S.M.79 serie 8 (Germany)

This page is about the gift German bomber S.M.79 serie 8 (Germany). For other versions, see S.M.79 (Family).

▀S.M.79 serie 8

▀S.M.79 serie 8

Germany

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.0	2.0	2.3

Class:

Bomber

Frontline bomber

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

Show in game

Description

The ▀S.M.79 Sparviero serie 8 (1939) is a gift rank II German bomber with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB/RB) and 2.3 (SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27 in the German aviation tree. In Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica", the S.M.79, as well as the other Italian planes in the German tree, were moved to the new Italian tree.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 4 000 m430 km/h

Turn time31 s

Max altitude6 800 m

Engine3 х Alfa Romeo 126 RC 34

TypeRadial

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight11 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	411	400	6800	33.0	33.7	3.2	4.1	450
Upgraded	446	430		30.3	31.6	9.7	5.9

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
530	300	313	298	220	~4	~2

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 260	< 270	< 270	> 290

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
3,300 m	2,250 hp	2,617 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew5 people

Speed of destruction

Structural530 km/h

Gear300 km/h

• No armour plating
• No armour glazing
• Fuel tanks located in fuselage and wing roots

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB610 → 841

RB933 → 1 287

SB1 536 → 2 119

Total cost of modifications8 440

9 520

Talisman cost640

Crew training4 500

Experts16 000

Aces180

Research Aces190 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

50 / 100 / 200 %

118 / 118 / 118 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 420 Cost: 470 95 Radiator Research: 420 Cost: 470 95 Airframe Research: 470 Cost: 530 105 Compressor Research: 470 Cost: 530 105 Wings repair Research: 530 Cost: 600 120 Engine Research: 530 Cost: 600 120 Cover Research: 460 Cost: 520 105 Engine injection Research: 460 Cost: 520 105	EFS Research: 460 Cost: 520 105	safat12_belt_pack Research: 420 Cost: 470 95 GP100 Research: 420 Cost: 470 95 safat12_new_gun Research: 470 Cost: 530 105 bmg303_turret_belt_pack Research: 470 Cost: 530 105 safat12_turret_belt_pack Research: 530 Cost: 600 120 GP250 Research: 530 Cost: 600 120 safat12_turret_new_gun Research: 460 Cost: 520 105 lewis_turret_new_gun Research: 460 Cost: 520 105 GP500 Research: 460 Cost: 520 105

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 112.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun

Ammunition350 rounds

Fire rate700 shots/min

The S.M.79 serie 8 (Germany) is armed with:

• 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal-mounted (350 rpg)

Suspended armament

List of setups (4)

Setup 112 x 50 kg GP 50 bomb

Setup 212 x 100 kg GP 100T bomb

Setup 35 x 250 kg GP 250 bomb

Setup 42 x 500 kg GP 500 bomb

The S.M.79 serie 8 (Germany) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 12 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (600 kg total)
• 12 x 100 kg GP 100T bombs (1,200 kg total)
• 5 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs (1,250 kg total)
• 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs (1,000 kg total)

Defensive armament

2 х Turret12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun

Ammunition500 rounds

Fire rate701 shots/min

2 х Turret7.7 mm Lewis machine gun

Ammunition485 rounds

Fire rate551 shots/min

The S.M.79 serie 8 (Germany) is defended by:

• 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal turret (500 rpg)
• 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)
• 1 x 7.7 mm Lewis machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (485 rpg)

Usage in battles

Due to its relatively low battle rating, the three-engined S.M.79 enjoys a relatively high speed for a bomber against most of the lower ranked opposition it faces. This aids its survivability, particularly in a shallow dive. Unfortunately, it is rather lacking in bombload options compared to the He 111s and Ju 88s and also has rather poor defensive fire arcs. Unlike the German bombers, however, it is armed with 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns which can pack quite a punch against the flimsier aircraft it faces. The pilot also controls a fixed forward-firing 12.7 mm Breda, which is otherwise uncovered by any defensive armament. This gun can be useful for strafing light vehicles and trucks that will be encountered frequently in low-rank battles and can be used to shoot down other aircraft. It is somewhat more manoeuvrable than the He 111 H-3, but the Sparviero is by no means a fighter and will rapidly lose energy in turns. With the ability to carry 500 kg bombs, the S.M.79 can use these to more easily take out pillboxes and heavier tanks, although this reduces the total bombload to only 1,000 kg as opposed to 1,250 kg with 250 kg bombs.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Hard-hitting 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT defensive machine guns
• Pilot-controlled fixed forward-firing 12.7 mm Breda, which can be equipped with IAI (explosive) ammunition
• High speed
• Middle engine provides some level of protection for the pilot against head-on attacks
• Capable of carrying 500 kg bombs, unlike the He 111 H-3 or Do 17 Z-1

Cons:

• Poor total bomb load
• Poor defensive fire arcs, including a dead zone in the rear where neither of the rearward facing 12.7 mm machine guns can cover
• No frontal defensive gun covering the frontal aspect
• Lacks armour protection for the crew
• Forced to choose between less total bomb load but individually more powerful bombs or higher total bomb load with less powerful bombs

History

Archive of the in-game description

Three-engine SIAI Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 "Sparviero" medium bomber, issued 1939. The S.M.79 gradually became the Regia Aeronautica's main strike plane. In 1938, five regiments were re-equipped. That same year, about 150 "Sparviero" aircraft were in service in Italy. A year later, over 300 were in service. Besides taking part in the Spanish Civil War, the S.M.79 was used for landing troops during the invasion of Albania in 1939, as well as in Italy's attack on Greece. In 1939, AUSA factories started releasing S.M.79s. This series was practically unchanged from its predecessor, except that the exhaust pipe of the right engine was moved to the outside of the nacelle so that smoke from the pipe would not contact the fuselage. When on June 10, 1940, Italy entered the Second World War, the Italian Air Force possessed 612 S.M.79s in 14 regiments and one special group, distributed throughout the mainland and the colonies (the "Sparviero" appeared in Libya in 1939). During this period, two-thirds of all Italian bombers were S.M.79s. In addition to the combat regiments, the "Sparviero" had its own flying school. Also, about a dozen S.M.79TPs (with rectangular windows and 5-6 seats in place of the bomb bay) were used as personal transport aircraft for high-ranking officers. During the fighting, S.M.79s were used day and night, attacking targets in Malta, Tunisia, France, Aden, and in North and East Africa. In North Africa, in September 1940, four regiments of S.M.79s supported the Italian attack on Egypt. The "Sparviero" was even tested as a ground attack aircraft to support troops in the field and hunt for British tanks and armoured cars, but high losses quickly put an end to these activities. On the front, some of the S.M.79's shortcomings were painfully obvious. Its weak guns were located in primitive turrets which limited their field of fire, and the machine guns' characteristics were unsatisfactory (particularly their rate of fire). This, plus weak armour and lack of self-sealing fuel tanks, sharply reduced the aircraft's combat value. The huge one-piece wing was difficult to repair in the field. The aircraft's speed no longer protected it from the latest fighters; the "Sparviero" was already out of date.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the S.M.79 serie 8 (Germany) from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Related development

• S.M.79 (Family)
  • S.M.79 serie 8

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance