Modern/Post-War Photos

New life in Lebanon

One of four formers bombers Savoia-Marchetti S.79 donated by Italian Air Forced in 1949 to just born Lebanese Air Force. The aircraft was photographed on May 1955 at Baghdad during a visit to Iraq of Lebanese Air Force’s General Emile Boustany. The four S.79 – registered in Lebanon L-111 (initially with civil registration LR-AMA), L-112 (LR-AMB), L-113 (LR-AMC), L-114 (LR-AMD) – were employed by Lebanese for transport until the early 60s when in Italy the S.79 were far-back phased out and scrapped. On November 19, 1959, Israeli jets intercepted the S.79 L-112 and forced it to land in Haifa. The plane and its pilots were released after about one week and returned to Lebanon. Two of Lebanese S.79s returned when handed back to Italy to be displayed in museums. One is the aircraft of Italian Air Force’s Museum of Vigna di Valle, restored like a torpedo bomber aircraft of Regia Aeronautica, the other is exhibit, still the Lebanese Air Force’s colors, at Museo Aeronautico “Gianni Caproni” at Trento. Victor Sierra.