1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron

Squadron

1º Grupo de Aviação de Caça was a fighter unit of the Brazilian Air Force, established on 18 December 1943. The unit was made up on 350 personnel, and 43 pilots, many of whom were experienced fliers in the Brazilian Air Force.



The unit undertook training for combat in Panama, becoming active on 11 May 1944 and undertaking air defence duties in the Canal Zone. On 22 June 1944, 1oGAvCa travelled to the US and converted to P-47 Thunderbolts.



The unit departed for Italy on 19 September 1944, and on 6 October 1944 was assigned to the 350th Fighter Group. The Group began flying operations from 31 October 1944, and two weeks later on 11 November 1944, began undertaking missions independently of the USAAF.



From November 1944 to 6 May 1944, 1oGAvCa completed 445 missions, undertaking 2,550 individual sorties and accumulating 5,465 combat hours. The group also claimed 1,304 motor-vehicles, 13 railway waggons, 8 armoured cars, 25 railway and highway bridges and 31 fuel tanks and munition depots destroyed. While this only accounted for 5% of the total missions carried out by the units of XXII Tactical Air Command, the percentage of destruction was considerably higher than other units.



The personnel of the 1oGAvCa returned to Brazil in June 1945, while their P-47 Thunderbolts were dismantled in Italy. The unit is still an active fighter squadron in the Brazilian Air Force

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Other

Assigned to 350th Fighter Group

6 October 1944 - 31 October 1944

Based

Tarquinia 31 October 1944

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

The 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron in World War II at Defense Forces