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101-570: Serpa has its origins in early settlement that preceded the Roman occupation of the Iberian peninsula. The neighbouring town of Beja (known as Pax Julia by the Romans) became the capital of southern Lusitanian ( Pacensis ). Serpa grew through the settlement of Roman colonists, with proof coming from various archaeological remains within the Roman villa. Moorish settlement followed this period, and remained until

202-542: A Clam and Pork dish and Sweet Potato Pastries. Beja (Portugal) Beja ( Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈbɛʒɐ] ) is a city and a municipality in the Alentejo region, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 35,854, in an area of 1,146.44 km (442.64 sq mi). The city proper had a population of 21,658 in 2001. The municipality is the capital of the Beja District . The municipal holiday

303-618: A crewed flight over the city of Lisbon, taking off from the São Jorge Castle and landing at the Cotovia Hill . This may have been the first manned flight in history. In 1876, General Augusto Bon de Sousa proposed the use of aerostats as means of observation and communication. This proposal was implemented in 1886, with the beginning of the use of Lachambre balloons by the Army Engineering School at Tancos. The organization of

404-726: A fighter flight. The growing of the Lisbon suburban area limited the use of the Amadora airfield, ending with it being deactivated and the GAI disbanded. After the inauguration of Ota, Alverca ceased to be an operational air base, becoming a logistical air field dependent from the Aviation Materiel Storage, supporting this body and also the OGMA. From 1940, the air bases became numbered as they are still today, with Sintra, Ota and Tancos, becoming respectively

505-409: A graduate in one of the aeronautics courses, who would assume the role of the aeronautics commandant general in the headquarters of the field army. The tactical aviation unit continued be the flight ( esquadrilha ), each including seven pilots and respective aircraft, headed by a captain. Several flights could be grouped to form groups of aviation flights, each headed by a senior officer. The troops of

606-512: A great part of the available Army forces and most of the AM combat aircraft, including all its fighters. In June 1941, two expeditionary fighter flights – each with 15 Gloster Gladiators – were organised and deployed, as well as five Ju 52 bombers. One of the fighter flights and the bombers became based at Santana airfield ( Rabo de Peixe ), São Miguel Island and the other fighter flight became based at Achada airfield, Terceira Island (soon transferred to

707-689: A naval air station being installed at Taipa Island . This air force was deactivated in 1932, but it would be reactivated in 1937 due to the Civil War and the Japanese invasion of China. The naval aviation and the only ever existing Portuguese aircraft carrier had an important role in subduing the Army officers' rebellion against the government of the National Dictatorship , which occurred in April 1931. Operating from

808-651: A possible invasion of the strategic Azores Islands, which were coveted both by the Axis and by the Allies , with both having plans to invade them. Adolf Hitler wanted to use the Azores as the base for the Amerika Bomber , with their seizure being included in the German planned operations Felix , Ilona and Isabella . The Allies wanted to use the Azores as an air and naval base to control

909-584: A small military museum. The square in front of the castle is named after Gonçalo Mendes da Maia or O Lidador , a brave knight killed in the battle against the Moors in 1170. The whitewashed Latin-Visigothic church of Santo Amaro, dedicated to Saint Amaro , standing next to the castle, is one of just four pre-Romanesque churches left in Portugal. Some parts date from the 6th century and the interior columns and capitals are carved with foliages and geometric designs from

1010-627: A two-letter code that was painted on the fuselages. By the end of World War II, the AM included the BA1, Sintra as a training unit, the BA2, Ota with fighter flights MR (Spitfire), RL (Spitfire), XZ (Spitfire) and OK (Airacobra) and with bomber flight ZE (Blenheim), the BA3, Tancos with Information and Reconnaissance Group ( Westland Lysander ) and Fighter Flight GL (Hurricane), BA4, Rabo de Peixe, with expeditionary fighter flights No 1 (Gloster Gladiator) and No 2 (Mohawk) and with

1111-564: Is Ascension Day . The Portuguese Air Force has an airbase in the area – the Air Base No. 11 . Situated on a 277-metre (909 ft) hill, commanding a strategic position over the vast plains of the Baixo Alentejo , Beja was already an important place in antiquity. Already inhabited in Celtic times, the town was later named Pax Julia by Julius Caesar in 48 BCE , when he made peace with

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1212-480: Is twinned with: The Castle of Beja on top of the hill can be seen from afar and dominates the town. It was built, together with the town walls, under the reign of King Diniz in the 13th century over the remains of a Roman castellum that had been fortified by the Moors . It consists of battlement walls with four square corner towers and a central granite and marble keep ( Torre de Menagem ), with its height of 40 m

