What Country's Aircraft Spot this Insigna

[David I]

Cruising off the Coast of Portugal in 1940 I was approached by this aircraft, but I don't recognize the insignia - so of course I dived.

What country is this plane flying from? Is it neutral?

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/2527/whatcountrysinsignaisth.jpg (http://img682.imageshack.us/i/whatcountrysinsignaisth.jpg/)

Anyone?

[Task Force]

Portugeese (think thats how you say/spell it) probably, or spanish...

[Torplexed]

Portuguese and it is neutral.


(http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Portuguese_Air_Force_roundel.svg/180px-Portuguese_Air_Force_roundel.svg.png&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Air_Force&usg=__a2jIurONrWUj3VMlI_0zoONmnFU=&h=180&w=180&sz=8&hl=en&start=3&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=jBZDxMsmrUmovM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=101&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAir%2Bforce%2Binsignia%2BPortuguese%2 6hl%3Den%26um%3D1)

[Task Force]

yay, I was right!:DL

[Torplexed]

yay, I was right!:DL

Congrats! :up: You win a bottle of Port.

[Task Force]

lol, I was wondering awhile myself why I kept getting plane contacts off portugal...:hmmm:

[HundertzehnGustav]

But but But the portuguese never had hurricanes?:timeout:
i thought they had bought a bunch of Gladiators????


just joking...

[Rhodes]

But but But the portuguese never had hurricanes?:timeout:
i thought they had bought a bunch of Gladiators????


just joking...

Yes, we had and a spitfires also, but only after 43.

David I, the insignia is the Cross of the Knights of Christ or normally Christ Cross. Is one of our natiotal symbols and use by the military forces. Possibly similar to the Iron Cross in the German forces.
The Knights of Christ was the "descender" of the Temple Order, here in Portugal, heir to everything. Normally, one says that the red cross is is the templar one and with the white one in the middle.

[HundertzehnGustav]

Hey Rhodes, say - do you have an idea what kind of aircraft the Protuguese Flew throughout the war? from , lets say, 1936 to 1945?


I Did a search on the net a few months back but couldnt find anything substantial, except for the defence of the acores (the allied and german both wanted the islands as a naval base).

How did the Portuguese equip their air force in those times?:hmmm:

[Rhodes]

I have, just give some minutes! Yes, all wanted the Azores, we should rent them to all. Few islands to ones, a few islands to other, do some money...ehehheh. Allways thought how the u-boat campaign would have been if they had the azores has bases.

[Rhodes]

From 1934 we had, five hawkers fury. From 1937, four hawker hind. Then in 36 Portugal adquire junkers ju-52/3m and in 38, junkers ju-86; breda ba 65 bis; gloster gladiators II.
When the war began, we had 2 biplane squads, 2 squads of bombers and heterogenic conjunt of planes, all obselete. Total of 70.

During the war, we manage to get twelve gruman goose g-21, in 1940 from the americans. The order of hurricanes and spitfires had been made, but we never got it before 43.
Then we had 60 hurricanes-II, 34 spitfires I, 13 blenhein, 8 lysander, 6 martinet tt mk I and 6 oxford mk I. Also had 15 spitfire mk V after october 43 and more in 44 and to end of the war, 6 B-24D and C-47 Dakota.

[HundertzehnGustav]

Boa dude that was not an important force to defend your country...:cry:

and some of these planes were captured because the allied landed them in portugal i think.

I would have wished you at least something potent:up:, a hundred fighters and 50 light and Medium Bombers.

Hurricane IIc and Blenheims for 1941,
Spit V and a bunch of B-25Mitchells for 1944


Thanks for the info!:yeah:

[Rhodes]

No, from the sorce I use, all were bought, lend-lease, etc.

Ah, who would wanted to invade us...:haha::haha::haha:

[Jimbuna]

No, from the sorce I use, all were bought, lend-lease, etc.

Ah, who would wanted to invade us...:haha::haha::haha:

The Vikings no doubt :DL

[Schroeder]

No, from the sorce I use, all were bought, lend-lease, etc.

