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Italy's Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79; SIAI Marchetti S.M. 79; medium bomber
Nickname: Sparviero (hawk, sparrow, sparrow hawk)

Photos

Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber:
Italy's Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber		 Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber carrying a torpedo:
Italy's Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber carrying a torpedo		 Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber in North Africa:
Italy's Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber in North Africa
Mark Holloway 		Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber in North Africa:
Italy's Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber in North Africa
Aeronautics Aircraft Spotters' Handbook
Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber in North Africa:
Italy's Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber in North Africa
Aeronautics Aircraft Spotters' Handbook 		     
Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 Sparviero medium bomber:
Italy's 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.1,4 The S.M.79 started out to be a transport (with eight seats4) but later became a bomber.3,5 The S.M. 79 also was a torpedo bomber at which it excelled.4

The S.M.79 was made from steel tube, light alloys, wood, and fabric.3,4

Landing Gear

The landing gear retracted into the engine housing.4

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 19343.1,3,4 The flight to place at the Cameri Airport in Novara.4

Production

Deliveries of S.M.79-Is started in 1936.3

  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79-I, Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79-II, Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79-III: 1,2303
  • Total: 1,2174, 1,3301,2, 1,3703
    • Manufacturer: SIAI Marchetti4
    • Production: October 1936 - June 19434
  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79B: 313
  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79JR: 403, 1134
    • IAR built 16 of these3,4
  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.83: 233

Romania constructed about 80 S.M.79s.1

Variants

  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79-I:
  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79bis / Savoia-Marchetti 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
  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79ter / Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79-III: some constructed in 1944.2
  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79B: Export model.3,4 Had two engines.3,4 Had two Fiat A.80 RC 41 (1,000 HP) or two Gnome-Rhône K.14 (950 HP) engines.4
  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79C: VIP transport.3 16 converted from S.M.79-Is.3
  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79JR: Built with two Junkers Jumo 211Da inverted V 12 engines (1,120 HP).3
    Two Junkers Jumo 211 D (1,220 HP) engines.4
  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M. 79T: Transatlantic.4
  • Savoia-Marchetti S.M.83: Civilian transport that carried 10 passengers.3

Usage

The countries that used the S.M. 79 were:

  • Brazil3,4
    • S.M.79B: 33
  • Croatia3
  • Germany3
  • Iraq3,4
    • S.M.79B: 43
  • Italy3
  • Romania3,4
    • S.M.79B: 243
    • S.M.79JR: 243
      • IAR built 163,4
  • Spain3
  • Yugoslavia (45)3,4
    • S.M.79-Is exported in 1938.3

The S.M.79 was nicknamed the Il Gobbo (the hunchback) due to the gun bulge above the cockpit.1

Record Breaking

The first S.M.79 made a record breaking flight from Milan to Rome in June 1935.1

In September 1935 the S.M. 79 broke six records flying distances of 625 and 1,250 miles while carrying loads from 1,100 lb to 4,400 lb.4

Five S.M. 79 Cs flew from Istres to Damascus to Paris on August 20 - 21, 1937 and took 1st through 5th place.4 The distance was over 4,000 miles at an average speed of 220 mph.4

In January 1938 three S.M. 79 Ts flew from Guidonia, Italy, to Dakar and then to Rio de Janeiro, over 6,000 miles, at an average speed of 250 mph.4

Spanish Civil War

The Italians used the S.M.79s in the Aviazione Legionara that fought in the Spanish Civil War.1 It was first used in February 1937.4

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.2,4 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

Specifications

  SIAI Marchetti S.M. 794
Type Bomber torpedo4
Crew 64
Engine (Type) 3: Alfa Romeo 126 RC 344,5
OR 3: Piaggio P. XI RC/405
Cylinders Alfa: Radial 94
HP Alfa: 750 each4
Piaggio: 1,000 each5
Cooling Alfa: Air4
Propeller blades  
Dimensions  
Span 66' 3"5, 69' 7"4
Length 51' 2"4, 53' 2"5
Height 13' 6"5, 15' 1"4
Wing area  
Weight  
Empty  
Loaded 23,180 lb4, 24,850 lb5
Performance  
Speed 295 mph5
Speed @ 13,120' /
4,000 m 		267 mph4
Climb  
Service ceiling 23,000'4
Range 1,150 miles5, 1,180 miles4
Armament 4: MG5
4 - 5: MG4
Bombs 2,200 lb5, 2,756 lb4
  Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79-I Sparviero1,2,3
Type Bomber2
Medium bomber1
Medium reconnaissance bomber3
Torpedo bomber1
Crew 4 - 51,2,3
Engine (Type) 3: Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34 piston1,2,3
OR  
Cylinders Radial2 , Radial 91,3
HP 780 each1,2,3
Cooling Air1
Propeller blades 3 each1
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
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
Loaded 23,100 lb1, 23,104 lb3, 23,644 lb2
10,480 kg3, 10,500 kg1, 10,750 kg2
Performance  
Speed  
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
Dorsal and ventral 2: 12.7 mm MG3
2: 12.7 mm Breda MG1
2: 12.7 mm Breda SAFAT MG2
Beam 1: 7.7 mm MG1
1: 7.7 mm Lewis MG2
2: 7.7 mm MG3
Bombs 5: 550 lb1, 5: 551 lb2, 2,755 lb3
5: 250 kg1,2, 1,250 kg3
OR  
Torpedo 2: 17.7" torpedos3
1: 18" naval torpedo1
2: 45 cm torpedos3
1: 45 cm naval torpedo1
  Savoia-Marchetti S.M. 79-II Sparviero3
Type Medium reconnaissance bomber3
Crew 4 - 53
Engine (Type) 3: Piaggio P.XI RC 403
OR 3: Fiat A.80 RC 413
Cylinders Piaggio: Radial 143
Fiat: Radial3
HP Piaggio: 1,000 each3
Fiat: 1,030 each3
Cooling  
Propeller blades 3 each3
Dimensions  
Span  
Length 53' 1.75"3
16.2 m3
Height  
Wing area  
Weight  
Empty 16,755 lb3
7,600 kg3
Loaded 24,912 lb3
11,300 kg3
Performance  
Speed  
Climb  
Service ceiling  
Range  
Armament  
Over cabin roof firing forward 1: 12.7 mm MG3
Dorsal and ventral 2: 12.7 mm MG3
Beam 2: 7.7 mm MG3
Bombs 2,755 lb3
1,250 kg3
OR  
Torpedo 2: 17.7" torpedos3
2: 45 cm torpedos3
  Savoia-Marchetti S.M. 79-III Sparviero3, SIAI Marchetti S.M. 79 III4
Type Bomber torpedo4, Medium reconnaissance bomber3
Crew 4 - 53, 64
Engine (Type) 3: Piaggio P.XI RC 403,4
OR 3: Fiat A.80 RC 413
Cylinders Piaggio: Radial 143,4
Fiat: Radial3
HP Piaggio: 1,000 each3,4
Fiat: 1,030 each3
Cooling Piaggio: Air4
Propeller blades 3 each3
Dimensions  
Span 70'4
Length 51' 6"4
Height 15' 3"4
Wing area  
Weight  
Empty  
Loaded 23,100 lb4
Performance  
Speed 297 mph4
Climb  
Service ceiling 23,000'4
Range 1,200 miles4
Armament 4: MG4
1: 20 mm4
Torpedo 1: torpedo4

Sources:

  1. Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
  2. Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
  3. Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
  4. World War II Airplanes Volume 1, Enzo Angelucci, Paolo Matricardi, 1976
  5. Aeronautics Aircraft Spotters' Handbook, Ensign L. C. Guthman, 1943