Read the forum code of contact
By: - 8th September 2014 at 18:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
That's very interesting, Sparrowhawk. Thanks for posting.
What became of the aircraft, was it recovered or left in the sand?
Anon.
By: - 8th September 2014 at 22:32 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
By coincidence (?), warbirdsnews.com ran a feature on this aircraft just a few days ago.
http://www.warbirdsnews.com/aviation-museum-news/lost-sparrow.html
Edit: As pointed out by SNAFU, the example at Volandia is made up of Lebanese parts and the original presumably remains in the desert.
By: - 8th September 2014 at 23:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for the link Ant I did not know about this site!
By: - 8th September 2014 at 23:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yes Mike, it was recovered and is now on display at the Volandia museum.
Not according to that article - it says the Volandia one is a former Lebanese one.
By: - 9th September 2014 at 00:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for the correction SNAFU, that had me fooled.
By: - 9th September 2014 at 18:48 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Compliments Pasqualino.......honor and glory to this crew !
Posts: 1
By: Sparrowhawk - 8th September 2014 at 17:19
Hello everybody, my name is Pasqualino Schifano and I'm the author of the new book "Lo sparviero perduto - The lost Sparrowhawk" (Italian-English text) which is receiving very good reviews here in Italy.
Description:
21 April 1941: the SM.79 Sparviero MM.23881 of the 278a Squadriglia Autonoma Aerosiluranti is leaving from Berka (Cirenaica): destination is South Crete, the mission is to attack enemy convoys. But the bomber did not return back. Searches were launched over that sector, but neither the
plane nor the crew were found.
21 July 1960: the geologist Gianluca Desio, son of the famous explorer Ardito Desio, finds in Libya - in the starkest desert - the half-buried body of an Italian airman.
“The body, just a skeleton with rests of the overalls, lied supine, with no documents. Nearby were found binoculars, two watches, a pistol that had fired at least one shot, half a litre aluminium canteen, an aircraft compass, a leather headgear, a screwdriver, pieces of Italian and German newspapers, a set of keys and an airplane door key with the serial “S-79-MF 23881, cert. 263, data di collaudo…”
The Italian Air Force was promptly contacted through the Consulate, reporting the serial number, and their reply was surprising: the date was corresponding to an airplane missing over Crete, 500 km away. 5 October 1960: another team of Fondazione Lerici which was conducting a geophysical survey, found the relic of a S.79 torpedo bomber on the South-East of Jalo, 90 km far from the human rests.
EDIT - Pasqualino. The story is interesting, but advertising is not permitted on this forum. I have therefore removed all the sales information. You are welcome here, your advertising should be placed in FlyPast Magazine. Moggy - Moderator