South Vietnam Air Force
The South Vietnam Air Force, officially the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF; Vietnamese: Không lực Việt Nam Cộng hòa, KLVNCH; French: Force aérienne vietnamienne, FAVN) (sometimes referred to as the Vietnam Air Force or VNAF), was the aerial branch of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, the official military of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) from 1955 to 1975.
| Republic of Vietnam Air Force | |
|---|---|
| Không lực Việt Nam Cộng hòa | |
Emblem of the South Vietnamese air force | |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Disbanded | 1975 |
| Country | South Vietnam |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Air defense Air warfare |
| Size | 63,000 personnel (at height) 2,075 aircraft (at height) |
| Part of | Republic of Vietnam Military Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon |
| Nickname(s) | KLVNCH (VNAF in English) |
| Motto(s) | Tổ Quốc — Không Gian ("Fatherland — Space") |
| March | Không quân Việt Nam hành khúc |
| Anniversaries | 1 July (VNAF Day) |
| Engagements | Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Laotian Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Nguyễn Khánh Nguyễn Xuân Vinh Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Trần Văn Minh |
| Insignia | |
| Flag | |
| Roundel | |
| Fin Flash | |
| Fin Flash (type 2) | |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | MD 315 Flamant, T-28, A-1, A-37, AC-47, AC-119G/K |
| Bomber | B-57 Canberra |
| Electronic warfare | EC-47 |
| Fighter | F8F Bearcat, F-5A/B/C/E |
| Patrol | Republic RC-3 Seabee |
| Reconnaissance | RF-5A, MS 500 Criquet, O-1 Bird Dog, O-2 Skymaster, U-17 |
| Trainer | T-6, T-28, T-41, T-37, H-13 |
| Transport | Dassault MD 315 Flamant, C-45, Aero Commander, C-47, DC-6, C-7 Caribou, C-119, C-123, C-130, H-19, H-34, UH-1, CH-47 |
The RVNAF began with a few hand-picked men chosen to fly alongside French pilots during the State of Vietnam era. It eventually grew into the world's fourth largest air force at the height of its power, in 1974, just behind the Soviet Union, the USA, and the People's Republic of China. Other sources state that VNAF was the sixth largest air force in the world, just behind the Soviet Union, the USA, China, France and West Germany. It is an often neglected chapter of the history of the Vietnam War as they operated in the shadow of the United States Air Force (USAF). It was dissolved in 1975 after the Fall of Saigon; many of its members emigrated to the United States.