Air War in Ethiopia in 1940-41

This film tells a story of campaign to liberate East Africa from Italy which lasted 17 months. Film covers main battles and air engagements.
Movie length: 10 minutes.

Billy Merman 900 miles

History of Ethiopian Air Force. Part 1.

(Note: this article refers to historical facts, and MAY NOT be relevant to events in the game.)

The official history of flying in Ethiopia begins with first flight of  Haile Selassie (then Regent Ras Tafari) witnessing a show of the British Royal Air Force in November 1922 in Aden. Impressed by it, he proclaimed that "very fitting that he, as regent of Abyssinia should be the first Abyssinian to take flight in an aeroplane." His maiden flight laid a foundation to organisation of Imperial Ethiopian Aviation (IEA)  established at Bishoftu, near capital of Addis Ababa on 18 August 1929. 

Less than a year later, this tiny air force, organised by officer of Russian descent, Mishka Babitchef, took part in Battle of Anchem, between forces loyal to King Selassie and Pro-Empress Zewiditu, other claimant to the throne of Ethiopia. Though only three Potez 25A2 biplanes were used, they gave an upper hand in reconnaissance and communication to Selassie's forces. The resulting victory consolidated Selassie as rightful Emperor of Ethiopia. 

Potez 25A2 biplane in
 Ethiopian colors 

IEA was later put under command of a French pilot, Andre Maillet, reinforced with Potez 25A2 biplanes and two Junkers W.33C and mainly tasked with transport- and liaison duties.  Maillet was succeeded by another Frenchman, Paul Corriger, who stayed in Ethiopia until the end of Second Italo-Ethiopian war. In 1930 number of available airframes was increased by addition of a Breda Ba.15 and Ba.25 each, a DeHavilland D.H.60 Gipsy Moth, and two Fairman F.192s. In 1934 and 1935, a number of new aircraft was acquired, including two Beech B17 Staggerwings, two Fokkers (one F.VIIa/3m and an F.XVIII), and a single Meindl AVII. However, IEA remained underdeveloped and lacking flight school, native pilots and technicians. Its small numbers and huge size of the country effectively meant that it lacked the ability to defend it in case of major war.   

On the morning of 3 October 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia from Eritrea and Italian Somaliland. In comparison Italians had 595 modern aeroplanes of different types, fully supplied with pilots, ammunition and fuel against 9 Ethiopian aircraft. During the war, Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force) used chemical gases, as Yprite and mustard gas  against both civilian and military targets, as well as conventional weapons. The fact of chemical warfare was discussed in the League of Nations, with no decisive effect.   

During the war several African Americans were recruited or volunteered to go to Ethiopia to serve as professionals in various fields. The most influential of them was Colonel John C Robinson who was assigned the command of the IEA in October 1935. His call sign was "Brown Condor", and until end of war he led the tiny IEA. After the war he recruited pilots for now-famous Tuskegee Airmen. 

Another US-pilot active in Ethiopia at the time was Hubert Julian better known as “Black Eagle“, and famous for his record attempts, reckless parachute jumps over Harlem, and creation of all-black flying circus The Black Birds. His parachute landing besides Emperor Selassie's throne won him a citizenship and position in IEA.

Operating one of few flyable IEA aircraft, he participated in the fighting right from the start of the war, transporting troops, ammunition and supplies, as well as the Emperor, from one site to the other, and along other pilots was flying transport and reconnaissance missions. 

Other notable pilots of Imperial Ethiopian Aviation at that time were 

• indispensable Mishka Babitchef,  
• Ludwig Weber, who supervised the construction of the "Weber Meindl van Nes A.VII Ethiopia 1" which was a highly modified version of the de Havilland DH.60 Moth and was used as personal transport of Emperor, (representative of Junkers in Addis Ababa and personal pilot of Hailé Sélassié)
• Bahru Kaba (Ethiopian pilot)
• Asfaw Ali (Ethiopian pilot)
• Tesfaye (Ethiopian pilot)
• Thierry Maignal
• Gaston Vedel (French)
• Baron von Engel (German)
• Comte Schatzberg (German)

After series of battles between Italian and Ethiopian forces, and despite bravery of its troops, Ethiopian army was broken, cities like Harar, were declared "open" in the face of unopposed bombardment from air. Emperor Selassie fled the country on 2 of May 1936, thus ending the war. Though there was not a formal surrender, Ethiopia was incorporated into Italian East Africa. Despite defeat Emperor with assistance of John H. Spencer, who acted as official military and legal adviser, made his speech in League of Nations on 30 June 1936 demanding other members not to recognise Italian occupation. He finished his speech with famous words:

"It is us today. It will be you tomorrow."

Despite all, sanctions against Italy were lifted on 15th July 1936 and three years later only USSR and Mexico did not recognised occupation of Ethiopia. Thus first chapter of Imperial Ethiopian Aviation was concluded in the face of much stronger opponent, with all of it aircraft destroyed and pilots either returning to home countries or being killed.

text by Mark-Paul Severn, based on several sources. 

