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Italy's Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero (sparrow) medium bomber1,2
Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero (sparrowhawk) medium bomber3
Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber:
Design
The Savoia-Marchetti S.M. 79 was designed by Alessandro Marchetti to be a high speed passenger aircraft for a race from England to Australia.1 The S.M.79 started out to be a transport but later became a bomber.3
The S.M.79 was made from steel tube, light alloys, wood, and fabric.3
Cabin
The radio operator was also the rear gunner.1 There was armor protecting the crew.1
Bomb / Torpedo load
The bombs were stored in the bomb bay and the torpedo was mounted on the outside of the fuselage.1
Ventral Gondola
The bombardier was located in the front of the ventral gondola.1 After the prototype a rear facing MG was added to the gondola.1
Tail
The tail was made from tubular steel with a fabric cover.1
Wing
The wing was made from a wood structure with fabric covering.1
Prototype
The prototype S.M.79 first flew in October 1934 / late 19343.1,3
Production
Deliveries of S.M.79-Is started in 1936.3
- S.M.79-I, S.M.79-II, S.M.79-III: 1,2303
- Total: 1,3301,2, 1,3703
- S.M.79B: 313
- S.M.79JR: 403
- IAR built 16 of these3
- S.M.83: 233
Romania constructed about 80 S.M.79s.1
Variants
- S.M.79-I:
- S.M.79bis / S.M.84: Had three Alfa Romeo 128 (850 HP)3 or three Piaggio P.XI radial engine (1,000 HP).2,3 Fuselage was longer.3 Twin fins and rudders were used.3 Very few built starting in 1940.3
- S.M.79ter / S.M.79-III: some constructed in 1944.2
- S.M.79B: Export model.3 Had two engines.3
- S.M.79C: VIP transport.3 16 converted from S.M.79-Is.3
- S.M.79JR: Built with two Junkers Jumo 211Da inverted V 12 engines (1,120 HP).3
- S.M.83: Civilian transport that carried 10 passengers.3
Usage
The countries that used the S.M. 79 were:
- Brazil3
- S.M.79B: 33
- Croatia3
- Germany3
- Iraq3
- S.M.79B: 43
- Italy3
- Romania3
- S.M.79B: 243
- S.M.79JR: 243
- IAR built 163
- Spain3
- Yugoslavia (45)3
- S.M.79-Is exported in 1938.3
The first S.M.79 made a record breaking flight from Milan to Rome in June 1935.1
The S.M.79 was nicknamed the Il Gobbo (the hunchback) due to the gun bulge above the cockpit.1
Spanish Civil War
The Italians used the S.M.79s in the Aviazione Legionara that fought in the Spanish Civil War.1
Regia Aeronautica
In 1937 the S.M.79-I joined the Regia Aeronautica.2 It was used as a medium bomber and then a torpedo bomber.2
Eleven Stormi were equipped with 389 of the S.M.79-I by 1939.2
By June 1940 there were 594 S.M.79-Is with 14 Stomi.2 They were deployed as follows:
- Italy: 32
- Sardinia: 22
- Libya: 42
- Sicily: 52
Royal Navy Loses
The Royal Navy lost four destroyers and had one battleship (HMS Malaya)and three aircraft carriers (Indomitable, Argus, and Victorius) damaged by S.M.79 attacks.1
Italy Surrenders
When Italy surrendered there were only 36 airworthy S.M.79s at Capodichino, Littoria, Pisa, and Siena.1
Lebanon
In 1950 three were sold to Lebanon as transports.1
| Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79-I Sparviero1,2,3 | Savoia-Marchetti S.M. 79-II Sparviero3 | Savoia-Marchetti S.M. 79-III Sparviero3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Bomber2 Medium bomber1 Medium reconnaissance bomber3 Torpedo bomber1 |
Medium reconnaissance bomber3 | Medium reconnaissance bomber3 |
| Crew | 4 - 51,2,3 | 4 - 53 | 4 - 53 |
| Engine (Type) | 3: Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34 piston1,2,3 | 3: Piaggio P.XI RC 403 | 3: Piaggio P.XI RC 403 |
| OR | 3: Fiat A.80 RC 413 | 3: Fiat A.80 RC 413 | |
| Cylinders | Radial2 , Radial 91,3 | Piaggio: Radial 143 Fiat: Radial3 |
Piaggio: Radial 143 Fiat: Radial3 |
| HP | 780 each1,2,3 | Piaggio: 1,000 each3 Fiat: 1,030 each3 |
Piaggio: 1,000 each3 Fiat: 1,030 each3 |
| Cooling | Air1 | ||
| Propeller blades | 3 each1 | 3 each3 | 3 each3 |
| Dimensions | |||
| Span | 69' 6"1, 69' 6 2/3"2, 69' 6.75"3 21.2 m1,2,3 |
||
| Length | 51' 2"1, 51' 10"3, 53' 1.75"2 15.6 m1, 15.8 m3, 16.2 m2 |
53' 1.75"3 16.2 m3 |
|
| Height | 13' 5 1/8"2, 14' 1.5"3, 15'1 4.1 m2, 4.3 m3, 4.6 m1 |
||
| Wing area | 664 ft2 1, 664.2 ft2 2 61.7 m2 1,2 |
||
| Weight | |||
| Empty | 14,960 lb1, 14,991 lb3, 15,322 lb2 6,800 kg1,3, 6,950 kg2 |
16,755 lb3 7,600 kg3 |
|
| Loaded | 23,100 lb1, 23,104 lb3, 23,644 lb2 10,480 kg3, 10,500 kg1, 10,750 kg2 |
24,912 lb3 11,300 kg3 |
|
| Performance | |||
| Speed @ 13,000' / 4,000 m |
267 mph1 430 kph1 |
||
| Speed @ 13,120' / 4,000 m |
267 mph3 430 kph3 |
||
| Speed @ 13,125' / 4,000 m |
267 mph2 430 kph2 |
||
| Climb | 1,100'/minute3 335 m/minute3 |
||
| Climb to 13,125' / 4,000 m |
13.25 minutes2 | ||
| Service ceiling | 21,000'1, 21,325'2,3 6,500 m1,2,3 |
||
| Range | 1,178 miles1, 1,180 miles3, 2,051 miles2 1,900 km1,3, 3,300 km2 |
||
| Armament | |||
| Over cabin roof firing forward | 1: 12.7 mm MG3 1: 12.7 mm Breda MG1 1: 12.7 mm Breda SAFAT MG2 |
1: 12.7 mm MG3 | |
| Dorsal and ventral | 2: 12.7 mm MG3 2: 12.7 mm Breda MG1 2: 12.7 mm Breda SAFAT MG2 |
2: 12.7 mm MG3 | |
| Beam | 1: 7.7 mm MG1 1: 7.7 mm Lewis MG2 2: 7.7 mm MG3 |
2: 7.7 mm MG3 | |
| Bombs | 5: 550 lb1, 5: 551 lb2, 2,755 lb3 5: 250 kg1,2, 1,250 kg3 |
2,755 lb3 1,250 kg3 |
|
| OR | |||
| Torpedo | 2: 17.7" torpedos3 1: 18" naval torpedo1 2: 45 cm torpedos3 1: 45 cm naval torpedo1 |
2: 17.7" torpedos3 2: 45 cm torpedos3 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
