S.M.79 AS
| This page is about the Italian bomber S.M.79 AS. For other versions, see S.M.79 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The S.M.79 Sparviero AS (1941) is a rank II Italian bomber with a battle rating of 2.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica" alongside the initial Italian aviation tree.
General info
The S.M.79 Sparviero AS (1941) is a later modification of the SM.79 bomber used in the North Africa campaign, AS stands for North Africa. It was used during the Africa campaign and was equipped with a sand filter on the carburetor air intake, the radiator was also extended so that the engines would not heat too much.
It is armed with 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT defensive machine guns that can give a good hit against any fighter it faces, but you have to be precise to damage the enemies.
The pilot can also use a fixed 12.7 mm Breda that fires forward, this gun can be useful for destroying light vehicles and trucks that are often encountered in low-tier battles and can be used to shoot down other aircraft.
With the ability to carry 2 x 500 kg bombs, the SM.79 AS can destroy pillboxes and tanks with ease. This bomber can carry a torpedo you can use to destroy ships.
Flight performance
| 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 | 459 | 445 | 9000 | 32.2 | 33.1 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 400 |
| Upgraded | 504 | 480 | 29.9 | 31.0 | 9.3 | 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 |
| 3,400 m | 740 hp | 910 hp |
Survivability and armour
- No armour
- 9 self-sealing fuel tanks (1 under dorsal gunner, 4 in each wing)
- Can survive some hits from calibres below 20 mm
- Engines are prone to catching fire very easily when hit
- Poor defensive gunner positions
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Offensive armament
The S.M.79 AS is armed with:
- 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal-mounted (350 rpg)
Suspended armament
The S.M.79 AS can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- 12 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (600 kg total)
- 12 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,200 kg total)
- 5 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs (1,250 kg total)
- 1 x F200/450 torpedo
- 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs (1,000 kg total)
Defensive armament
The S.M.79 AS 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
RB/SB mode
Air mode
The SM.79 AS is a mediocre bomber at its BR, this variant can stay in WEP for longer and is good for a warm climate, at the beginning of the battle go up to 3,000-4,500 m, and go to destroy enemy bases, because whenever enemy fighters or other aircraft attack you, use your gunners to kill enemy aircraft, use the universal ammunition for the Breda-SAFAT 12.7mm turret belt because it contains 2 API-T and 2 AP-I per belt. AP-I and API-T ammo is perfect for killing enemy planes because it can knock out the enemy pilot or set fire to enemy planes meanwhile for the Lewis 7.7mm use universal ammo for the side turrets belt because it contains 1 Tracer and 3 AP-I. When you are close to the enemy base, use your bomber sights to drop your bombs and then return to the airfield to reload your bombs.
Ground Mode
You can use the SM.79 AS in ground mode, use the following payloads: 5x 250kg (Mod.28) or 2x 500kg (Type 28). After spawning with the SM.79 AS, stay at an altitude of 900-1,500m and use the crosshairs to drop your bombs more accurately. Your bombs are very good, so if your bombs get close to enemy medium and heavy tanks, they can be destroyed very easily.
Naval Mode
SM.79 AS in its arsenal can also use a 450mm torpedo (F200/450) in addition to bombs, the torpedo is mediocre so you have to be under 301 km/h and a height of less than 120m to use it, against ships it is very good because it has 200 kg of explosive.
AB mode
Like any bomber in Arcade Battles, they are the first to be destroyed, go up to 4,000m-5,000m and stay at that height and drop your bombs on enemy bases but remember you can be destroyed very easily by enemy planes so be careful and check around you if there are enemy planes coming.
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:
- Pilot-controlled fixed forward-firing 12.7 mm Breda, which can be equipped with IAI (explosive) ammunition.
- Good speed, fastest version of the S.M.79.
- Middle engine provides some level of protection for the pilot against head-on attacks.
- Capable of carrying torpedoes, unlike previous models.
- Can fly on 2 engines.
- The engines overheat slowly.
Cons:
- Very limited bomb payload.
- 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 payload, but individually more powerful bombs or higher total bomb payload with less powerful bombs.
- Engines are prone to catching fire when hit.
