Air War in the Venezuelan 1992 Military Coup (F-16 vs Bronco) 

The two F-16 pilots who managed to take off from the rebel controlled air base, did so while wearing shorts because they were not prepared in their flight suits

As a Venezuelan, everything that you said was correct, also nice reenactment. My father told me that he watched the dogfight that happened near La Carlota airbase.

My dad is an Aeronautical Engineer, he was living in Maracay in those days. By the time the coup started, he was preparing some classes for his students about at 5 am, when he was surprised for the high supersonic boom from one of the loyal F-16 escaping from Maracay to Barquisimeto. That story is one of the most valuable things that my father shared to me, and we still remembering that each year. It's a great video, you won a new sub here. So many thanks for share the military aviation history of my country.

Thank you for showing this, means a lot as a Venezuelan.

I remember watching out the living room window and seeing the Bronco crash into Libertador Airport (informally called La Carlota). These video brought some scary memories of my childhood... Thanks for the video.

This is incredible! In my opinion it is one of the most interesting air to air combat stories. Thank you so much for doing it.

Very cool to be able to see these rarely covered air operations. South American pilots have a bad habit of mainly scoring kills against their own.

Good research, as a Venezuelan you did a good job with the info you gathered, I also liked how you did a little "reenactment" of what happened using this wonderful simulator. Probably this isn't much interesting to share but both my parents where there when this exact dogfight was happening, as it was visible from very far away. Thank goodness they were far away. On the good side, I imagine that would have been a very interesting date for my mother (my parents were dating back then). Good thing too my dad retired the airforce 10 years before this happened, even though he wasn't a pilot nor had an "interesting" role of sorts.

Geez men, thanks for doing it! Very very interesting piece of history here. There was a couple of strafes in Caracas made by the broncos, but I’m assuming you didn’t add it because it wasn’t an a2a combat. I’m honored as a Venezuelan as your work

Great video! I, as a venezuelan, didn't know that the coup extended to Barquisimeto and had so many aircrafts and types of aircraft involved, quite a big theater of ops, for a coup. Amazing that you provided such great context on the FAV up to that point. Every time I hear the sound of the F-16 I'm transported to where I lived in the capital Caracas because the approach to Fuerte Tiuna for the air parades was just above my house. You just can't forget the feeling of F-16s and Su-30s passing above you in formation below 2000ft. Raw POWER.

I am becoming addicted to your video's. So well done it seems real.

Once the Bronco was released I had a feeling you'd be covering this event. Great job as usual, the gear down on the bronco during the dogfight was some nice attention to detail. What happened to those pilots after the elections? Again, great stuff.

Another work of art. I look forward to your future F-4 Phantom II reenactments!

Finally you’ve covered OV-10s in air combat. They are outclassed by the F-16 in every way as they are not built fir dog fight. Thanks for the reenactment of this event. Keep up the great work!

Hello, I am Venezuelan and I was 19 years old at that time. Great job!

Your comment and engagement for algorithm, me Lord. Loved hearing the story behind that crazy bronco vs F-16 video a saw a while back.

Great video once again! 👍🏻👏🏻💪🏻 Also, those F-16 camos are sick!

I just absolutely love this type of content

Your research was awesome! you got every fact right. Some things to add, a rebel pilot tried to fly an F-16 but during takeoff he hit the nozzle with the runway so he had to abort takeoff, and a Bronco survived a hit by a RBS-70 MANPAD and managed to land. I have a link with photos of that day but youtube doesnt let me paste it. Thank you!

Where I lived as a child, I saw the chase of the F16 against the Mirage pass very, very close to the buildings.

Congratulations for your work I like it and it is an honor for me as a Venezuelan that you will recreate a chapter of the military history of my country, really thank you and I will spread it so that the new generations know about this historical fact and the older ones remember of it, because we suffer from short memory as it happens all over the world and of course I will also spread it to my friends from other countries so that they know that although my land did not have external wars, it did have dogfights, greetings brother.