1313-514: Is a mainstay of the local economy. It produces wheat , wine and olives . Tourism has also importance due to sunny weather, a long history and many cultural attractions including a 13th-century castle and a number of museums. The military airport of Beja , 9 kilometres away, has been converted and was opened for civilian flights in 2011. The Portuguese wet lease airline Hi Fly operated its Airbus A380 , purchased second-hand in 2018, from Beja, as well as other airplanes of its fleet. A highway

1414-518: Is an impressive building with a late- Gothic lattice-worked architrave running along the building. This elegant architrave resembles somewhat the architrave of the Monastery of Batalha , even if there are some early- Manueline influences. Above the entrance porch on the western façade is an ajimez window (a mullioned window) in Manueline and Moorish style in the room of the abbess , originating from

1515-600: Is on display on the upper floors: Visigothic and Roman artefacts, gravestones from the Bronze Age with antique writings of the Iberians and steles from the Iron Age . Among the several other artefacts in its collection, the museum possesses the Escudela de Pero de Faria , a unique piece of Chinese porcelain from 1541. Known as the breadbasket of Portugal, the region's agriculture

1616-516: Is the only officer in the Air Force with the rank of general ( four-star rank ). Presently, the FAP is an entirely professional force made of career personnel ( officers and NCOs ) and of volunteer personnel (officers, NCOs, and enlisted ranks ). As of 2015, the FAP employed a total of 5,957 military personnel, of which 1,677 were officers, 2,511 were NCOs, and 1,769 were other enlisted ranks. Additionally,

1717-504: The Lusitanians . He raised the town to be the capital of the southernmost province of Lusitania (Santarém and Braga were the other capitals of the conventi ). During the reign of emperor Augustus the thriving town became Pax Augusta . It was already then a strategic road junction. When the Visigoths took over the region, they called the town Paca (a direct derivation or shortening of

1818-684: The Reconquista (the Christian re-conquest of Iberia ). As a result of Serpa's proximity to the Spanish border, the town has always been a defensive stronghold. In the 13th century, owing to its location on the left bank of the Guadiana , it was occupied by forces loyal to Castile. On 1281, King D. Alfonso X of Castile delimited the municipality, attributing a Foral ( charter ) to the town, from Seville, in order to encourage settlement and expansion. Following

1919-514: The War Minister . The aeronautical troops would include aviation and aerostatics units, including the already existing Aerostatics Company and the newly created Composite Aviation Depot Flight (EMAD). The EMAD was responsible to train pilots and observers and to prepare the creation of future air units, being initially installed at Alverca and then transferred to Tancos , where an airfield was built to serve as its base. The PMA, installed at Alverca,

2020-716: The Western Front , but its activation was cancelled due to the refusal from the British Government to provide the needed aircraft. With this cancellation, several of the Portuguese airmen who were to integrate that air unit, instead volunteered to fly in French aviation units, where they had the baptism by fire of the Portuguese military aviation. Serving in French squadron SPA 65 , in November 1917, Captain Óscar Monteiro Torres became

2121-581: The naval purser branch applied for admission to any course that would qualify him as an aviator. He was the first member of the Portuguese Military to formally request to be an aircraft pilot. In the same year, by request of the AeCP, the legislator António José de Almeida presented a bill to the Portuguese Parliament for the creation of a Military Aviation Institute. Despite the non-approval of

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2222-558: The world's largest solar photovoltaic power projects at a single site in Serpa . The 11-megawatt solar power station , comprising 52,000 photovoltaic modules, would be built in one of Europe's sunniest areas. The power station was inaugurated on 28 March 2007. Urban residents of Lisbon, Beja and other cities maintain country homes in Serpa, or take weekend breaks to the area as a result of Serpa's rural location and laid back lifestyle. Local and regional specialties include Shepherd's Lamb Stew,

2323-525: The 16th to the 18th centuries. One enters the chapter house through a Manueline portal from the quadra of St. John the Evangelist. The ribbed vault of this square room was distempered during the renovations of 1727. The walls are covered with Arab-Hispanic azulejos with geometric and vegetal designs that are among the most important ceramic decorations in Portugal. Above the azulejos are some semicircular distempered paintings with religious themes: St. John

2424-531: The 17th century, the walls and system of bastions were adapted to serve as a defensive line by Nicolau de Langres (1665). On 30 January 1954, the walls of Serpa were classified as a Monumento Nacional ( National Monument ). Following the Carnation Revolution (in 1974), the Portuguese Communist Party gained strong support in the area, where it continues to be popular. On 26 August 2003,

2525-670: The 7th century. Especially the column with birds attacking a snake is of particular note. It houses today a small archaeological museum with Visigothic art. This regional museum was set up in 1927 and 1928 in the former Convent of Our Lady of the Conception ( Convento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição ) of the Order of Poor Ladies (dissolved in 1834), gradually expanding its collection. This Franciscan convent had been established in 1459 by Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu and duke of Beja, next to his ducal palace. The construction continued until 1509. It

