The Aztecs were a pagan group that flourished in Mexico several centuries ago and worshiped many deities, one of which was Huitzilopochtli, whose name is loosely translated to "Blue Hummingbird of the South." Despite that rather timid appellation Huitzilopochtli was the fearsome God of War in the hierarchy of Aztec religion.
 |
| Huitzilopochtli |
Most images of Huitzilopochtli show him holding
in his right hand an atlatl, essentially a stick with a handle on one end and a hook that engaged a
light spear on the other; the flipping motion propelled the spear faster and
farther than it could be thrown by hand alone. The atlatl was the weapon of
choice for the Aztecs, who had not yet been introduced to firearms. |
| A real atlatl |
A select
group of latter-day Aztec warriors was equipped with "atlatls with wings" that
helped them hasten the downfall of the Axis nations in WW II. In his imaginary persona
Huitzilopochtli
would have been proud of these fighters.
In the run-up to America's entry into WW II there was significant concern about diplomatic relations with Mexico, a nation that Hitler hoped to acquire as an ally in the western hemisphere. With this threat in mind the U.S. and Mexico signed an agreement that provided reciprocal use of military bases in the two countries.
At that time the Mexican Air Force (MAF) was a small contingent of the Mexican Army; the air force consisted of a few tactical units but none of them were capable of defending Mexico's eastern shores.
In May 1942, Nazi submarines sank two Mexican oil tankers in the Gulf of Mexico (no warnings, no survivors) and el Presidente—in a state of extreme anger—declared war on all three Axis powers. Shortly thereafter the MAF launched coastal patrol missions with lend-lease AT-6s provided by the United States.
The following month a coastal patrol pilot spotted a German submarine cruising on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot dropped two bombs that resulted in near misses; no damage was reported but if nothing else, this event was a clear message that Mexico was ready to fight.
Clarence Simonsen, a Canadian artist with a long-time interest in nose art on military aircraft (see "Celestial Nose Art" posts in this blog), undertook a project to revive the story of the MAF in WW II. As part of his work in this regard, Simonsen painted two scenes that emphasized the attacks on Nazi submarines and applauded the esprit de corps of the airmen involved.
In May 1942, Nazi submarines sank two Mexican oil tankers in the Gulf of Mexico (no warnings, no survivors) and el Presidente—in a state of extreme anger—declared war on all three Axis powers. Shortly thereafter the MAF launched coastal patrol missions with lend-lease AT-6s provided by the United States.
The following month a coastal patrol pilot spotted a German submarine cruising on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot dropped two bombs that resulted in near misses; no damage was reported but if nothing else, this event was a clear message that Mexico was ready to fight.
Clarence Simonsen, a Canadian artist with a long-time interest in nose art on military aircraft (see "Celestial Nose Art" posts in this blog), undertook a project to revive the story of the MAF in WW II. As part of his work in this regard, Simonsen painted two scenes that emphasized the attacks on Nazi submarines and applauded the esprit de corps of the airmen involved.
In the painting above Simonsen portrays the elements of the attack including the head of a Mexican eagle carved in stone, symbol of an elite warrior organization.
The second painting (above) is an over-the-pilot's-shoulder view of a German submarine plus an Aztec warrior (note the atlatl in his left hand and arrows in his right) and a stylized U.S./Mexico map with Uncle Sam landing an uppercut on a U-boat. Simonsen's painting appeared in several American newspapers as an editorial cartoon captioned "I can use that punch, good neighbor."
The Aztec super-warrior image and the baleful eye of the stone eagle resulted in the nickname "Aztec Eagles" for a group of Mexican fighter pilots who were destined to make history for their country.
The 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron, aka the Aztec Eagles
The Aztec Eagles underwent intensive ground and flight training at several bases in the U.S. and graduated from the program in February 1945. This was the first time in Mexican military history that personnel were trained for combat in a foreign environment.
Thunderbolts and Eagles
The P-47D evolved from a long line of ancestors, one of which was the Seversky P-35. Ignore the over-size landing gear pods and there is a close resemblance to the ultimate Thunderbolt profile (the wheel fairings disappeared in later versions when the landing gear was re-engineered to retract into the fuselage).
The Thunderbolt was powered by a Pratt & Whitney twin-row radial engine that produced 2,000-plus horsepower, thanks to the unique turbo-supercharging system located behind the pilot (the intake ducts and pipes of the supercharger system contributed to the oval shape of the fuselage). The supercharger enabled the P-47D to achieve a service ceiling of 43,000 feet and an airspeed of 443 mph at 29,000 feet.
