Portugues JU 52 and AAC 1
 

I'm reading the excellent Junkers JU 52/3m "Success beyond the luftwaffe" by Andersson, Endres and Mulder but I doubt these aircraft and their french version AAC 1 Toucan were used by the Portuguese Air Force in Africa.

What do you think ?

Thank you

Alain

Re: Portugues JU 52 and AAC 1
 

Alain

Not 100% if any Junkers actually were based in Africa during their life time but that is not what the book actually says.

I have not myself come across any source stating explicitly any Ju 52s were based in any Portuguese African Colony. So I agree with you no evidence so far.

The Ju 52/AAC 1 were used as a navigation trainer and in the Paratroop training role by the units EICPNAP later succeded by ETTTP.

Unfortunately the book does not say where these units were based, but most likely BA-3 at Tancos, since that's where the unit was in 1971 and I have vague references that the Para-regiment was based there as well since its formation in 1955.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Portugues JU 52 and AAC 1
 

Thank you very much Stig for your answer but the book speak of the colonial war and of flight to Africa and India (Goa I think):

P 176 "the Ju 52/3m provided communications between the mainland, and the Portuguese colonies in Africa, the Indian sub-continent and South East Asia"

P 177 "among a strong aviation presence in Africa were the Ju 52/3m plus fifteen french built Amiot AAC 1"

Re: Portugues JU 52 and AAC 1
 

Well Alain

If you have evidence (p 176) that no Ju 52 ever flew back and forth to any Portuguese colony, I would very much like to know what that evidence is.

With regard to p 177 I am not sure what the authors mean, but most likely they refer to the same Ju 52 communication flights. As I said I have no evidence of any based Ju 52 units in Africa or any other Colony.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Portugues JU 52 and AAC 1
 

No evidence about communication flights to Africa but what I know is that the FAP didn't have aviation units in Africa before the beginning of the "guerra de ultramar"

Concerning flights to Goa it is very dubious !

Have a good day

Alain

Re: Portugues JU 52 and AAC 1
 

Yes Goa feels a bit far fetched

But why not ask Lennart (you can send him a PM since he is on TOCH now and then) and get the exact meaning from "the horses mouth"?

He is a great Guy :)

Cheers
Stig

Re: Portugues JU 52 and AAC 1
 

Flight Plan Africa: Portuguese Airpower in Counterinsurgency, 1961-1974
By John P. Cann

Sorry, can't seem to get rid of the "Bold" setting. However, this book might shed some light on the Portuguese use of the Ju52/AAC1. You can preview a section of the book via Google-books.
...geoff

Re: Portugues JU 52 and AAC 1
 

thank you Geoff I have this interesting book but I saw nothing in it about the eventual use of the portuguese JU 52 s in Africa.

In fact according to the author it seems that the range of these aircraft was too short.

Have a good day

Alain

Re: Portugues JU 52 and AAC 1
 

Hi Alain,


I read a library copy some time ago. I recalled very little mention of the Ju52s, apart from some use in Portugal (or perhaps North Africa?) for paratroop training. The book quickly moves on to discuss the acquisition of C-47s and C-54/DC-4s. The google-book preview pages I was able to read seemed to indicate similar.
So, sorry. Can't add much more.


...geoff