~5:8 prop. as fin flash.
Dov Gutterman , 11 October 1999