Savoia-Marchetti SM.81
| Savoia-Marchetti SM. 81 | |
|---|---|
 In the foreground the bow of an SM.81 in Benghasi
|
|
| Type: |
Transport plane bomber |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
February 8, 1935 (mil. Vers.) |
| Commissioning: |
1935 |
| Number of pieces: |
535 |
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 "Pipistrello" (Eng. "Bat") was a three-engine transport aircraft made by the Italian manufacturer Savoia-Marchetti , which was also used as a bomber . The low-wing aircraft had a fixed tail wheel landing gear.
development
The design of the SM.81 was based on the 18-seat passenger aircraft SM.73 . The first flight of the military SM.81 took place on February 8, 1935. 530 units had been built by 1938. During the Italian-Ethiopian war was the pattern already in the military service in the Regia Aeronautica . In the Spanish Civil War , the SM.81 was used as the first nationalist bomber.
commitment
When Italy entered the Second World War , around 300 machines of this type were still in service, although now out of date. During the day it was mainly used as a transport and liaison aircraft. As a night bomber, however, she stayed in her traditional role for some time, especially in the Africa campaign . In July 1941, a small number were sent to the Eastern Front in support of the German attack on the Soviet Union .
Despite its inadequacies, the machine remained in service throughout the Second World War, with a few copies remaining with the newly founded Aeronautica Militare Italiana until around 1950.
variants
The SM.81B was a twin-engine variant that was to be delivered to Romania . Only a prototype was produced, but it was unsatisfactory.
Military users
-
Italy :
-
Italian social republic
-
Italy
- Aeronautica Militare Italiana after the war
-
China
-
Spain
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Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 6th |
| length | 18.30 m |
| span | 24.02 m |
| height | 4.89 m |
| Wing area | 93 m² |
| Wing extension | 6.2 |
| Empty mass | 6,500 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 10,000 kg |
| Top speed | 314 km / h at 4,000 m |
| Service ceiling | 7,000 m |
| Range | 1,990 km |
| Engines | 3 × Piaggio P.IX RC 40, each 412 kW (560 PS) |
| Armament | 4-5 MG, caliber 7.7 mm, 1000 kg drop armament |
swell
- Olaf Groehler : History of the Air War 1910 to 1980 , Military Publishing House of the German Democratic Republic, Berlin 1981, p. 187.
- David Mondey, The Hamlyn Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II , Chancellor Press, 2002.
- Kenneth Munson, Aircraft of WW II .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ according to Olaf Groehler: History of the Air War 1910 to 1980 , Military Publishing House of the German Democratic Republic, Berlin 1981, p. 187, 300 aircraft were still in service.