Closed every Monday as well as on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's
Day and Easter Sunday.
L to R: Views of the outdoor display at the Museu do Ar, as seen (left) from
the railway line to Santarém and, next, from Alverca Station; far right, a
replica of a Fairey aircraft used by Coutinho and Cabral in the first crossing
of the South Atlantic, 1922.
Origins and Developments
The Alverca air museum (3000 sq. metres) opened on 1 July 1971 with exhibits which included a
D.H. Vampire, donated by the South African Air Force and replicas which included
the 'Santa Cruz' Fairey IIID aircraft of Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral-
the original of the last of the three Faireys used in this epic trip is
displayed in the Lisbon Maritime Museum at
Belém. Today, the Alverca museum occupies 3000 sq metres of indoor
and outdoor display areas. Of 112 aircraft owned by the museum,
some nineteen are on display, along with aero engines and other aircraft parts. There is also a
wealth of model aircraft, uniforms and memorabilia. The display hangar
comprises a modern installation of aircraft, some of which
are suspended from the roof. Amongst the aircraft to be seen are replicas
of a Blériot IX, the first aircraft to fly in Portugal, and a
replica of the Demoiselle (1909), one of the pioneering Brazilian aviator, Santos Dumont's
aeroplanes. Other exhibits include a Spitfire Mark V in
Portuguese Air Force camouflage livery. The more modern era is represented
by a mock-up of POSAT-1, the first Portuguese satellite (1993). There
is a magnificent collection of painted model aircraft kits covering the
history of aviation throughout the world. In two adjoining rooms are
numerous display-cases showing artefacts of celebrated Portuguese aviators.
Outside the museum is a selection of Portuguese Air Force exhibits, which
includes a Hawker Hurricane (apparently, a fibreglass replica), a Fiat G91
and a Northrop T-38A Talon. The adjacent Alverca military airfield is still active
with C-130 Hercules amongst the types to be seen. The museum costs only 1.50 Euros to enter for adulst (2004). Pensioners' tickets are 0.75 Euros, whilst students and children over 12 must pay only 0.50 Euros. Children under twelve gain free admission. A small range of souvenirs may be purchased at the
entrance desk in the foyer.
Museu do Ar, Sintra
Above: Max Holste Broussard at Sintra. Picture , courtesy of Adrian Balch.
Other sections of the Museu do Ar are to be found at other Portuguese Air
Force bases, such as those at Sintra, Beja, Monte Real, Montijo and Ota.
The main museum will eventually move from Alverca to the Sintra site
at the Granja do Marquês air force base. This was the site
of Lisbon's commercial airport in the early part of World War II where, because
of Portugal's neutrality, British and Nazi aircraft could be seen side by side. It is open from 1000-1700 at weekends but prior arrangements must be made. These can be made via the Tourist Office in Sintra. Entry is free.
Above: North American F-86F Sabre at Sintra. Picture, courtesy of Adrian Balch.
Sintra houses 22 aircraft of which 10 are in airworthy condition, including a 1935 Avro Cadet.Exhibits include a Cessna T-37, North American F86F Sabre, Lockheed T-33A, Lockheed RT-33A, Northrop T-38A Talon, two Fiat G.91R, an A-7P Corsair, a Lockheed Neptune, Douglas Dakota, Piper Cub, two Harvards, two Tiger Moths, a Hornet Moth, a Sikorsky UH-19, a Dragon Rapide, a Dornier Do-27, a Holste Broussard and an Auster.
*Thanks to Adrian Balch for this information, (Sept. 2004).
Above: Dornier Do-27 at Sintra. Picture, courtesy of Adrian Balch.
Other Information
17 September 2004
