Luis Farell
Encyclopedia
Luis Farell Cubillas was born in San Pedro de las Colonias, Coahuila
, Mexico
, being son of Consuelo Cubillas Gutiérrez – a native of Santander
, Spain
- and the jeweler Enrique Farell Solá – a native of Lerida, Catalonia
, Spain
. Luis Farell had 11 siblings, including the senior politician Arsenio Farell Cubillas.
Luis Farell Cubillas was a Mexican Air Force
combat pilot during the Revolution of 1920s. He fought against Adolfo de la Huerta
, the Yaqui rebels, General Arnulfo R. Gomez, against the Cristeros and accomplished several bombing and strafing missions against the military coup headed by General José Gonzalo Escobar and the revolt by General Saturnino Cedillo. Farell retired from active service as a Division General while being Sub-Chief of the Mexican Air Force
.
and in February 1911 at the age of 9 years and along with 30,000 spectators, Farell witnessed the aerial exhibition of the Moisant brothers with Blériot
airplanes carried out in the fields of Balbuena in Mexico City. In 1920, at the age of 18 years, Farell graduated as accountant just after the military-political events that caused the fall of President Venustiano Carranza
. This rebellion had three important leaders: General Alvaro Obregón
, General Plutarco Elías Calles
and Adolfo de la Huerta
.
In August 1920, the President Adolfo de la Huerta
hired three famous veteran and foreign pilots of World War I
with the purpose of training Mexican pilots in modern tactics and organizing a functional air force. The foreign instructors were the American Ralph O'Neill, the German Fritz Bieler and the French instructor Joe Ben Lievre. Ralph O'Neill was designated as Chief Instructor of the Military school of Aviation and under orders of General Gustavo Salinas; the Mexican instructors were Alberto Carranza, Horacio Ruiz Gaviño and the brothers Juan Pablo Aldasoro and Eduardo Aldasoro.
When the Mexican government announced recruitment of aviators for the new Mexican Air Force, Farell applied on July 12, 1920 and enrolled as a cadet on November 11, 1920. This was a time at which, given the shortage produced by the war in Europe, Mexico had only 18 airplanes: four Brown Special biplanes and some TNCA
made in Mexico. O'Neill reported to General Calles that most of the fleet available (13 airplanes in good condition and 5 in disrepair) had to be replaced since they were obsolete and worn away. Therefore, Mexico acquired some English Avro 504K and Avro 504
J airplanes, which later would be made in Mexico with the name Avro Anáhuac. In addition, in May 1920 Mexico acquired thirteen twin-engine bombers Farman F.50.
Luis Farell graduated on April 24 of 1922 with the degree of Lieutenant and was initially assigned to the 'Observation and Bombing Squadron'. His lower scores were fencing
and English language, while his higher scores were use of firearms and landings to the mark with obstructions.
On January 11, 1925, he was commissioned to become a flight instructor
and on May 24, 1926, he travelled to the United States to undergo a special aeronautics course in the military school located in Brooks Field
, Texas.
launched a military coup later called the delahuertista rebellion against the government of President Alvaro Obregón
. The situation was extremely critical because along with de la Huerta, about sixty percent of the army revolted, including various high ranking Generals across Mexico.
Mexico quickly reequipped and reorganized the military aviation and, with the help of the United States, it received new combat airplanes consisting of several de Havilland DH-4B with Liberty motor, armed with Lewis
and Vickers machine gun
s and able to carry bombs.
During December 10–21 of 1923, Farell’s squadron made explorations and bombings on San Marcos, Aguascalientes
, San Carlos Fortress
in Perote, Veracruz and Puente de Ixtla
, Morelos
. Then, Farell attacked enemy convoys in Iguala
, Pachuca and intermediate locations in company of his friend Squadron Commander Roberto Fierro VIllalobos.
On December 11, 1923, the important city of Puebla
was taken by enemy forces and, eleven days later on December 22, and in company of pilot and artilleryman Lieutenant Guillermo Monroy, Farell bombed and machine-gunned the forts of Loreto, Guadalupe and San Juán, as well as enemy positions in the city of Puebla. He later moved on to attack rebels operating in the southern states of Tabasco
, Oaxaca
and Chiapas
, where their engine failed and crashed in the dense jungle; fortunately, they were unharmed. In a lucky turn of events Farell and Monroy were rescued by Mayan
natives and brought to a nearby town.
In January 1924, Farell began his duties in the north-western front against the Generals Enrique Estrada
and Manuel Macario Diéguez, who controlled most of Chihuahua, Jalisco
, Guanajuato
, Michoacán
and Durango
states. Luis Farell made explorations, strafing and bombings on enemy bases in the cities of Pénjamo
, Yuriria
and Moroleón
in the state of Guanajuato; and in Michoacán, he attacked positions in the cities of Morelia
, Panindícuaro and intermediate points of opportunity.