2626-449: The AM performed air visits to the colonies, projecting a significant air force to Angola and to Mozambique to mark the Portuguese military presence in Africa. Taking off from the Amadora airfield, this air visit included a Junkers W 34 transport aircraft and eight Vickers Valparaiso light bombers , with 12 pilots and seven aircraft mechanics, commanded by colonel aviator Cifka Duarte. In

2727-885: The Aerostatics Company (usually attached to the artillery arm), the Practical School of the arm, the Aviation Materiel Storage, the Aerostatics Materiel Storage (attached to the Aerostatics Company) and a personnel mobilisation depot (attached to the Command General). The creation of the Command General of the Aeronautics - headed by an AM brigadier or general who reported directly to the Minister of War -

2828-606: The Air Force further included 842 civilian employees. Besides its warfare role, the FAP has also public service roles, namely assuring the Portuguese Air Search and Rescue Service. Until 2014, the FAP also integrated the National Aeronautical Authority (AAN). The AAN is now a separate body, but continues to be headed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, with the Air Force assuring most of its activities, namely

2929-457: The Almohad caliph crossed the straits to Morocco] in 1178, the Portuguese under Afonso I launched an expedition against the city. The entire population fled to Mertola thus bringing a definitive end to Muslim inhabitation of Beja. It stayed under Muslim rule [most likely only inhabited by a garrison] till 1234 when king Sancho II finally recaptured the town from the Moors. All these wars depopulated

3030-569: The Angola Group of Aviation Flights (GEAA), which existed until being disbanded in 1924. On 7 February 1919, the Group of Aviation Flights "República" (GEAR) was created. This was the first permanent operational aviation unit in the Portuguese Mainland, including a combat flight – equipped with SPAD S.VII fighters – and a bombardment and observation flight – equipped with Breguet 14 bombers. It

3131-521: The Army Telegraphic Service of 1900 assigned it the charge for the aerostation service, namely the specific competency for establishing air communications. The history of the Portuguese military aviation proper is deeply connected with the foundation of the Air Club of Portugal (AeCP) on 11 December 1909, by 30 aviation enthusiasts, the majority of them being Army officers. The AeCP became one of

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3232-451: The BA1, Sintra. Portugal joined NATO in 1949 as one of its founders. With this joining, the AM increasingly came under the influence of the US air forces, adopting many of its standards. Since its early beginnings, the AM constantly evolved towards an increasing autonomy, with an implicit aim to become an independent branch of service. Important milestones in that journey had been the granting of

3333-659: The Baptist , St. John the Evangelist , St. Christopher , St. Clare and St. Francis of Assisi . The museum houses also an important collection of Flemish, Spanish and Portuguese paintings from the 15th to the 18th centuries, among them: The museum houses also the funeral monuments in late-Gothic style of the first abbess D. Uganda and of the Infante Fernando, Duke of Viseu and his wife Beatriz of Portugal. The archaeological collection of Fernando Nunes Ribeiro, donated to museum in 1987 after forty years of archaeological research,

3434-649: The British Royal Air Force in the elimination of the German submarine threat in the North Atlantic and then in its use by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) in the air connection between the US and Europe and North Africa, enabling it to reduce the time of flight and largely increase the number of logistic flights that were able to supply the troops fighting the Axis. Already after the war, by

3535-658: The Christian kings. With the collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031, Beja became a taifa , an independent Muslim-ruled principality. In 1144 the governor of Beja, Sidray ibn Wazir, helped the rebellion of the Murīdūn (disciples) led by Abul-Qasim Ahmad ibn al-Husayn al-Quasi in the Algarve against power of Seville . In 1150 the town was captured by an army of the Almohads , who annexed it to their North African empire. It

3636-552: The Evangelist, and two of the 18th century, dedicated to St. Christopher and St. Bento) are decorated with gilded woodwork ( talha dourada ). The fourth altar, dedicated to St. John the Baptist , was decorated with Florentine mosaics by José Ramalho in 1695. On the wall are three religious azulejos dating from 1741, depicting scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist The refectory and the claustro are decorated with exquisite azulejos , some dating from Moorish times, others from

3737-671: The French naval aviation), at Horta, Azores , at Ponta Delgada , Azores (operated by the United States Navy) and at Culatra Island , Algarve (never fully activated). By the Decree 3743 of 5 January 1918, the Navy's Aviation Service became the Naval Aeronautics Services ( Serviços de Aeronáutica Naval ). On 23 August 1918, a Tellier T.3 flying boat of the naval aviation - that was chasing an enemy submarine spotted from Roca Cape -

