The airwar of Chaco war 1932-1935

[GuerraCivil]

On 19.4.2014 the last pilot veteran, the Bolivian general Alberto Paz Soldán died at the age of 102 years. During the war he piloted Curtiss Hawk II fighter. He also wrote a book (available in Spanish) about the Bolivian Air Force in the Chaco war.

Here is in Spanish his obituary in Spanish, published on 20.4.2014: http://www.eldeber.com.bo/fallece-al...-/140420204435

To many the Chaco war may be unknown, it was a war between Bolivia and Paraguay during the years 1932 - 1935. It was also the first war in South American continent, in which airplanes were used. There were also air combats between Bolivian and Paraguayan planes. There were a variety of different planes: Curtiss Hawk II, Fiat CR 20, Breguet XIX, Ju 52...

There is fairly little available about this in English. The wikipedia is considered often dubious source, but I think that the wikipedia article on this subject is fairly good: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_..._the_Chaco_War

Another source about this subject in English is:

http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/bitstream/2...+version+1.pdf

And a recommended book is:

Dagehorn, Dan: Latin American Air Wars 1912-1969.

In Spanish there are available these links:

http://www.taringa.net/posts/info/98...e-el-aire.html

http://amshistoria.blogspot.fi/2013/...uerra-del.html

[kaki3152]

Interesting. My mother is from Bolivia and remembers a relative flying Falcons(Hawks) in the air force

[steve51]

I can recommend, " aircraft of the Chaco war 1928-1935 " by Hagedorn and Sapienza. Many photos and descriptions of the aircraft used,

[Peter Cornwell]

Also, if you can find an original copy, Gran Chaco Adventure by Thomas Wewege-Smith (Hutchinson 1937).