This is a list of aircraft used by Portugal in World War II who never fought in World War II but from 1944 cooperated with the Allies in a non-belligerent capacity giving access to Portuguese territorial possessions for Allied forces. A number of Allied aircraft on their way to the North African campaign were forced to land in Portugal due to issues with the aircraft, after landing, Portuguese authorities confiscated the aircraft on grounds that it was illegal for the Allied aircraft to land in Portugal due to Portugal's neutrality. Portugal incorporated the confiscated aircraft into the Portuguese Air Force, this is how a majority of their aircraft were acquired.
Fighters + Model Image Country of origin Role Variant Number Notes Gloster Gladiator Fighter Gladiator IGladiator II 30 Portugal received 15 Mark I and 15 Mk II aircraft for its Arma da Aeronáutica Militar (Army Military Aviation), the aircraft delivered in two batches of 15. They received the Portuguese serial numbers 450-464 and 465-479 respectively. The Gladiators served until 1953.Spencer 2003, p. 10,12,46Crawford 2002, p. 109-112 Curtiss Hawk Fighter Hawk 75A-4 12 The British government transferred of 12 Hawk 75A-4 variants to the Portuguese Air Force, which assigned them to air defense duties in the Azores. Lockheed P-38 Lightning Fighter-bomber P-38 1 2 P-38s landed in Portugal. One was confiscated while the other was able to take off before being confiscated. Though unnecessary, the Portuguese Government paid the United States US$20,000 for the interned Lockheed P-38 Lightning.Public Record Office entry of 18 March 1943, quoted by "Wreckovery" in Aviation News, 10–23 August 1984. Bell P-39 Airacobra Fighter P-39LP-400 23 Between December 1942 and February 1943, the Aeronáutica Militar (Military Aviation) obtained aircraft operated by the 81st and the 350th Fighter Groups originally dispatched to North Africa as part of Operation Torch. Due to several problems enroute, some of the aircraft were forced to land in Portugal and Spain. Of the 19 fighter aircraft that landed in Portugal, all were interned and entered service that year with the Portuguese Army Military Aviation. They formed the Squadron OK, based at Ota Air Base."The P-400 / P-39L Airacobra." Portuguese Airacobra service history. Retrieved: 16 October 2009. Though unnecessary, the Portuguese Government paid the United States US$20,000 for each of these interned aircraft. The U.S. accepted the payment and gave as a gift four additional crates of aircraft, two of which were not badly damaged, without supplying spares, flight manuals or service manuals.
Bombers + Model Image Country of origin Role Variant Number Notes Junkers Ju 86 BomberReconnaissance aircraft Ju 86K-7 10 On August 25, 1938, 10 Ju 86K-7s were delivered to Ota Air Base after purchase from Nazi Germany. According to this source, the 10 aircraft received by Portugal were of the version K-7 Bristol Blenheim Light bomberNight fighterAerial reconnaissance Blenheim Mk.IVBlenheim Mk.V 25 2 Bristol Blenheims in July 1941 and November 1942, one Mk IV and Mk V respectively, were confiscated after landing due to damages. In 1943 Portugal received 23 Mk IV and Mk Vs from the United Kingdom. They were decommissioned in 1943 Vickers WellingtonAdelino Cardoso, "Aeronaves Militares Portuguesas no Século XX" Medium bomberAnti-submarine warfare ? 2 10 Wellingtons landed in Portugal, though 8/10 of the aircraft were thought to have crashed, set fire by the crew, or been damaged beyond recoverability. 2 of the Wellingtons were recovered but not much is known what happened to them. Consolidated B-24 Liberator Heavy bomberAnti-submarine warfareMaritime patrol aircraft ? 6 6 B-24 Liberator of various variants were confiscated during the North Africa campaign after landing in Portugal.
Ground attack aircraft + Model Image Country of origin Role Variant Number Notes Breda Ba.65 Ground attack aircraft Ba-65bis 12 In 1939, 12 Ba-65bis models were ordered by Portugal.
Maritime patrol aircraft
Grumman G-21B Goose Short Sunderland-only 1 which did 1 mission
Liaison/army cooperation
Westland Lysander
Transport
Junkers Ju 52 Douglas C-47 Skytrain-only one
Trainers
Morane-Saulnier MS.230 De Havilland Tiger Moth Airspeed Oxford
See also List of Portuguese military equipment of World War II List of aircraft of World War II
References