Flight lieutenant Erik Gunnarson

Erik Gunnarson
callsign: Viking
body type: Ogre
martial status: single
flight experience: 1942-45 RNoAF/RAF
aerial kills: 2 Ju-88 heavy fighters
type flown: Mosquito XVI  

Meet Flight lieutenant Erik Gunnarsson: Son of forester and school teacher Erik was born and grew up in the hills and fjords nearby Tromse, Norway. Ever since he was able to walk and ski, his father was taking him hunting, a skill which later would save his life. Before the invasion of 1940 instead of recon infantry unit Erik was assigned to service in Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service (Marinens Flyvevaaben). This twist of bureaucracy would become only first in many. 

On 9th April 1940, en-route to his squadron position in Bergen, he found himself dodging bullets from strafing Messerschmitts and hearing a exchange of fire between defence battery and German ships. Upon arrival to squadron he was mistakenly recognised as flights engineer of  Norwegian He 115N and shovelled into the plane which took off for Britain. Almost a year after arrival, with another twist of wartime bureaucracy  he and his comrades have been assigned and shipped to a training base "Little Norway", in Toronto Island Airport, Canada. 

There Erik Gunnarson, despite his lucky maiden flight as engineer, decided to become a pilot. However his, superiors thought otherwise and due to his skill in navigation granted him seat of navigator of No. 330 Squadron operating Northtop N3P-B torpedo-bombers. After a year of flying over Atlantic from Greenland and Iceland, and with zero combat experience, Erik pushed his papers trough the system got and his pilot training, he wanted so much.  

In 1943 he was assigned to newly formed No. 333 marine squadron, which was operating from Woodhaven,  Scotland. Unit was operating PBY-5 Catalina and Mosquito in anti-submarine and Special Operations role. After several months of successful operations on Mosquito, which saw him claiming one Ju-88 heavy fighter shot down and another damaged along with sunken U-boat, Erik was shot down, but managed to land in occupied Norway. His co-piled was killed, Erik was badly wounded he was picked up by sympathetic local, only to find himself in German captivity. 

Though, usually quiet and reserved Gunnarson is a big lad, with very sharp, blue hunters eyes, who have never forgotten skills taught by his father. After he escaped, Erik evaded Germans and their collaborators for months, until local Resistance cell got him a flight to Scotland on board of Catalina from his own squadron. He rarely talks about those days, but if he does, it is easy to understand that they changed him entirely. 

The happy return however, was saddened by the news that from initial group of pilots he was the only survivor. Upon his return, medical and pilot assessment Gunnarson was reassigned to RAF 8th Pathfinder Group, where he flew until the end of the war as night Pathfinder, who's job was to find the target for a raid and mark it with flares for main bomber force. 

After the war Erik retired from military, and after visiting home returned to Britain. As many veterans he does not like talking about the war, or what he is going to do with his life after it. But since he met Adrian Boyd and recruiter Jonny Vickers, his eyes are shining again. He will not tell you, but trust me, he misses flying. 

Flight Lieutenant Adrian Boyd

Adrian Boyd.
callsign: Wizard
body type: Dwarf
marital status: single
flight experience: 1943-46 with RCAF
kills: 3 V-1 bombs, 2 Me-109
type flown: Hurricane II, Typhoon Mk.V 

Meet Flight Lieutenant Adrian Boyd, one of the first pilots who met Mr. Jonny Vickers on snowy February night, and got an invitation to a job interview.

Adrian is recently retired from Royal Canadian Air Force and currently residing in London, renting a small apartment at Baker street. He is reluctant to speak about his life before the war, but a careful observer may pick up on his  slight Boston or New York accent. He is calm, quiet and composed, which contradicts the usual image of cocky dogfighter. The other obvious fact about Adrian is his heavy punch with left hand, which is very unusual for a pilot.

He is not a big conversationalist, but if needs must will squeeze enough French, German and English word to get him back to friendly lines. His service record, proves that he have done it at least three times.

What service record does not show, is his expert skill with a knife (origins of that skill he politely refuses to disclose) and ability to dance on the edge of disciplinary action more than once for various reasons and get away with that. Its without doubt, that if given more time at war, Adrian Boyd would become an ace with his incredible skill for aerobatics, cunning and hunters instincts multiplied on initiative on the edge of insubordination. However no military ever likes an independent hunters, regardless of their advertising. Adrian got his chance to shoot down 3 V-bombs before his squadron was assigned as close air support for troops in France and later in Germany. He made a significant amount of CAS missions during operations Market Garden and Ardennes offensive. 

Initiative in the air is probably the reason for Adrian being stuck as a Flying Officer for most of his war. He got promoted to Flight Lieutenant only before his retirement, on the grounds of reduction of RCAF presence in Europe. Despite this turn of event, "Wizard" decided to stay in London, and as you might expect he would not say why.  

     

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