The Portuguese Panhard AML-60 fleet

The October issue of Motor Clássico presents the operational life of the light wheeled armoured vehicle Panhard AML-60 in Portuguese service. Received in eraly 1960s, these French-built armoured vehicles were extensively used during the colonial war in Guinea, Angola and Mozambique.

This two-page article features some rare archive photage of the Portuguese fleet in real operations in Angola as well as in military exercises and ceremonies in Portugal.

This is the third work from a series of articles to be published by Motor Clássico each two months that will present to Portuguese readers some of the most icconic military vehicles operated in Portugal over the last decades.

Pedro Monteiro

The Portuguese Patton fleet

The August issue of Motor Clássico presents the operational life of the M47 Patton main battle tank in Portuguese service. Received by 1952, the Patton was at the time the most modern tank in service with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Portugal was its first European operator.

This two-page article features some rare archive photage of the Portuguese fleet during military exercises including the tanks of Practical School of Cavalry, at the time located in Santarém, with their impressive unusual three-tone camouflage scheme.

This is the second work from a series of articles to be published by Motor Clássico each two months that will present to Portuguese readers some of the most icconic military vehicles operated in Portugal over the last decades.

Pedro Monteiro

The Portuguese-built UMM Cournil and Alter light military vehicles

The June issue of Motor Clássico presents the unknown story behind the development, production and operation of the Portuguese-built UMM Cournil and Alter light 4x4 military vehicles.

Operated by the Portuguese army since the late 1970s, the UMM would become widely recognized by the 1990s international deployments with the UN-led peacekeeping missions in Angola and Mozambique as well as the NATO-led mission of Bosnia.

This is also the first article from a series of articles to be published by Motor Clássico each two months that will present to Portuguese readers some of the most icconic military vehicles operated in Portugal over the last decades such as the Portuguese-built Berliet Tramagal truck family, the Panhard AML light armoured vehicle or the M47 Patton main battle tank, just to mention a few.

Pedro Monteiro

Historic main battle tanks in Santa Margarida

The Portuguese magazine Motor Clássico has published on its November issue a report focusing the unique collection of main battle tanks of Santa Margarida fire range. This collection comprises all the tank models operated by the Portuguese Army since the 1940s.

Besides this, the article brings additional information concerning to the preservation of historical military vehicles in Portugal and two other collections of the Portuguese Army open to visit at Abrantes and Elvas.

Pedro Monteiro

Gazela, Leopardo and Pantera: The history of the familiy of Portuguese military trucks (2)

The June issue of the Portuguese magazine Motor Clássico brings the second part of the work covering the history of the Portuguese family of military trucks. This family of vehicles, developed by the same company which produced the Chaimite armoured vehicle, included the Gazela, Leopardo and Pantera trucks.

This second part covers the operation of the Gazela and Leopardo in the Portuguese Army, the adaptation of some vehicles for fireman corporations or the heavy Pantera truck. Besides, this article includes an one-page summary with new findings about the history of the Chaimite Portuguese-built armoured vehicle. Those include, for example, the interest of Brazil on the vehicle and tests in this country, the operational deployment in Africa with Portuguese forces and the operation by Lebanon with updated information of the recent modernization of the local fleet.

Pedro Monteiro

Gazela, Leopardo and Pantera: The history of the familiy of Portuguese military trucks (1)

On its May issue, the Portuguese magazine Motor Clássico publishes the first part of a work covering the history of the Portuguese family of military trucks. This family of vehicles, developed by the same company which produced the Chaimite armoured vehicle, included the Gazela, Leopardo and Pantera trucks.

The work is partially based on some interviews and documents from the Chaimite research project.
The first part of the article covers the origin of this family of vehicles, the development of their projects as well as the beginning of production of the Gazela and Leopardo trucks which were later deployed by the Portuguese military on operations in Africa. The May issue also covers the projects of the Comando Mk I light vehicle and Tigre Mk II and Comando Mk III armoured vehicles with new material, informations and photos.

Pedro Monteiro

Chaimite: Second article published

Following a first part published in the December issue, the Portuguese magazine Motor Clássico has published on its Jannuary issue, the second part of a work covering the history of the portuguese-built Chaimite armoured vehicle.

Among the topics covered are the operational deployment of the Chaimite fleet in the Colonial War during the 1970s and the peacekeeping operations of the 1990s, details from foreign users , the Portuguese Marines fleet inclunding the history of the Armada 90 vehicle as well as other unknown aspects and curiosities such as the current status of the Portuguese and foreign vehicles or the destiny of the vehicles and prototypes.
These two articles are the result of several months of field research which has included interviews, research on archives, military units and press as part of the Chaimite Research Project. Main references and sources are indicated in the second part.

Pedro Monteiro

Chaimite: First article published

The Portuguese magazine Motor Clássico has published on its December issue, the first part of the history of the portuguese-built Chaimite armoured vehicle which has been in operation with both Portuguese and foreign military and security forces since the 1970s.

This first article comprises topics such as the context which surround the development of the project, the first years of production, other projects developed by the Bravia-VM (e.g., the Leopardo truck and the Comando Mk III security vehicle) as well as a technical description of the Chaimite. Other topics will have further development in the second part of this work.
The article is the result of several months of field research which has included interviews, research on archives, military units and press as part of the Chaimite Research Project.

Pedro Monteiro