The Ba.44 was an adaption of the licensed DH.89 Dragon Rapide, changed to Italian construction techniques. Five were built for Ala Littoria plus one for Paraguay which, having c/n 4302, may have been the prototype. Here we see c/n 4303, ex MM267, I-AERE and I-ORSO. Sent to Libya, it was used by the air force to transport officials including Governor Balbo. From the fall of 1935 it became an ambulance and it seems to wear officious serial MM4303. By June 1940 it was involved in the invasion of Greece, joining the four others which had also been militarised. 4303 was then assigned MM60426. It crashed near Tirana on 9 March 1941. Photo from: Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)
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