From January 14 to February 6 of 1924, Luis Farell made several bombings and strafing as artilleryman of Colonel Ralph O'Neill on the state of Colima
.
On February 4 of 1924, Luis Farell was promoted to Squadron Commander of the First Squadron, Second Regiment and, on February 9, 1924 he took part in the critical battle of Ocotlán, in Jalisco
, a decisive and cruel battle in which Generals Joaquín Amaro
and Lázaro Cárdenas
lead 10,000 troops against the forces commanded by Salvador Alvarado
. Since the Lerma River
divided to the troops of both sides the artillery and the Air Force were indispensable during the early hours of combat: At 07:00AM, Farell’s squadron flew the first of two missions, bombing and strafing the enemy until he ran out of ammunition. After raising an improvised bridge, the federal forces won the battle and took several prisoners.Three days later, the federal forces easily recovered the city of Guadalajara
, where Estrada’s headquarters was based, but he managed to escape to Cuba
and Diéguez escaped to the south, where he was arrested executed.
On February 12 of 1924, Farell mounted several attacks on the state of Colima, where was still some resistance. During the campaign in the northwest, Farell served under the orders of General Salinas, Colonel Ralph O’Neill, Majors Rafael Montero Ramos, Rafael Ponce de León and Alfredo Lezama Álvarez. Some fellow fliers were men like Roberto Fierro Villalobos, Pablo Sidar, Emilio Carranza
, Eliseo Martín del Campo, Guillermo Monroy, Manuel Solís, Julián Nava Salinas, Francisco Espejel, Alberto Vieytez, Ricardo Díaz Gonzáles and Luís Rojas, among others.
For his valuable participation against the Adolfo de la Huerta coup, General Lázaro Cardenas
, who was present at his aerial attacks, promoted Luis Farell to the degree of Captain because of “special merits during battle”.
Predicting more insurrections, on January 11, 1925 Farell was assigned to take a flight instructor
course and train new pilots.
During 1926 and 1927, Mexico found itself immersed in a wave of violent territorial, religious and military armed rebellions, which required the Mexican Air Force to quickly deploy its forces and provide air support wherever the federal army requested them.
When President Plutarco Elías Calles
pushed for the creation of the ‘Mexican Apostolic Catholic Church’, independent of Rome, a conflict untied that, would unleash a widespread religious war known as the Cristero War
. Luis Farell served in multiple missions in this war from 1926 to 1929 while flying combat missions mostly in the states of Jalisco
, Guanajuato
and Michoacán
.
During this long conflict, Farell flew alongside his friend Roberto Fierro and other airmen.
. Along with world famous pilot Emilio Carranza
, Farell flew several air-to-ground attacks over the Bacatete mountains of Sonora
. It was during one of these missions that Emilio Carranza crashed and required of face reconstruction. During this campaign, Farell flew the airplanes de Havilland DH-4B # 2, 5, the Avro 504
# 59, 61, 65, 77, the Douglas O-2C
# 1, 3 and the Lincoln biplane # 5.
Several years after this campaign, Farell expressed to his family the moral difficulties of having battled against these indigenous people, whom demanded by the force that previous territorial treaties were implemented.
In May 1927, while General Obregón seemed keen to impose the presidency to General Calles, Arnulfo R. Gómez launched an armed rebellion against both Obregón and Calles. His command posts were located in the cities of Puebla and Veracruz, where he brought about 2000 very well armed federal deserters.
Once the Mexican Air Force was revamped, Farell was assigned a squadron and, from October 6–11 he flew 7 consecutive missions in Veracruz
with great efficiency, defeating Arnulfo Gomez. Wasting no time, Farell’s squadron was assigned to return west and renew attacks against the Cristeros in the states of Jalisco
, Guanajuato
and Michoacán
, as the Cristeros' numbers had increased to an estimated 15,000.
, Bristol Boarhound
, de Havilland DH-4B and Douglas O-2C
, a force that was not suitable to defeat Escobar's power. In this context, the government of Mexico convinced the USA to promote the peace south of its border and quickly make available twelve new OU-2M Corsair
with the 400 hp Wasp engine, nine Douglas O-2M
, four Stearman C3B and six Waco 10
. Only two weeks after making the request, the USA government agreed and Farell and other pilots travelled to Brownsville, Texas
and New York
to pick up the new aircraft.
