Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero

[Weaver]

Mods: doesn't seem to be a thread for this, but if I've missed it feel free to merge them.

Lebanese Air Force SM.79 in Malta, being used as a transport, in 1958. Nice colour scheme, plus it proves they were supportable post-war, which leads to whiff thoughts (little charter airline with 'interesting' customers?)

Pics posted on Twitter by Trev Clark here: https://twitter.com/TrevClark1958/status/1302531988180656128?s=20

[NARSES2]

That schemes available on an aftermarket sheet. Can't remember by whom, but I have seen one.

[zenrat]

That schemes available on an aftermarket sheet. Can't remember by whom, but I have seen one.

Don't know about an aftermarket transfer set but it's not an unknown scheme.  Lots of pics if you search "Lebanon SM-79"

I have an old Airfix version of the Sparrow.  Such a big aircraft in such a small box.

[PR19_Kit]

(little charter airline with 'interesting' customers?)

And it comes with a sunroof too. (see top pic) 

And what are those other two types in the background of the second pic?

Sea Furies and a Vampire/Venom? I didn't know the Lebanese had either of them, but then my knowledge of that air force is essentially zero. 

[zenrat]

Pics were taken on Malta Kit.
RAF Ta Kali was a fighter airfield.
In '58 they could have been Iraqi Sea Furies (comment on the twitter post H links to posits this) and a Royal Auxiliary Air Force Vampire (Wikipedia says 601, 609 & 613 sqn's deployed there in the fifties https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Ta_Kali#Post_war ).

[PR19_Kit]

Ahah, that explains it. Thanks Fred. 

My Dad was there briefly, en route to the Middle East and back again.

[Martin H]

The LAF had three of them.

Two are still around. Both in museums back in Italy

[major]

Well, whad'ya know! 
Just received a SM.79, from Matt's (sideshowbob9), spares/repair sale to do a civil airliner type. 

Was thinking along the lines of a twin engine variant, similar to the Romanian ones, fitted with the Jumo 211, or....?

Cheers... Ray

[dumaniac]

Thanks for sharing the pics

[kitbasher]

The SM79 is an odd bird, ugly but enticing at the same time.  As a kid was always fascinated by the Airfix kit - still tempted in fact.  The Lebanese scheme is extremely attractive, a distinctive - dare I say sophisticated? - 50s feel too it.

[PR19_Kit]

Not too sure about that colour scheme's suitability for a bomber though.

All those arrows on the sides and the HUGE roundels all shout 'Shoot Here!' 

[NARSES2]

All those arrows on the sides and the HUGE roundels all shout 'Shoot Here!' 

And yet a fair few fighter and bomber schemes in both World Wars used them 

The SM79 is an odd bird, ugly but enticing at the same time.  As a kid was always fascinated by the Airfix kit - still tempted in fact.  The Lebanese scheme is extremely attractive, a distinctive - dare I say sophisticated? - 50s feel too it.

Same here, although I now understand that the Airfix kit isn't 1/72

[Weaver]

Not too sure about that colour scheme's suitability for a bomber though.

All those arrows on the sides and the HUGE roundels all shout 'Shoot Here!' 

Well it wasn't a bomber by the time these pics were taken: they were using them as transports.

[PR19_Kit]

Ah right, that makes a difference.

[NARSES2]

Not too sure about that colour scheme's suitability for a bomber though.

All those arrows on the sides and the HUGE roundels all shout 'Shoot Here!' 

Well it wasn't a bomber by the time these pics were taken: they were using them as transports.

And yet interestingly those photos appear to show it has m.g.'s in the upper hump ? Plus I think the transports had the lower gondola removed, although that could have happened at any stage in its latter life.