Guyana Crisis: DHC-2 Beaver gunship

[comrade harps]

de Havilland Canada White Almanac
DHC-2 Beaver AH.1
a/c 33727, Light Transport Squadron, Guyana Defence Force Air Wing (GDFAW), Atkinson Aerodrome, August 1966
Crew: Lieutenant Omari Glasgow (pilot), Second Lieutenant Trayon Bobb (co-pilot) and Lance Corporal Quillan Roberts (gunner)



When Guyana gained its independence from the Royalist Free British on 26 May 1966, the country was immediately thrown into an international crisis. With an anti-colonial, inexperienced and Afrocentric government freshly sworn-in, the ruling party had vocally refused appeals to join the Commonwealth of Nations (the Commonwealth), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the United Nations (UN). By prior agreement, the Commonwealth Stability Force for Guyana (CFORG) left the country at the end of May. Soon, Guyana's neighbours were raising concerns about the country's internal affairs. These issues included a trans-national Communist guerrilla force that occupied liberated zones close to the Venezuelan border and a separatists movement in the southern Rupununi region. Opposed to the new government's Afrocenterist and land reform policies, what would become known as the Rupununi Uprising was instigated in July, leading to foreign calls for a humanitarian intervention. The fact that Venezuela was actively supporting the Rupununi separatists was conveniently overlooked by all except the politically isolated Guyanan government.




On 27 August 1966, the OAS authorised Operation Essequibo Peace. The name referred to the Essequibo River, the OAS supporting a Venezuelan-led stabilisation of Guyana west of the Essequibo River. This area included Red liberated zones in Guyana and the entirety of the area claimed by the Rupununi separatists. It also made up more than half of Guyanan territory and matched the region that Venezuela had claimed as Guayana Esequiba since 1824.



To make matters worse, the Free Dutch government in exile led an invasion of Guyana from neighbouring Suriname on 29 August. Although the Suriname government had exercised domestic authority since 1954, the Free Dutch administration still had responsibility over the nation's foreign affairs and defence matters. According to an 1866 agreement between the British and Dutch empires, the disputed New River Triangle/Tigri Area was a demilitarised zone. However, the incoming government of Guyana didn't acknowledge this and had been quick to send armed border patrols into the region. They also announced plans to establish military camps and upgrade airstrips in the disputed area. The OAS denounced Guyana for its military incursions and gave approval for member states to "take appropriate action" to return to the status quo. Several OAS nations participated in Operation Splendid Jaguar, engaging Guyanese troops and forcing them to retreat. After 10 days of fighting, the UN resolved to establish a multinational peacekeeping force in the disputed region.




Among the small inventory of military aircraft left in Guyana at the time of independence were DHC-2 White Almanac Beaver STOL transports. All ex-US Army L-20As (redesigned U-6A in 1962), they had been returned to DHC for modification to the Canadian AH.1 standard before transfer to the Free British Army. 6 Beavers were listed as airworthy in Guyana on 26 May 1966. Serving with the Light Transport Squadron of the Guyana Defence Force Air Wing (GDFAW), the Beavers were based at Atkinson Aerodrome, near Georgetown.




During the May to September 1966 Guyana Crisis, the Beavers flew into many airstrips in disputed territories, supporting Guyana's military with airlift and observation. Proving their utility, Beavers ferried in supplies, evacuated casualties and acted as a platform for air dropping paratroopers into remote locations. The aircraft's two underwing hardpoints were used for the delivery of parchure retarded supply containers, notably at night during the Battle of Port Kaituma and Matthews Ridge (against Venezuelan forces). Despite the fighter patrols that gave the invaders air superiority, no Beavers were shot down.



Manifesting the Beaver's COIN attributes, one aircraft flew combat missions with a pair of .50 cal Browning machine guns side-mounted in the rear cabin. Gunship operations were performed to escort road convoys and defend villages and military outposts under assault. For night missions, flares were slung from the underwing pylons that otherwise carried airdrop containers. During the Guyana Crisis of 1966, only one crew was qualified for the Beaver gunship mission: Lieutenant Omari Glasgow (pilot), Second Lieutenant Trayon Bobb (co-pilot) and Lance Corporal Quillan Roberts (gunner). Together they flew 33 combat sorties, 19 of which resulted in live fires.



Inevitably, the Guyana Defence Force was overwhelmed by the foreign inventions and the government was humiliated into a UN-brokered peace. A CIA-backed coup in October 1967 brought an end to the affair. The new government acceded to the original terms of the New River Triangle/Tigri Area agreement and accepted the de facto Venezuelan occupation of the Rupununi and Essequibo regions. Guyana joined the Commonwealth and the OAS in 1967 and the UN in 1969.

[Wardukw]

  
Firepower matters and im quite happy this has some   

[Rick Lowe]

An Angry Beaver?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW_B4KB0wYs

[comrade harps]

An Angry Beaver?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW_B4KB0wYs

l must admit that the Angry Beavers is not part of my cultural knowledge bank, but it is now.

[zenrat]

Nice Beaver...

 

[chrisonord]

Very smart. 

[comrade harps]

Nice Beaver...

 

That one is part of my personal cultural heritage.

[su27rules]

  

[chrisonord]

Nice Beaver...

 

You never dissapoint when it comes to double entendres Fred.     

[Rick Lowe]

Nice Beaver...

 

"Thanks, I just had it stuffed."  

[Rick Lowe]

An Angry Beaver?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW_B4KB0wYs

l must admit that the Angry Beavers is not part of my cultural knowledge bank, but it is now.

Glad I could help... 

[Dizzyfugu]

Out of deep curiosity and personal relevance: Wonder where the black-yellow-black Guyana roundels came from? Home-made?
Incidently I have been thinking about a Guyana Air Corps aircraft (from the Seventies) recently, too, and wondered how to procure proper markings... 

[comrade harps]

Out of deep curiosity and personal relevance: Wonder where the black-yellow-black Guyana roundels came from? Home-made?
Incidently I have been thinking about a Guyana Air Corps aircraft (from the Seventies) recently, too, and wondered how to procure proper markings... 

Zozts Roundels of the world part 4: South America ZTZ/SP4.

I bought several of the series and they have been really useful for small air forces.

[McColm]

Well done 

[Dizzyfugu]

Zozts Roundels of the world part 4: South America ZTZ/SP4.

Ah, thanks a lot!    Yes, they are cool (I have an African set somewhere), but these days they are hard to get and quite expensive - I might have to improvise on my build.