The article focuses on the issue of despachos aereos during the Spanish Civil War. It considers the very complex normative and operational background of air warfare, and particularly bombings.
It highlights the pitfalls and challenges arising from these very challenging situations. It also points out the importance of a forgotten inquiry conducted by military experts operating within the first League of Nations commission reviewing air bombardment during the Spanish Civil War.
Festa al Cel – Helicopter Show
The Festival of Air and Water – Festa al Cel – is the city of Barcelona’s biggest annual event, attracting hundreds of thousands to its stunning beach front to witness the world class flying display. As with most air shows there were several different types of aircraft taking part, including some very unique Spanish military and emergency services aircraft.
There were two days of displays on the Saturday and Sunday, the first day of which opened with a great demonstration from the Belgian Air Component F-16AM Fighting Falcons. The Dutch Air Force also sent an F-16AM to display on the same weekend, providing a great contrast in display style between the two teams.
Other organisers included Spain’s leading aerospace design and manufacturing company, Airbus. As one of Europe’s premier geo-information and defence solution providers, they host their ProtoSpace centre in Getafe, enabling the design and prototyping of new technologies that will be essential to the future of European drone programmes.
Amongst the other military displays were a pair of Spanish Air Force EF-18A Hornets, based at Torrejon in Catalonia. These are all-weather interceptors primarily used in search and rescue missions, but also have a range of roles as maritime attack fighters.
Despite the absence of any jumbo jets, Festa al Cel offered a more varied line-up than some of the UK’s big airshows with many more smaller light aviation types taking to the air. This was particularly true of the cavalcades. The Fundacio Parc Aeronautic de Catalunya (FPAC) based at Sabadell Airport operated a mix of historic aircraft, including a SIAT S223 Flamingo, Bucker Jungmanns, Zlin Z326 MF, Zlin Z526, North American T-6B Texan and an Antonov An-2R.
Air Show
Air Shows are one of the oldest forms of entertainment. They were first performed around 1910 by a group of pilots who staged exhibitions in their homes and at airfields to make money, promote aviation, and entertain people.
These shows became popular as aircraft grew faster and more advanced. Spectators were drawn to them because of the stunts and speed of the pilots.
They also appealed to spectators’ patriotism and national pride. Spectators liked to see their own countries’ pilots, and they clapped when those pilots flew over the town or country.
It is a good idea to get to the show early as parking is a problem on the day and it can be crowded. You should also wear sun cream and a hat to avoid getting too hot.
The Torre del Mar International Air Festival is a must for anyone who likes to see aircraft. It takes place on Sunday, September 12, at the beach of Torre del Mar in the municipality of Velez-Malaga.
A total of 43 aircraft will be on display over the weekend. They will include planes from Switzerland, Italy and the UK. There will be six aerobatic pilots, four aircraft formations and two demonstrations by the Guardia Civil and the Policia Nacional.
Airshows
Airshows are a great way to experience the thrill of aviation. They can be held on a wide range of different types of aircraft and they can also be used as a means to attract tourists to an area.
A popular air show in Spain is the Torre del Mar International Airshow which takes place on 9th and 10th September each year. It features planes from all over the world and is a great event for those who are interested in military or commercial aircraft.
This year the organisers, the Andalusian Aeronautical Association Orion (AAAO), are planning an extra-large exhibition that will see 43 aircraft taking part over the course of the weekend. Pilots will carry out practice sessions throughout the week and the main airshow will take place on Sunday morning at 11am.
There will be several aerobatic teams at the event. These include the Pioneer Team and Aerosparx.
Another team to look out for is the French Cartouche Dore acrobatics group made up of 14 parachute jumpers who have won many awards and are well known at an international level.
The Spanish military will also be at the event, with multiple examples of helicopters on display and flying demos. One of the most impressive will be a Eurocopter (Now Airbus) EC-665 Tigre HAP which is a fantastic attack helicopter. Its agility in the air is unmatched and the roar of its turbines will really impress you.