S.M.79 serie 8 (Germany)

▀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

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

Description

The ▀S.M.79 Sparviero serie 8 (1939) is a rank II gift German bomber with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB/RB) and 2.3 (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.

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

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
			+	-
530	300	480	~2	~2

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 300	< 305	< 303	> 200

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

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

Armaments

Offensive armament

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

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

Suspended armament

• 2 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs
• 12 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs
• 5 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs
• 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs

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 (485 rpg = 970 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
Not controllable	Controllable	Not controllable	Controllable	Combined	Not controllable	Not controllable

Modules

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

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Middle engine provides some level of protection for the pilot against head-on attacks

Cons:

• Weak defensive armament

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === Encyclopedia Info ===, also if applicable).

In-game description

"Three-engine SIAI Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 “Sparviero” medium bomber, second series, issued 1937.

Beginning with the 2nd production series, the SM.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 SM.79s usually flew without onboard guns.

In this form, without virtually any changes, the SM.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 SM.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 SM.79 saw its first combat.

SM.79s with Italian crews and Spanish insignia operated around Seville and Bilbao, participating in the battles of Brunete and Teruel. The SM.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 SM.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 SM.79s during the entire war. The Italians lost 12.

Beginning in January 1938, the SM.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 SM.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 60’s. In 1943, one “Sparviero” was converted by the Spanish company AISA into a staff plane, used to command the Spanish army."

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

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

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.