Ah, who would wanted to invade us...:haha::haha::haha:
Damn it and we went after the Russians!:damn::damn::damn:

:D

[Rhodes]

The Vikings no doubt :DL

That can be discuss, since when the vikings were around, Portugal didn't exist. If already existed, do not now how much they could pillage from our towns (I mean a buntch of 5 to 10 houses)... :D

[Torplexed]

Ah, who would wanted to invade us...:haha::haha::haha:

Well, Japan did occupy the Portuguese possessions of East Timor in the Pacific, and Macau in China. It's my understanding that Portugal protested, but declined to declare war.

[Rhodes]

Well, Japan did occupy the Portuguese possessions of East Timor in the Pacific, and Macau in China. It's my understanding that Portugal protested, but declined to declare war.

Yes, you are correct!

[Jimbuna]

Damn it and we went after the Russians!:damn::damn::damn:

:D

:rotfl2:

:yeah:

[David I]

Rhodes, and all;

Thanks for the help. I knew I had come to the right place.
:salute:


David

[Oneshot/Onekill]

Yes, we had and a spitfires also, but only after 43.

David I, the insignia is the Cross of the Knights of Christ or normally Christ Cross. Is one of our natiotal symbols and use by the military forces. Possibly similar to the Iron Cross in the German forces.
The Knights of Christ was the "descender" of the Temple Order, here in Portugal, heir to everything. Normally, one says that the red cross is is the templar one and with the white one in the middle.What he's referring to is the Order of the Knights Templer. Originally founded during the 1st Crusades to assist European pilgrims to the Holy Lands. And most notiably established he first banking system in Europe. And finally in 1307AD, were hunted down and imprisoned and tortured by France's King Louis supposedly for acts of heresy, but in truth because they were becoming more powerful than most countries. Many of the Templer's fled south to Spain, and Portugal renaming their order the "Knights of Christ"

To stay hidden from France. One last note Christopher Columbus is rumored to have ties to the Templer bloodline through marriage. and thats why some scholars say when he sailed to America, he had the red cross on a white backround on his sails, The symbol of the Knights of Christ.

Okay boys and girls history lesson's over for today, back on topic.:up:

[Leandros]

The Vikings no doubt :DL
Very much so. Portugal is very nice, once spent a week in Estoril, among other places, very nice casino there......but.....didn't Portugal join up with the Allies at one point...?

[Torplexed]

Very much so. Portugal is very nice, once spent a week in Estoril, among other places, very nice casino there......but.....didn't Portugal join up with the Allies at one point...?


Portugal remained officially neutral, but they did eventually allow the Allies the use of the Azores in the mid-Atlantic as an air base in 1943, thus making life more miserable for the U-Boats.

[Gotland]

Yeah and Portugal was the main source of Europe's wolframium during that time(tungsten).
Mid 1943 (when the allies started building the Azores-base) and Portugal belived an Allied victory was very likely, then the allies got most shares of that precious wolframium.
Before that great pressure was put on the shares of wolframium, Germany trying to outbuy Britain and vice versa.

Tungsten is a very hard metal with a high melting point (in fact highest M.P of all metals), making it an important part in weaponry.

[Rhodes]

Yeah and Portugal was the main source of Europe's wolframium during that time(tungsten).
Mid 1943 (when the allies started building the Azores-base) and Portugal belived an Allied victory was very likely, then the allies got most shares of that precious wolframium.
Before that great pressure was put on the shares of wolframium, Germany trying to outbuy Britain and vice versa.

Tungsten is a very hard metal with a high melting point (in fact highest M.P of all metals), making it an important part in weaponry.

Yep, we allways were a contry of traders/dealers...:D Sell to this one, sell to that one!

[Jimbuna]

Mid 1943 (when the allies started building the Azores-base) and Portugal belived an Allied victory was very likely, then the allies got most shares of that precious wolframium.



How very astute of them :DL

[Rhodes]

How very astute of them :DL

Believed or not, Salazar was a great international politician. Manage to play very well a dangerous game with all the leaders of the contries involved in the war.