Captain general of the Air Force


Captain General of the Air Force is a five-star air force officer rank and the highest rank of the Spanish Air Force. The five-star NATO rank code is OF-10. The honorary appointments formally ceased in 1999. The rank of Air captain general is equivalent to a Marshal of the Air Force in many nations such as the United Kingdom, a general of the Air Force of the United States, a capitain general of the Spanish Army ' or the Navy '. This rank is reserved to the monarch as Commander-in-chief. An Air captain general's insignia consists of two command sticks under five four-pointed stars below the Royal Crown and a golden string.
The Spanish Air Force as a separated branch of the Spanish Armed Forces was officially established on 7 October 1939, after the Spanish Civil War. Francisco Franco as head of Spanish state and commander-in-chief named himself 1st captain general of the Spanish Air Force. General Ángel Salas Larrazábal, a veteran fighter pilot, has been the only honorary Air captain general.
Date of Promotion
Image
Name
Dead/Retirement
Notes
7 October 1939Francisco Franco† 20 November 1975
20 November 1975Juan Carlos I
Active until 19 June 2014
  • Ex officio
  • Retired since 19 June 2014
  • Captain general of the Army and the Navy
    • 26 April 1991Ángel Salas Larrazábal† 19 July 1994Ad honorem
    19 June 2014Felipe VIPresent
  • Ex officio
  • Captain general of the Army and the Navy