WOW256 SM.79 ‘New Desert Version’

Out of Stock

SKU: 16806 Category: mothballed

Description

The Savoia- Marchetti SM.79 was a three engine Italian bomber that saw extensive service during WW2, it remains the most widely produced WW2
Italian bomber with over 1,300 being built and remained in service until
1952. The SM.79 was easily recognised by its distinctive dorsal hump which
housed one of the aircrafts defensive machine guns. Initially developed as
a passenger aircraft this low wing monoplane set 26 world records between
1936 and 1939 before war erupted. The SM.79 first saw action with the
military in the Spanish Civil War where it performed well and was liked by
its crews. Armed with 5 Breda machine guns the bomber was considered heavily
armed for an early war aircraft. Initially it started off as a conventional
medium bomber but is probably best known as a torpedo bomber where it had
some success during the war against Allied shipping.

The SM.79 could carry 1,200 kilos of bombs or 2 torpedoes, although only 1 was normally carried due to the weight and take off run required for 2 torpedoes. The SM.79 had a crew of 5/6 and with a wingspan of 66ft making it slightly larger than the Junkers 88. The design saw service with the Italian Air Force, the Luftwaffe, Romania, Yugoslavia and the RAF who operated 4 captured types during WW2.