were built, supporting occasional deployments of seaplanes, it was never officially activated. Its facilities served later to support the naval fire range installed in the area, which was deactivated in the middle 1990s. Macau Naval Air Station (CAN Macau, Centro de Aviação Naval de Macau): seaplane base installed at the Taipa island in 1927 to support the Portuguese naval forces which were combating the piracy on the seas of China, in the period of the Chinese Civil War. The air station was deactivated in 1933 but was reactivated in 1937, by occasion of the Second Sino-Japanese War. In 1940, it was transferred to the new facilities constructed at the Exterior Port of Macau. In 1942 it was definitely deactivated. Other naval air units Military Aeronautics School (Escola de Aeronáutica Militar): joint Army-Navy unit created in 1914, at Vila Nova da Rainha, Azambuja municipality to train crew members for the developing Portuguese military aviation. It included a Navy Section which came to integrate the initial aircraft of the Portuguese Navy. The school would be latter became fully part of the Army and be transferred to Sintra. "Admiral Gago Coutinho" Naval Aviation School (Escola de Aviação Naval "Almirante Gago Coutinho"): activated in 1928 to allow the complete training of the Naval Aviation personnel, which instruction was, until then, partially done in foreign aviation schools. It was installed at the Aveiro Naval Air Station facilities until 1952. B Squadron of the Navy Air Forces (Esquadrilha B das Forças Aéreas da Armada): shore based naval attack bomber unit, initially equipped with Bristol Blenheim bombers and then with Bristol Beaufighter torpedo bombers, activated in 1942 and deactivated in 1949. Although dependent from the Lisbon Naval Air Station, it was permanently deployed at the Lisbon Airport. See also Aerial warfare Anti-submarine warfare Military of Macau under Portuguese rule List of aircraft of the Portuguese Air Force Naval aviation Portuguese Air Force Portuguese Navy References Notes Bibliography External links Portuguese Navy page about the Helicopter Squadron Esquadrilha de Helicópteros, official website dedicated to the Helicopter Squadron Aviation in Portugal Portuguese Navy Naval aviation services 1917 establishments in Portugal 1993 establishments in Portugal Military units and formations disestablished in 1952 Military of Portugal