Esquadrilha da Fumaca Smoke Squadron History, Photos, Images

Esquadrilha da Fumaca History

The history of the aerobatic team of the Brasilian Air Forces begins in 1952 when four instructors from the Air Academy establish an aerobatic team from four North American T-6 Texan training airplanes. The team's first official demonstration is on May 14, 1952, at the Campo dos Alfonsos airbase (near Rio de Janeiro) when the Air Academy is located. Initially the team flies on three airplanes which soon become four. At those times Esquadrilha da Fumaca does not have an official statute and because of that the pilots train during their time off. The team also has no name to present itself with. Very soon as a joke they receive the name Esquadrilha da Fumaca (Smoke Squadron) because of the presence of smoke generators which during the performance of some figures release white smoke.

In 1954, after the pilots has been changed sometimes, the minister of the aviation makes a gift to the team - five T-6 aircrafts. This is first official admission for the team and it receives the statute of the official aerobatic team of the Brasilian Air Forces.

In the next year is chosen the colour scheme of the airplanes - white, red and blue. Later that year to the team are added two solo pilots who has the aim to capture the public's attention while the main formation re-groups for its next manoeuvre.

The team flies on those aircrafts till 1968 when they are replaced with new French-made Fouga Magister training airplanes (T-24 according to the Brasilian markup). The planes are painted in the colours of the Brasilian banner - green, yellow, blue - but white is added. But this aircraft proves itself to be very hard and fastidious to maintain because of the hot Brasilian climate. The petrol crisis in the end of 1970s forces the team to replace the plane with another. Because of all those reasons, after only 46 demonstrations with Fouga Magister, the team returns to its old plane - T-6.

In 1977 because of financial disorders the team is disbanded.

Soon after that all begin to feel the lack of an aerobatic team of the Brasilian Air Forces who to represent them to Brasilian public. Because of that in the end of 1981 in the Brasilian Air Forces is established a new aerobatic team named Esquadrilha Alouette (Flight Squadron). It flies on seven Aermacchi MB339 (T-26 according to the Brasilian markup) jet training aircrafts. The planes are equipped with smoke generators and have numbers from 1 to 7 painted on their vertical stabilizers. The next year on the bottom of each wing are painted two stripes - yellow and green. The colour scheme is standard - in camouflage colours. This squadron exists till 1983. One year earlier Esquadrilha da Fumaca (Smoke Squadron) is established again.

Esquadrilha da Fumaca is re-established on October 21, 1982, but now it is named The Official Aerobatic Squadron of the Brasilian Air Forces. It now flies on new, Brasil-made Embraer EMB-312 (T-27 Tucano according to the Brasilian markup) training airplanes painted in red-and-white colour scheme.

On February 25, 2002, the aircrafts of the squadron receive new colour scheme in the colours of the Brasilian banner - green, yellow and blue.

On 18th May 2002 the team have set a new World Record by flying a formation of 11 aircraft inverted for 30 seconds.