It is recorded that Luis Farell flew a total of 52 combat hours over the states of Nuevo León
, Coahuila
, Durango
and Chihuahua, when he was wounded by a bullet. On March 19, 1929 while in company of Lieutenant Colonel Pablo Sidar, Roberto Fierro, Ismael Aduna, Luis Boyer, Arturo Jiménez Nieto, Antonio Cárdenas Rodríguez, Carlos Rovirosa, Rodolfo Torres Rico and Gustavo León, Luis Farell attacked enemy positions in Benavides, Coahuila
and the following five days, from 20 - 25 of March, he bombed telegraph lines, bridges, locomotives and the railroad out of the city of Jiménez, Chihuahua in order to cut the enemy’s escape and communications. Finally, on March 25, 1929 Farell’s squadron attacked Escobar’s operation centers in the cities of Escalon and Jiménez, and while making a low altitude strafing run on a WACO aircraft, he was shot in both legs.
The battle for the city of Jiménez was immediately reported by telegram to the President by the Lieutenant Colonel Rodolfo Tostado Loaiza, a ‘Head of Presidential Guard’ monitoring the campaign:
A detailed report was made the following day and it reveals that in fact, Luis Farell piloted the airplane and the artilleryman was Captain Ismael Aduna. Farell was able to return to his base and land safely. Once the bleeding was controlled, he was flown to the Hospital Francés in Mexico City, where Erasmo González Ancira, a military physician, reported that the projectile entered his left calf, fragmented 12 cm of the fibula bone and passed only 2 cm from the femoral artery of his right thigh.
Three days after Farell was shot, Escobar was defeated by General Calles in Jiménez City, where he took about 6000 prisoners. This rebellion was quite serious, since a third of the officials and nearly 30,000 soldiers rebelled; In two months, more than 2000 men were killed.
Because of his actions in battle, on April 5 of 1929, Farell he was promoted to Major and the President Emilio Portes Gil awarded him with the Cruz de Guerra medal for having flown hundreds of missions and for having engaged the enemy in battle at least 50 times. In addition, the President appointed him as 'Jefe del Estado Mayor Presidencial
’, a prominent presidential guard staff.
A few days after leaving the hospital, on June 21. 1929, Luis Farell got married to Miss Ana Samaniego Castillo, and on August 12, the President presented him with a Waco
model 10
biplane.
In 1932, Farell served in the First and Second Air Regiments flying the Chance-Vought Corsair O2U-2M
, Corsair O2U-4A
, Douglas O-2M
and the Bristol Fighters. Then, Farell was appointed as Chief of the Civil Aviation Department and proceeded to head a committee to upgrade civil aviation policies and procedures.
On January 1, 1934, the newly elected President Lázaro Cárdenas
again appointed him as 'Jefe del Estado Mayor Presidencial
' and in November 1934, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the Air Force.
During 1935, he was in charge of the Military Aeronautics Department and in 1936, he was appointed as Director of the Military School of Aviation, a charge that he performed until October 1945.
In May 1938, the Governor of San Luis Potosi
, General Saturnino Cedillo, declared himself in rebellion against Cardenas’ government and, President Cárdenas travelled to San Luis Potosi to personally mount the campaign against the revolt.
Luis Farell and an old friend, Coronel Alfredo Lezama Álvarez, organized a mixed fleet of 17 aircraft and flew several missions, engaging the enemy assertively when spotted. Cedillo quickly realized he had no chance in open fields against the air force and ran to the Huasteca hills, where his men dispersed abandoning him.
During this confrontation, Farell flew the new V-99M Corsairs which had the capacity to carry bombs and was equipped with the 550 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340-T1H-1 Wasp engine and two Colt 0.30 machine guns, one fixed at the front and one for the artilleryman. He also flew the Fleet 21-M
biplanes.
Cedillo was shot by ground federal forces in 1939.
During World War II
, Mexico received a large amount of aircraft to patrol the Gulf of Mexico coast against German submarines and Luis Farell coordinated the pilot training. Farell also formed part in the officials' selection to comprise the Mexican Escuadron 201
which saw action in Philippines
during 1945.
Farell was promoted to Colonel in January 1939 and to Brigadier General in February 1944. In 1946, he was assigned to direct the Military Personnel Department.
In 1959, Guatemala
President Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes
ordered his P-51 Mustang
s to attack five Mexican fishing vessels in contested waters. Soon after that incident, Roberto Fierro and Luis Farell were appointed Chief and Sub-Chief of the Mexican Air Force, respectively. At this time, Mexico had no natural enemies and was dedicated to industrial growth, not to a military buildup. The conflict was resolved with diplomacy. Farell and Fierro concluded that the Mexican Air Force could not confront the powerful P-51 Mustangs if required again, so they purchased a fleet of Vampire MK-3
jets made available by Canada
, and Farell applied himself at establishing a system that would never leave Mexico in such vulnerable position again; a difficult task given the limited budget available.
Luis Farell retired from active service in 1965 with the rank of General de División. He died in Mexico City on July 17, 1977 at age of 74. He left behind his wife Ana and four sons: Jaime, Guillermo, Bernardo and Luis.