3838-761: The Independent Group of Protection and Combat Aviation (GIAPC) in 1927. In 1927, the GEAR was disbanded and gave origin to two separate units, the Information Aviation Group (GAI) and the Independent Bombardment Aviation Group (GIAB), this being transferred to Alverca. By the Decree 11279 of 26 April 1926, the Military Aeronautics School was again divided into separate aviation and aerostation schools. With this reorganization,

3939-437: The January lows are around 5 °C (41 °F), occasionally dropping below 0 °C (32 °F) during the cold months, with an average of 9 days with frost per year. The annual mean temperature is around 17 °C (63 °F). The average total rainfall in a year is 558 mm (22.0 in). Snow is rare but may fall about once per decade, the last major snowfall having happened on January 10, 2009. The year 2005

4040-446: The Ju 52 flight (used mainly in the air transport between Azores islands), BA5, Lajes with Expeditionary Fighter Flight No 2 (Gloster Gladiator), Lisbon Field with Fighter Flight VX (Hurricane) and Transport Aircraft Section ( Consolidated B-24 Liberator , Lockheed Hudson and Douglas C-47 ) and Espinho airfield with Fighter Flight RV (Hurricane). The Lajes Air Base largely contributed to the Allied victory in Europe, first in its use by

4141-411: The Latin Pax or Pace-Augusta ) which then became the seat of a bishopric . Saint Aprígio (died in 530) became the first Visigothic bishop of Paca . The town fell to the invading Umayyad army in 713. Paca , was then adapted to Arabic Baja ( Arabic : باجة there's no sound for "p" in Arabic), and eventually became Beja . Starting in 910 there were successive attempts of conquest and reconquest by

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4242-403: The Military Aeronautics School (EMA, Escola Militar de Aeronáutica ), including aviation and aerostation services. The EMA would include a Staff, aeronautical troops (including the Aerostation Company and a Navy Section), and technical and support staff. The Law foresaw the existence of a Military Aeronautical Service from which the EMA would be dependent. However, while the Aeronautical Service

4343-402: The Military Aviation School started to include training programs for non-officer military pilots and for civil pilots. It thus became the first civil aviation school in Portugal. In 1925, Carlos Bleck would graduate from this school, becoming the first civil pilot to receive its brevet in Portugal. In 1928, Maria de Lourdes Sá Teixeira would also graduate in the Military Aviation School, becoming

4444-453: The Military School of Aeronautics (EMA). The naval officers Artur de Sacadura Cabral and António Joaquim Caseiro were part of the group of the eleven first Portuguese military aviation pilots, with the first one becoming the first chief of the pilot instructors of the EMA. The EMA included a Navy Section, which received the first naval aircraft (two FBA Type B flying boats ) in January 1917. These aircraft started flying activities in March of

4545-444: The Mission, including some officer aviators, however ended by actively engaging in military operations. Besides these, other AM personnel volunteered as " Viriatos ", these being mainly NCOs aviators who served as officers in nationalist aviation units. By the Decree 29155 of 19 November 1938, the course of military aeronautics was created in the Army School (military academy). Until then, the future officer aviators had to graduate in

4646-417: The No 1, No 2 and No 3 air bases. During the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), a number of Portuguese pilots and airmen served in the Nationalist Aviation . During this conflict, the Portuguese Government sent a Military Observation Mission to Spain intended to merely observe the new tactics and new weapon systems that were being employed, including the use of aviation and antiaircraft defences. Some members of

4747-421: The North Atlantic in the scope of the Battle of the Atlantic , having plans to invade them if the Portuguese government refused to cede their use. This invasion was part of the planned British operations Alloy , Shrapnel , Brisk , Thruster , Springboard and Lifebelt and of the US Operation Grey. Faced with the imminent danger, the Portuguese authorities decided to reinforce the Azores garrison, sending there

4848-415: The Ordinance 12194 of 19 December 1947, the AM suffered its last major re-adjustment of its units still under the Army tutelage. As part of this, the BA4 (Santana Air Base) was disbanded, with its aeronautical facilities being transferred to the Ministry of Communications to become the civil airport of São Miguel Island . With this disbandment, Lajes was re-designated "No 4 Air Base (BA4)". By this time, Lajes

4949-431: The Portuguese aviation, but the USAAF. Besides its importance for the Allied victory in World War II, Lajes would continue to be strategically crucial for the US Military in future conflicts, especially in the Cold War , Berlin airlift , Yom Kippur War and Gulf War . In the scope of the re-organization of 1947, the Monte Real airfield (future Monte Real Air Base ) – at that time under construction – became dependent from

5050-407: The Portuguese priest Bartolomeu de Gusmão requested a patent for a device to move through the air, which consisted of a kind of hot air balloon . The patent was granted on 19 April 1709 and small scale models of this device were tested with success on several occasions, including before the court of King John V of Portugal . Accordingly, with some opinions, a real scale device would have performed

