Aircraft 1944-1945

1944 is the year of all decisions and also the year when the center of the military activity moves from North Africa to the Europe, and with this chift the number of airplanes on the route between the UK and the Mediterranean decreases, marking also a decrease in the number of landings and accidents in Portuguese territory.

In the island of Flores, in the Azores, an Avenger aircraft of the American aircraft carrier Guadalcanal is lost, a disaster that part of the population watches rom the shre unnable to assist the three crew members that will perish.

The last allied plane to make a forced landing was an American B-17 bomber who, curiously, was returning to his country with a veteran crew. Already the last belligerent planes to arrive at Portugal were also bringing "refugee pilots", but instead of French ones as it happened in 1940, there are now Germans who seek to escape of a war that is destroying their country...

01-01-1944    Consolidated B-24D Liberator          42-40937(⇓Lisbon)

20-01-1944    Grumman TBF-1C Avenger             BuN 47972 (⇓Flores Island)

09-02-1944    Vickers Warwick I                             BV232  (⇓Quarteira)

21-02-1944    Martin B-26C  Marauder                   42-96104 (⇓Lisbon)

22-02-1944    Lockheed Hudson VI                        EW906 (⇓Estrela Mountain)

06-03-1944    Lockheed Hudson IIIA                      FK791  (⇓Mira)

06-03-1944    Vickers Wellington XIII                     MF148 (⇓Lisbon)

12-04-1944    Douglas C-47A-80-DL Skytrain       43-15037 (⇓Lisbon)

17-07-1944    Douglas C-47 Skytrain A                 42-100930 (⇓Vila do Bispo)

05-08-1944    Bristol Beaufighter X                       NV321 (⇓Cascais)

25-08-1944    Vickers Wellington MX                    MF683 (⇓Sines)

03-11-1944    Bristol Beaufighter X                       NV555  (⇓Aljezur)

18-11-1944    Consolidated B-24 Liberator           44-40484 (⇓Lisbon)

24-11-1944    Handley Page Halifax V                  LK966   (⇓Lisbon)

12-12-1944    Douglas A-26B  Invader                 43-22284 (⇓Lisbon)

27-03-1945    Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress          42-37785 (⇓Loulé)

06-04-1945    Junkers Ju.188  A2                        W.Nr.140669 (⇓Lisbon)

02-05-1945    Junkers Ju.88   G7A                       W.Nr.621800 (⇓Oporto)







Fontes/ Sources

Publicações/ Publications
Aviões da Cruz de Cristo – Mário Canongia Lopes / /  "Bloody Biscay" - Chriss Goss //Lokheed Hudson in World War II - Andrew Hendrie // Revista "Mais Alto" - Diversos // Jornal "O Algarve" 

Documentos e Arquivos/ Documents and Archives
Arquivo do Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros - Portugal // Evade & Escape Report - National Archives -  London Kew // Portreath ORB - National Archives/ London Kew // Arquivo ANA -Aeroportos e Navegação Aérea de Portugal - Lisboa// Ficha  de saída dos Bombeiros Municipais de Faro - Arquivo Distrital de Faro // NARA - National Archives and Record Administration - Washington // Hurn ORB - National Archives UK - London, Kew // National Archives Australia

Sites e Fóruns
Commonwealth War Graves Commission - site CWGC //  "rafcommands.com" - varius threats //uboatnet.net// voaportugal.org // armyairforces.com

Pessoas/ People
Thomas De Paolis// Mário Canongia Lopes //Ostenberg family // Gilbert Weiss