The Dominican Republic Air Forces Boeing B-17's "Fortress of The Caribbean"

President Trujillo created the Aviation Detachment for the National Army through General Order No.1 in January 1936. However, this was only the beginning of Trujillo’s ambition to put his air force at the forefront of Latin American military aviation. His ambition was as big as his vanity, and he even changed the name of the country’s capital city from Santo Domingo to Ciudad Trujillo. By 1943 an important and modern airbase had been constructed in the outskirts of Ciudad Trujillo, just 20 km east of the city and tasked with handling both civilian and military operations. The base was inaugurated on January 22, 1944 and named “General Andrews” airbase, in honor of U.S. General Frank M. Andrews.

Meanwhile, a group of Dominican exiles living in Cuba threatened to invade the country in 1947 and overthrow the Dictator. This group developed its own air force, the Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de la Revolución Americana (FAERA), using Havana as their main operating base, from where they intended to invade Dominican Republic in June 1948. FAERA’s fleet included two Cessna T-50s, one Consolidated B-24, two PBY-5A Catalina amphibians, two C-46 Commandos, two C-47 Dakotas, one C-54 Skymaster, two Lockheed PV-1 Venturas, two B-25 Mitchells and eight P-38L Lightnings.

The Dominican government quickly started negotiations with Canada for the acquisition of 30 Mosquito bombers as well as the U.S. for sale of a powerful fleet that included 30 B-25 Mitchell light bombers, four B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers and 18 P-38 Lightning long-range fighters. Its intention to destroy the FAERA was no secret, and such an attack would had provoked a war with Cuba, so the U.S. government limited military sales to 15 PT-17 primary trainers during that period.