5151-425: The Portuguese-born Colonel Albino Costa of the Brazilian Army . The Government further received a Maurice Farman MF4 offered by the O Comércio do Porto newspaper and an Avro 500 offered by the Portuguese Republican Party . These aircraft would be integrated in the Aerostation Company, but remained for years without use because of the non-existence of pilots. Still in 1912, midshipman Miguel Freitas Homem of

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5252-399: The Reconquista, in 1295, Serpa received a new foral from Portuguese King D. Dinis . The local keep that dominated Serpa was partly damaged as a result of the last Spanish invasion. At that time, the king ordered the re-construction of the castle, as well as the erection of a wall fortification. A new foral was issued in 1513, by King D. Manuel I , who was the former master of Serpa. During

5353-419: The acronym PRTAF . It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces . The Portuguese Air Force was formed on 1 July 1952, when the former Aeronáutica Militar (Army Aviation) and Aviação Naval (Naval Aviation) were united and formed an independent air branch of the Armed Forces. However, the remote origins of the FAP go back to the early 20th century with the establishment of

5454-421: The air policing service. Its aerobatic display teams have been the Asas de Portugal for jet aircraft and the Rotores de Portugal for helicopter, being both however currently inactive since 2010. The remote origins of the Portuguese Air Force lie in the origins of the Portuguese military aeronautics. Portugal was directly linked with the history of aeronautics since its early beginnings. In 1709,

5555-428: The arm were defined at that time as being a fighter flight, a bombardment flight, an observation flight, a training and depot aviation flight and an observation aerostatics company. The aeronautics schools and courses would be the Military Aeronautics School (including an aerostatics section) and the mechanics and specialists courses functioning at the PMA. The Military Aeronautics School would only be activated in 1928, by

5656-408: The aviators, culminating in the uprising of the GEAR. The uprising was quelled by other military units, with the officer aviators being arrested. These incidents led to the temporary disbandment of the Military Aeronautical Service by the Decree 9801 of 15 July 1924. By the Decree 10094 of 19 September 1924, the Military Aeronautics (AM) was reorganised, becoming a full arm of service of the Army, with

5757-441: The bill, the War Ministry appointed an ad hoc commission, made up of officers of the Army and Navy (including some members of the AeCP), intended to study the basis for the creation of aviation, balloon and airship schools. By the Army Order of 12 February 1913, this became the permanent Military Aeronautics Commission, attached to the Army Telegraphic Service. Finally, the Parliament issued Law 162 of 14 May 1914, which created

5858-415: The city and massacred the inhabitants. Jews had already been living in Beja by the time the Kingdom of Portugal was established in the 12th century. Clauses regarding Jews are mentioned in the town's first charter. When the Jews were expelled from Portugal , Beja became a center for crypto-Judaism . The surname Beja was common among Sephardim living in other parts of Europe and the Middle East, presumably

5959-408: The command of the territorial Army commands of the area where they were based. By this new organisation the PMA was transformed in the OGMA . During this period, the Portuguese Military Aeronautics aviators entered in the History of Aviation by performing a number of pioneer flights . Among these were the first flight to Macau performed by Brito Pais, Sarmento Beires and Manuel Gouveia in 1924,

6060-406: The course of one of the other arms and only then be transferred to the AM. Portugal was not directly involved in World War II , but had to defend its neutrality. The war caught the AM in the beginning of a modernisation plan that could not proceed due to the start of the conflict, meaning that it largely lacked modern aircraft. One of the major Portuguese military priorities became the deterrence of

6161-416: The demolished palace of the dukes of Beja. The entrance door is embedded under an ogee arch. A square bell-tower and a spire with crockets tower above the complex. The convent has been classified as a national monument. The entrance hall leads to the sumptuously gilded Baroque chapel, consisting of a single nave under a semi-circular vault . Three altars (one of the 17th century, dedicated to St. John

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6262-471: The descendants of those who were expelled, as it was common for Sephardic Jews to take on the surnames of the towns they were expelled from. Due to its southernmost inland location with the descending winds of the subtropics and low precipitation, especially in summer, the city has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa ). It is the hottest main city in Portugal and one of the hottest places in Europe during summer. Between 2001 and 2018 it had

6363-443: The first Portuguese woman pilot. The new organization of the Portuguese Army of 2 August 1926, established by the Decree 12017, defined that the superior technical body of each arm became a directorate of the arm. So the Directorate of the Aeronautics Arm was established, being headed by a general. This Directorate continued to have only a mere technical authority over the AM units and other establishments, which continued to be under

6464-416: The first Portuguese pilot to be killed in an air combat when his SPAD S.VII was shot down after himself having shot down two German planes. In Mozambique , in the operations against German Eastern Africa , from September 1917, the Portuguese forces included a small flight of Farman F.40 airplanes, this being one of the earliest employments of military aircraft in Africa. In 1918, a flight of Caudron G.4

