The International Association of Amateur Heralds

The Portuguese Air Force as other Portuguese Armed Force makes great use of Heraldry for its various units, the exception is the flying squadrons which have been allowed to keep their un-heraldic Badges. Usualy the Arms are crowned by a Portuguese type of Celestial Crown and below the Shield a Scroll with a Motto. Provision is made for Decorations and Supporters to be added. The Commander of the Unit is for the time of Office allowed to use a special crest designed for the Unit instead of the Celestial Crown.


The Arms of the Chief of the Air Force General Staff.


Arms of the Air Force Academy, with the Portuguese Celestial Crown.

Arms of the Air Force Operations Command.


Arms of the Commander of the Air Force Operations Command (a post filled by a Lieutenant General).


Arms of the Personnel Command.


Arms of the Commander of the Personnel Command (a post filled by a Lieutenant General).

Arms of the Commander of the Azores Air Zone. The Motto translates as "Few but Strong".


Arms of the Chaplain General and Commander of the Air Force Religious Service.

Somewhat unusual for the (presumably Catholic) Chaplain General to have a helm I would have thought.

Chris Green wrote:Somewhat unusual for the (presumably Catholic) Chaplain General to have a helm I would have thought.

Yes the modern use for Catholic Clerics are to refrain from using Helmet and Crest. But there has not always been so, and in Medival times it was not uncommon for a Bishop to acctualy addorn a real Helmet and fight in combat.

Air Base No. 1 Sintra. The Castle is from the Arms of the city of Sintra and the black figure in the chief i bleiev it is a Passanarola (an early typ of Flying Device) symbolises the Base as an home of Early flying.


Air Base No. 4 Lajes. The Hawk denotes the location of the Base on the Azores Islands and the Wavy base the Atlantic which surrounds the Islands.


Air Base No. 5 Monte Real. The Falcon denotes the Fighter Aircraft based here. An today is very apt since the Base houses two Squadrons F-16 "Fighting Falcon". The Pyramids in chief denotes the Number of the Base.


Air Base No. 6 Montijo. The Dragon symbolises Watchfulness and the Mountain the one in the Area. also close to the Bae is the River Tejo, symbolised by the wavy Fess.


Air Base No. 11 Beja. The Eagle symbolises the Air Force and the Castle the City of Beja.

Arms of the Director of the Personnel Directorate. The field denotes the Personnel and the Egle the Air Force.


Arms of the Justice and Discipline Service., showing the Scales of Justice and the Air Force Eagle. The Motto translates as "Justice and truth".


Arms of the Health Directorate. The Eagle claws of the Air Force are holding a roundel with the Red Cross symbolising Healthcare. The Motto is the old Roman saying of "A sound mind in a sound body".

In the Portuguese Air Force Heraldic Regulations there are also provision for adding supporters to Unit Arms. A few Units like the Air Force itself has used this provision.


Arms of the Air Force with supporters. The Lion and Dolphin denotes origin of the Air Force in the Air Services of the Army and Navy. The Standards are those of the Armed Forces General Staff and of the Air Force.


Supporters of the Air Force Logistic Command, the Supporters holding the Standards of the Air Force and of the AF Logistic Command.

The Air Force Academy also has supporters, as shown below. The Dragons symbolises Cunning and Knowledge necessary in the Art of War.

I don't know how the Portuguese would describe them, but in English they would be wyverns, being two-legged not four-legged.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyvern

I note that the wyvern is a popular heraldic beast in parts of Spain.

The wyvern, rather than the dragon, is perhaps more appropriate to the Air Force, as with only two front legs it might be more used to flying than crawling on its belly.