Book Review of
Air Wars Between Ecuador & Peru
Vol. 3: Aerial Operations Over the Cenepa River Valley 1995
Helion & Co. Latin America @ War Series No.22
Author: Amuru Tincopa
ISBN:978-1-914059-10-0
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2021
MSRP: $29.95
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2021
MSRP: $29.95
The series of sharp clashes between Ecuador and Peru in 1981 left the dispute between the two countries unresolved, as there was still no definitive delimitation of the border. During the following years, both parties had to deal with a series of internal and external issues and, ultimately, these affected the planning and operational capabilities of their respective armed forces.
While Peru underwent a severe economic crisis, including hyperinflation caused by poor management of its economy, and fought a leftist insurgency, Ecuador underwent a transition from a centrally-controlled economy to a free market: in turn, it was one of the countries in Latin America least effected by the precipitous fall in regional economic indices of the 1990’s. These factors had an immediate impact upon the armed forces of both countries: they proved decisive for the development of their defensive and offensive planning and would exercise direct influence upon the decisions taken by field commanders of both countries during the final, third war between Ecuador and Peru in 1995.
Drawing upon extensive research in the official archives from both the Fuerza Aerea del Ecuador and Fuerza Aerea del Peru, with documentation from multitude private sources in both countries, Air Wars Between Ecuador and Peru Vol. 3 completes the history of the aerial operations launched by the forces of both nations in the brief – but also the most violent – engagement between these two countries.
By accessing details from both parties to the conflict, this volume avoids biased and one-sided coverage of the conflict, while providing detail of the military buildup , capabilities and intentions of both of the air forces involved, their training, planning, and the conduct of combat operations.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Co. Books is located in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 80 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
It is illustrated by 158 black and white and 12 color exclusive photographs, 4 original maps, and 15 specially commissioned colour profiles, Air Wars Between Ecuador and Peru Vol. 3 provides the first authoritative account of the air warfare between Ecuador and Peru in early 1995.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Peruvian Tucanos aircraft in flight at the top over a color profile of a Peruvian Canberra.
The back cover shows an Ecuadorian Mirage F.1JA over a Peruvian SU-22M.
The photos in the book show aircraft, helicopters, vans, weapons and pilots.
The color profiles show:
A Ecuadorian A-37B with squadron patch illustration.
A Peruvian Jaguar fighter with squadron patches illustrations.
A Peruvian Kfir C.2 fighter bomber with squadron patches illustrations.
A Peruvian Mirage F.1JA fighter with 3 squadron patches illustrations.
An Ecuadorian Learjet with squadron patch illustration.
An Ecuadorian A-27B with squadron patch illustration.
Two Ecuadorian MI-8T helicopters, one with squadron patch illustration.
An Ecuadorian M-25 helicopter with squadron patch illustration.
An Ecuadorian Mirage 2000P with squadron patch illustration.
Two of an Ecuadorian SU-22 with 3 squadron patches illustrated.
A Peruvian DHC-6 twin-otter with squadron patch illustration.
Two Ecuadorian Canberras with squadron patch illustrations.
This book will be of interest to both modelers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Helion & Co. Books and all Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web-site at:
While Peru underwent a severe economic crisis, including hyperinflation caused by poor management of its economy, and fought a leftist insurgency, Ecuador underwent a transition from a centrally-controlled economy to a free market: in turn, it was one of the countries in Latin America least effected by the precipitous fall in regional economic indices of the 1990’s. These factors had an immediate impact upon the armed forces of both countries: they proved decisive for the development of their defensive and offensive planning and would exercise direct influence upon the decisions taken by field commanders of both countries during the final, third war between Ecuador and Peru in 1995.
Drawing upon extensive research in the official archives from both the Fuerza Aerea del Ecuador and Fuerza Aerea del Peru, with documentation from multitude private sources in both countries, Air Wars Between Ecuador and Peru Vol. 3 completes the history of the aerial operations launched by the forces of both nations in the brief – but also the most violent – engagement between these two countries.
By accessing details from both parties to the conflict, this volume avoids biased and one-sided coverage of the conflict, while providing detail of the military buildup , capabilities and intentions of both of the air forces involved, their training, planning, and the conduct of combat operations.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Co. Books is located in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 80 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
It is illustrated by 158 black and white and 12 color exclusive photographs, 4 original maps, and 15 specially commissioned colour profiles, Air Wars Between Ecuador and Peru Vol. 3 provides the first authoritative account of the air warfare between Ecuador and Peru in early 1995.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Peruvian Tucanos aircraft in flight at the top over a color profile of a Peruvian Canberra.
The back cover shows an Ecuadorian Mirage F.1JA over a Peruvian SU-22M.
The photos in the book show aircraft, helicopters, vans, weapons and pilots.
The color profiles show:
A Ecuadorian A-37B with squadron patch illustration.
A Peruvian Jaguar fighter with squadron patches illustrations.
A Peruvian Kfir C.2 fighter bomber with squadron patches illustrations.
A Peruvian Mirage F.1JA fighter with 3 squadron patches illustrations.
An Ecuadorian Learjet with squadron patch illustration.
An Ecuadorian A-27B with squadron patch illustration.
Two Ecuadorian MI-8T helicopters, one with squadron patch illustration.
An Ecuadorian M-25 helicopter with squadron patch illustration.
An Ecuadorian Mirage 2000P with squadron patch illustration.
Two of an Ecuadorian SU-22 with 3 squadron patches illustrated.
A Peruvian DHC-6 twin-otter with squadron patch illustration.
Two Ecuadorian Canberras with squadron patch illustrations.
This book will be of interest to both modelers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Helion & Co. Books and all Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web-site at:
Recommended.