Warbird Information Exchange

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.

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.)

I am not sure why the images are not displaying?? so I edited the post and added links to them below each one?

The existance of these wrecks (and Lady Be Good earlier) may suggest Libya's years of isolation may have hidden some other treasures, although it does seem that these two Italian airframes have been stripped of everything useful, and obviously the nomadic tribes would value aluminium highly for pots etc similiar to tribesmen in PNG.

But the shifting sands of the desert or simply the isolation and vastness could be hiding further interesting wrecks.


Mark Pilkington

The existance of these wrecks (and Lady Be Good earlier) may suggest Libya's years of isolation may have hidden some other treasures
Mark Pilkington