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, being son of Consuelo Cubillas Gutiérrez – a native of Santander
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
- and the jeweler Enrique Farell Solá – a native of Lerida, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Luis Farell had 11 siblings, including the senior politician Arsenio Farell Cubillas.
Luis Farell Cubillas was a Mexican Air Force
Mexican Air Force
The Mexican Air Force is the aviation branch of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat . Since 2008, its commander is Gen...
combat pilot during the Revolution of 1920s. He fought against Adolfo de la Huerta
Adolfo de la Huerta
Felipe Adolfo de la Huerta Marcor was a Mexican politician and interim President of Mexico from June 1 to December 1, 1920....
, the Yaqui rebels, General Arnulfo R. Gomez, against the Cristeros and accomplished several bombing and strafing missions against the military coup headed by General José Gonzalo Escobar and the revolt by General Saturnino Cedillo. Farell retired from active service as a Division General while being Sub-Chief of the Mexican Air Force
Mexican Air Force
The Mexican Air Force is the aviation branch of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat . Since 2008, its commander is Gen...
.
Training
Luis Farell attended school in Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and in February 1911 at the age of 9 years and along with 30,000 spectators, Farell witnessed the aerial exhibition of the Moisant brothers with Blériot
Blériot Aéronautique
Blériot Aéronautique was a French aircraft manufacturer founded by Louis Blériot. It also made a few cyclecars from 1921 to 1922.After Louis Blériot became famous for being the first to fly over the English Channel in 1909, he established an aircraft manufacturing company. This company really took...
airplanes carried out in the fields of Balbuena in Mexico City. In 1920, at the age of 18 years, Farell graduated as accountant just after the military-political events that caused the fall of President Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza de la Garza, was one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution. He ultimately became President of Mexico following the overthrow of the dictatorial Huerta regime in the summer of 1914 and during his administration the current constitution of Mexico was drafted...
. This rebellion had three important leaders: General Alvaro Obregón
Álvaro Obregón
General Álvaro Obregón Salido was the President of Mexico from 1920 to 1924. He was assassinated in 1928, shortly after winning election to another presidential term....
, General Plutarco Elías Calles
Plutarco Elías Calles
Plutarco Elías Calles was a Mexican general and politician. He was president of Mexico from 1924 to 1928, but he continued to be the de facto ruler from 1928–1935, a period known as the maximato...
and Adolfo de la Huerta
Adolfo de la Huerta
Felipe Adolfo de la Huerta Marcor was a Mexican politician and interim President of Mexico from June 1 to December 1, 1920....
.
In August 1920, the President Adolfo de la Huerta
Adolfo de la Huerta
Felipe Adolfo de la Huerta Marcor was a Mexican politician and interim President of Mexico from June 1 to December 1, 1920....
hired three famous veteran and foreign pilots of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
with the purpose of training Mexican pilots in modern tactics and organizing a functional air force. The foreign instructors were the American Ralph O'Neill, the German Fritz Bieler and the French instructor Joe Ben Lievre. Ralph O'Neill was designated as Chief Instructor of the Military school of Aviation and under orders of General Gustavo Salinas; the Mexican instructors were Alberto Carranza, Horacio Ruiz Gaviño and the brothers Juan Pablo Aldasoro and Eduardo Aldasoro.
When the Mexican government announced recruitment of aviators for the new Mexican Air Force, Farell applied on July 12, 1920 and enrolled as a cadet on November 11, 1920. This was a time at which, given the shortage produced by the war in Europe, Mexico had only 18 airplanes: four Brown Special biplanes and some TNCA
TNCA
TNCA, the Talleres Nacionales de Construcciones Aeronáuticas was an aircraft manufacturer established outside Mexico City in 1915...
made in Mexico. O'Neill reported to General Calles that most of the fleet available (13 airplanes in good condition and 5 in disrepair) had to be replaced since they were obsolete and worn away. Therefore, Mexico acquired some English Avro 504K and Avro 504
Avro 504
The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
J airplanes, which later would be made in Mexico with the name Avro Anáhuac. In addition, in May 1920 Mexico acquired thirteen twin-engine bombers Farman F.50.
Luis Farell graduated on April 24 of 1922 with the degree of Lieutenant and was initially assigned to the 'Observation and Bombing Squadron'. His lower scores were fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
and English language, while his higher scores were use of firearms and landings to the mark with obstructions.
On January 11, 1925, he was commissioned to become a flight instructor
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
and on May 24, 1926, he travelled to the United States to undergo a special aeronautics course in the military school located in Brooks Field
Brooks City-Base
Brooks City-Base was a United States Air Force facility located in San Antonio, Texas, southeast of Downtown San Antonio.In 2002 Brooks Air Force Base was renamed Brooks City-Base when the property was conveyed to the Brooks Development Authority as part of a unique project between local, state,...
