SU-AFC  Savoia-Marchetti SM.95                                       (c/n  15)

                                 

                                    Services Aeriens Internationaux d'Egypte (SAIDE) was formed in 1947 as a subsidiary of the Fiat
                                    company.   Routes were flown initially from Cairo to Beirut, Tripoli and Rome.  Along with four Fiat
                                    G-212s the airline ordered a similar number of SM.95s for the longer haul routes.   The caption on
                                    this photograph indicates that the motley crew above were picking up the first of these from the plant
                                    in Italy when this shot was taken.  That would indicate, therefore, that this aircraft was SU-AFC.
                                    S.A.I.D.E.'s SM.95s differed from those operated by Alitalia in that they were powered by four
                                    Bristol Pegasus 48 engines and had the passenger cabin reconfigured to accommodate 26 in lieu
                                    of the original18.    The disposition of these aircraft after S.A.I.D.E. was taken over by Misrair is
                                    unknown.   The grainy shot below (even grainier than the one above) came from a S.A.I.D.E.
                                    supplied post-card acquired in 1949.