Franco's Hammer

**Spinners** · February 6, 2022

Hispano Aviación HA-1108 Martillo - Escuadron 113, Ala 7, Ejército del Aire, May 1945

Whilst both Portugal and Spain remained neutral at the start of World War 2 the UK government was deeply concerned that the pro-Nazi Spanish dictatorship of Francisco Franco would inevitably lead to Spain joining the axis powers in their war against the British Empire. In particular, the UK worried that an emboldened Spain would make a move to take back Gibraltar which played a vital role in controlling naval traffic in and out of the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean.

These fears appeared to becoming true when Franco and Hitler met at Hendaye railway station near the Spanish–French border on October 23rd, 1940. The UK knew that the object of the meeting was to resolve disagreements over the conditions for Spain to join the Axis Powers in their war against the British Empire. Among other things, Franco asked for the handing over of Gibraltar once the British were defeated plus the return of French Morocco, part of French Algeria and further demanded that French Cameroon should be attached to the Spanish colony of Guinea. Hitler knew that Spain was enduring a critical economic and military situation following the Spanish Civil War and realised that Spain could contribute little to acheiving Franco's extortionate wish list. Hitler regarded Franco with contempt and preferring not to disturb his relations with the Vichy French regime he abruptly ended the meeting and the two would never meet again.

Following this infamous meeting Franco realised that Spain might struggle to receive arms from Nazi Germany and announced a series of military programmes including an indigenous fighter aircraft for the Spanish Air Force. Hispano Aviación were given a contract to design and produce a modern monoplane fighter utilising the promising 'in house' Hispano-Suiza R14 fourteen-cylinder two-row supercharged radial engine rated at 1,400hp driving a 3-bladed constant-speed propeller. Designated as the HA-1108 'Martillo' (Hammer) the HA-1108 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a retractable undercarriage and an enclosed cockpit. The relatively clean duralumin-skinned fuselage had a tubular steel frame whilst the predominantly fabric-covered wing (with duralumin leading edges) was supported by two steel spars giving considerable strength and stiffness and the flight control surfaces were also fabric covered. The upper forward fuselage was the location for the four ALFA 44 machine guns of 7.92mm calibre with Nelson E-8 synchronization gear allowing them to fire them through the spinning propeller.

The first HA-1108 prototype flew on December 20th, 1941 and Hispano Aviación test pilots found it reasonably docile with decent flight and ground handling properties and good cockpit ergonomics. However, it was slower than contemporary fighters like the Me-109F and Spitfire V and the armament of four rifle calibre machine guns was considered to be woefully inadequate. Despite these shortcomings the HA-1108 started series production in August 1942 with Escuadron 113 becoming the first operational squadron on October 12th, 1942 (the national Day of Spain). On May 9th, 1945 the HA-1108's of Escuadron 113 saw combat over Olivenza near the Portuguese border with Spain shooting down a Portuguese Furacão and damaging a Spitfire on the following day. Production continued during the war and finally ended in 1948. Whilst outdated the HA-1108 was adequate for it's intended purpose of home defence and also controlling Spanish colonial territories in Africa.