Remarks: Fifty years ago the Lybian desert returned the wreck of a SIAI Marchetti S.79 and remains of its crew. The discovery, which occurred during an AGIP oil survey, made a large impression in Italy and is still periodically recalled in the press. Everything started on 21 July 1960 with the finding of an airman’s body near the Gialo-Giarabub path. This was linked with previous reports of an aircraft in the sand and led to an intensive search, carried out with the assistance of an AGIP helicopter. At last on 5 October 1960 the S.79 was found at longitude 23°21’50” an latitude 28°49’50”. Research allowed the S.79 to be identified as MM.23881, a 278th Squadron torpedo-bomber that had taken off from Benghazi on 21 April 1941 at 1725 hrs to attack British shipping, without returning. On the return leg the S.79 lost its way for reason unknown and made an emergency landing some 500 km from its starting point. The body found about 90 km away identified as airman Romanini, who had died in an attempt to call rescue. None of the crew survived. Only the unplanned find made it possible to ascertain the fate of the ill-fated crew and to bury the men with military honors. On display at the Museum of aviation “Volandia” at the Malpensa Milan international airport, Terminal 2. Eos 50D Canon 18-200
Remarks: MM23881- Preserved at Volandia Aviation Museum Milano Malpensa Italy - The three-engined SIAI Marchetti S.79 is the most famous Italian aircraft of
the Second World War. About 1,350 were built until 1943, including 603 by SIAI and 63 by Macchi.
It was exported to Brazil, Yugoslavia, Lebanon and
Spain. The twin-engined S.79B variant was sold to Irak and Romania, which built 72 under license.
Designed by Alessandro Marchetti (1884-1966) as a
fast airliner, the S.79 brought together the typical SIAI mixed construction (steel tube frame, wooden wing, fabric covering) with important novelties such as retracting gear and flaps. Flown by Alessandro Passaleva (1895-1941), it made its first flight on 8 October 1934 from Cameri, near Novara.
Remarks: Fifty years ago the Lybian desert returned the wreck of a SIAI Marchetti S.79 and remains of its crew. The discovery, which occurred during an AGIP oil survey, made a large impression in Italy and is still periodically recalled in the press. Everything started on 21 July 1960 with the finding of an airman’s body near the Gialo-Giarabub path. This was linked with previous reports of an aircraft in the sand and led to an intensive search, carried out with the assistance of an AGIP helicopter. At last on 5 October 1960 the S.79 was found at longitude 23°21’50” an latitude 28°49’50”.Research allowed the S.79 to be identified as MM.23881, a 278th Squadron torpedo-bomber that had taken off from Benghazi on 21 April 1941 at 1725 hrs to attack British shipping, without returning. On the return leg the S.79 lost its way for reason unknown and made an emergency landing some 500 km from its starting point. The body found about 90 km away identified as airman Romanini, who had died in an attempt to call rescue. None of the crew survived. Only the unplanned find made it possible to ascertain the fate of the ill-fated crew and to bury the men with military honors. On display at the Museum of aviation “Volandia” at the Malpensa Milan international airport, Terminal 2
Remarks: MM23881 (S.79) This three-engined aircraft of World War II was produced until the year 1941, baptized "Hawk" was nicknamed "Damn Hunchback." The fuselage was recovered and are here exposed in 1993 the Libyan land then preserved in Volandia Aviation Museum. Nikon D300s -1/40sec. f.4 ISO 1250 @27mm freehand.
Remarks: The fuselage of this italian plane of the second world war was found in the Lybian desert in year 1960.
Now is on show at "Volandia" Aviation Museum.
Many compliments to the museum operators for the proper reconstruction of the scenery!
Remarks: This aircraft was lost on April 21, 1941, while flying over the Libyan desert after a bombing mission. The wreckage was discovered in 1960 by a helicopter working for an oil drilling company and it is now on display at the Volandia aviation museum.