Excelente video Brooo. Más personas de mi país deberían de verlo

10/10! Awesome presentation! You nailed it. I recommend playing it at 1.5 speed… it’s like a Hollywood movie! 👍

I saw the Mirage vs F-16 chase . At the time, we didn't know who was attacking who, as only hours before the coup had started. This video sets the record straight for me. Thanks and cheers from soon-to-be free Venezuela 🇻🇪

I was 8 years old when this happened... I lived near Fuerte Tiuna and I remember clearly the airplanes flying over, and while this reenactment is not 100% accurate, trust me, it is close enough anyway. Thanks for doing this dude, I wasn't expecting this video on my feed and I am positively surprised. I have a question: If Labarca managed to shot down 3 airplanes, does that make him an Ace? Thanks again dude, great video

During the gun kill, the F-16 appears close to stalling, knowing now the pilot was in shorts and not his g-suit elevates my already high respect for him x10. He trained at my place of birth Luke AFB near Phoenix, Az!

Absolutely superb, very well made video! Love when you recreate from the America's conflicts.

That moment of our history was sad and shameful. It was signal of what eventually would come next. thank you for your video.

You're my new favourite RU-vid channel, have been watching your vids for a couple of weeks! I'll share them! SUBSCRIBED! hvala ti ko bratu! Love from India 🇮🇳❣️🇭🇷

Muchas gracias! Me ha encantado el vídeo. Gracias de nuevo

An amazing work!! Belive me the build of the map of Caracas is practically perfect (I'm from there) and the models of the aircraft too, just a couple of diferences of the camo of the F16s but mostly accurate, keep with this job bro!!

i witnessed this event. I saw dog fight over Caracas and Bronco fired the misiles above my home. Bronco with only one engine passed over my home to crash few minutes later in La Carlota. Excellent job recreating this event. What a waste of aircrafts and fights between brothers in arms. After that nothing good has happened in Venezuela. Thank you and congratulations.

Hey... excellent video, I really didn't think other countries knew about this feat that happened 32 years ago. I was 14 years old when that happened, and I'm finding out from your work that there were many more planes that the F16s shot down. I appreciate that you do your job because I really believe, I'm not sure, it is the only air battle in the Americas in contemporary history... I am a commercial pilot at present, but all my life I wanted to be a military pilot of the F16 or the F18 aircraft that We don't have it in Vzla but I love that F18 Super Hornet plane. I don't know where you are from but from Vzla I send you greetings and continue with your work. You already have a new follower of your channel. Greetings Brother...

Awesome video brotha was looking forward for this one since OV 10 was released awesome work brotha keep it up

I watched this myself. Let me correct the location. This happened in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. The Bronco OV-10 (rebel) attacked the Air Force Military base "Vicente Landaeta Gil". The 2 F-16s ( Loyal) circled, like lions, around the city, but refrained to attack inside of it, as they feared civilian casualties. I personally saw both the F16's and the Bronco OV-10 maneuvering inside the city. It was terrifying

When two pilots remembered their oaths to the people and not their comrades, the rebellion was lost.

Shoot I'm from Barquisimeto, it's so weird hearing my little city mentioned like that, but so cool to see someone covering our history!

Lots of work went into this. T Y for the re-enactment, good attention to detail

It is kind of surrealist to see a re-enactment of something one lived through. Of course, I was just a young man looking at stuff from my window so I mainly catched the F-16 passing Caracas and thats it. Well, it is also a bit surreal because none of the terrain match :P But in any case, weird to think I was "there". Great job.

The Venezuelan People honor to the F16 pilots who demonstrated courage and determination in the defense of democracy and the homeland for freedom, we remember them as authentic heroes. El Pueblo Venezolano rinde homenaje a los pilotos de los F16 quienes demostraron valentia y determination en la defensa de la democracia y la patria por la libertad, los recordamos como autenticos heroes. Verdaderos Militares Venezolanos.

I witnessed the dog fight between the F16 and the Tucano on November 27th from my house in Caracas, very close (less than 300m) from El Palacio de Miraflores. This is what I remember seeing: there was this F16 going around the city. When it was North West of my location a Tucano approached the F16 from behind and shot at it first! I clearly saw the traces of fire coming from the propeller airplane! It probably missed because in the blink of an eye, the F16 was behind the Tucano and in no time to flashes of light came came from the the F16 and the Tucano started spewing black smoke. The Tucano left smoking more or less heading north. Immediately after that happened all the Broncos that were making the rounds to bomb El Palacio de Miraflores left.

