Joaquin Morato
Encyclopedia
Joaquín García-Morato y Castaño, 1st Count of Jarama (4 May 1904 – 4 April 1939) was the leading Nationalist fighter ace of the Spanish Civil War
. He is credited with 40 air victories, four gained while flying Heinkel He 51
s and 36 with the Italian Fiat CR.32
.
An accomplished prewar pilot (he served in Morocco
, fighting Berber
guerrillas during the Rif War), excelled in aerobatics
, and instructed instrument flying.
He was on holiday in England when the Civil War broke out. Hastening home to join the Nationalist cause, he gained his first victory on 12 August 1936 in a Nieuport-Delage 52, shooting down one of three Vickers Vildebeest
over Antequera
. He then flew one of the first Heinkel He 51
s received from Germany. Flying this aircraft, on 18 August, he shot down a Republican NiD 52 and a Potez 540
. He downed another NiD 52 on 2 September. He then began flying an Italian Fiat CR.32, shooting down another NiD 52 on 11 September: it was his fifth victory.
Then he formed the Patrulla Azul ("Blue Patrol") of three CR.32 and during the early autumn 1936 he added six more aircraft of French manufacture, plus a British built Hawker Fury
, to his score. He gained his 12th victory on 5 November (a Potez 540
), followed by his first kill of a Soviet-built I-15 fighter.
On 13 January 1937, he managed to shoot down two Tupolev SB-2 bombers - that outperformed the Fiat in terms of speed - attacking them from a superior height: they were his victories number 16 and 17.
Morato achieved 40 credited victories over Republican
aircraft, gained in 1,012 hours of operational flying.
The only time he was shot down was on 3 October 1937, by a novice pilot he was training.
Shortly after the war, on 3 April 1939, he was performing low aerobatics for newsreel cameras, when his Fiat CR.32 crashed, killing him.
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. He is credited with 40 air victories, four gained while flying Heinkel He 51
Heinkel He 51
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Donald, David, ed. Warplanes of the Luftwaffe. London: Aerospace, 1994. ISBN 1-874023-56-5.* Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The Cadre Creator...Heinkel's Last Fighting Biplane". Air Enthusiast No. 36, May-August 1988. pp. 11–24. ISSN 0143-5450.*...
s and 36 with the Italian Fiat CR.32
Fiat CR.32
The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. This nimble little Fiat was compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable and gave impressive displays all over Europe in the hands of the Pattuglie Acrobatiche. The CR.32 fought in North and East Africa, in...
.
An accomplished prewar pilot (he served in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, fighting Berber
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
guerrillas during the Rif War), excelled in aerobatics
Aerobatics
Aerobatics is the practice of flying maneuvers involving aircraft attitudes that are not used in normal flight. Aerobatics are performed in airplanes and gliders for training, recreation, entertainment and sport...
, and instructed instrument flying.
He was on holiday in England when the Civil War broke out. Hastening home to join the Nationalist cause, he gained his first victory on 12 August 1936 in a Nieuport-Delage 52, shooting down one of three Vickers Vildebeest
Vickers Vildebeest
The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two- to three-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and used as a light bomber, torpedo bomber and in the army cooperation roles...
over Antequera
Antequera
Antequera is a city and municipality in the province of Málaga, part of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia. It is known as "the heart of Andalusia" because of its central location among Málaga, Granada, Córdoba, and Seville...
. He then flew one of the first Heinkel He 51
Heinkel He 51
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Donald, David, ed. Warplanes of the Luftwaffe. London: Aerospace, 1994. ISBN 1-874023-56-5.* Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The Cadre Creator...Heinkel's Last Fighting Biplane". Air Enthusiast No. 36, May-August 1988. pp. 11–24. ISSN 0143-5450.*...
s received from Germany. Flying this aircraft, on 18 August, he shot down a Republican NiD 52 and a Potez 540
Potez 540
-External links:*...
. He downed another NiD 52 on 2 September. He then began flying an Italian Fiat CR.32, shooting down another NiD 52 on 11 September: it was his fifth victory.
Then he formed the Patrulla Azul ("Blue Patrol") of three CR.32 and during the early autumn 1936 he added six more aircraft of French manufacture, plus a British built Hawker Fury
Hawker Fury
The Hawker Fury was a British biplane fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force in the 1930s. It was originally named the Hornet and was the counterpart to the Hawker Hart light bomber.-Design and development:...
, to his score. He gained his 12th victory on 5 November (a Potez 540
Potez 540
-External links:*...
), followed by his first kill of a Soviet-built I-15 fighter.
On 13 January 1937, he managed to shoot down two Tupolev SB-2 bombers - that outperformed the Fiat in terms of speed - attacking them from a superior height: they were his victories number 16 and 17.
Morato achieved 40 credited victories over Republican
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
aircraft, gained in 1,012 hours of operational flying.
The only time he was shot down was on 3 October 1937, by a novice pilot he was training.
Shortly after the war, on 3 April 1939, he was performing low aerobatics for newsreel cameras, when his Fiat CR.32 crashed, killing him.