AEROTRANSTORNADOS Nº35 - EXPOMACEDA 2014 / DIA DE BASE ABERTA AM1

Gate Guard – LTV A-7P Corsair II nº15504.

Pólo de Ovar do Museu do Ar
(all noted on the 27th September2014 )
3548     Auster D.5/160
16503     CASA C-212      exEsq502 (NAVTR a/c)
2427     Cessna T-37C      exEsq102 / Asas de Portugal c/s
1309     DHC1 Chipmunk     exACTV/CS-AZR
15246     Dornier Alphajet A  exEsq103/301
5452     FIAT G.91R/3      exEsq301 / Tiger c/s
15545    LTV TA-7P Corsair II   exEsq304
2608    Northrop T-38A Talon    exEsq103
3208    Piper Cub      exACP/CS-ALN
13710    Reims FTB-337G  exEsq505
5176    Republic F-84 Fev2012) [under restoration]
3301     MH Broussard

On SAR Alert duties was SE.3160 Alouette III no.19401 from Esquadra 552 “Zangões”.

Other aircraft noted during the weekend (on the 28th was Open Base Day)
1335 DHC1 Chipmunk Academia da Força Aérea
16710 C-295M Esq502
15202 (Asas c/s) + 15226 (WACS) Alphajets Esq103
11406 TB-30 Esq101

Aerotranstornados nº34 - BA5 Monte Real

Gate Guards


15524 A-7P
'15150' F-16A
5301 F-86F (old gate)

Static display

1918 T-33A
5347 F-86F
2609 T-38A
5454 G.91R/3
15521 A-7P
15121 F-16AM

11410 TB.30 Esq. 101
15122 F-16AM
15226 Alphajet A  Esq.103

Flown

CS-AJC Citabria (demo)
16703 C-295 Esq.502 (air baptisms)

Flight formation: 15101, 15102, 15103, 15104, 15112, 15113, 15114, 15118, 15120, 15133, 15141

Flown also the QRA Alert a/c: 15108; 15117 

Maintenance hangar: 15123, 15131, 15134

Aerotranstornados nº33 – Notes on FIAT G.91R/3 FAP No.5442

Aerotranstornados nº33  – Notes on FIAT G.91R/3 FAP No.5442

GPS: 37° 6'22.08"N    7°58'20.27"W

Noted in Pombal for a number of years (my first note dates back to 8Jan1999), what initially appeared to be a complete FIAT G.91R/3 FAP no.5442, was sold in November 2013 to a retired airline pilot that brought it to a new location, in Santa Bárbara de Nexe, in the Algarve.

In a very complete article published on the 5th June 2014, in ALGARVE123, [English version] by journalist fellow aviation enthusiast, Bruno Filipe Pires, tells the full story about the retired pilot, how he came down to the Algarve, and his intention to restore the aircraft for permanent exhibition.

After a visit to Captain Simplício Pinto, I was able to take some pictures of all the parts that compose the aircraft and was able to verify some of the data. The aircraft is reasonably intact with some damage, all of it reparable. The previous owner, said to be an ex-pilot, could have bought it in one of the scrap dealers in the Bucelas region, bringing it here for storage around 1998.

Fuselage – the fuselage has still the c/n plate which is not common in many of the scrapped G.91’s, thus being, 

                                            Werk-Nr                    91-1-0077

                                            Baumuster                  G91 R/3

                                            Sach-Nr      0-0101-0-00-34072

                                            Baujahr     1-1961

                                 

                                            Vers-Nr     1510-15-041-1958

All the damaged parts are being repaired, some to be built from scratch, though is believed by the owner that the Portuguese Air Force will be able to provide some spares.

Tail cone/planes – early sightings while still in Pombal, the number was painted over, so only after a few years was possible to read the number “5442”. No signs of the number being painted over. In this section it is still readable on the OGMA paint shop sticker that can be found on the fuselage the date “87-12-10”, so the plane was delivered to FAP around that time at the end of it’s second IRAN. The fin and the port horizontal stabilizer have extensive damage.

Wings – in WGAF c/n and markings, with some minor damage, all of it repairable.

As said, there are a lot of parts of the aircraft missing and, as well as many fuselage panels (they were already missing in Pombal), but Captain Simplício Pinto, together with a group of volunteers, has already begun work to have it restored to its full glory (maybe in full tiger c/s!). The aircraft will set for display in a private plot. However, it will be well visible for anyone interested visiting. The planned final resting place is the backyard of Captain Simplício own home. It will be a tribute to the Portuguese Air Force, where he served as a T-6 pilot during  the colonial war in Mozambique. Throughout his commercial flying carrer, Captains Simplício logged over 35.000 hours as pilot in command, in types such as the Boeing 737-100, 737-200 extended, Fokker F-27 Friendship and the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar.

All visitors are welcome but, at this point only by prior appointment with Captain. Simplício Pinto to arrange a visit, if possible. Mail to: simpliciopintocp@gmail.com

Acknowledgements: the webmaster of Aerotranstornados wishes to thank Com. Simplício Pinto and Bruno Filipe Pires for all the help and additional input.

