The birth of the FAV goes back to 10 December 1920 when the Military Aviation school of Venezuela was formed. Early aircraft included Farman and Caudron G-3 as well as the amphibian Caudron G-4. The first decades of the FAV saw mainly French, German and Italian influence. After the Second World War, the Air force was reorganised with American aid, eventually leading to the formal inception of the Fuerza Aérea Venezolana on 22 June 1946.

Most current airbases were built in the 1960s. The main fighter types in those years were Venom, Vampire, and F-86. Bomber squadrons typically operated B-25 Mitchell aircraft. The 70s and 80s saw a considerable increase in capacity, mainly because the rising oil prices enabled the FAV to re-equip most of its units. The mixture of various aircraft types was maintained and Mirage IIIE and V, VF-5A and D, T-2D, OV-10A and E, T-27 were introduced. Venezuela was one of the first export customers for the F-16 which arrived in 1983 to equip the newly formed Grupo Aéreo de Caza 16 at El Libertador Airbase.

In 2006, Venezuelan F-16s, F-5s and Mirages participated in the joint exercise Cruzex III held in Brazil along with the air forces of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Peru and Uruguay.

The Venezuelan military intends to purchase at least four Mi-28 attack helicopters, planned to be operational by 2012. It has also been reported that the AMV plans to acquire at least two Il-76 heavy transports.

The AMV purchased 24 Sukhoi Su-30 planes from Russia on July 2005, as a result of the American embargo on spare parts for their F-16 force.

Currently Venezuela is in talks with Russia with regards to potential acquisitions of the Su-35 fighter aircraft and a second batch of aircraft 12 Sukhoi Su-30.

VENEZUELAN AIR FORCE

Legendary Fighter

* Hanriot / Macchi HD-1
* B-25J Mitchell
* Breguet 19A2
* Breguet 27-0/27-3
* Dewoitine D.500
* Fiat CR.30/32 Quater
* Fiat BR.20 Cicogna
* Republic F-47D Thunderbolt
* North American B-25J Mitchell
* De Havilland Vampire FB.Mk.52 / T.Mk.11
* British Aerospace Canberra B.Mk.2 / B.(I).Mk.2
* De Havilland Venom FB.Mk.54
* North American F-86F Sabre
* British Aerospace Canberra T.Mk.4
* Mirage 50DV
* British Aerospace Canberra B.(I).Mk.8
* British Aerospace Canberra PR.Mk.3
* Fiat /North American F-86K Sabre
* Dassault Mirage IIIEV
* Dassault Mirage 5V/DV
* Dassault Mirage 50EV/DV

Legendary Training Aircraft

* Hanriot HD-1
* Caudron G.3
* SAML S.2
* Caudron G.4E2
* Curtiss JN-4 Jenny
* Caudron C.60
* Morane Saulnier MS.147
* Morane Saulnier MS.230
* Consolidated Fleet 10D/11
* Curtiss-Wright CW-14R Osprey
* North American NA-16-IGV / NA-16-3
* Waco PT-14 UPF-7
* Vultee BT-13A Valiant
* Boeing / Stearman PT-17 Kaydet
* North American AT6-C/D / T-6G Texan
* Fairchild PT-19A Cornell
* Curtiss-Wright CW-22N / SNC-1 Falcon
* Beechcraft AT-7C Navegator
* Beechcraft AT-11B Kansan
* Beechcraft T-34A Mentor
* British Aeroespace Jet Provost T.Mk.52
* North American T-2D Buckeye

Gliders

* Schweizer SGU-2-22
* Schweizer SGS-233
* Caproni AS-21 Calif

Acrobatic

* Pitts S-2S/B Special

Transport and Liaison Aircraft Legendary

* Farman 190
* C-47D Skytrain
* Latecoere 28-6-1
* Fairchild 82B-FC2
* Waco J2W
* Caudron C.635 Simoun
* Lockheed 12A Electra
* Bellanca 31-50 Skyrocket
* Aeronca L-3B
* Piper L-4B Grasshopper
* Cessna UC-7B Bobcat
* Beechcraft A65 Queen Air
* Beechcraft D.18S / C-45 Expeditor
* Douglas C-47D Skytrain
* Douglas C-54A Skymaster
* Cessna 180 Skywagon
* De Havilland DH.104 Dove D.2A
* Fairchild C-123B Provider
* Beechcraft A65 Queen Air
* North American / Ryan Navion 250
* Hawker Siddeley H. S. 748 Srs. 2
* McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15
* Grumman Gulfstream II/III
* Aleritalia G.222
* LearJet 24D
* LearJet 35A
* Aleritalia G.222

Seaplanes

* Farman F-40
* Caudron G.4
* Junker W-34 Bremen
* Lioré et Olivier Le-O.H.23-2
* Grumman J4F-1 Widgeon

Legendary Helicopters

* UH-19D Chickasaw
* Sikorsky S.51 Dragonfly
* Sikorsky S.55 / UH-19D Chickasaw
* Bell 47G/J
* Bell UH-1B Iroquois
* Sud Aviation SA 316B Alouette III
* Bell UH-1D/H Iroquois
* Bell 212 Twin Huey
* SA 316B Alouette III
* Bell 412SP
* Bell 214ST

Autogiros

* Bensen B8M