From a killing-power point of view the Thunderbolt was a veritable flying fortress (apologies to Boeing and the B-17) with four .50 caliber machine guns in each wing, bore-sighted so that all eight bullet streams converged about 1,000 feet ahead of the airplane. A full load of ammunition consisted of 3,400 rounds and each gun fired about 700 rounds per minute, a reminder that P-47 pilots should use the guns in very short bursts.
Flight training for the Aztec Eagles
Language difficulties were inevitable during their training but the Eagles overcame that hurdle with help from U.S. Army Air Corps combat veterans chosen for their bi-lingual ability. These flight instructors were most effective when practicing aerial combat maneuvers…bear in mind there were no two-seat Thunderbolt trainers in 1944.
Including personnel processing, refresher and technical courses, several relocations and inclement weather, the Eagles completed the 120-hour training program in eight months, guided by the standard U.S. Army Air Corps pilot curriculum. The training schedule was comprehensive and emphasized the two levels at which these pilots would most likely operate…low-altitude gunnery (strafing) and air combat tactics at thirty-five thousand feet.
Late in December 1944 the Mexican president was given authority to send troops into combat whenever he deemed it advisable, opening the door for the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron to proceed to the Pacific Theater and join the war against Japan. These troops—pilots and support personnel—were chomping at the bit.
The Aztec Eagles head west
Having completed their flight training and out-processing at Majors Field in Greenville, Texas the 201st squadron departed by train, arrived in San Francisco on 27 March 1945 and boarded a Philippines-bound troop ship twelve days later. They arrived in Manila after three weeks at sea and were assigned to the 58th Fighter Group at a satellite air base near Clark Field. The Eagles attended briefings on local procedures and sharpened their piloting skills in preparation for aerial combat.
On 7 June the squadron launched seven airplanes on its first "live" mission but clouds obscured the target and the pilots jettisoned their bombs. That same afternoon a second flight attacked a concentration of enemy troops with excellent results. The squadron flew with the 58th Fighter Group the rest of the month in ground support missions, often flown at the rate of two each day.
On 9 August 1945, the 201st Fighter Squadron relocated to Clark Field to join the 58th Fighter Group in support of the impending invasion of Japan. The next day they provided air cover for a U.S. convoy, which turned out to be their final mission of the war. On 26 August, the Eagles learned that Japan had surrendered unconditionally following the use of nuclear weapons to destroy two Japanese cities...World War Two had come to an end.
The Aztec Eagles flew 59 combat missions against Japanese positions on the island of Luzon until the war ended. Unfortunately, seven of their pilots died in the Philippine campaign; one was downed by anti-aircraft fire, three were killed in crashes and three pilots ran out of fuel and crashed when they became disoriented in bad weather.
The 201st squadron's tour of duty in the Pacific theater was short-lived but it was well performed. There was no difference between the Mexican and American missions as far as the ground troops were concerned and that was sufficient praise in itself.
The 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron departed Manila on 23 October and arrived in San Pedro, California three weeks later. The Aztec Eagles returned to Mexico City on 18 November 1945, and the proud nation gave the squadron a tumultuous welcome.
When all was said and done the president deactivated the Mexican Expeditionary Air Forces, including the Aztec Eagles. All the Latin-American nations except Brazil stood with the allied countries whose citizens gave their lives for the cause of freedom. The members of Squadron 201 were the only veterans of foreign wars in Mexico's military history.
The Aztec super-warrior image and the baleful eye of the stone eagle resulted in the nickname "Aztec Eagles" for a group of Mexican fighter pilots who were destined to make history for their country.
The 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron, aka the Aztec Eagles
 |
| The Aztec Eagles shoulder patch |
The 201st Fighter Squadron was organized early in 1944 with 36 pilots, two-thirds of whom had received varying amounts of flight instruction in the United States. Their flight experience ranged from 800 to 3,000 hours of pilot time and all of them would go through the same training to fly the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt fighter. The Aztec Eagles underwent intensive ground and flight training at several bases in the U.S. and graduated from the program in February 1945. This was the first time in Mexican military history that personnel were trained for combat in a foreign environment.
