Whatever Happened to Frank Bass?
byIt could just be a simple story of a pilot running his airplane out of gas and ditching in the blue Western Atlantic Ocean,…
Cuba
The Mystery of the Cuatro Vientos
byA little over ninety years ago, an impressive single-engined biplane, painted ivory white and decorated with brilliant red cheat lines and lettering, was flying…
On the Razor’s Edge
byIn the scorching summer of 1962, the Cold War blazed dangerously hot in the Caribbean. The Cuban revolution, clenching its fist and baring its…
Memories of a Ferry Pilot – Adventures in the Caribbean
byLieutenant Colonel Dell Toedt, born in Laurel, Iowa, in 1930, is a veteran of the Korean War where he flew P-51s with the 45th…
The Search for my Friend
byIt’s early in the evening of September 21, 1960, Pat Hughes knows that he and his mechanic, Thomas Stacey, are in trouble. It has…
The making of a mercenary air force
byBorn in 1886, and thus more than 60 years old on the eve of what was arguably the greatest adventure of his life, Juan…
Before Lend-Lease: The South American Defense Aid Program
byWhile the hugely successful World War Two Latin American Lend-Lease program has been very thoroughly investigated, documented and commented upon since the 1970s, an…
The Cuban MiGs
byThe term “MiG” has become virtually synonymous with “Russian fighter.” Indeed, when U.S. Navy F-14s downed two Libyan Su-22s, many commentators unintentionally rubbed salt…
Book: Piloto Maestro
byThis book presents the flight experiences of a Cuban pilot, Colonel Henry Pérez Martínez. It was kindly provided to me by my friend and…
Bay of Pigs – The Men and Aircraft of the Cuban Revolutionary Air Force
byBy the middle of 1960, the novelty of Fidel Castro’s Cuban Revolution was wearing thin and many of those who had first zealously supported…