WIX Archives
Re: SM79s
Posted by Ron Henry on Mon Oct 14, 2002 01:10:20 PM
In reply top Re: SM79s posted by Gregory on Sat Oct 12, 2002 03:04:14 AM
: First of all, thanks for finding the title of the film. I
: had often heard that the Lebanese SM.79s had been used for
: an English war movie in the Fifties, but none of my sourc
: es remembered its title. I'd happily buy a tape if it coul
: d be found.
:
: The story of the Lebanese S.79s is fairly simple. Four sol
: d by Macchi (not Siai) in 1949. Flown out with civil regis
: trations, then took up L-111 etc in Lebanon. One apparentl
: y lost in service.
: Three survivors:
: one returned to Italy c. 1968 (now at Vigna di Valle in ve
: ry inaccurate camouflage; moved from hangar 3 to hangar 4
: due to building work and now under reassembly - not restor
: ation);
: one returned to Italy in 1993 (now at Caproni Museum in Tr
: ento, in original Lebanese markings - part of the deal)
: one bare steel tube fuselage, used for fire training in Le
: banon, also to Italy in 1993 (stored by Italian Air Force
: and possibly available for trades).
:
: Gregory
IIRC, a team from Italy made the 1993 retrievals. Top marks to them - the aircraft were apparently in the Bekaa Valley (aka the centre of Lebanese terrorism) !