Belgian Wings
Belgian Air Force, past and present.
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Savoia-Marchetti SM.83
Three engine, 10-seat passenger aircraft
In 1938 the Belgian national airline Sabena ordered 4 Savoia-Marchetti SM.83 passenger aircraft. As was the case with the SM.73's of Sabena, two of the S.83's (OO-AUD and OO-AUE) were requisitioned by the Belgian Government on 10 May 1940 and made available to the French 'Ministère de l'Air'. The French used them essentially for the benefit of an "airbridge" organized between France and Algeria. In the meantime, the 4th aircraft (OO-AUJ) of the initial order was delivered directly to Marseille/Merignac and used in the same evacuation operation. The other Savoia (OO-AUC) had crashed in Belgian Congo in 1940 - but it remains unclear if the aircraft was used by the Weermacht/Force Publique.
At the moment of the French capitulation, the three aircraft were in Northern Africa and were seized by the Vichy French authorities. All were transferred to the Italian Regia Aeronautica and were subsequently lost in accidents in Italian hands. According to some sources, the aircraft were camouflaged, but up-to-now no photographic proof of this has been found.
C/N
34003
OO-AUC
Date In
Jun 1938
Date Out
1940
History
Sabena, possibly requisitioned by the Weermacht/Force Publique in Belgian Congo. crashed in Belgian Congo in 1940.
C/N
34004
OO-AUD
Date In
Jul 1938
Date Out
Jul 1940
History
Sabena, evacuated to Marseille/Marignane, made available to French "Ministère de l'Air", used in airbridge between France and Algeria, seized by "Vichy French" authorities at Oran, transferred to Italian Regia Aeronautica and registered MM60517, to Squadriglia 609/Gruppo 149 at Ciampino as "605-9", written off on take off from Algiers on 21 Nov 1940. Remains captured by the Allied Forces in Sep 1942, scrapped.
C/N
34005
OO-AUE
Date In
Jul 1938
Date Out
Jul 1940
History
Sabena, evacuated to Marseille/Marignane, made available to French "Ministère de l'Air", used in airbridge between France and Algeria, seized by "Vichy French" authorities at Algiers, transferred to Italian Regia Aeronautica and registered MM60518, to Squadriglia 609/Gruppo 149 at Ciampino. Destroyed in crash at Tunis (Tun) on 8 Oct 1940.
C/N
34023
OO-AUJ
Date In
May 1940
Date Out
Jun 1940
History
Delivered to French "Ministère de l'Air" at Marseille/Marignane, aircraft equipped with a new type of tail unit, used in airbridge between France and Algeria, seized by "Vichy French" authorities at Algiers, transferred to Italian Regia Aeronautica and registered MM60519, to Squadriglia 609/Gruppo 149 at Ciampino, to Squadriglia 605, used by Luftwaffe Luftflotte 2, Padova (I.), reported as D-AFPW, accident at Rome/Ciampino on 1 Nov 1940, Scrapped on order of LuftKommando 2 on 21 Nov 1943 (?).