WIX Archives
Re: SM79s
Posted by Gregory on Sat Oct 12, 2002 03:07:44 AM
In reply top Re: SM79s posted by simon king on Fri Oct 11, 2002 06:54:02 PM
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 sources remembered its title. I'd happily buy a tape if it could be found.
The story of the Lebanese S.79s is fairly simple. Four sold by Macchi (not Siai) in 1949. Flown out with civil registrations, then took up L-111 etc in Lebanon. One apparently lost in service.
Three survivors:
one returned to Italy c. 1968 (now at Vigna di Valle in very inaccurate camouflage; moved from hangar 3 to hangar 4 due to building work and now under reassembly - not restoration);
one returned to Italy in 1993 (now at Caproni Museum in Trento, in original Lebanese markings - part of the deal)
one bare steel tube fuselage, used for fire training in Lebanon, also to Italy in 1993 (stored by Italian Air Force and possibly available for trades).
Gregory