AEROTRANSTORNADOS Nº61 - Bristol Blenheim

Bristol Blenheim (1945 – 1946)

 

25 aircraft «, being 13 for the Army Aviation (Aeronáutica Militar, or AM), and 12 for the Naval Aviation (Aeronáutica Naval, or AN) – arr. Between July 1941 and 1944 some were interned aircraft.

Tail	c/n	s/n	Type	Remarks
261 ZE-A		BA288	Mk.V	1942.06.21 – emergency landing in Lisbon due to lack of fuel; ex RAF (1 OADU); 1942.06.21 - interned AM 1943.10.06 – transfered from Sintra to Ota - to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2; 1942.10.08 – reg. 261/ZE-A; 1942.10.08 - to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2 Ota;
262 ZE-B		Z7366	Mk.IV L	1941.07.17 – emergency landing in Faro w/ minor damage – interned in AM; 1941? – transported to Alverca; 194? – to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2 Ota; 1943 – noted BA1; 1944.08.12 - w/o - crash in Rio Tejo 1k.
263 ZE-C		BA829	Mk.V	1942.11.17 . emergency landing near Serpa – interned in AM; 194? – interned AM; 1943.10.06 – transfered from Sintra to Ota - to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2; 1943.08.10 – to BA1; 1944 – wfu;
264 ZE-D		N3544/R	Mk.IV L	ex RAF (27 MU, 2 OADU, 301 FTU, 1 OADU); 1943.08.30 - delivery flight "Operation Oatmeal" - 1943.09.01 – arr. Sintra for AM; 1943.09.29 – flight from Sintra to Ota - to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2; 1944 – wfu;
265 ZE-E		R2781	Mk.IV L	ex RAF (15 MU, 2 OADU, 301 FTU, 1 OADU); 1943.08.30 - delivery flight "Operation Oatmeal" - 1943.09.01 – arr. Sintra for AM; ? – to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2 Ota; 1944 – wfu;
266 ZE-F		R3830	Mk.IV L	ex RAF (27 MU, 2 OADU, 301 FTU, 1 OADU); 1943.08.30 - delivery flight "Operation Oatmeal" - 1943.09.01 – arr. Sintra for AM; 1943.09.29 – flight from Sintra to Ota - to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2; 1944 – wfu;
267 ZE-G		V5883	Mk.IV L	ex RAF (24 MU, 9 OADU, 301 FTU, 1 OADU); 1943.08.30 - delivery flight "Operation Oatmeal" - 1943.09.01 – arr. Sintra for AM; 1943.10.06 – transfered from Sintra to Ota - to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2; 1944 – wfu;
?		AZ986	Mk.V	1943.08.31 – arr. Sintra for AM;  double command a/c for pilot training.     ? – to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2 Ota; 1944 – wfu;
268 ZE-H		T2431	Mk.IV L	ex RAF (2 OADU, 301 FTU, 1 OADU); 1943.09.15 - delivery flight "Operation Oatmeal" - 1943.09.17 – arr. Sintra for AM; 1943.10.04 – flight from Sintra to Ota - to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2; 1944 – wfu;
269 ZE-I		T2434	Mk.IV L	ex RAF ( 2 OADU, ? FTU, 1 OADU); 1943.09.15 - delivery flight "Operation Oatmeal" - 1943.09.17 – arr. Sintra for AM; ? – to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2 Ota; 1944 – wfu;
270 ZE-J		V5501	Mk.IV L	ex RAF (9 MU, 2 OADU, 301 FTU, 1 OADU); 1943.09.15 - delivery flight "Operation Oatmeal" - 1943.09.17 – arr. Sintra for AM; ? – to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2 Ota; 1944 – wfu;
271 ZE-K		V6395	Mk.IV L	ex RAF (27 MU, 2 OADU, 301 FTU, 1 OADU); 1943.09.15 - delivery flight "Operation Oatmeal" - 1943.09.17 – arr. Sintra for AM; 1943.10.01 – flight from Sintra to Ota - to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2; 1944 – wfu;
272 ZE-L		Z7492	Mk.IV L	ex RAF (15 MU, 2 OADU, 301 FTU, 1 OADU); 1943.09.15 - delivery flight "Operation Oatmeal" - 1943.09.17 – arr. Sintra for AM; 1943.10.06 – transfered from Sintra to Ota - to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2; 1944 – wfu;
?		AZ987	Mk.V	1943.09.16 – arr. Sintra for AM; ? – to Esquadrilha ZE, BA2 Ota; 1944 – wfu;
B-1		R2775(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.09.01 – arr. Sintra for Esquadrilha B; 1944.08 – wfu;
B-2		V5429(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.09.01 – arr. Sintra for Esquadrilha B; 1944.08 – wfu;
B-3		V5434(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.09.01 – arr. Sintra for Esquadrilha B; 1944.08 – wfu;
B-4		Z5760(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.09.01 – arr. Sintra for Esquadrilha B; 1944.08 – wfu;
B-5		Z5762(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.09.01 – arr. Sintra for Esquadrilha B; 1944.08 – wfu;
B-6		Z6030(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.09.01 – arr. Sintra for Esquadrilha B; 1944.08 – wfu;
B-7		N3600(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.09.16 – arr. Sintra for Esquadrilha B; 1944.08 – wfu;
B-8		R3623(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.09.16 – arr. Sintra for Esquadrilha B; 1944.08 – wfu;
B-9		V5729(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.09.16 – arr. Sintra for Esquadrilha B; 1944.08 – wfu;
B-10		Z3641 (F)	Mk.IV F	1943.09.16 – arr. Sintra for Esquadrilha B; 1944.08 – wfu;
B-11		Z5736(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.11.09 – arr.  - for Esquadrilha B; replacement for w/o a/c  1944.08 – wfu;
B-12		Z6035(F)	Mk.IV F	1943.11.30 – arr.  - for Esquadrilha B; replacement for w/o a/c 1944.08 – wfu;

Aeronáutica Naval/Esquadrilha B – based Aeroporto de Lisboa - Mission: Anti-ship warfare

Arma de Aeronáutica/Esquadrilha ZE, of the Grupo de Bombardeamento de Dia, Ota Air Base

Acknowledgements: Fernando Moreira,  Andy Marden, 

References:

Adelino Cardoso, in "Aeronaves Militares Portuguesas do Século XX"

Carlos Guereiro, in book "Aterrem em Portugal!" and "Portugal 1939-1945" website

Mário Canongia Lopes, in "Os Aviões da Cruz de Cristo" and "Spitfires e Hurricanes em Portugal"

Viriato Tadeu, in "Quando a Marinha tinha asas..."