Short Sunderland Operated by Portugal
On the 14th February 1941, Short Sunderland P9623 of 95 Squadron ran low on fuel during a flight to Freetown in Sierra Leone via Gibraltar from Pembroke Dock in Wales after experiencing heavy headwinds. The pilot beached the aircraft at Tróia in Portugal.
The plane was officially handed over to Portugal on 8th May 1942 and registered AN 136 of the Aviação Naval, the air branch of the Portuguese Navy. Following repairs, AN 136 successfully completed two test flights. In March 1944, while flying to Portuguese Guinea one propeller was lost, and another engine overheated. The pilot was able to bring the aircraft back to Lisbon with only two engines. It never flew again and was scrapped in the next year.