Amigo amo tus documentales, the way you show us this with the dcs simulation and the historical enviroment is really unique, thanks so much for your work..

Finally a venezuelan '92 coup reenactment with proper skins. Well done.

This is really very good, thank you very much bro!

Ingeniously researched and great presented! Respect! Thank you for you great work!

Baš sam neki dan gledao taj okršaj između F-16 i OV-10 na yt. HVALA!

Wow, you actually go the camo patterns and insignia of the squadrons right, people rarely notice the little red flag the FAV has used historically for cavalry units going down to the air force.

The saddest day in the history of the Venezuelan Air Force

I remember the sound of the Broncos engine early that day, then the sound of the F16, at the end of the afternoon-night only the sound of the F16 could be heard.

Hola,saludos desde Venezuela yo fui testigo de los bombardeos de los Broncos y de algunos combates aéreos en Caracas para esa época yo tenía 10 años de edad y vivía al oeste de la ciudad en un edificio con una gran panorámica de gran parte de la ciudad y con una vista de 360 grados también fue bombardeada la sede de la DISIP desde donde se le disparo con una ametralladora CAL 50 al Bronco que terminó cayendo sobre la base aérea de La Carlota.

Great Job on the reenactment even being a sad page in the history of my country. the kills on the vipers were all strife non AIM-9 with limited ammo for the vulcan. And a colour note the pilots left Libertador with Blue jeans and no g suit because they were stealing it from the rebels.

I'm Venezuelan American, I lived this, minute by minute, I lived in Santa Rosa de Lima, at 2 or 3 am I was woke up by the sound of a helicopter landing at Valle Arriba golf club, then I received a call from a friend: turn the tv on he said, then I saw four criminals announcing the coup, after killing innocent unarmed tv technician and neighbors at Channel 8 TV station, moments later, we started hearing the shootings, and the brave reports from the other channels newscasters. Like at 6 am we started to hear the sound of the jets, and the bombardment over La Carlota Airbase. All windows rumbling from the explosions. So I went to my balcony and started to see live the dog fight, at one time, one of the Broncos passed so low that I saw the pilot face, I thought he was going to crash in one of the buildings, after the OB10 passed by, I saw the F16 chasing the OV10, As a skydiver, I would guess they were flying at 200 to 300' AGL. This was the beginning of the end of democracy in Venezuela.

2 F-16's... think about it, 2.... Would love to know the exact story on just how they managed to take off unhindered on a rebel controlled airfield. It's a lot more complicated than stealing a car...

Ahhhhh niceee!! Was waiting for this!

excellent programs thank you !

Amazing video, nice animations, and true facts

82ND AIRBORNE Wow!! That Paint scheme on the F-16 is Hotter than Georgia Asphalt!!

Odličan video!

I'm from Venezuela, great job Mi pana. This is a story that has to be told. One of the biggest air battles in Latin America, sadly, between brothers.

I'm venezuelan. Thank you so much

I also remember when an F-16 broke the sound barrier just above the house... about 2,000 meters up... it was a blast that we thought had been shot down and was going to come down nearby.

2 heroes de la democracia en venezuela

An interesting fight, during one of them the F-16 had a problem with the Bronco, which kept changing direction, making circles and flying under the roofs, everything was watched by many spectators, even though the F-16 is good, if the Bronco had a Sidewinder, the chances of being shot down were high, maybe also with canon.

Must be freaky watching your own air force fighting itself!

Interesting stuff, yet this is like 3 decades ago. I love you content for covering air combats.

Great work!! As usual…👍🏻

11:40 aside from looking out for the "slow and manoeuverable part", it must have felt like swatting a fly out of the sky.

Thanks for this excellent history lesson.

What an awesome recreation!!!

10:14 YES I was expecting to use that video! Amazing video on the events Showtime!!