6565-452: The first military air unit in 1911, the Military Aeronautics School in 1914, the participation of Portuguese pilots in World War I, the establishment of the Army, and the Navy aviation services. The FAP is commanded by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CEMFA), a subordinate of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces for operational matters and a direct subordinate of the Minister of National Defense for all other matters. The CEMFA

6666-451: The first night-time flight across the Atlantic performed by Sarmento de Beires, Jorge de Castilho and Manuel Gouveia in 1927, the first flight to Goa , Portuguese India performed by Moreira Cardoso and Sarmento Pimentel in 1930, the first flight to Portuguese Guinea and Angola, performed by Carlos Bleck and Humberto da Cruz in 1931 and the first flight to Portuguese Timor performed by Humberto da Cruz and António Lobato in 1934. In 1935,

6767-421: The good relations of the Portuguese authorities with the Allies and the granting of air facilities at Lajes for the operation of anti-submarine aircraft. The AM then started to receive modern fighters including Bell P-39 Airacobra , Hawker Hurricane , Supermarine Spitfire and Bristol Blenheim bombers (which replaced the Junkers Ju 86). The fighter and bomber flights that were formed with them were identified by

6868-454: The highest in Portugal. The top of the keep can be accessed via a spiral staircase with 197 steps, passing three stellar-vaulted rooms with Gothic windows. The merlons of the machicolation around the keep are topped with small pyramids. Standing on the battlements, one has a sensational panorama of the surrounding landscape. One can also glimpse the remains of the city walls that once had forty turrets and five gates. The castle now houses

6969-401: The hottest summer of any main city in the country. Winters are mild and moderately rainy, while summers are hot and dry. The average high in January is around 14 °C (57 °F), while the July and August highs are around 33 °C (91 °F). However, in the last few years there has been an increase, to around 34-36°C+. The July and August lows are around 16 °C (61 °F), while

7070-412: The initiative of Sacadura Cabral. In 1922, the Sacadura Cabral and Gago Coutinho entered the History of the World Aviation by performing the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic . Due to the frequent piracy attacks to the local navigation and the civil conflicts affecting China, in 1927 the Portuguese Navy reinforced its station at Macau , including an air force of Fairey III floatplanes , with

7171-415: The major boosters of the development of aviation in Portugal in the early 20th century, including its military use. The AeCP sponsored Abeillard Gomes da Silva in the design and building of the first Portuguese airplane , financed by the War Ministry and tested at the Army School of Engineering, Tancos on 13 January 1910. Despite the previous use of balloons by the Portuguese Army, its first flying unit

7272-464: The much smaller naval aviation. This branch kept initially the designation of "Military Aeronautics", but from 28 December 1956 it became officially designated "Air Force". Besides the former Military Aeronautics, the former Portuguese Naval Aviation was the other ancestor of the present Portuguese Air Force. The aviation activities performed by the Portuguese Navy started with the establishment of

7373-623: The newly built Lajes airfield ). In October 1941, the AM received Curtiss 75 Mohawk fighters, with 12 forming a third expeditionary fighter flight to the Azores, being stationed at Rabo de Peixe. In 1942, the Rabo de Peixe and the Lajes airfields became, respectively, the No 4 and No 5 air bases. The sending of all the few available AM fighters to the Azores meant that Mainland Portugal remained without air defence. This issue would be gradually solved from 1943, thanks to

7474-515: The operation of seaplanes ) and near the railway (facilitating the communications). Due to budget restraints, the second option was chosen, with the construction of the EMA installations starting at Vila Nova da Rainha on 15 April 1915. On 17 July 1916, lieutenant Santos Leite performed the first Portuguese military airplane flight, in the Deperdussin B that had been offered in 1912. EMA and its first course

7575-577: The pilots, each flight would also include around another 70 members, including mechanics, radio-telegraphists and service support personnel. The Sintra Air Base included the Practical School of Aeronautics, with a School Group mainly equipped with Avro 626 and de Havilland Tiger Moth . Later, Sintra Air Base would also include an independent assault aviation flight equipped with Breda Ba.65 ground-attack aircraft . The Ota Air Base - inaugurated in 1940 and until then temporarily installed in Alverca - succeeded to

7676-629: The same status as the cavalry, artillery, engineering and infantry arms. The military aeronautics arm included the Inspectorate General of the Military Aeronautics, the AM Technical Commission, the aviation and aerostatics troops, the aeronautics schools and courses, the AM establishments and the AM services. The inspector general of the AM would preferably be a general or a colonel with all the conditions to be promoted to general,