, Texas.
Rebellion of Adolfo de la Huerta
On December 7 of 1923, ex-President Adolfo de la HuertaAdolfo de la Huerta
Felipe Adolfo de la Huerta Marcor was a Mexican politician and interim President of Mexico from June 1 to December 1, 1920....
launched a military coup later called the delahuertista rebellion against the government of President Alvaro Obregón
Álvaro Obregón
General Álvaro Obregón Salido was the President of Mexico from 1920 to 1924. He was assassinated in 1928, shortly after winning election to another presidential term....
. The situation was extremely critical because along with de la Huerta, about sixty percent of the army revolted, including various high ranking Generals across Mexico.
Mexico quickly reequipped and reorganized the military aviation and, with the help of the United States, it received new combat airplanes consisting of several de Havilland DH-4B with Liberty motor, armed with Lewis
Lewis Gun
The Lewis Gun is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War...
and Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
s and able to carry bombs.
During December 10–21 of 1923, Farell’s squadron made explorations and bombings on San Marcos, Aguascalientes
Aguascalientes
Aguascalientes is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 11 municipalities and its capital city is Aguascalientes....
, San Carlos Fortress
San Carlos Fortress
The San Carlos Fortress is a fort in the city of Perote, in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is also known as the Fort of San Carlos, Perote Castle, the Castle of San Carlos, Perote Prison, San Carlos de Perote Fortress, and San Carlos de Perote Castle.The fortress was built from 1770 to 1776 by...
in Perote, Veracruz and Puente de Ixtla
Puente de Ixtla
Puente de Ixtla is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name...
, Morelos
Morelos
Morelos officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Morelos is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 33 municipalities and its capital city is Cuernavaca....
. Then, Farell attacked enemy convoys in Iguala
Iguala
The historic city of Iguala de la Independencia is located from state capital Chilpancingo in the Mexican state of Guerrero. It stands on Federal Highway 95. Iguala is the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name, located in the north-central part of the state. The city had a 2005...
, Pachuca and intermediate locations in company of his friend Squadron Commander Roberto Fierro VIllalobos.
On December 11, 1923, the important city of Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
was taken by enemy forces and, eleven days later on December 22, and in company of pilot and artilleryman Lieutenant Guillermo Monroy, Farell bombed and machine-gunned the forts of Loreto, Guadalupe and San Juán, as well as enemy positions in the city of Puebla. He later moved on to attack rebels operating in the southern states of Tabasco
Tabasco
Tabasco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa....
, Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
and Chiapas
Chiapas
Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...
, where their engine failed and crashed in the dense jungle; fortunately, they were unharmed. In a lucky turn of events Farell and Monroy were rescued by Mayan
Maya peoples
The Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...
natives and brought to a nearby town.
In January 1924, Farell began his duties in the north-western front against the Generals Enrique Estrada
Enrique Estrada
Enrique Estrada Reynoso was a Mexican General, politician, and Secretary of National Defense.Born in Moyahua, Zac. In the year 1890. His parents were Camilo Estrada Reynoso and Micaela...
and Manuel Macario Diéguez, who controlled most of Chihuahua, Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
, Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
and Durango
Durango
Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...
states. Luis Farell made explorations, strafing and bombings on enemy bases in the cities of Pénjamo
Pénjamo
Penjamo Hidalgo Cradle, is the City head-board of the homonymous Municipality, one of 46 municipalities of Guanajuato's Mexican state. It is one of the cities with major commercial movement of the State, and is considered to be the major City of the Southwest of the entity and the city number 17...
, Yuriria
Yuriria
Yuririapundaro, Guanajuato, Mexico, also known as Yuriria, is one of 46 municipalities in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. Its location and historical importance are key factors to the outstanding and significal importance of the municipality....
and Moroleón
Moroleón
Moroleón is a city located in the same name municipality of the state of Guanajuato, adjacent to the border with the state of Michoacán, in Mexico....
in the state of Guanajuato; and in Michoacán, he attacked positions in the cities of Morelia
Morelia
Morelia is a city and municipality in the north central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital of the state. The main pre-Hispanic cultures here were the P'urhépecha and the Matlatzinca, but no major cities were founded in the...
, Panindícuaro and intermediate points of opportunity.
From January 14 to February 6 of 1924, Luis Farell made several bombings and strafing as artilleryman of Colonel Ralph O'Neill on the state of Colima
Colima
Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....
.
