glenn.harper
Nigerian Air Force Summit Spartan
Summit Spartan
a/c R, 5 Squadron, Nigerian Air Force
Kananga, Democratic Republic of Congo, March 1962
Personal mount of Flt Lt Sebastian Osigwef
Amid the campaigns for decolonization that swept Africa in the 1950s, the Free Belgium government occupying the Belgium Congo reluctantly agreed to a process leading to independence. As the 1 July 1960 date for the creation of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) approached, the Belgium elites conspired with Katangan separatists, the Second Portuguese Republic, Rhodesia and South Africa to create the breakaway State of Katanga. Rich in minerals, including copper and cobalt, Katanga held the economic key to the DRC’s success. As Katanga had powerful foriegn backers (who thwarted UN action), and the DRC few capable supporters, a war lasting several years ensued.
As the Belgium authorities prepared for the DRC’s independence, they stripped the military of the Belgium Congo of its assets. Tanks, artillery, trucks, Canberra bombers and F-100D/F Super Sabres were sold to the Portuguese. The Congolese Air Force (Force Aérienne Congolaise, or FAC) was let with some twin-engined transports, a few light planes and 7 F4U-5 Corsair fighter-bombers. The Corsairs were surplus USMC/USN examples, maintained by Summit Aviation. Summit was founded in 1947 by a group of former USMC aviators. With experience at maintaining surplus military aircraft, in 1954 the company won a contract to refurbish and sustain 20 F4U-5 Corsairs for delivery to the Free Belgium government for counter-insurgency operations. In early 1960, as the US government realised that the Belgiums were leaving the soon-to-be independent DRC with a dangerously small combat capacity, Summit was contracted to deliver and support 20 more Corsairs to the incoming government. These aircraft were of Summit’s own version of the Corsair, the Spartan. First flown in 1958, the Spartan was built from surplus F4U-5 airframes and featured a beefed-up structure, contemporary tactical avionics and optional wingtip fuel tanks. In 1960, Summit tested and marketed kits for adapting the Spartan to all-weather/night operations, adding bolt-on exhaust anti-glare shields and a radar to the port wingtip pod with weather, surface mapping and terrain avoidance modes. Spartans were sold to El Salvador and Honduras (both without the tip tanks), Indonesia, Nicaragua (without tip tanks), Nigeria and the DRC.
Nigeria, independent from the Free British government since 1955, was the DRC’s main foreign supporter. In October 1960, the Portugese moved troops into Katanga from neighbouring Angola to protect the road and railway line through which most of Katanga’s mineral export flowed. Nigeria responded by sending its own troops and establishing a training and advisory mission to the DRC. In February 1961 the FAC, supported by Summit, and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aided by the privately owned Nigerian Aviation (NA) company, established the Spartan Wing at Kinshasa/N'Djili Air Base. A joint wing, it included the FAC’s 3 Squadron (largely manned by foriegn personnel) and the NAF’s 5 Squadron, both flying Spartans. From here, the Spartan Wing deployed detachments to airfields closer to Katanga. The Spartan Wing performed counter-insurgency roles, including convoy escort, road and rail interdiction and close air support. Other NAF support came in the form of airlift capacity and a squadron of F-86H Sabres for air superiority (these Sabres later being donated to the FAC).
By March 1961, the joint FAC/NAF airpower projected over Katanga had gained air superiority. Katanga’s Lockheed AT-33A fighters that had been supplied by the Portugese had mostly been destroyed. Without air defence, the FAC/NAF interdiction effort had forced Katanga’s mining-related road and rail traffic into the hours of darkness. To keep the pressure on, the Nigerians converted 12 of their Spartans with Summit’s night combat kits and deployed these to the DRC in August. That same month, Portuguese F-100Ds began air defence patrols over Katanga and from November ex-South African F-86F Sabres were supplied to the Katangan Air Force. Although the daylight hours were now contested, most of Katanga’s mining exports continued to be transported at night.