7777-629: The same year. The Navy's Aviation Service ( Serviço de Aviação da Armada ) was created by the Decree 3395 of 28 September 1917, with the first naval air station being activated at the Bom Sucesso dock, near the Belém Tower in Lisbon. In the scope of World War I, the flying boats started the performance of anti-submarine patrols off Lisbon harbor. During the War, additional naval air stations were installed at São Jacinto peninsula , Aveiro (operated together with

7878-570: The scope of the civil conflict between Republicans and Monarchist , the naval aviation bombs and disables a section of the Porto-Lisbon railway near Espinho , in order to cut the supplies of the Monarchist forces that were advancing to the South. This was the first aerial bombing performed by the Portuguese military aviation. During the 1920s, the naval aviation took its share of pioneer flights, mainly by

7979-582: The scope of the readjustment of the Army units and size established by the Decree-Law 28401 of 31 December 1937, the Military Aeronautics underwent a major reorganisation. The AM would now include the Command General of the Aeronautics (with the Antiaircraft Land Defence Command attached to it), air bases, field bases, information aviation flights, fighter aviation flights, bombardment aviation flights (the flights could be independent or grouped),

8080-576: The staple of the local economy, employing many people. Due to the area's strong agricultural reliance, the local population has traditionally been agrarian farmers and sheepherders. This has also resulted in the production of its spicy and strong-smelling cheeses , produced in the area and commercialized throughout Portugal. Slightly to the northeast, in the region of Pias, the area cultivates vineyards in order to produce local wines. On 27 April 2006, GE Energy Financial Services, PowerLight Corporation and Catavento Lda. announced that they would build one of

8181-474: The status of arm to the AM in 1924 and its operational autonomy regarding the rest of the Army achieved in 1937. By this time, there was a unanimous opinion that the conditions for the AM to completely separate from the Army and to become an independent branch of the Armed Forces had been obtained. Finally, on 1 July 1952, the AM was established as an independent branch, at the same time controversially integrating

8282-585: The then disbanded GIAB and came to include a night bombardment group with Junkers Ju 52 bombers, a day bombardment group with Junkers Ju 86 bombers and a fighter flight with Gloster Gladiator fighters. The Tancos Air Base succeeded to the GIAPC and was intended to be a fighter and observation aviation unit. The Lisbon Field Base was planned to function in the facilities of the Lisbon Airport - at that time under construction, being inaugurated in 1942 - and to station

8383-536: The town and gradually reduced it to rubble. Only with Manuel I in 1521 did Beja again reach the status of city. It was attacked and occupied by the Portuguese and the Spanish armies during the Portuguese Restoration War (1640–1667). Beja became again the head of a bishopric in 1770, more than a thousand years after the fall of the Visigothic city. In 1808 Napoleonic troops under General Junot sacked

8484-475: The town of Serpa was elevated to city status. Meanwhile, on 28 January 2013, the historic centre of Serpa (that included the principal civil parishes) of São Salvador and Santa Maria, was re-incorporated into a single civil parish (Decree 11-A/2013, Diário da República, Série 1, 19). Administratively, the municipality is divided into five civil parishes : The area surrounding Serpa consists mostly of farms and cultivated lands of wheat, that have traditionally been

8585-717: The transformation of the Military Aviation School and the disbandment of the Military Aerostatics School. The AM establishments were the PMA and the Aeronautical Material Storage. The AM included the meteorological, the communications and liaison and the photo-topographical services. In 1924, the fighters of the GEAR were transferred to the EMAD at Tancos, which became the No 1 Fighter Flight in 1926 and then

8686-505: Was already one of the major air bases of the AM, including the longest runway in the world and well developed support facilities that included a seaport and a military hospital. From 1945, it was open to civil air traffic, serving as the civil airport of Terceira island. The AM activities operated from Lajes became increasingly focused on maritime search and rescue operations, using Boeing SB-17 Flying Fortress and Douglas C-54 Skymaster aircraft. Since 1944, its main user had become however not

8787-608: Was also deployed to Angola to support the Portuguese forces engaged in the South-West Africa campaign , but arrived after the end of the conflict. This flight however gave origin to a permanent air unit based in Angola. The Portuguese Navy started to have its own aviation service on 28 September 1917, although by that time it already had flying activities performed by the Navy Section of the EMA. The Army's Military Aeronautical Service

8888-468: Was also finally fully organized on 29 June 1918, in the scope of which the EMA was to be subdivided in separate aviation and aerostation schools and the first Portuguese aircraft factory was established. By the Decree 4529 of 29 June 1918, the Portuguese Army's Military Aeronautical Service ( Serviço Aeronáutico Militar ) – already foreseen when the Military Aeronautics School was created in 1914 –

8989-452: Was constructed to link Beja to the deepwater port of Sines about 60 kilometres away. Beja railway station is the terminus of the Linha do Alentejo railway. Portuguese Air Force The Portuguese Air Force ( Portuguese : Força Aérea Portuguesa ) is the aerial warfare force of Portugal . Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by

