S.M.79 serie 4 (Germany)

This page is about the gift bomber S.M.79 serie 4 (Germany). For other versions, see S.M.79 (Family).

▀S.M.79 serie 4

▀S.M.79 serie 4

Germany

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.3	2.3	2.3

Class:

Bomber

Frontline bomber

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

Show in game

Description

The ▀S.M.79 Sparviero serie 4 (1937) is a gift rank II German bomber with a battle rating of 2.3 (AB/RB/SB). Though initially in the game pre-1.27, this plane was removed upon Update 1.37 due to redundancy.

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	416	403	6800	32.6	33.6	4.5	4.4	450
Upgraded	444	430		30.8	31.6	7.4	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

Survivability and armour

Crew5 people

Speed of destruction

Structural530 km/h

Gear300 km/h

• No armour protection
• Self-sealing fuel tanks (1 below dorsal gunner, 4 in each wing)

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB869 → 1 177

RB1 341 → 1 817

SB1 979 → 2 681

Total cost of modifications10 400

13 780

Talisman cost750

Crew training6 300

Experts22 000

Aces250

Research Aces220 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

60 / 130 / 260 %

124 / 124 / 124 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 520 Cost: 690 100 Radiator Research: 520 Cost: 690 100 Airframe Research: 580 Cost: 770 115 Compressor Research: 580 Cost: 770 115 Wings repair Research: 650 Cost: 860 130 Engine Research: 650 Cost: 860 130 Cover Research: 680 Cost: 900 135	EFS Research: 680 Cost: 900 135	safat12_belt_pack Research: 520 Cost: 690 100 GP100 Research: 520 Cost: 690 100 safat12_new_gun Research: 580 Cost: 770 115 bmg303_turret_belt_pack Research: 580 Cost: 770 115 safat12_turret_belt_pack Research: 650 Cost: 860 130 GP250 Research: 650 Cost: 860 130 safat12_turret_new_gun Research: 680 Cost: 900 135 lewis_turret_new_gun Research: 680 Cost: 900 135 GP500 Research: 680 Cost: 900 135

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 112.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun

Ammunition350 rounds

Fire rate700 shots/min

The S.M.79 serie 4 (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 4 (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 4 (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, second series, issued 1937. Beginning with the 2nd production series, the S.M.79's dorsal "hump" was shortened (previously it had reached almost to the front door), and the teardrop-shaped fairings were removed. On each side of the hump, a couple of windows were added to better illuminate the radio operator's and mechanic's workspaces. The bomber's gondola located under the fuselage was elongated, the engine's exhaust pipes were twisted to direct them away from the engine nacelles, and additional extensions were added to the stabilizer fin. The side-switching 7.7 mm Lewis machine gun from the World War I period, which had been installed inside the fuselage on a mobile track, was replaced by two fixed 7.7 mm Breda SAFAT machine guns, though before the war S.M.79s usually flew without onboard guns. In this form, without virtually any changes, the S.M.79 underwent mass production and was delivered to Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) combat units for about seven years. As a modification of a passenger aircraft, the S.M.79 had many related flaws: inconvenient bomb sight positioning, a relatively small bomb bay in a rather large fuselage, and primitive defensive weapons installed in half-open units with no mechanization. All of this understandably drew criticism from the Regia Aeronautica. But there was no other choice, and in February 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, the S.M.79 saw its first combat. S.M.79s with Italian crews and Spanish insignia operated around Seville and Bilbao, participating in the battles of Brunete and Teruel. The S.M.79's speed allowed it to fly long-range daytime operations without escort. Of all the Republican fighters, only the I-16 could successfully intercept the S.M.79, and not many I-16s were available. Therefore, the bomber's losses were relatively small. Combat experience showed that the plane's survivability was high. Franco only lost 4 S.M.79s during the entire war. The Italians lost 12. Beginning in January 1938, the S.M.79 was used as a night bomber. The "Sparviero" played an increasingly bigger role as the civil war progressed. After the war, the surviving Italian S.M.79s were transferred into Franco's Air Force. There they survived World War II, and the last of them were used in the Spanish colonies in North Africa until the early 1960s. In 1943, one "Sparviero" was converted by the Spanish company AISA into a staff plane, used to command the Spanish army.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the S.M.79 serie 4 (Germany) from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Related development

• S.M.79 (Family)

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.