Additional information by Eddy Wierenga.

FIAT G.91R3

c/n 91-1-0077

1961.01 - built at Dornier at Oberpfaffenhofen factory under licence upon an order by German government in 1960 (for 232, later upraised to 294 aircraft);

1961? – BD+117 WS-50 at ErdingAB;

1963.06 – noted Hopsten AB, with AG53 1stSqdn as EC+117 [photo on F40Ausg.29 page19]; Based Erding AB

? – ER+117 Reserveflugzeuge der AkG

? – MD+253 of 2nd Squadron, LkG-44, at Leipheim AB;

1968 -  changed to 30+21 with LeKG44 at Leipheim AB;

1976.07.13 – delivered FAP, became 5442;

1979 – to Esq.301/BA6 – l/n 1986;

1979? – noted oper. (foto livro FIAT)

1986.06.15 – noted oper. Cambrai NTM86: [photo][photo][photo]

1987 – noted OGMA [paintshop date 1987.12.10];

1995.10.09 – noted wfu/stored Alverca;

1999.01.08 – noted dspl Pombal [fuselage of 5442, wings of a different WGAF a/c]; noted 2006;

2013.11.17 – moved to Santa Bárbara de Nexe, owner Captain. Simplício Pinto.

2014.06.14 – confirmed under restoration;

 

Aerotranstornados nº32 - T-33AN's in Portugal

T-33AN’s in Portugal

The T-33’s came to Portugal in 1953, in the dawn of the Portuguese Air Force jet era, just one year after the birth of the Força Aérea Portuguesa as an independent service of the armed forces.

The first 15 aircraft, originating from the USA, were received at Ota Air Base (BA2), already operating the F-84G. There constituted the EVSV (Instrument Flying Squadron), which had the mission of the instrument flight training and the conversion to jet aircraft by pilots of the conventional fighters, destined to the F-84G.

In late 1956, the T-33 constituted the EICP (Complementary Flying Training Squadron) that was later moved to Tancos Air Base (BA3), in 1958, time when it changed its designation to EICPAC (Complementary Flying Instruction Combat Aircraft Squadron).  Still in Tancos Air Base, in October 1959 the EICPAC received a second batch of trainer aircrafts, T-33AN’s, differing from the previous batch in the engine, the RR Nene 10 instead of the Allison J-33A 35.

In 1960 the EICPAC returned to BA2 were it stayed until 1974 in which time it was relocated at Monte Real Air Base (BA5). In the meanwhile, in 1961 the five T-33AN received were detached to BA5 for the training of the F-86F pilots, so they would not need to train in the sole base used for training which was BA2. These five aircraft were latter on withdrawn from use, between 1969 and 1970.

In 1977-1978 a major restructuration took place Portuguese Air Force, resulted in the EICPAC being re-designated Esquadra 103.

1987 was the year that the Esquadra 103 was relocated to Beja Air Base (BA11), from 1988 onward the T-33 fleet was subject to progressive deactivation as the aircraft  were reaching phase out time limit.

The last course in T-33 ended in 27 June 1991, and the farewell to the “T-Bird” in the following October.

Of the received fleet of T-33AN’s from the Canadian Air Force, there are currently just three aircraft in Portugal, all displayed, one in Beja Air Base, one in the Army’s Higher Studies Institute, and other in the grounding of the Chaves air club, the other two were scrapped.

FAP	Model	RCAF s/n	c/n	Obs.
1951	T-33AN	21045	T33-45	soc RCAF 9Sept1959; received FAP in Oct.1959 - EICPAC, BA3 Tancos; 1961 - to BA5; wfu 01.03.69; Gate Guard Beja f/n 1994 l/n Jul2023;
1952	T-33AN	21228	T33-278	soc RCAF 9Sept1959; received FAP in Oct.1959- EICPAC, BA3 Tancos; 1961 - to BA5; wfu 02.04.70; preserved Chaves Airfield, at Aero Clube de Chaves car park - f/n 1985 l/n Dec2023;
1953	T-33AN	21317	T33-317	soc RCAF 9Sept1959; received FAP in Oct.1959- EICPAC, BA3 Tancos; 1961 - to BA5; wfu 01.03.1969; preserved Instituto Altos Estudos Militares, Pedrouços, Lisboa  f/n 1969 -  l/n  28Jan2023   (restored as ‘1952’); - now Instituto Universitário Milita, noted with tail number corrected to 1953 by 2023; l/n Jan2024
1954	T-33AN	21318	T33-318	soc RCAF 9Sept1959; received FAP in Oct.1959- EICPAC, BA3 Tancos; 1961 - to BA5; noted OGMA 10.1964; wfu 02.04.1970;
1955	T-33AN	21332	T33-332	soc RCAF 9Sept1959; received FAP in Oct.1959- EICPAC, BA3 Tancos; 1961 - to BA5; wfu 02.04.1970;

Thanks to: Miguel Santos, Carlitos Oliveira,