Savoia Marchetti SM.79

The Savoia Marchetti SM.79 'Sparviero' was a medium bomber aircraft, which first saw combat action in the Spanish Civil War. Then it would also be employed in World War II, carrying out sorties in North Africa and the Mediterranean Theater. It had been designed and developed by the Italian firm Savoia Marchetti between 1932 and 1934 as an 8-passanger civil aeronautic plane, with its prototype flying for the first time in late September 1934. However, when it was converted into a military aircraft by the Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica), it turned out to be an excellent and reliable bomber as it was called the 'Sparviero' (Italian for sparrowhawk).

The SM.79 was a fast and efficient bomber which carried out successful and effective missions in Spain, flying with 8th and 11th Wing of the Italian Legionary Aviation, organized and sent over to the Iberian peninsula by Benito Mussolini. When Italy entered World War II, the Sparviero was used also in the torpedo-bomber role, sinking Allied merchant ships in the Mediterranean sea. During this armed conflict, it was also employed as an strategic reconnaissance aircraft. This reliable bomber remained in service with the Italian Air Force until 1952. It was also in service with the Romanian and Spanish Air Force, from which it was retired in 1954.

Technical charesteristics

The SM.79 was a medium-sized monoplane. It was fitted with straight wings, which were mounted low on the fuselage. The lower surface of the fuselage was made of aluminum, while the upper part was thick, hardened plywood. Well-built, with a lot of internal steel pipes, it was sturdy and could take a beating and keep flying. It was equipped with retractable landing gear. On the dorsal side of the fuselage, it had a characteristic protrusion, for which it was also nicknamed the hunchbacked. The SM.79III variant was powered by three Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34, 9-cylinder, air-cooled engines, each delivering 780 HP.

Specifications

Wing span: 20.20 m

Length: 15.62 m

Height: 4.4 m

Wing area: 61.7 sq. m

Maximum speed: 428 km/h

Range: 2,000 km (loaded)

Crew: 6

Weapons: up to 1,250 kg of bombs/torpedoes; two 12.7-mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns; two 7.7-mm Breda machine guns.

Below, the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 prototype in the skies over Italy in 1934.

The Sparviero in an aerodrome in Spain in 1938