9090-509: Was installed at Amadora , for which an airfield was built. In 1920, the Military School of Aviation was transferred from Vila Nova da Rainha to Granja do Marquês ( Sintra Municipality ), the site of what would become the still existing Sintra Air Base . The Decree 9749 of 30 May 1924, defining that the director of the Military Aeronautics could be a colonel of any arm of the Army (and not necessarily an officer aviator), caused revolt among

9191-655: Was lost at sea with the death of its crew. At the end of World War I, the naval aviation was operating 18 flying boats (FBA type B, Donnet-Denhaut D.D.8 and Tellier T.3), mainly from the Bom Sucesso Naval Air Station. With the end of the conflict, the São Jacinto and the Ponta Delgada air stations were transferred to the Portuguese Navy, together with some of its materiel, including ex-French Donnet-Denhaut D.D.8 and Georges Levy G.L.40 flying boats. In 1919, in

9292-480: Was one of the major features of this reorganisation. Unlike the previous superior bodies of the AM which only had technical authority over the units of the arm, the Command General now had full command over all the air forces and other bodies of the AM. This meant that the AM started to have a chain of command separated from the rest of the Army, gaining a high degree of autonomy and coming to be considered an almost independent branch. Another feature of this reorganization

9393-540: Was only created in 1911, in the scope of the military reorganisation that occurred that year. This unit was the Aerostation Company ( Companhia de Aerosteiros ), which was part of the Army Telegraphic Service and was intended to operate observation aerostats. This unit would later receive a handful of airplanes. In 1912, the Portuguese Government received its first airplane, a Deperdussin B , offered by

9494-540: Was opened in October of the same year, with naval lieutenant aviator Sacadura Cabral as the chief of the pilots and with Major aeronautical engineer Ribeiro de Almeida as the chief of mechanics. The first students started flying in November, with Army lieutenant Sarmento de Beires being the first one. During World War I , an air unit was planned as part of the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps fighting on

9595-611: Was organised. It included the Directorate of Military Aeronautics, the Military Aeronautics Technical Commission, the Military School of Aviation, the Military School of Aerostatics, the aeronautical troops and the Aeronautical Materiel Park (PMA) . The Directorate of Military Aeronautics was headed by a senior officer (pilot aviator, aerostat pilot or aeronautical engineer), who directly reported to

9696-469: Was particularly dry in Portugal and Beja suffered devastating forest fires in the surrounding rural areas contributing to the desertification that affects Alentejo . "Moyennes 1981/2010 Beja" . Baseline climate means (1981–2010) from stations all over the world . Météo Climat . Retrieved 14 July 2020 . Administratively, the municipality is divided into 11 civil parishes ( freguesias ): Beja

9797-518: Was retaken in 1162 by Fernão Gonçalves, leading the army of the Portuguese king Afonso I . It must have been abandoned by the Portuguese because in 1172 Gerald the Mercenary captured the town from the Muslims and before departing from it the medieval Arab city was reduced to rubble and left desolate. A scarce 200 men and their families returned to the city rebuilding once more but a mere 6 years later [when

9898-612: Was still not organized, the EMA would be under the inspection of the chairman of the Military Aeronautics Commission. After the formal creation of the EMA, the next steps were to implement it. One of the first steps was to train aviators to serve as the future instructors, with 11 officers being selected for that (nine from the Army and two from the Navy) and sent to several U.S., French, and British aviation schools, where they were certified as aircraft pilots. Another important step

9999-469: Was the building of the facilities for the EMA. The study of the Military Aeronautics Commission pointed to Alverca as the best option to install the school, with Vila Nova da Rainha (a village of the Azambuja Municipality ) as the second best option. Both places satisfied the requests of being located in flat grounds (allowing the installation of airfield and hangars ), in the riverside (allowing

10100-556: Was the precursor of the still existing OGMA aviation industry. By the initiative of the local colonial authorities, the Caudron G.4 expeditionary flight that had been deployed to Angola due to World War I became a permanent air unit of the colony in 1918, as the Initial Colonial Flight, based at Huambo . This unit was increased in 1921, with the reception of Caudron G.3 reconnaissance and Breguet 14 bomber airplanes, becoming

10201-686: Was the structuring of the AM in air bases, with the creation of the Sintra , Ota and Tancos air bases, as well as the Lisbon Field Base. The Practical School of Aeronautics was attached to the Sintra Air Base. By this organisation, each fighter flight ( esquadrilha de caça ) would have 15 pilots (6 officers, 6 NCOs and 4 corporals) and respective aircraft, while each bombardment flight ( esquadrilha de bombardeamento ) would have 10 pilots (5 officers, 3 NCOs and 2 corporals) and five bombers. Besides

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