Savoia Marchetti 79 Sparviero
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Model: Savoia Marchetti 79 "Sparviero" Power Plant: 3-1,000hp Piaggio P.XI RC 40 Dimensions: Wing Span 69.5'; Length 51.8' Maximum Speed: 430 km/h at 4000 m Armament: 3-12.7mmMGs, 2-7.7mmflexMGs Payload: 1250 Kg bombs or 1 torpedo Total Production: 1,370 all models First flown: September, 28th, 1934 In Service: RA (1937-1943) |
Italian air force standard bomber during WWII the S.79 Sparviero (sparrow-hawk) was extensively used as horizontal bomber and torpedo-bomber. The military version derived from a civilian one that obtained prestigious results, in the thierties, in many aerial competitions; the most famous was the Paris-Damascus-Istres air race in 1937; three S.M.79C planes obtained the first three places, overperforming the french and british competitors. On wearing the uniform the Sparviero was modified with a dorsal hunch to receive the rear-facing 12.7 mm Breda-Safat machine gun; from that moment on it was know as "The Hunchback". The first squadrons to receive were assigned to bombing missions and soon, with the breakout of the war, new torpedo-bombing units were formed; the Sparviero was perfectly suited for this job, thanks to its manouvrability and capability to sustain heavy damage, and obtained the greatest successes against the british convoys in the Mediterranean.