Beech-SFERMA 60 at Montélimar - Ancone

[Hans]

Hi,

Last April, we saw the fuselage of what we noted as a "Beech-SFERMA 60" (seem to remember it was painted on the airframe somewhere). It was not in the museum, but lying around at the airfield itself.
This far I have been unable to identify it. Anybody who has more details on it?

Regards,

Hans

[frank kramer]

All I know is that the Beech/SFERMA 60 was a conversion by SFERMA of the Beech Baron. The conversion consisted of re-engining the Baron with Astazou turboprops. It was also known as the Marquis; AFAIK 14 aircraft were "produced" between 1960 and 1962. Most registrations appear to have been in the F-BLL* series.

[Hans]

Yep, I knew there were only 14 build. And that is exactly why I'm a bit anxious to ID this one
But the airframes were produced by Beech, engines fitted in France; so no conversion but newly build, as far as I understand. But the information on that is a bit conflicting.

Rgds,

Hans

[frank kramer]

Just checked the French civil aviation register; apparently F-BLLR (c/n 12) is still operational out of Caen. For the rest they only mention F-BLLY/18; that one belonged to Aero Impex but was broken up in 1983.

just been looking a bit further; according to Aviafrance it must have been 18... (look out for those c/n's; they almost fooled me):

F- BJHC Beech-SFERMA PD-146 Marquis 1
F- BJSI Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60 Marquis 2
F- BJSJ Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60 Marquis 3
F- BJSO Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60 Marquis 4
F- BKOO Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60 Marquis 8
F- BKOP Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 9
F- BLKU Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60 Marquis 7
F- BLLO Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60 Marquis .
F- BLLP Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 10
F- BLLQ Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 11
F- BLLR Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 12
F- BLLS Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 13
F- BLLT Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 14
F- BLLU Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 15
F- BLLV Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 16
F- BLLX Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 17
F- BLLY Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 18
F- BLLZ Beech-SFERMA PD-146/60A Marquis 19

When I get home I'll try to scour some french fora...

Additional info: Bob Ogden gives F-BLLR/12 as preserved at the "Collection de la Base de l'Aviation Légère de l 'Armée de Terre de Valence" (so, not Caen?) and F-BLLP/10 currently active as F-AZLP with the Association Antilope at Montpellier-Méditerranée. On the web, there are also pictures of a Swiss/Liechtenstein registered one (HB-GBF which was ex-D-ILFO with c/n 6 -missing from the list above!) and a German registered example (D-ILCA with reported c/n being 26 -way out of line with those above!) taken on the same day (May 2, 1964) at an ILA in Hannover.