History
Background
The North American NA-50 was a lightweight, single-seat fighter aircraft developed in the late 1930s as an export model. Derived from the North American NA-16 trainer, it was modified for countries seeking an affordable fighter. Notably, North American would later develop the highly successful T-6 Texan trainer. The US Army Air Corps showed no interest in the NA-50, but the aircraft was marketed as a versatile, cost-effective option for smaller nations with limited defense budgets before World War II. Peru found the aircraft attractive, as it met the Peruvian Air Force’s need for a modern fighter to bolster its air defenses. As a result, Peru purchased seven NA-50s.
Technical Description
The NA-50 was powered by a Wright R-1820-G3 Cyclone radial engine, producing 840 horsepower and swinging a three-bladed constant-speed propeller. This gave it a top speed of 295 mph (475 km/h) and a climb rate of 3,000 feet per minute (15.24 meters per second). The aircraft was armed with two 0.30 caliber (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns synchronized to fire through the propeller arc and could carry a 550 lb (250 kg) bomb load on underwing racks for dive bombing. Its design featured retractable landing gear (a first for Peruvian aircraft), an all-metal construction, and a compact airframe. The cockpit was comfortable and roomy, offering excellent visibility for the pilot.
History
In 1938–1939, a Peruvian delegation, including Lieutenant Commander Armando Revoredo Iglesias and other officers, traveled to the United States to inspect and test aircraft ordered for the Cuerpo Aeronáutico del Perú (Peruvian Aeronautical Corps, or CAP). These included Douglas 8A-3Ps (Northrop A-17s), NA-50s, and Grumman amphibians. Sources differ on whether North American Aviation pilot Paul Balfour made the first flight of the NA-50 on August 1, 1938, or in February 1939. However, all seven NA-50s were tested and inspected before final acceptance on April 15, 1939. Delivery to Callao, Peru, was completed by May 1939.
Upon arrival, the NA-50s were painted in a natural metal scheme with a black anti-glare panel on the decking in front of the cockpit. Markings included red-white-red vertical rudder stripes and roundels on the fuselage and wings. They were initially assigned to the 41st Flight of the 21st Fighter Squadron, based at Chiclayo, and serialled XXI-41-1 to XXI-41-7. Operating alongside Caproni CA-114s of Squadrons 42 and 43, the NA-50s were nicknamed Torito (Little Bull) by the Peruvians. They were also modified with bomb shackles for carrying bombs. Tragically, on August 17, 1939, Sub Lt. José Sánchez Navarrete perished when his NA-50 crashed at sea during aerobatics.
The NA-50s saw combat during the 1941 war between Peru and Ecuador. They were used as ground attackers to support the Peruvian Army. Two were lost, including one in a famous action on July 23, 1941, where José Abelardo Quiñones Gonzáles sacrificed his life by deliberately crashing his NA-50, XXI-41-3, into an Ecuadorian anti-aircraft battery that had shot him down. Another NA-50, serial XXI-41-2, was lost on July 6, 1941, when Lt. Renan Elias attempted to dislodge an unexploded bomb on his wing rack before landing; the bomb detonated, killing the pilot and destroying the aircraft.
After the war ended in 1942, the remaining four NA-50s returned to their peacetime base at Chiclayo before transferring to the 21st Squadron at Las Palmas in Chorrillos. They served until 1947, when Peruvian P-36 Hawks replaced them as combat aircraft. The NA-50s were then reassigned as fighter trainers in the 4th Advanced Training Squadron of the 28th Training Squadron at the Air Academy, where they trained future fighter pilots. Wearing serials 28-4-10 to 28-4-13, these aircraft were repainted in a blue and yellow trainer scheme and remained in service until 1950, when they were retired and placed in storage.
One NA-50 was pulled from storage and kept flying until 1961. After being damaged in a crash and repaired, it was placed on a display pedestal at Las Palmas Air Force Base in 1965. It remained there for over 50 years until 2018, when it was taken down and disassembled for potential restoration. Unfortunately, in 2019, the restoration team determined that insufficient funding prevented further work, so the aircraft was reassembled and returned to its pedestal. Today, it remains the only surviving NA-50 in the world.