Thunderbolts and Eagles
The P-47D evolved from a long line of ancestors, one of which was the Seversky P-35. Ignore the over-size landing gear pods and there is a close resemblance to the ultimate Thunderbolt profile (the wheel fairings disappeared in later versions when the landing gear was re-engineered to retract into the fuselage).
 |
| Seversky P-35 |
 |
| Republic P-47 Thunderbolt |
The P-47D was a big airplane by anyone's measure; it was no doubt the heaviest and fastest single-engine propeller-driven airplane any of the Aztec Eagles had flown. With a normal load the Thunderbolt weighed about 12,700 pounds; depending on the fuel load, external stores and ammunition the allowable maximum weight rose to 17,500 pounds.
The Thunderbolt was powered by a Pratt & Whitney twin-row radial engine that produced 2,000-plus horsepower, thanks to the unique turbo-supercharging system located behind the pilot (the intake ducts and pipes of the supercharger system contributed to the oval shape of the fuselage). The supercharger enabled the P-47D to achieve a service ceiling of 43,000 feet and an airspeed of 443 mph at 29,000 feet.
From a killing-power point of view the Thunderbolt was a veritable flying fortress (apologies to Boeing and the B-17) with four .50 caliber machine guns in each wing, bore-sighted so that all eight bullet streams converged about 1,000 feet ahead of the airplane. A full load of ammunition consisted of 3,400 rounds and each gun fired about 700 rounds per minute, a reminder that P-47 pilots should use the guns in very short bursts.
Flight training for the Aztec Eagles
Language difficulties were inevitable during their training but the Eagles overcame that hurdle with help from U.S. Army Air Corps combat veterans chosen for their bi-lingual ability. These flight instructors were most effective when practicing aerial combat maneuvers…bear in mind there were no two-seat Thunderbolt trainers in 1944.
Including personnel processing, refresher and technical courses, several relocations and inclement weather, the Eagles completed the 120-hour training program in eight months, guided by the standard U.S. Army Air Corps pilot curriculum. The training schedule was comprehensive and emphasized the two levels at which these pilots would most likely operate…low-altitude gunnery (strafing) and air combat tactics at thirty-five thousand feet.
 |
| Aztec Eagles at work |
Throughout their flight training and despite their various levels of flight experience the Aztec Eagles performed admirably. The trainees' CO (a U.S. Army captain) reported that his Mexican students were considerably above average in judgment, technique, and general performance.Late in December 1944 the Mexican president was given authority to send troops into combat whenever he deemed it advisable, opening the door for the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron to proceed to the Pacific Theater and join the war against Japan. These troops—pilots and support personnel—were chomping at the bit.
The Aztec Eagles head west
Having completed their flight training and out-processing at Majors Field in Greenville, Texas the 201st squadron departed by train, arrived in San Francisco on 27 March 1945 and boarded a Philippines-bound troop ship twelve days later. They arrived in Manila after three weeks at sea and were assigned to the 58th Fighter Group at a satellite air base near Clark Field. The Eagles attended briefings on local procedures and sharpened their piloting skills in preparation for aerial combat.
 |
| Mission briefing in the Philippines |
On 9 August 1945, the 201st Fighter Squadron relocated to Clark Field to join the 58th Fighter Group in support of the impending invasion of Japan. The next day they provided air cover for a U.S. convoy, which turned out to be their final mission of the war. On 26 August, the Eagles learned that Japan had surrendered unconditionally following the use of nuclear weapons to destroy two Japanese cities...World War Two had come to an end.
The Aztec Eagles flew 59 combat missions against Japanese positions on the island of Luzon until the war ended. Unfortunately, seven of their pilots died in the Philippine campaign; one was downed by anti-aircraft fire, three were killed in crashes and three pilots ran out of fuel and crashed when they became disoriented in bad weather.
The 201st squadron's tour of duty in the Pacific theater was short-lived but it was well performed. There was no difference between the Mexican and American missions as far as the ground troops were concerned and that was sufficient praise in itself.
War over, fighter pilots no longer required, let's go home.
The 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron departed Manila on 23 October and arrived in San Pedro, California three weeks later. The Aztec Eagles returned to Mexico City on 18 November 1945, and the proud nation gave the squadron a tumultuous welcome.
When all was said and done the president deactivated the Mexican Expeditionary Air Forces, including the Aztec Eagles. All the Latin-American nations except Brazil stood with the allied countries whose citizens gave their lives for the cause of freedom. The members of Squadron 201 were the only veterans of foreign wars in Mexico's military history.
A Mexican Air Force P-47D surmounts a monument
at the Santa Lucia Air Base near Mexico City
in memory of the seven Aztec Eagles who lost their lives
in the line of duty during the Second World War.
best article so far - very well researched. Wonder if Mexico can get atlatl-throwing into the Olympics?
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