S.M.79 B (Germany)

▀S.M.79 B

▀S.M.79 B

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

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

Description

The ▀S.M.79 Sparviero B (1936) is a gift rank II German bomber with a battle rating of 2.3 (AB/RB/SB). This bomber 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. This variant is painted in Romanian markings.

General info

Flight Performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 3,700 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
424	413	7500	36.6	37.3	3.0	3.9	580
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 3,700 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
467	445	7500	33.5	35.0	10.1	5.9	580

Details

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

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
540	300	480	~2	~2

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 260	< 270	< 270	> 307

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
3,300 m	1,860 hp	1,981 hp

Survivability and armour

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

Armaments

Suspended armament

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

Defensive armament

• 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 turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable	Not controllable	Controllable	Combined	Controllable	Controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator		Turret 12 mm	MCSAP100
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 12 mm MGs (turret)
III	Wings Repair	Engine		Turret 7 mm	MCGP250
IV		Engine Injection	Cover	New 7 mm MGs (turret)	MCRO500

Pros and cons

Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".

Pros:

Cons:

History

During the pre-war period, SIAI actively tried to export the SM.79. Alessandro Marchetti argued that twin-engine planes, not three-engine, would be best for export. So, in spite of the Royal Italian Air Force’s rejection of the SM.79B bomber project, he continued work in this area, developing a prototype.

The SM.79B had a completely redesigned nose section. A glazed cabin for the bombardier/navigator was placed where the centrally located engine used to be. The cockpit, to improve visibility, was moved forward and raised. The dorsal “hump” was moved farther back. Also, the area of the keel was increased slightly.

The plane was powered by two 14-cylinder star-shaped air-cooled Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs engines with 950 hp and a metal three-bladed variable-pitch SIAI propeller.

The engines were placed in elongated engine nacelles, and the aeroplane was given a more streamlined design, which fully compensated for the reduction in total thrust. The aircraft’s defensive armament remained virtually unchanged: three heavy-calibre 12.7 mm Breda SAFAT machine guns, with 500 rounds per gun. One fixed machine gun was placed in the nose, and a second was located in the turret under the hump’s sliding panel. The ventral gondola was now used only for a third gun, defending the plane from attacks from the lower rear.

The twin-engine SM.79B was offered to Belgium, Brazil, China, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Turkey, Yugoslavia, and the Soviet Union. However, no orders from any of these countries were ever received.

In the spring of 1937, Iraq ordered five SM.79Bs. The aircraft for Iraq were equipped with A.80 RC.41 engined with a takeoff power of 1030 hp. The third, fourth, and fifth SM.79Bs had larger cockpit windows. In early 1938, the Italian crews ferried the aircraft to the customer. All of these planes were eventually destroyed in 1941 during the rebellion in Iraq.

The largest order for the twin-engine SM.79B was placed by the country of Romania. In autumn of 1937, the Romanians requested 24 of the aircraft equipped with IAR K14-II engines with a power of 900 hp. (A licensed version of the Gnome-Rhone engine, produced in Romania.)

When compared with the Iraqi planes, the Romanian version had several differences: the mobile 7.92mm Browning FN machine gun with rotary magazine and 350 rounds of ammunition (mounted in the nose) and various equipment modifications. In 1938, these aircraft entered service with two squadrons of the Forţele Aeriene Regale ale Romaniei (Royal Romanian Air Force).

In-game description

"Three-engine SIAI Savoia-Marchetti SM.79bis “Sparviero” medium torpedo bomber, issued 1942.

In 1941, the SM.79 “Sparviero” began to be replaced by the new S.84 torpedo bomber. But the S.84’s engine, the Piaggio P.XI, was so unreliable that in 1942 groups which had switched to the new plane returned to the SM.79.

The SM.79 was independently modified in several ways, which slightly improved the aircraft’s flight characteristics. For example, one “Sparviero” had its engine mount elongated, which improved the aircraft’s aerodynamics and thus increased its speed.

Savoia-Marchetti designers proposed upgrading the outdated SM.79 by replacing its mixed design with an all-metal airframe. This would substantially reduce the aircraft’s weight while increasing the strength of its airframe. But the Royal Italian Air Force chose a compromise, instead: change the power unit, but keep the SM.79’s old airframe. The resulting variant was named the SM.79bis.

The SM.79bis was powered by three 9-cylinder radial air-cooled Alfa-Romeo 128RC18 engines with 860 hp and a metal three-bladed variable-pitch SIAI.32 propeller.

The new engine could not perform as well at high altitudes as the older Alfa-Romeo 126RC34, and so it was more suited for low-flying torpedo bombers. Increasing the engine’s power slightly increased the aircraft’s maximum and cruise speeds. The alcohol injection system, developed for the engine Alfa-Romeo 126RC34, was retained.

The ventral gondola, along with the machine gun mounted inside, was unnecessary for a torpedo bomber and was removed. When attacking, the torpedo bomber would fly just over the crests of the waves.

The empty bomb bay held an extra 1000-litre fuel tank (a 2300-litre option was also available). The plane’s radio equipment and instruments were upgraded, as well.

The SM.79bis was chosen to be the standard torpedo bomber, and previously released planes were converted into the new variant.

Of the first SM.79bis planes built, a special unit was formed to attack British ships in Gibraltar during “Operazione Scoglio” (Operation “The Rock”). However, while preparing the attack, it was discovered that the fuel consumption rating of the SM.79bis engine was overstated, and the planes would not be able to fly the mission to Gibraltar from the intended starting point of Istria (in the South of France). Only two of the most experienced crews tried to fly the mission on June 19, 1943, but only one returned; the second landed in Spain, out of fuel. On June 24 the whole group carried out a raid on Oran in Algeria."

Media

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See also

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• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

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