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The incessant pace of operations maintained by the FAP’s Do-27 fleet in Africa resulted in maintenance difficulties and flight safety issues, prompting the search for a replacement. Portugal settled on the Reims-Cessna FTB-337G Milirole, produced in France and conveniently marketed as a civil aircraft. The first Milirole arrived at Tancos Air Base Nº 3 (BA3) in December 1974, after the war had ended, but were quickly distributed to other units. Initially they sported an anti-radiation olive-green colour scheme, but from 1981 onwards they carried a camouflage pattern in two-tone brown and green. (Artwork by Luca Canossa)