S.M.79 B
| This page is about the Italian bomber S.M.79 B. For other versions, see S.M.79 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The S.M.79 Sparviero B (1936) was an Italian-made medium bomber which served in the Romanian air force. In 1936, Romania showed interest in the Italian Savoia-Marchetti 79 triple-engined bomber, and asked the manufacturer if they could develop a twin-engined version. The work on the aircraft finished in 1939. Unlike the regular S.M.79, the S.M.79B had two locally built licensed versions of the French Gnome-Rhône K14 radial engine, which also powered the Romanian IAR-80 fighter. The nose section was redesigned, with the typical hump housing the forward-facing 12.7 mm machine gun being removed and the cockpit positioned above the fuselage, offering better all-around view compared to the base S.M.79. The nose received a glazing, improving the bombardier's view, and the tail was slightly enlarged. Due to having two engines, both climb rate and speed were decreased compared to the regular S.M.79. A total of 24 aircraft were ordered, later on another 80 were made locally by IAR, using German Jumo 211 engines.
The S.M.79B was introduced in Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica". The bomb load of the twin-engined version is same as their triple-engined counterpart, however the S.M.79B is notably slower, with worse climb rate and no offensive weaponry. The aircraft has no weaponry to defend against frontal attacks, and the angles the defensive weaponry can fire around the aircraft are very bad. Only the dorsal 12.7 mm machine gun features very good vertical angle of fire. The aircraft features very good horizontal and vertical manoeuvrability due to its large elevator surface area, however the elevator stiffens above 390 km/h.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 3,700 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 425 | 413 | 7500 | 36.2 | 37.3 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 580 |
| Upgraded | 466 | 445 | 33.9 | 35.0 | 8.4 | 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 | + | - | ||
| 540 | 300 | 457 | 428 | 280 | ~4 | ~2 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 260 | < 270 | < 270 | > 307 |
Survivability and armour
The plane has no armour and the pilot has no protection at all, making the pilot easily to knock out in head-on attacks. The fuel tanks are self-sealing and they are located close to the central airframe so you can take some shots on the wings and won't get on fire. There is no frontal gunner, leaving the bomber exposed to frontal attacks.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
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Armaments
Suspended armament
The S.M.79 B 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)
- 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs (1,000 kg total)
Defensive armament
The S.M.79 B 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 (500 rpg)
Usage in battles
It is a bomber with a decent climb rate for the BR, allowing you to easily get above fighters. In most scenarios, you will eventually be intercepted at the end of the battle. Try outrunning climbing enemy fighters at high altitude, since most fighters at the BR will see their performance drastically reduced at high altitude. If you face a interceptor like the MiG-3 or the P-38, it is better to turn back to base or seek allied cover.
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:
- Great bomb load making you capable of taking down 2 bases
- Decent speed for the BR and makes you capable to outrun an enemy climbing towards you
Cons:
- Really poor defensive armament
- Crew is easily knocked out
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 S.81 in game, which was a militarized version of the successful S.73. The S.M.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 S.M.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 S.M.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 S.M.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 12.7 mm Breda-SAFT MG instead of a turret. A streamlined dorsal mount was also installed for a rear firing 12.7 mm MG, and unusually for bombers a fixed, pilot fired forward mounted 12.7 mm 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 S.M.79 in world.
Romania wanted a 2-engine Gnome-Rhone version, which S.M. provided. The entire forward cockpit was rearranged, pilots in tandem, and a large glass nose for the bombardier, the original ventral location replaced with a streamlined front. The weight savings from one less engine and all its wires, tubes controls, and extra fuel tank offset most of the performance loss of one engine, however it was more vulnerable to damage and engine issues. Unsatisfied with the poor performing Gnome-Rhone engines, Romania had a number built with the Jumo 211 engine.
Media
- Skins
See also
Related development
Vehicles of similar configuration or role
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 |