On February 4 of 1924, Luis Farell was promoted to Squadron Commander of the First Squadron, Second Regiment and, on February 9, 1924 he took part in the critical battle of Ocotlán, in Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, a decisive and cruel battle in which Generals Joaquín Amaro
Joaquín Amaro
Joaquín Amaro Domínguez was a Mexican revolutionary general and military reformer. He served as Secretary of War in the cabinets of Presidents Plutarco Elías Calles, Emilio Portes Gil, and Pascual Ortiz Rubio, making him one of the longest-serving cabinet-level officials in Mexican history...
and Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas del Río was President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.-Early life:Lázaro Cárdenas was born on May 21, 1895 in a lower-middle class family in the village of Jiquilpan, Michoacán. He supported his family from age 16 after the death of his father...
lead 10,000 troops against the forces commanded by Salvador Alvarado
Salvador Alvarado
Salvador Alvarado is a municipality in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. It stands at.The municipality reported 76,537 inhabitants in the 2005 census and has an areal extent of 1,197.5 km² . Its municipal seat is the city of Guamúchil...
. Since the Lerma River
Lerma River
The Lerma Santiago River is Mexico's second longest river. It is a river in west-central Mexico that begins in Mexican Plateau at an altitude over above sea level, and ends where it empties into Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest lake, near Guadalajara, Jalisco...
divided to the troops of both sides the artillery and the Air Force were indispensable during the early hours of combat: At 07:00AM, Farell’s squadron flew the first of two missions, bombing and strafing the enemy until he ran out of ammunition. After raising an improvised bridge, the federal forces won the battle and took several prisoners.Three days later, the federal forces easily recovered the city of Guadalajara
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality...
, where Estrada’s headquarters was based, but he managed to escape to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and Diéguez escaped to the south, where he was arrested executed.
On February 12 of 1924, Farell mounted several attacks on the state of Colima, where was still some resistance. During the campaign in the northwest, Farell served under the orders of General Salinas, Colonel Ralph O’Neill, Majors Rafael Montero Ramos, Rafael Ponce de León and Alfredo Lezama Álvarez. Some fellow fliers were men like Roberto Fierro Villalobos, Pablo Sidar, Emilio Carranza
Emilio Carranza
Captain Emilio Carranza Rodríguez was a noted Mexican aviator and national hero, nicknamed the "Lindbergh of Mexico". He was killed while returning from a historic goodwill flight from Mexico City to the United States....
, Eliseo Martín del Campo, Guillermo Monroy, Manuel Solís, Julián Nava Salinas, Francisco Espejel, Alberto Vieytez, Ricardo Díaz Gonzáles and Luís Rojas, among others.
For his valuable participation against the Adolfo de la Huerta coup, General Lázaro Cardenas
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas del Río was President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.-Early life:Lázaro Cárdenas was born on May 21, 1895 in a lower-middle class family in the village of Jiquilpan, Michoacán. He supported his family from age 16 after the death of his father...
, who was present at his aerial attacks, promoted Luis Farell to the degree of Captain because of “special merits during battle”.
Predicting more insurrections, on January 11, 1925 Farell was assigned to take a flight instructor
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
course and train new pilots.
During 1926 and 1927, Mexico found itself immersed in a wave of violent territorial, religious and military armed rebellions, which required the Mexican Air Force to quickly deploy its forces and provide air support wherever the federal army requested them.
Cristero War
Plutarco Elías Calles
Plutarco Elías Calles was a Mexican general and politician. He was president of Mexico from 1924 to 1928, but he continued to be the de facto ruler from 1928–1935, a period known as the maximato...
pushed for the creation of the ‘Mexican Apostolic Catholic Church’, independent of Rome, a conflict untied that, would unleash a widespread religious war known as the Cristero War
Cristero War
The Cristero War of 1926 to 1929 was an uprising and counter-revolution against the Mexican government in power at that time. The rebellion was set off by the strict enforcement of the anti-clerical provisions of the Mexican Constitution of 1917 and the expansion of further anti-clerical laws...
. Luis Farell served in multiple missions in this war from 1926 to 1929 while flying combat missions mostly in the states of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
and Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
.
During this long conflict, Farell flew alongside his friend Roberto Fierro and other airmen.
The Yaqui Campaign
Between 1926–1927 and while under the command of brigadier General Antonio Rios Zertuche, Major Roberto Fierro and Colonel Samuel Carlos Rojas, Luis Farell completed several missions against the Yaqui Indian rebels in the state of SonoraSonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
. Along with world famous pilot Emilio Carranza
Emilio Carranza
Captain Emilio Carranza Rodríguez was a noted Mexican aviator and national hero, nicknamed the "Lindbergh of Mexico". He was killed while returning from a historic goodwill flight from Mexico City to the United States....
, Farell flew several air-to-ground attacks over the Bacatete mountains of Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
. It was during one of these missions that Emilio Carranza crashed and required of face reconstruction. During this campaign, Farell flew the airplanes de Havilland DH-4B # 2, 5, the Avro 504
Avro 504
The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
# 59, 61, 65, 77, the Douglas O-2C
Douglas O-2
The Douglas O-2 is a 1920s American observation aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company.-Development:The important family of Douglas observation aircraft sprang from two XO-2 prototypes, the first of which was powered by the 420 hp Liberty V-1650-1 V-engine and test-flown in the autumn...
