A Interesting Hulk !

I’m not sure if the photo links are working? in the post above (appearing as red cross boxes for me?) so I thought I would re-past them as attached files rather than links.

Here are the Libyan Ro-1 and SM-79 wrecks referred to above

Regards

Mark Pilkington

Will it be at Legends? :p

In addition to the photos and identification of the Ro-1 wreckage in Libya shown above in this thread the same site http://www.fjexpeditions.com/frameset/past.htm

Also has some photos of a SM-79 remains – also in Libya

After the camel encounter we continued to the old landing ground used in WWII. Much to our surprise, the wrecks of the two Savoia SM-79 bombers, destroyed in 1940 by the LRDG, were still there. Their condition has deteriorated since the last photo taken in 1968, but the steel frame of one of them is still fairly intact. (It is very probable that the tidbits of recognisable aeroplane parts found at various tibou encampments around Uweinat came from these two wrecks.)

Two complete SM-79’s recovered form Lebanon in the 1970’s? exist in museum collections in Italy while a third derelict fuselage also exists in a third Italian Museum.

This fuselage might still be recoverable for restoration as a fuselage/cockpit display in the Italian Air Force Museum (pick it up while recovering the historic Ro-1 fuselage above?? (and make a decent day trip out of it – smiles)

Makes you wonder what else might be lying in the desert in Libya??

Regards

Mark Pilkington

It seems the whole world is awash with Hawker and Italian biplanes at the moment ! Thanks for taking the time to trawl! At least this survivor is already sandblasted for any potential restorer!

I have been quite intrugued by this apparant survivor in the desert, ‘trawled by David above, and have spent quite a while on the web trying to identify it?

http://www.harms-jaekel.com/jump.php…&keepsubject=1

I had examined a number of possible pre-war single engined Italian biplanes and had settled on a Fiat Cr20 based on the spoked wheels, straight axle and deep rear fuselage however the apparant rear cockpit or gunnery position didnt seem to even fit that aircraft type unless it was one of the few two seaters built?.

Having slowly constructed the arguments in preparation of posting my view that it may be an early Italian Biplane such as a Fiat CR20 based on the deep rear fuselage etc and being quite pleased with all my deductive work I then found a further website by further google search of italian “aircraft wreck” Libya that has further pictures of the wreck and positively identifies it as an Italian built IMAM Ro-1.

The wreck is now positively identified as a Meridionali (IMAM) Ro-1, a license-built version of the Fokker C.V, in construction between 1927 and 1935 (when it was gradually replaced with the bigger IMAM Ro-37. with which it has been initially confused). It was a general purpose biplane that was commonly used by the military in the thirties. Ro-1-s have been used in the area for reconnaissance preceding the occupation of Kufra in 1931, and from the official account it is known that one crashed and burned “near Wau Namus” in the autumn of 1930 (the pilot escaped with light injuries). As the immediate vicinity of Wau Namus is unsuitable for aircraft due to the soft sand, and Bir Maaruf was used as a reconnaissance base in 1930, this aircraft could well be the same.

30th January, 2004

The aircraft wreck at Bir Maaruf (initially thought to be an IMAM Ro.37bis) has now been positively identified as a Meridionali (IMAM) Ro.1, a Fokker C.V. built under license in Italy from 1927 to 1935. It was used as a multi-purpose military aircraft, Ro-1-s have probably taken part in the Kufra campaign (though there is no proof that this particular wreck dates from that time). From 1935 on they were gradually replaced by the bigger and stronger Ro-37, but many survived into the North African and Ethiopian campaigns of 1940-41.

http://www.fjexpeditions.com/frameset/oct03.htm

Does anyone know if a IMAM RO-1 exists elsewhere in any condition and if this wreck has been considered for recovery by the Italians??

Thanks David for finding and posting the original photo and giving me some entertaining time trying to identify it.

All in all I found it a interesting challenge to positively identify this airframe, even though I was totally wrong!! smiles, but was glad to see it finally identified and I assume this is indeed a type not yet in preservation anywhere? (Other than a Swedish licence built S6 Fokker CV derivative?)

Even more interesting is that it does still exist (or did in 2003) and doesnt seem to have been recovered??

It would seem an excellent recovery for the Italian Airforce Museum to pursue?

Hopefully improved relations between Libya and the west might make such an approach to recover it viable? similar to the recent recoveries of the Ro-37’s from Afganistan?

Regards

Mark Pilkington

Love this from the same site:rolleyes:
http://www.harms-jaekel.com/jump.php?img=30&srcpool=countries/libya&keepsubject=1

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=155061&stc=1&d=1183073868

maybe one of these….

Looks like Mongolia to me, that means one thing…..

Chinese Stirling!

unknown wreck

Hi Nashio966 , it is not a wapiti , most likely Italian in origin , wapiti has a alloy tube frame of square section.

cheers dave

says WW2 aircraft, though at first glances most people would thing world war one, my thoughts are along the lines of Fairey swordfish or, more probably the Westland Wapiti, as they served with the Indian airforce if memory serves 🙂