Love your videos. Thanks for putting in the time. I have a question.. are you a pilot? Just curious

I remember that like it was yesterday I was 11 years old. I was standing on the top floor of my house and I saw a mirage III and an f16 fly at full speed one after the other. It was 7 am that day after like At 10 am I saw a Super Puma helicopter shoot towards the base and that's when it came out in bronco or ov 10. Later I saw how the f16 stalked the bronco until I saw on tv that the f16 shot down the bronco in Caracas. The f16 never fired missiles. They say that he did not have the permission to use any type of missiles because it was already an unequal fight. NOTE I still live near the Libertadores air base about 4 km, about 2.4 miles. It all ended around 6 pm after some tanks arrived light and took the base. I remember hearing 21 cannon shots

I like how you explain real life history with combat simulators unlike some people out there that portrayed the actual simulator as real life events to fool people into thinking it's real for Channel views and likes

On January 19th a f 16 was killed over baghdad by fulcrums falsely reported as a sam kill. Please do this. The information is available on the respective wikipedia article unless they deleted it, in which case it is in the history. Also, the case where the serbian fulcrum came within visual range of a E 3.

Oh wow, DCS has the Bronco now?!? Time to get a dedicated rig.

I was 13 years old when this happened

Awesome video 😀

You need to do one about the 1969 soccer war the last time piston engine fighter fought each other.

Fun fact: the F-16 that shoted down the OV-10 bronco with the canon was the last plane that shoted down another plane with the canon

Just an observation, by the time of this coup, all Mirages had been updated to Mirage 50s.

Saludos desde Venezuela , buen video

my dad had this recorded and he had also recorded the radio chatter going on as the coup was taking place. sadly he lost all of this historic footage.

Most of these guys now are living in the Doral section of Miami

Imagine watching this madness live

I was in Caracas in those days... I saw in first hand all those events... I saw the broncos diving over Miraflores palace and f16 pursuit them.... I didn' t saw the Mirage... all that from my apartamentos balcony in el Paraíso neighborhood

Can you cover the ov-10 roll in helping recapture northern Iraq in the war against ISIS.

Gracias!

I was on an oil platform in Lake Maracaibo at this time. When I heard about the coup I got really nervous. Then one of my fellow workers told me that no matter who wins they are going to want the oil. I must admit I felt a lot better after that. When it was my time to rotate home (about two weeks later) I was on a Venezuelan airliner that diverted to Cuba because of a bomb threat. Interesting times.

They needed a secondary element in the strafing attacks. That element will neutralize any AA battery's. Two passes and then find something else to do.

The actual video of this is CRAZY

The “tucano” showed in the video is actually the super tucano which development finished in 2004.

great video

Apparently this did not work out for the loyalist pilots. The rebellion was for Chavez, who became President in 1998 anyways. He kicked out and arrested Labarca (apparently, according to sources I could find) in 2002 for desertion and later had him murdered later in Florida. No information is known on the other pilot currently, but it is thought his aviation career ended soon afterwards. He was apparently sent to USA to train on T2A, but since he didn't speak or understand English, he was forced to return. Then Chavez came to power.

Hey its a good narration.

Crazy stuff. Thanks for sharing 👍🏻👍🏻🙃🙃

hello... I want to tell you that I experienced those attacks in Caracas live and direct... it was something very amazing and incredible!! I still remember everything as if it were yesterday... war is not good!

From where he lived in Caracas, he could see the attacks by the Broncos and then an F-16 appeared and he chased it until it was shot down and Carlota el Bronco fell at the airport.

Dudes were heroes, true skyknights!!!

Yeah, it REALLY didn't look like Caracas at all. The valley is MUCH narrower and El Avila mountain is MUCH bigger. But your narration and the reenactment were good. I lived there during that coup and I remember the dogfights over the city. I will never forget how the buildings shook when they passed overhead and all the windows rattled as if they were going to break. Having supersonic jets roaring overhead is NOT a nice experience.

Vivia en calabozo, edo Guarico, estaba en el liceo durante los 2 golpes, hasta un FAL me dieron pa defense la democracia yo tenia 15 anos