Location: -

Photo: collection Skystef

Description: this factory fresh Saab Safir, licence-build by De Schelde (the Netherlands), was on April 15 1953 registered to the Belgian State, department Ministry of Communications, for Ecole d’Aviation Civile / Burgerlijke Luchtvaartschool (founded in May 1952) but operated by Sabena and based at Grimbergen airfield. It arrived five days earlier on April 10 1953 at its home base Grimbergen airfield and provided training for future Sabena pilots. Here seen such in a livery with tiny "Sabena" titles above the tail logo. On April 19 1957 it crashed just after take off at Grimbergen airfield when it hit a tree with a non fatal injury of the sole occupant (the pilot) on board. A report (in French) can be found here and it was cancelled shortly afterwards on May 17.