Força Aèria de República de Catalunya

After the Catalonian referendum on October 1st showed a vast majority in favour for independence from Spain, things rapidly deteriorated.  Then Spanish government took over the governance of Catalonia replacing the regional government.

In Catalonia increasing numbers of people took to the streets in protest to the Spanish. Things got out of hand when a demonstration in Barcelona was dispersed by the Spanish riot police with extreme violence. Hundreds of people were injured.

This led to a general revolt by the Catalonians against the Spanish. Spanish policemen were attacked and pushed out of Catalonia. When this happened a number of Catalan members of the Spanish military revolted against their Spanish officers and came to Catalonia to defend their home country.

This included a number of Air force personnel which took a number of aircraft with them, including some F-18 and Typhoon fighters. These were flown to Reus airfield, a former Air Force base and were incorporated into a Catalonian Air Force. The Spanish insignia were removed and replaced by the Catalonian roundel.

In all 12 F-18s and 8 Typhoons were flown to Barcelona. Also some transport aircraft were taken by their crews and flown to Barcelona loaded with weapons and spares for the fighters. The fighters flew patrols along the Catalonian border and on one occasion confronted a number of Spanish transport which attempted to bring Spanish troops to Barcelona. The transports turned around and headed back to Madrid.