The authors begin the book with the following introduction,

A lot has been published on the history of the Mexican Air Force in the Spanish language, covering its establishment, the challenges it faced, its successes and changes through the years. However, there is a short period of time that has not been fully covered or has been passed over by many researchers and historians: the period from the 1920s to the 1940s… Even official government publications and websites rarely mention the period between 1920 and 1940 – and particularly the times when the Military Aviation Service proved unable to protect the established government of Venustiano Carranza. Notably, even the Operations Diary of the Military Aviation School, published in 1925, goes up to 30 December 1919, but then skips over to 20 April 1920, and then again to 31 May 1920: seemingly, even the first crash of a Farman F.50Bn2 bomber in Mexico City was more important than a full-scale rebellion with the removal of the government.

Today’s readers are blessed that talented authors are digging into national archives and telling, while translating, important moments in military history. Mexico has a rich and varied history and the two decades from 1920 to 1940 are no exception, especially with the birth of aviation around the world, and its slower start in Mexico.

Author Santiago A. Flores is an American author, US Army veteran and government employee who specializes in Mexican military aviation research. He has over 200 articles about Mexican military aviation, and this is his second book for the Latin America@War series. Co-author Captain (Retired) Manual Reyna Garza of the Mexican Air Force is a historian and director of the Military Aviation Museum (Museo Militar de Aviación "Teniente Piloto Aviador José Espinoza Fuentes").Both authors bring credibility and tell this incredible story with an easy-to-read format that shines light on a hidden chapter of Mexican air power.

Decades of Rebellion Volume1: Mexican Military Aviation in the Rebellions of the 1920s is a part of Helion and Company’s Latin America@War series, No. 40 (HEL1264). The 82-page book is complete with extensive photographs, technical details and specifications, detailed illustrations, and tables composing the following five chapters:

• Abbreviations and Acronyms
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction

1. The Fall of Caranza, May 1920
2. Problems with Coronel Cantu, Baja California 1920
3. De la Huerta Rebellion, 1923-1924
4. The Yaqui Indian Uprising of 1926-1927
5. Ryan’s Revolutionary M-1s

• Bibliography
• Notes
• About the Authors

The nascent Military Air Service (MAS) was born during the Mexican Revolution, described in this book as lasting from 1910 to 1920.Most American readers are familiar with this time with Pancho Villa’s Raid on Columbus, NM and the subsequent American Punitive Expedition in Mexico, 1916-1917. This was just a small part of the larger Mexican Revolution that also saw the end of the President Don Venustiano Carranza era in May 1920.

As the chapters above outline, the Mexican experience was gripped in violence as factions competed each other. This book highlights how the MAS grew from post-World War I unarmed aircraft in largely reconnaissance roles into a viable fighting service of the Mexican Army that became proficient not only in scouting, reconnaissance, strafing, bombing, but also in establishing airfields to get the aircraft closer to the fighting.

A key person in the MAS transformation was WWI American Ace Ralph O’Neill (born in Durango, Mexico to an American father and Mexican mother) who was a lieutenant when he first met rebel leader Governor of Sonora, Adolfo de la Huerta, who tried to convince the American to fly for his forces against the federal government. Ralph O’Neill’s response was,

I am sorry Governor, I said. I am not a mercenary. I will not fight your war for money, and I doubt that any of my friends would be interested. De la Huerta sat silently for a time; his hands flat on the big desk between us.There might be even greater rewards later he observed. Later when the war is won. Governor, I will tell you what is now running through my mind. You know, just as an air force would ensure the success of your revolution, so its continued existence would guarantee the failure of any later rebellion.

He raised his dark brows, So, after your revolution has succeeded- which I believe it will – and you have become President, then there will be no more important program than for you to establish a Mexican Air Force, independent of the army and all other groups who might affect the security of your government. If at the time you are so minded, I will come to Mexico City and establish an independent air force for you, composed entirely of native Mexicans.

Ralph O’Neill was instrumental in obtaining new aircraft, developing training and tactics, and developed the MAS into an influential and potent force throughout the period of this book. His ability to find other flyers from Britain, Canada, and Germany helped the MAS grow in size and capability much faster than an indigenous force on its own. Throughout the violent chapters outlined above, the MAS grew increasingly more competent. His successes were such that Ralph O’Neill was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in the MAS. When he returned to the United States, he was reinstated as a Colonel in the United States Army Air Reserve.

The authors were thorough in their research with references to pilot logs, interviews, and other amazing facts, maps and diagrams. They also use humor. For example, Mayor Roberto Fierro, commander of an aero squadron during the Yaqui Indian Uprising recalled the voyage on a ship that was transporting his aircraft, an infantry battalion, section of artillery with their horses and mules, and soldiers’ women.

Soldiers continuously lighted fires to cook their food there (ship deck), and thus there was a constant threat of a single spark causing a major conflagration. We told them, we ordered them, and threatened them – but all in vain: the womenfolk continued to cook right next to boxes full of grenades. Until the day we left the ship, I could not stop wondering how come it did not blow up.

While the pilots didn’t have any call signs in the book, two pilots earned nicknames. The first was ‘Ronco’ (snoring) and another was ‘El Lechero’ (Milkman) for his penchant to wake up his personnel by 4am; those that did not get up received a bucket of cold water thrown over them.

This is a fascinating look at the birth and growing pains of an air force and interesting time in Mexican history. This book will appeal to modelers (lots of early aircraft and railroad trains) and anyone wanting to learn more about Mexico’s history in the beginning of the twentieth century. Color profiles are provided for the following aircraft: TNCA (Talleres Nacionales de Construcciones Aeronáuticas – Mexican National Aviation Workshops) Serie A biplane, Farman F.50Bn2 bomber, TNCA Serie H Parasol, Martin Model TT, Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter, Curtiss JN-4 Jennies, Junkers-Larsen JL-6, TNCA Serie B Puro, Ansaldo SVA.10, Morane-Saulnier MS.35C/R, Dayton Wright DH.4B, Lincoln Standard J-1, British Avro 504K/J, Douglas O-2M, and Ryan M-1. The authors did an amazing job with filling the book with black and white photographs of these and many more aircraft, including US Navy Vaught UO-1 floatplanes.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. I learned a lot about modern Mexican history, early aviation and its impacts on warfare, and enjoyed the authors’ approach to this subject. I am already looking forward to Volume 2.

Profuse thanks to Casemate and IPMS/USA for providing the review sample.