Req: W&R Roma area + Viterbo + Pisa

[erik_kamphuis]

Bentivoglio scrapyard:
I visited this place real quick for some picures April 27. Unfortunately I had no time to enter the place.
This week I mailed Mr.Bentivoglio for the ID's of the 2 ex Esercito AB206 on the containers, but he did not have them.

For the ID of the GdiF A-109 next to camo A-109 MM81256 (see picture on http://www.eurodemobbed.org.uk/location ... ation=4255) is given as MM81469/GF-143. This serial has to be confirmed, but on the picture of MM81256 I see a faded code like GF-133/135 or 139. Not 143.
133 is in the GdiF museum Practica, 135 is W/O. 139 is MM81388 and last noted 2010.
Anyone a clue if it must be this one? Or was the MM read?

[Joris Heeren]

Hi all,

I visited the scrap yard as well after the airshow weekend at Pratica di Mare. I am convinced that the 5th GdiF A109A is NOT MM81469/GdiF-143 as reported (and probably copied) by various sources. The A109 present has a search light on the nose and a radar radome under the belly making it a ‘regular’ A109A MkII while MM81469 is an A109C without these features. I agree that the code contains ‘round’ numbers and looks like 133 or similar. Couldn’t find a positive identity myself either…

Hopefully it will be known once…

Regards,
Joris

[michel N]

A-109A (MM812221)/GF-131, (MM81370)/GF-137, (MM81389)/GF-140, (MM81469)/GF-143, (MM81470)/GF-146

These have been logged by someone that had a tour of the scrapyard. Apparently for €5 you can get a tour over there

[Joris Heeren]

I did the €5 self-guided tour. The 37 aircraft per eurodemobbed site were present plus two unmarked ex Esercito AB206s. All markings had been scrubbed from the GdiF A109s, only faint codes 131 and 137 could be identified on the noses of two of them, the rest was unidentifiable in my opinion. The situation presented above (serials in brackets, codes as given) is not the case, or should I say no longer the case, if it ever was, on June 19th. As stated, I don't believe A109C MM81469/GdiF-143 is one of the completely unmarked ones, and I would be glad to find out its true identity .

[Gardner]

According to Scramble Wrecks and Relics May 2023 SH-3D MM81113 is inside the Museum at Schipario. Or is it still in the Bentivoglio yard??

[Joris Heeren]

MM81113 is still in the Bentivoglio yard, identified by c/n 6047 and code 6-28 roughly painted over.

[tyro1]

Bentivoglio scrapyard:
I visited this place real quick for some picures April 27. Unfortunately I had no time to enter the place.
This week I mailed Mr.Bentivoglio for the ID's of the 2 ex Esercito AB206 on the containers, but he did not have them.

For the ID of the GdiF A-109 next to camo A-109 MM81256 (see picture on http://www.eurodemobbed.org.uk/location ... ation=4255) is given as MM81469/GF-143. This serial has to be confirmed, but on the picture of MM81256 I see a faded code like GF-133/135 or 139. Not 143.
133 is in the GdiF museum Practica, 135 is W/O. 139 is MM81388 and last noted 2010.
Anyone a clue if it must be this one? Or was the MM read?

If its of any use I thought the GdiF A.109 next to the Army one, 879, was coded 135.
KB

[Vulture One]

Hi all,

With so many people going to Viterbo, am surprised I see no mention of the AB47G at the main gate on the north side. We went right up to the gate as not all our party had seen the F-104 and on the left on the grass just behind the mesh fence, there was a white Bell 47G in Italian Forces marks.

Not MM80351 as this one is believed to be dull orange although not seen on field. Not the one at the gate on the south main gate and also not the one in the AVES museum also dull orange. There are known to be three here - now four.

We didn't hang around as we solely drove up the gate and turned around. I can find no mention of this 47 anywhere and wonder if anyone had any information about it at all.

Best regards
Rick W
Scozia