# 1, 3 and the Lincoln biplane # 5.
Several years after this campaign, Farell expressed to his family the moral difficulties of having battled against these indigenous people, whom demanded by the force that previous territorial treaties were implemented.
Rebellion by General Arnulfo Gomez
Once the Mexican Air Force was revamped, Farell was assigned a squadron and, from October 6–11 he flew 7 consecutive missions in Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
with great efficiency, defeating Arnulfo Gomez. Wasting no time, Farell’s squadron was assigned to return west and renew attacks against the Cristeros in the states of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
and Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
, as the Cristeros' numbers had increased to an estimated 15,000.
Rebellion by General José Gonzalo Escobar
While Farell was flight-testing a new Mexican aircraft called Baja California-1 on March 3 of 1929 a serious military coup took place, led by General José Gonzalo Escobar and heeded by various Generals. In these days, the air force's remaining airplanes consisted of worn and shot Bristol F.2 FighterBristol F.2 Fighter
The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
, Bristol Boarhound
Bristol Boarhound
-References:* Donald, David, and Lake, Jon, eds. Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. London: AIRtime Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-880588-24-2.-External links:* *...
, de Havilland DH-4B and Douglas O-2C
Douglas O-2
The Douglas O-2 is a 1920s American observation aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company.-Development:The important family of Douglas observation aircraft sprang from two XO-2 prototypes, the first of which was powered by the 420 hp Liberty V-1650-1 V-engine and test-flown in the autumn...
, a force that was not suitable to defeat Escobar's power. In this context, the government of Mexico convinced the USA to promote the peace south of its border and quickly make available twelve new OU-2M Corsair
O2U Corsair
|-References:NotesBibliography* Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1....
with the 400 hp Wasp engine, nine Douglas O-2M
Douglas O-2
The Douglas O-2 is a 1920s American observation aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company.-Development:The important family of Douglas observation aircraft sprang from two XO-2 prototypes, the first of which was powered by the 420 hp Liberty V-1650-1 V-engine and test-flown in the autumn...
, four Stearman C3B and six Waco 10
Waco 10
-Bibliography:* http://aerofiles.com/_waco.html* Juptner, Joseph P. U.S. Civil Aircraft Vol. 1 Los Angeles, California: Aero Publishers, Inc., 1962. Library of Congress # 62-15967....
. Only two weeks after making the request, the USA government agreed and Farell and other pilots travelled to Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to pick up the new aircraft.
It is recorded that Luis Farell flew a total of 52 combat hours over the states of Nuevo León
Nuevo León
Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...
, Coahuila
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
, Durango
Durango
Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...
and Chihuahua, when he was wounded by a bullet. On March 19, 1929 while in company of Lieutenant Colonel Pablo Sidar, Roberto Fierro, Ismael Aduna, Luis Boyer, Arturo Jiménez Nieto, Antonio Cárdenas Rodríguez, Carlos Rovirosa, Rodolfo Torres Rico and Gustavo León, Luis Farell attacked enemy positions in Benavides, Coahuila
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
and the following five days, from 20 - 25 of March, he bombed telegraph lines, bridges, locomotives and the railroad out of the city of Jiménez, Chihuahua in order to cut the enemy’s escape and communications. Finally, on March 25, 1929 Farell’s squadron attacked Escobar’s operation centers in the cities of Escalon and Jiménez, and while making a low altitude strafing run on a WACO aircraft, he was shot in both legs.
The battle for the city of Jiménez was immediately reported by telegram to the President by the Lieutenant Colonel Rodolfo Tostado Loaiza, a ‘Head of Presidential Guard’ monitoring the campaign:
A detailed report was made the following day and it reveals that in fact, Luis Farell piloted the airplane and the artilleryman was Captain Ismael Aduna. Farell was able to return to his base and land safely. Once the bleeding was controlled, he was flown to the Hospital Francés in Mexico City, where Erasmo González Ancira, a military physician, reported that the projectile entered his left calf, fragmented 12 cm of the fibula bone and passed only 2 cm from the femoral artery of his right thigh.
Three days after Farell was shot, Escobar was defeated by General Calles in Jiménez City, where he took about 6000 prisoners. This rebellion was quite serious, since a third of the officials and nearly 30,000 soldiers rebelled; In two months, more than 2000 men were killed.
Because of his actions in battle, on April 5 of 1929, Farell he was promoted to Major and the President Emilio Portes Gil awarded him with the Cruz de Guerra medal for having flown hundreds of missions and for having engaged the enemy in battle at least 50 times. In addition, the President appointed him as 'Jefe del Estado Mayor Presidencial
Estado Mayor Presidencial
The Estado Mayor Presidencial — EMP is the institution charged with protecting and safeguarding the President of Mexico and the First Lady of Mexico. It is described in its regulations as a techno-military organism and an administrative unit of the Presidency of the Republic of Mexico in...