The Spartan depicted here was the personal mount of Flt Lt Sebastian Osigwef, of 5 Squadron NAF. It was photographed at the Kananga in June 1962. It carries 88 mission symbols, the 12 yellow bombs denoting daylight combat sorties and the 66 with red interiors are for nocturnal attack missions generated after the aircraft was adapted for night operations. The Redwing text and Native North American illustration relate to Rodd Redwing. The fastest gun in Hollywood, Redwing was an actor and gun, knife and whip instructor to the stars. When Flt Lt Osigwef aced the gunnery and bombing results during training, a Summit Aviation instructor likened him to Redwing and the moniker stuck. As an aside, although Redwing claimed to be Native American, his real name was Roderick Rajpurkaii Jr. and he was born in India.
The aircraft is armed with 4 wing-mounted 20mm cannon, 4 of Mk82 bombs, 2 pods of Orenda Purple Rain 68mm rockets and a pair of locally produced Passendale bombs. The Passendale was designed during the Belgium occupation and named after a Belgium cheese which features many small holes. A combined-effects weapon, it’s core explosive was a brand of commercially available propane tank. This was surrounded by white phosphorus embedded with ball bearings. Its aerodynamic shell featured aluminium fins, nose and rear units and a steel centre barrel that was internally grooved to promote fragmentation. The Passendale was judged to be useful against personnel and soft-skinned transport targets, including trucks and railway rolling stock.
After the Spartan, Summit would go on to make COIN conversions of the North American T-28 Nomad trainer as the AT-28D, T-28D and T-28D-5 Trojan. In the 1970s the company produced the Summit Sentry, using surplus USAF Cessna O-2 Skymasters to create a series of STOL capable COIN, FAC and ISR platforms for export customers. Nigerian Aviation would go on to be Summit’s key African industrial partner, NA also producing COIN conversions of the T-28 as the Nigerian Aviation Fennec. During the 1960s and ‘70s, NA produced several indiginuous light aircraft and trainer designs that were moderately successful in the export market.
Nigerian Air Force Summit Spartan
Summit Spartan
a/c R, 5 Squadron, Nigerian Air Force
Kananga, Democratic Republic of Congo, March 1962
Personal mount of Flt Lt Sebastian Osigwef
Amid the campaigns for decolonization that swept Africa in the 1950s, the Free Belgium government occupying the Belgium Congo reluctantly agreed to a process leading to independence. As the 1 July 1960 date for the creation of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) approached, the Belgium elites conspired with Katangan separatists, the Second Portuguese Republic, Rhodesia and South Africa to create the breakaway State of Katanga. Rich in minerals, including copper and cobalt, Katanga held the economic key to the DRC’s success. As Katanga had powerful foriegn backers (who thwarted UN action), and the DRC few capable supporters, a war lasting several years ensued.
As the Belgium authorities prepared for the DRC’s independence, they stripped the military of the Belgium Congo of its assets. Tanks, artillery, trucks, Canberra bombers and F-100D/F Super Sabres were sold to the Portuguese. The Congolese Air Force (Force Aérienne Congolaise, or FAC) was let with some twin-engined transports, a few light planes and 7 F4U-5 Corsair fighter-bombers. The Corsairs were surplus USMC/USN examples, maintained by Summit Aviation. Summit was founded in 1947 by a group of former USMC aviators. With experience at maintaining surplus military aircraft, in 1954 the company won a contract to refurbish and sustain 20 F4U-5 Corsairs for delivery to the Free Belgium government for counter-insurgency operations. In early 1960, as the US government realised that the Belgiums were leaving the soon-to-be independent DRC with a dangerously small combat capacity, Summit was contracted to deliver and support 20 more Corsairs to the incoming government. These aircraft were of Summit’s own version of the Corsair, the Spartan. First flown in 1958, the Spartan was built from surplus F4U-5 airframes and featured a beefed-up structure, contemporary tactical avionics and optional wingtip fuel tanks. In 1960, Summit tested and marketed kits for adapting the Spartan to all-weather/night operations, adding bolt-on exhaust anti-glare shields and a radar to the port wingtip pod with weather, surface mapping and terrain avoidance modes. Spartans were sold to El Salvador and Honduras (both without the tip tanks), Indonesia, Nicaragua (without tip tanks), Nigeria and the DRC.
