Issue number 304 (August 1998) of "Aeroplane Monthly"contained an interesting Spanish Civil War note on inter-war civilian transport aircraft . During the mid-30's, KLM the Dutch airline, operated two Fokker F.IX three engined airliners.These planes had a 20 seat capacity. One of them , at least, was sold to a French buyer in September 1936;transferring its registration from PH-AGA under KLM to F-APFA in France.

Less than a year later ,this Fokker F.IX was sold to the Republican Air Force for use as a night bomber.It was damaged in a 'bomb attack'at Le Bourget airfield in August 1937 by 'right wing extremists', though since the aircraft seems ultimately to have been delivered to the Republic the damage cannot have been serious.

Was this an isolated attack ? Or were there instances of 'sabotage'against other war materials,especially aircraft, en route to the Republican Forces? Most European nations at that time contained significant Fascist or 'Rightist' parties which espoused the Nationalist cause, and which might have been able to stage similar supportive demonstrations of force.How active were they?