’, a prominent presidential guard staff.
A few days after leaving the hospital, on June 21. 1929, Luis Farell got married to Miss Ana Samaniego Castillo, and on August 12, the President presented him with a Waco
Waco Aircraft Company
The Waco Aircraft Company was an aircraft manufacturer located in Troy, Ohio, USA. Between 1919 and 1947, the company produced a wide range of civilian biplanes....
model 10
Waco 10
-Bibliography:* http://aerofiles.com/_waco.html* Juptner, Joseph P. U.S. Civil Aircraft Vol. 1 Los Angeles, California: Aero Publishers, Inc., 1962. Library of Congress # 62-15967....
biplane.
After the Revolution
O2U Corsair
|-References:NotesBibliography* Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1....
, Corsair O2U-4A
O2U Corsair
|-References:NotesBibliography* Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1....
, Douglas O-2M
Douglas O-2
The Douglas O-2 is a 1920s American observation aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company.-Development:The important family of Douglas observation aircraft sprang from two XO-2 prototypes, the first of which was powered by the 420 hp Liberty V-1650-1 V-engine and test-flown in the autumn...
and the Bristol Fighters. Then, Farell was appointed as Chief of the Civil Aviation Department and proceeded to head a committee to upgrade civil aviation policies and procedures.
On January 1, 1934, the newly elected President Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas del Río was President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.-Early life:Lázaro Cárdenas was born on May 21, 1895 in a lower-middle class family in the village of Jiquilpan, Michoacán. He supported his family from age 16 after the death of his father...
again appointed him as 'Jefe del Estado Mayor Presidencial
Estado Mayor Presidencial
The Estado Mayor Presidencial — EMP is the institution charged with protecting and safeguarding the President of Mexico and the First Lady of Mexico. It is described in its regulations as a techno-military organism and an administrative unit of the Presidency of the Republic of Mexico in...
' and in November 1934, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the Air Force.
During 1935, he was in charge of the Military Aeronautics Department and in 1936, he was appointed as Director of the Military School of Aviation, a charge that he performed until October 1945.
In May 1938, the Governor of San Luis Potosi
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
, General Saturnino Cedillo, declared himself in rebellion against Cardenas’ government and, President Cárdenas travelled to San Luis Potosi to personally mount the campaign against the revolt.
Luis Farell and an old friend, Coronel Alfredo Lezama Álvarez, organized a mixed fleet of 17 aircraft and flew several missions, engaging the enemy assertively when spotted. Cedillo quickly realized he had no chance in open fields against the air force and ran to the Huasteca hills, where his men dispersed abandoning him.
During this confrontation, Farell flew the new V-99M Corsairs which had the capacity to carry bombs and was equipped with the 550 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340-T1H-1 Wasp engine and two Colt 0.30 machine guns, one fixed at the front and one for the artilleryman. He also flew the Fleet 21-M
Fleet Model 1
-See also:...
biplanes.
Cedillo was shot by ground federal forces in 1939.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Mexico received a large amount of aircraft to patrol the Gulf of Mexico coast against German submarines and Luis Farell coordinated the pilot training. Farell also formed part in the officials' selection to comprise the Mexican Escuadron 201
Escuadrón 201
El Escuadrón 201 was a Mexican fighter squadron, part of the Fuerza Aérea Expedicionaria Mexicana that aided the Allied war effort during World War II...
which saw action in Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
during 1945.
Farell was promoted to Colonel in January 1939 and to Brigadier General in February 1944. In 1946, he was assigned to direct the Military Personnel Department.
In 1959, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
President Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes
Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes
General José Miguel Ramón Ydígoras Fuentes was President of Guatemala from 2 March 1958 to 31 March 1963. He took power following the murder of Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas....
ordered his P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
s to attack five Mexican fishing vessels in contested waters. Soon after that incident, Roberto Fierro and Luis Farell were appointed Chief and Sub-Chief of the Mexican Air Force, respectively. At this time, Mexico had no natural enemies and was dedicated to industrial growth, not to a military buildup. The conflict was resolved with diplomacy. Farell and Fierro concluded that the Mexican Air Force could not confront the powerful P-51 Mustangs if required again, so they purchased a fleet of Vampire MK-3
De Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
jets made available by Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Farell applied himself at establishing a system that would never leave Mexico in such vulnerable position again; a difficult task given the limited budget available.
Luis Farell retired from active service in 1965 with the rank of General de División. He died in Mexico City on July 17, 1977 at age of 74. He left behind his wife Ana and four sons: Jaime, Guillermo, Bernardo and Luis.