Portugal maintained an official stance of neutrality during World War II, but its strategic location and resources made it a key player behind the scenes.
The country, under the Estado Novo regime led by António de Oliveira Salazar, balanced relationships with both the Allies and Axis powers.
Portugal’s neutrality allowed it to trade wolfram (tungsten), a critical resource for wartime industries, with both sides.
Portugal’s neutrality led to some interesting acquisitions.
Allied aircraft en route to North Africa occasionally landed in Portugal due to technical issues or navigational errors.
These planes were confiscated by Portuguese authorities, as their landing violated Portugal’s neutral status.
Many of these aircraft were incorporated into the Portuguese Air Force.
This unique situation allowed Portugal to bolster its air force without direct involvement in the conflict.
During World War II, Portugal’s air force primarily consisted of a mix of domestically acquired and confiscated aircraft.
These aircraft were used for home defence and other military purposes.
Here’s a list of the aircraft in their arsenal:
The Portuguese Army and Naval Aviation aircraft operated during World War Two
Airspeed Oxford I
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) and the Aviação Naval Portuguesa (Portuguese Naval Aviation) operated 6 Oxfords each (12) as trainer aircraft.
Avro 626 Floatplane
The Aviação Naval Portuguesa (Portuguese Naval Aviation) operated
Avro 626 Prefect
To succeed the aging Avro 504K and Avro 548A, the Army Military Aviation chose to remain with the British manufacturer Avro, selecting the three-seat variant of the Avro 621 Tutor, known as the Avro 626.
This model was preferred due to its capability to accommodate a machine gun in the third seat, facilitating shooting training.
In 1936, the AMA procured 14 Avro 626 aircraft, assigning them registration numbers ranging from 151 to 164.
Subsequently, in 1938, the General Workshops of Aeronautical Material (OGMA) in Alverca produced 17 additional units under license, which were registered by the AMA with numbers 165 to 181.
In 1938, the General Workshops of Aeronautical Material (OGMA) in Alverca, operating under a license, produced 17 units, which were registered with the AMA under the numbers 165 to 181.
The Avro 626 aircraft of the AMA were utilised for basic pilot training at the Military School of Aeronautics (EMA), now known as Air Base No. 1 (BA1) in Sintra, although some were also allocated to the Sintra Air Base, Ota, and Portela de Sacavém.
Portuguese Naval Aviation also utilised the Avro 626 in its seaplane configuration, equipped with floats.
Between December 1938 and January 1939, P.A.N. acquired a total of 12 units, which were assigned the serial numbers 85 through 96.
The initial test flights commenced in March 1939 at the Naval Aviation Centre (CAN) in Lisbon, specifically at Doca do Bom Sucesso.
The Avro 626s were distributed between the CAN in Lisbon and Aveiro, with some aircraft operating on wheels from the S. Jacinto airstrip.
The primary use of the Avro 626 by P.A.N. was for the instruction and training of pilots, although it also participated in observation missions and aerial photography.
Notably, between 1939 and 1940, Avro 626 number 87 conducted the first aerial photographic survey of the Azores Archipelago.
In June 1941, the Ponta Delgada CAN in the Azores was reactivated, receiving three Avro 626s numbered 86, 93, and 95.
Unfortunately, number 93 was lost during a storm that struck the Archipelago on November 3, 1941, and number 95 was involved in an accident on November 25 of the same year, resulting in the aircraft’s destruction and the pilot’s death.
The Ponta Delgada CAN was decommissioned at the end of 1941, and the remaining Avro 626s were returned to the Lisbon CAN.
The Avro 626s operated by P.A.N. were retired from service in 1950, while those operated by the Army Military Aviation (AMA) were gradually phased out by 1952.
Bell Airacobra
Several of these fighters, originally destined for North Africa, were interned and later used by Portugal.
Breda Ba 65
In November 1938, ten Breda Ba 65 bis aircraft arrived in Portugal, packaged and ready for assembly.
They were put together at the Sintra Air Base and commenced operations in January 1939.
Following the reorganisation of the Military Aeronautics Arm (A.M.) on December 31, 1938, these aircraft were designated to form the Squadron at Tancos Air Base.
Ultimately, they became part of the Independent Assault Aviation Squadron (EIAA), which was based at the Sintra Air Force Base and operated under the direct authority of the General Command of the Military Air Force, also located at this base.
The aircraft made their inaugural flight in Portugal on March 23, 1939.