History
Alessandro Marchettí was famous for creating record breaking and Schneider Trophy winning racing seaplanes, and was the Savoia (aka SIAI, Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia). In 1922 Marchettí joined Savoia to form one of the great aircraft companies in history, until merged in 1983. After the conclusion of the Schneider Trophy race (won by UK), the firm used its experience to build fast aircraft for civilian and military use.
You probably saw the very similar looking Italian SM.81 in game, which was a militarized version of the successful S.73. The SM.79 was new passenger version based on the planform of its predecessor; the most obvious difference was retractable landing gear. It was truly made first as a passenger version to compete with those being made by other countries. Needless to say, it immediately attracted attention of the Regina Italia and a bomber version was developed in parallel. For a few brief months it was considered the best transport and bomber in world and became a major point of pride in Fascist Italy and was sold to several countries in the years before WW2.
Unlike nearly every bomber in War Thunder (and even in WW2), it was built mainly of steel a wood! The fuselage was a common for time welded steel tube design, with entire rear half being covered in cloth and plywood. The crew area to nose was duralumin cladded (which is very similar to Hawker Hurricane’s construction). Most surprising the wings are completely wood! A major technical achievement for its size. During its production life several engines where tried, depending on power and reliability, one model even removing the nose engine.
To make the SM.79 fast the wings are shorter than typical for its weight. To compensate for higher clean stall speed a number of advanced high lift devices were used to reduce stall speed for landing, being Handley-Page leading extending slats and drooping ailerons (also called “flaperons”) in conjunction with uncommon slotted flaps. After trying a few engines, the Alfa Romeo 126 was used on the prototypes for testing and the record breaking flights soon after. As with the SM.73 / S.81, once again the Italian military wanted a bomber version and laid out proposed additions.
Sparviero goes to war
The spacious cabin was easy to install a set of bomb racks, all bombs mounted vertically (not unusual for time). While the S.81 had the bomb aimers position just behind the nose mounted engine, the SM.79 positioned it in a ventral “tub” well after of the bomb bay itself. Also unlike the S.81 this streamlined tub also became the location of the ventral defensive gun, usually a 12.7mm Breda-SAFT MG instead of a turret. A streamlined dorsal mount was also installed for a rear firing 12.7mm MG, and unusually for bombers a fixed, pilot fired forward mounted 12.7mm MG, firing above the propeller disk. Both these streamlined protrusions could be closed to greatly minimize drag for a very high cruise speed, which the turreted S.81 could not. It was the prominent hump on its top that earned the nickname il gobbo maledetto ("damned hunchback"). Italy was open to export sales, and many countries purchased this top of line bomber to add to their forces.
From the high of the Spanish Civil War to the end of WW2, the Sparviero was the backbone of Italian bomber air forces and continued to do well over the vast stretches of the Mediterranean sea despite better allied defenses. Success was made despite high losses up to the Italian Armistice. They continued to be used in lesser roles on both sides of the conflict, and after the war were used for various duties by several nations for years later. Lebanon was the last operator who used them well in the 1950’s and are the last 2 remaining SM.79 in world.
The version was modified to mount a torpedo, but was little changed from earlier versions.
Media
- Skins
See also
- ▀S.M.79 AS - Version of the plane in the German tech tree
- Other S.M.79 vehicles
External links
| Savoia-Marchetti | |
|---|---|
| Bombers | S.M.79 serie 1 · S.M.79 serie 8 · S.M.79 AS · S.M.79 bis/T.M |
| S.81 | |
| Attackers | SM.91 · SM.92 |
| Export | S.M.79 B |
| Captured | ▀S.M.79 serie 1 · ▀S.M.79 serie 4 · ▀S.M.79 serie 8 |
| ▀S.M.79 AS · ▀S.M.79 bis/N · ▀S.M.79 bis/T.M · ▀S.M.79 B | |
| Italy bombers | |
|---|---|
| Fiat | B.R.20DR · B.R.20M M1 |
| Savoia-Marchetti | S.81 · S.M.79 serie 1 · S.M.79 B · S.M.79 serie 8 · S.M.79 AS · S.M.79 bis/T.M |
| CANT | Z.1007 bis serie 3 · Z.1007 bis serie 5 |
| Piaggio | P.108B serie 1 · P.108B serie 2 |
| Foreign: | |
| Germany | ▄Ju 87 R-2 · ▄Ju 87 D-3 |
| Hungary | ◔Tu-2S-59 |
