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Afonsos Air Force Base
Afonsos Air Force Base
Base Aérea dos Afonsos
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil
	Aerospace Museum at Afonsos in 2005
	SBAF Location in Brazil SBAF SBAF (Rio de Janeiro (state)) SBAF SBAF (Brazil)
Coordinates	22°52′32″S 043°23′04″W / 22.87556°S 43.38444°W
Type	Air Force Base
Code	BAAF
Site information
Owner	Brazilian Air Force
Controlled by	Brazilian Air Force
Open to; the public	Yes
Website	www.fab.mil.br/organizacoes/mostra/33/BASE%20A%C3%89REA%20DOS%20AFONSOS
Site history
Built	1912
In use	1941-present
Airfield information
Identifiers	ICAO: SBAF, LID: RJ9002
Elevation	34 metres (112 ft) AMSL
Runways
08/26	2,001 metres (6,565 ft) Concrete
	Source: DECEA

Afonsos Air Force Base – BAAF (ICAO: SBAF) is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in the district of Marechal Hermes, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

History

In October 1911 the first aeronautical organization was created in Brazil: the Aeroclube do Brasil (Flying club of Brazil). The site chosen for its location was given the name of "Campo dos Afonsos" (Afonsos' Field) and an airfield was opened on December 12, 1912.^[2]

On February 2, 1914, a Military Aviation School was opened at the site. The school was a partnership with the Italian Army, but due to the beginning of hostilities related to World War I, it was short-lived and finally closed on July 18 of the same year.^[3]

On January 29, 1919, a French Military mission founded a new school of military aviation at Campo dos Afonsos.^[4] Because of this school, the Aeroclube do Brasil was forced to leave the location. For years they had no home but in 1936 it was re-opened at the Manguinhos Airport.

Between 1931 and 1936, before a dedicated new facility was opened at Bartolomeu de Gusmão Airport, the Graf Zeppelin docked at Campo dos Afonsos during its stop-overs in Rio de Janeiro.^[5]

In 1941, Campo dos Afonsos became of exclusive use of the Brazilian Air Force and the new Air Force Base was commissioned as Afonsos Air Force Base.

Today the base is home to the University of the Brazilian Air Force, the institution of higher education of the Brazilian Air Force,^[6] and of the Aerospace Museum.^[7]

On December 12, 2012 the aerodrome celebrated its centennial anniversary.^[8]

Units

Since January 2017 there are no permanent flying units assigned Afonsos Air Force Base. Whenever needed, the aerodrome is used as a support facility to other air units of the Brazilian Air Force, Navy and Army.

Former Units
February 1958–2013: 1st Squadron of the 1st Troops Transportation Group (1º/1ºGTT) Coral. The squadron was moved to Galeão Air Force Base.^[9]
November 1961–2013: 2nd Squadron of the 1st Troops Transportation Group (2º/1ºGTT) Cascavel. The squadron was moved to Galeão Air Force Base.^[10]
September 1980–January 2017: 3rd Squadron of the 8th Aviation Group (3º/8ºGAv) Puma. The squadron was moved to Santa Cruz Air Force Base.^[11]

Accidents and incidents

27 June 1974: Brazilian Air Force, a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar registration FAB-2301 crashed in the vicinity of Afonsos Air Force Base while operating a training flight. Two of the four occupants died.^[12]
26 March 1987: Brazilian Air Force, an Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante registration FAB-2324 struck a hillside and crashed shortly after takeoff. The three crew members died.^[13]

Access

The base is located approximately 30 km from Rio de Janeiro downtown in the district of Marechal Hermes.

Gallery

This gallery displays aircraft that have been based at Afonsos. The gallery is not comprehensive.

de Havilland C-115 Buffalo (FAB)
Fairchid C-119G Flying Boxcar
Lockheed C-130 Hércules (FAB)
Bell H-1H Iroquois
Helibras H-34 Super Puma (FAB)

References

^ "Campo Délio Jardim de Mattos (SBAF)". DECEA (in Portuguese). Retrieved August 19, 2023.
^ Instituto Histórico-Cultural da Aeronáutica (1988). História Geral da Aeronáutica Brasileira: dos primórdios até 1920 (in Portuguese). Vol. 1. Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia and Instituto Histórico-Cultural da Aeronáutica. pp. 395–403.
^ Instituto Histórico-Cultural da Aeronáutica (1988). História Geral da Aeronáutica Brasileira: dos primórdios até 1920 (in Portuguese). Vol. 1. Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia and Instituto Histórico-Cultural da Aeronáutica. pp. 392–395.
^ Instituto Histórico-Cultural da Aeronáutica (1988). História Geral da Aeronáutica Brasileira: dos primórdios até 1920 (in Portuguese). Vol. 1. Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia and Instituto Histórico-Cultural da Aeronáutica. pp. 443–453.
^ Instituto Histórico-Cultural da Aeronáutica (1990). História Geral da Aeronáutica Brasileira: de 1921 às vésperas da criação do Ministério da Aeronáutica (in Portuguese). Vol. 2. Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia and Instituto Histórico-Cultural da Aeronáutica. pp. 164–166.
^ "Missão da Universidade da Força Aérea". Força Aérea Brasileira (in Portuguese). Retrieved October 29, 2010.
^ "Museu Aeroespacial". Força Aérea Brasileira (in Portuguese). Retrieved October 29, 2010.
^ "Lendário Campo dos Afonsos completa 100 anos". Força Aérea Brasileira (in Portuguese). December 12, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
^ "1º/1º Grupo de Transporte de Tropa – Esquadrão "Coral"". História da Força Aérea Brasileira (in Portuguese). January 6, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
^ "2º/1º Grupo de Transporte de Tropa – Esquadrão "Cascavel"". História da Força Aérea Brasileira (in Portuguese). January 6, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
^ "3º/8º GAv – Esquadrão Puma". Spotter (in Portuguese). Retrieved May 19, 2021.
^ "Accident description FAB-2301". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
^ "Accident description FAB-2324". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved May 8, 2021.