211th Squadron

211th Squadron
Air Force: Congolese Air Force
Group: 2nd Group
Active: 1964-
Theater Congo
Motto: Makasi (Strong)
Aircraft: C-46, T-28, B-26
COMMANDERS
Group CO: Joaquin "Pupy" Varela
MAIN BASES
Air fields: Albertville Stanleyville, Leopoldville
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The Makasi Squadron was a composite squadron that operated out of the Congo as part of Operation Anstalt Wigmo. Formally, the unit was the 211th Squadron, 2nd Group, Congolese Air Force. However, unofficially none of the people in the squadron called themselves that. They instead said they were "El Grupo Voluntario Cubano" or the Cuban Volunteer Group. By June 1964 the Squadron had approximately 25 pilots, mostly Cubans.

The B-26s were owned by the USAF, on loan to the CIA, based in the Congo, and flown by Cubans. The squadron had several other planes. Initially the squadron's maintenance was handled by Cubans. However, as the size and scope of the squadron grew the CIA formed a fake Belgian company called Anstalt Wigmo to handle the maintenance. They brought in over 100 European mechanics and armorers to keep the planes airworthy.

The squadron's insignia, a bull, was taken from a popular local brand of beer called Unibar. The name Makasi coming from the Cuban pilots, meaning "Strong" in Lingali, the native language of the Congo.

The squadron itself was a composite squadron that operated out of Leopoldville. All of the planes in the unit bore the Makasi bull emblem on the nose. Several examples from T-28D Trojans and B-26Ks are visible below. Note the very subtle difference in the lettering, particularly the last "i", and the subtle changes in the bull, particularly the ears and tail. Based on the photographic evidence, it seems as though this insignia was adopted sometime after the spring of 1965.

The first 3 B-26Ks arrived the night of 17 Aug 1964, having been flown in by US pilots from the 602nd Fighter Squadron. The Cuban pilots learned quickly, having some experience on the B-26 already, and flew the first combat mission on 21 Aug 1964. Four B-26Bs were originally slated to go to this operation. Of these, 1 was left behind in Okinawa, another crashed and burned in Aden, and the last two arrived in-tact in September 1964. The Cubans soon learned that the B-26Bs were no longer used by the Americans and were somewhat outraged over their arrival thinking them to be a deathtrap. One of the planes was never used again, instead becoming a source for spare parts. The other plane had benches installed in the bomb bay and was kept on standby as an emergency escape vehicle. Eventually, desperation and need forced them to refit the plane as a makeshift recon vehicle which the crew jokingly called "U-3" as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the U-2 spyplane.

By January of 1965, two more brand-new B-26Ks arrived at to join the squadron. . Eventually, 649 and 662 would also get the Makasi insignia painted on the nose, but neither of these planes is known to have a name.

List of Planes

USAF S/N	Registry #	Start Date	End Date	Comments
B-26 Invaders
44-35890	35890 & FL-890	Sep 1964	1966	B-26B named "U3" used for recon. Scrapped at Kinshasa.
A second B-26B was send to the Congo, but it was not used. A third B-26B crashed and burned in Aden on 21 Aug 1964, and a fourth was left behind in Okinawa.
64-17644	RF644 & FR-644	18 Aug 1964	Jan 1967	Named "Shit House Mouse"/"Cachita"
64-17645	RF645 & FR-645	18 Aug 1964	Dec 1966	Named "Rum Dum"
64-17646	RF646 & FR-646	18 Aug 1964	Mar 1967	Named "The Boogie Bogey"
64-17649	FR-649	Jan 1965	Oct 1966
64-17662	FR-662 & FM-662	Jan 1965	Feb 1967
C-46 Commandos
42-3577	9T-PLJ	1966	16 Apr 1969	C-46A-30-CU. Purchased from Transair Sweeden as a wreck after it crashed doing UN transports in the region. Returned to service. Crashed in the Congo River due to fuel starvation killing all 46 souls aboard.
42-3580	9Q-CRP	Dec 1967	1970	C-46A-35-CU. Purchased from Fairline Sweeden. Withdrawn from use and stored.
42-96281	9Q-CWN	Jun 1968	1969	C-46A-50-CU. Sold to Aero Suppliers Establishment.
Some sources suggest a fourth C-46 was used.
T-28D Trojan
I don't know exactly how many T-28s were with the unit. I will list the data here as I come across it. A lot the information on the T-28s comes from photos.
	FG-067
	FG-282
	FG-289
	FG-516
	FG-576
	FB-809
	FB-87?

List of Members

Blazques, Tony "The Stone"
Castillo, El Guarijo
Castrana, Jose
Garcia, Rene
Garcia Pujon, Rafael "El Huevo"
Izquiderto "El Banana" (Helicopter Pilot)
Torrecilla, Antonio
Varela, Joaquin "Pupy"
Yopar, Andres (Mechanic)

"La Cucaracha" - a French Bell 47 Helicopter pilot