Nigeria, independent from the Free British government since 1955, was the DRC’s main foreign supporter. In October 1960, the Portugese moved troops into Katanga from neighbouring Angola to protect the road and railway line through which most of Katanga’s mineral export flowed. Nigeria responded by sending its own troops and establishing a training and advisory mission to the DRC. In February 1961 the FAC, supported by Summit, and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aided by the privately owned Nigerian Aviation (NA) company, established the Spartan Wing at Kinshasa/N'Djili Air Base. A joint wing, it included the FAC’s 3 Squadron (largely manned by foriegn personnel) and the NAF’s 5 Squadron, both flying Spartans. From here, the Spartan Wing deployed detachments to airfields closer to Katanga. The Spartan Wing performed counter-insurgency roles, including convoy escort, road and rail interdiction and close air support. Other NAF support came in the form of airlift capacity and a squadron of F-86H Sabres for air superiority (these Sabres later being donated to the FAC).
By March 1961, the joint FAC/NAF airpower projected over Katanga had gained air superiority. Katanga’s Lockheed AT-33A fighters that had been supplied by the Portugese had mostly been destroyed. Without air defence, the FAC/NAF interdiction effort had forced Katanga’s mining-related road and rail traffic into the hours of darkness. To keep the pressure on, the Nigerians converted 12 of their Spartans with Summit’s night combat kits and deployed these to the DRC in August. That same month, Portuguese F-100Ds began air defence patrols over Katanga and from November ex-South African F-86F Sabres were supplied to the Katangan Air Force. Although the daylight hours were now contested, most of Katanga’s mining exports continued to be transported at night.
The Spartan depicted here was the personal mount of Flt Lt Sebastian Osigwef, of 5 Squadron NAF. It was photographed at the Kananga in June 1962. It carries 88 mission symbols, the 12 yellow bombs denoting daylight combat sorties and the 66 with red interiors are for nocturnal attack missions generated after the aircraft was adapted for night operations. The Redwing text and Native North American illustration relate to Rodd Redwing. The fastest gun in Hollywood, Redwing was an actor and gun, knife and whip instructor to the stars. When Flt Lt Osigwef aced the gunnery and bombing results during training, a Summit Aviation instructor likened him to Redwing and the moniker stuck. As an aside, although Redwing claimed to be Native American, his real name was Roderick Rajpurkaii Jr. and he was born in India.
The aircraft is armed with 4 wing-mounted 20mm cannon, 4 of Mk82 bombs, 2 pods of Orenda Purple Rain 68mm rockets and a pair of locally produced Passendale bombs. The Passendale was designed during the Belgium occupation and named after a Belgium cheese which features many small holes. A combined-effects weapon, it’s core explosive was a brand of commercially available propane tank. This was surrounded by white phosphorus embedded with ball bearings. Its aerodynamic shell featured aluminium fins, nose and rear units and a steel centre barrel that was internally grooved to promote fragmentation. The Passendale was judged to be useful against personnel and soft-skinned transport targets, including trucks and railway rolling stock.
After the Spartan, Summit would go on to make COIN conversions of the North American T-28 Nomad trainer as the AT-28D, T-28D and T-28D-5 Trojan. In the 1970s the company produced the Summit Sentry, using surplus USAF Cessna O-2 Skymasters to create a series of STOL capable COIN, FAC and ISR platforms for export customers. Nigerian Aviation would go on to be Summit’s key African industrial partner, NA also producing COIN conversions of the T-28 as the Nigerian Aviation Fennec. During the 1960s and ‘70s, NA produced several indiginuous light aircraft and trainer designs that were moderately successful in the export market.