However, the pilots expressed dissatisfaction with the aircraft due to their inadequate flight performance and unreliable engines.
Consequently, when a severe cyclone struck the Lisbon area in February 1941, the crews were relieved to discover that the hangar roof had collapsed, resulting in the destruction of all the Breda Ba 65 bis.
During their brief two-year tenure in Portugal, these aircraft logged only a few hours of flight time, and their operations were sporadic.
Bristol Blenheim
Portugal acquired several of these light bombers, some through confiscation and others via trade.
Caproni Ca.100
The sole example of the Caproni Ca-100 was obtained by the Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) in 1934, aimed at evaluating a new aircraft for the basic training of pilots.
The Caproni Ca-100 was delivered to the Independent Bombing Aviation Group (GIAB) in Alverca, but it was never utilised.
The aircraft was assigned the registration number 500.
The aircraft was retired from service in 1939.
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 6 (confiscated 3 RAF & 3 USAAF, 1 B-24D & 2 B-24J) for use as transports.
Curtiss H75A-4 Hawk (Mohawk IV)
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 12 Mohawk fighters in defence of the Azores.
De Havilland DH.84M Dragon II
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 3 Dragon II transport aircraft.
De Havilland DH-88 Comet
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) acquired the Comet to use as a transport; it sat unused and returned to the original owner.
Fleet F-10B
Naval Aviation (AN) acquired in 1933 five Fleet F-10B aircraft, equipped with Kinner B-5 radial engines, 125 hp, to which were added, shortly after, five more Fleet F-10G, these equipped with 130 hp Gipsy Major in-line cylinder engines, built in the USA.
In 1937, AN received three more Fleet F-10B aircraft and three F-10Gs, built in Canada.
In 1941, ten aircraft of the variant were acquired from Canadian Fleet Aircraft Fleet F-16D, with 160-hp Kinner R-5 radial engines, and in February 1942, five more were acquired.
All of these aircraft, regardless of model, could be operated indistinctly as land planes or seaplanes, with the application of wheel trains or floats.
NA used the Fleet in the instruction and training of pilots at the Naval Aviation (CAN) of Bom Sucesso, in Lisbon, at the CAN of S. Jacinto, in Aveiro, and between 1942 and 1946, also at the CAN of Ponta Delgada, in the Azores.
The Fleet were retired from service in 1952.
General Aircraft Monospar ST-12
In 1936, The Aviação Naval Portuguesa (Portuguese Naval Aviation) procured a small twin-engine General Aircraft Monospar ST-12 from Great Britain, utilising funds generated from the sale of commemorative stamps celebrating the First Air Crossing of the South Atlantic.
This aircraft was intended for aerial photography in support of the Mission Overseas Hydrographic Projects and Adjacent Islands.
The General Aircraft Monospar ST-12 was fully coated in aluminium and featured the Cross of Christ on both sides of its wings, without a white circle, along with the national colours and a shield displayed within a rectangle on the rudder.
Gloster Gladiator
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 30 Mk.I. & Mk.II. fighters.
Grumman G-21B Goose
The Aviação Naval Portuguesa (Portuguese Naval Aviation) operated 12 Goose coastal patrol flying boats.
Hawker Hind Mk.I
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 4 Hinds, 2 light bombers, and 2 trainer aircraft.
Hawker Hurricane
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 49 Mk.II (supplied by the RAF) and 1 Mk.IIC Tropical (confiscated RAF) fighters.
Hawker Osprey III
The Aviação Naval Portuguesa (Portuguese Naval Aviation) operated 2 Osprey floatplanes for reconnaissance and training duties.
Junkers Ju 86K
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 10 Ju 86 bomber aircraft.
Lockheed Hudson IIIA
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 1 (confiscated RAF) Hudson.
Lockheed P-38 Lightning
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 1 (confiscated) Lightning fighter aircraft.
Miles Master
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 14 Mk.II & Mk.IIIs.
Miles Martinet TT.Mk I
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) and the Aviação Naval Portuguesa (Portuguese Naval Aviation) operated 10 Martinets (7 Army and 3 Navy).
Short Sunderland III
The Aviação Naval Portuguesa (Portuguese Naval Aviation) operated 1 (confiscated RAF) Sunderland Maritime patrol aircraft.
Supermarine Spitfire
The Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation) operated 112 Mk.IA/Mk.Vb/Mk.Vc/LF Vb variants.
