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16-484: Monte Real hosts an air base ( base aérea ), Monte Real Air Base for the Portuguese Air Force. Monte Real is also known for its hot springs , ( Termas de Monte Real ). This Leiria location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Monte Real Air Base Monte Real Air Base , officially designated as Air Force Base No. 5 ( Portuguese : Base Aérea Nº 5 , BA5 ),

32-674: A F-86F breaks for the first time the sound barrier in Portugal. In the beginning of the 1960s, the flight demonstration team " Dragões " (Dragons) was reactivated with the F-86F as part of 51 Squadron. On August 15, 1961, a detachment of eight F-86F fighters was deployed to Guinea-Bissau until October 1964, in what was called Operation Atlas ( Portuguese : Operação Atlas ), during which they flew 577 sorties, of which 430 were ground-attack missions. From 1961 to 1970 51 Squadron also operated five T-33 AN Silver Star aircraft; having also operated

48-553: Is a Portuguese Air Force (PoAF) air base located in Monte Real , Leiria , Portugal . Its mission is to guarantee the readiness and deployment of the air force units based there. Since its opening in October 1959, the base has been home to the air force's jet fighter aircraft , with several of the units based there being equipped with F-86F Sabre , Fiat G.91 , T-33 Shooting Star , T-38 Talon and A-7 Corsair II aircraft. The base

64-474: Is carried out at the workshops at Monte Real Air Base, namely the facilities designated as dock 4 ( Portuguese : Doca 4 ), as well the flight testing of the upgraded aircraft. Monte Real Air Base hosts the 51st Operational Group (GO51). The GO51's operational fighter squadrons are: Both squadrons fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon . The base has one runway: There are four main apron areas (A1 to D1) on

80-563: Is currently home to two F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons. The air base is located at the former installations of the aero club of Leiria, that existed from 1938 to 1941, when it became a military aerodrome of the Portuguese Army 's aviation service. In 1952 the Army's aviation and the Portuguese Navy 's aviation service were merged, resulting in the creation of the Portuguese Air Force, but

96-616: The Fiat G-91 R4 from November 1965 to 1974. These were used in the transition and conversion of fighter pilots from the F-86F to the G.91 that were in the Portuguese African colonies . Starting in 1977, 51 Squadron additionally operated six T-38A Talon in advanced combat training, with a second batch of six T-38A aircraft being delivered and operated by 1980. Later that year all T-38 trainers were transferred to 103 Squadron , also based at Monte Real. With further reorganizations of

112-463: The Air Force, the operational group of which the squadron was part of was re-designated as Operational Group 51 ( Portuguese : Grupo Operacional 51 ), and in 1978 the squadron's own designation was changed to 201 Squadron. The F-86F Sabre ended its service in the Portuguese Air Force officially on July 31, 1980, and 201 Squadron was later disbanded on June 1, 1981. In 1981, 302 Squadron , to which

128-511: The East side of the base, and some twenty parking bays on the west side. 201 Squadron (Portugal) 201 Squadron " Falcões " ( Esquadra 201 ) is a fighter squadron of the Portuguese Air Force , operating the F-16 Fighting Falcon . 201 Sqn has as its primary mission the execution of air defense operations and conventional attack: The origins of 201 Squadron "Falcões" date back to

144-533: The aerodrome wasn't actively used until the air base was established in 1959. Construction of the air base began in 1957 and was completed in 1959, it being officially inaugurated on 4 October by the President of the Republic Admiral Américo Tomás . That same year the first Portuguese F-86F Sabre squadron, Esquadra 50 " Falcões ", that was created the previous year, was transferred to Monte Real and

160-539: The creation of 50 Squadron " Falcões " (Falcons) in 1958, based at Ota (then designated Air Base No. 2 ), operating the F-86F Sabre . On September 11, 1958, the squadron's designation was changed to 51 Squadron and it was later transferred to Air Base No. 5 , in Monte Real , on October 4, 1959. The squadron became part of 501st Operational Group. The first F-86F flight by a Portuguese pilot took place on September 22, 1958, by 50 Squadron. Two days later, on September 24,

176-525: The missions of tactical air support for maritime operations (TASMO) and air interdiction were assigned, was activated and the squadron continued to serve with the traditions of the " Falcões ". 201 Squadron was reactivated on October 4, 1993, with aerial defense as its mission, the first F-16 Fighting Falcon arriving in June 1994. In 1997 the squadron initiated its qualification in air-to-ground missions and in July 1998 it

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192-520: The symbols and traditions of the 51 Squadron " Falcões ." On 28 June 1984, during a meeting of the NATO Commission of Infrastructures in Brussels, Monte Real was formally accepted as NATO infrastructure to be equipped with two attack squadrons of A-7P aircraft and a future interceptor squadron. On the 25th anniversary of the inauguration of Monte Real Air Base, 4 October 1984, the 304 Attack Squadron

208-554: The traditions and symbol of the " Falcões ." On 25 November 2005, 301 Squadron was transferred to Air Base No. 5 from Air Base No. 11 in Beja and received the first F-16 fighters upgraded with the Mid-Life Update (F-16AM and F-16BM) of the Portuguese Air Force. The squadron maintained the symbols and traditions of the " Jaguares " ( Jaguars ). Work on the PoAF's F-16 Mid-Life Update program

224-658: Was disbanded on 12 July 1961. Between 1974 and 1987 the Advanced Fighter Training Squadron ( Portuguese : Esquadra de Instrução Complementar de Aviões de Caça , E.I.C.P.A.C.), later re-designated as 103 Squadron, was based at Monte Real and operated the T-33A Shooting Star and T-38A Talon . On 24 December 1981, a new chapter began at Air Base No. 5 with the arrival of first nine A-7P Corsair II fighter aircraft. The number eventually grew to 20, and these aircraft formed 302 Attack Squadron , taking on

240-476: Was officially activated and became the second attack squadron with A-7P aircraft. This squadron became the heir of the traditions, symbols, and deeds of the 93 Squadron " Magníficos " (Magnificents), deactivated at Air Base No. 9, in 1973 in Luanda, Africa. On 4 October 1993, the 201 Squadron was activated and equipped with F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters. This squadron resumed the air defence mission, and inherited

256-405: Was re-designated as 51 Squadron " Falcões " ( Falcons ). At the same time a second F-86F squadron, 52 Squadron " Galos " ( Roosters ), was also formed. Adopting the motto " Alcança Quem Não Cansa " (attaining without ceasing), these two squadrons became part of the new Operational Group 501 and together totaled 50 F-86F combat aircraft. This number was later increased to 65 fighters. 52 Squadron

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