April Captains (Capitães de Abril)April Captains (Capitães de Abril) - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video GamesApril Captains (Capitães de Abril)
April Captains (Capitães de Abril) is a 2000 Portuguese-Spanish-Italian-French historical movie about the Carnation Revolution in Portugal in April 1974. The main character of the movie is Capt. Salgueiro Maia (Stefano Accorsi), a real person who was one of the leaders of the revolution.
The following weapons were used in the film April Captains (Capitães de Abril):
Walther P38 pistols are standard sidearms of Portuguese officers. Manuhrin-manufactured P38s were used by Portuguese army for several decades under the name m/961.
In one scene Salieri (Henrique Canto e Castro), the chief of DGS (Portuguese political police), fires a submachine gun from the window of his headquarters. The SMG appears to be a Star Z45 fitted with an MP40 barrel. Similar guns can be seen in 1973 French movie La Valise though it's hard to tell what was the reason of such modification.
Rifles
Mauser Karabiner 98k
In the scene in DGS headquarters one of the agents is armed with a Mauser-style rifle with sniper scope. It appears to be a Karabiner 98k that was a standard battle rifle of Portuguese army (as m/937) until it was replaced with a Heckler & Koch G3.
Assault Rifles
Heckler & Koch G3
Portuguese soldiers are armed with Heckler & Koch G3 assault rifles (license-manufactured FMP m/961 (G3) and FMP m/963 (G3A3)). A G3 with sniper scope is carried by Capt. Salgueiro Maia (Stefano Accorsi) during the events.
AKS/AKMS
In the scene in DGS headquarters one of the agents is armed with a folding-stock AKS-47 or AKMS. Such gun could be a booty of the war in Portuguese colonies in Africa.
Machine Guns
MG3
Some soldiers are seen with MG3 machine guns (Portuguese name m/962).
M60D
M60D machine guns are fitted on the turrets of M48A5 tanks.
MAS AA-52 NF-1
MAS AA-52 NF-1 in 7.62x51mm caliber are mounted on AML-60 light armored cars coaxial with 60-mm breech loading mortars.
Browning M2HB
A Browning M2HB is seen mounted atop of the turret of an M60 tank. It looks like an improvisation as the machine gun is mounted not on a pivot but on a standard infantry tripod. M2HB is also seen mounted in AML-60 light armoured cars with HE-60-12 turret.
A 6x6 armoured personnel carrier of Capt. Maia's unit (model unclear, maybe a French VAB) is fitted with a turret with twin machine guns. The turret is the same as used on 4x4 Chaimite V-200 which is armed with two Heckler & Koch HK21 machine guns and a quintuple 60-mm grenade launcher (so-called "anti-ambush device", widely used during the war in Africa).
Browning M1919A4
A machine gun is mounted in the rear part of Bravia Chaimite light APC. Due to its general view it appears to be a Browning M1919A4.
Madsen Machine Gun
In the scene in DGS headquarters a machine gun with a top mounted magazine and a carry handle can be seen on the table with firearms. It can be guessed to be Portuguese version of Madsen machine gun in 7.92-mm caliber.
Unknown 20-mm autocannon
Several AML-60s of Capt. Maia's unit are fitted with HE-60-20 turrets with 60-mm mortar and 20-mm autocannon. The exact model of 20-mm cannon is unclear as HE-60-20 existed with two different guns, GIAT M693 or Oerlikon KAD-B16. HE-60-20 can be identified from HE-60-12 (with 12.7-mm M2HB) due to the comparative barrel length: 20-mm barrel is longer than the one of 60-mm mortar while 12.7-mm barrel is shorter.
Bofors L/70 40mm
Bofors L/70 40mm autocannons are mounted on F477 General Pereira D'Eça corvette.
A quintuple 60-mm grenade launcher (so-called "anti-ambush device", widely used during the war in Africa) is mounted atop the turret of a 6x6 armoured personnel carrier of Capt. Maia's unit.
Trivia
Tanks and armored cars
The mainstay of Capt. Maia's unit are two EBR-75 heavy armoured cars. They are accompanied by several AML-60 light armoured cars and armoured personnel carriers. During the confrontation with General Pais' troops the latter have two M48A5 and three M60 tanks.
Navy
F477 General Pereira D'Eça corvette (João Coutinho class) is involved in the events. It is armed with a twin 76.2-mm automatic cannon Mk.33 and two twin 40-mm Bofors.