S.M.79 serie 1

S.M.79 serie 1

B.R.20M M1

S.M.79 serie 8

S.M.79 serie 1

B.R.20M M1

S.M.79 serie 8

Italy

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.0	1.7	2.0

Class:

Bomber

Frontline bomber

Research:5 900

Purchase:6 300

Show in game

This page is about the Italian bomber S.M.79 serie 1. For other versions, see S.M.79 (Family).

Description

The S.M.79 Sparviero serie 1 (1936) is a rank I Italian bomber with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB/SB) and 1.7 (RB). It was introduced in Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica", though a variant existed in the Germany aircraft tech tree prior to the update.

Due to its relatively low Battle Rating, the three-engined SM.79 serie 1 enjoys a relatively high speed for a bomber against most of the lower tiered 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 tier 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 SM.79 can use these to more easily take out pillboxes and heavier tanks, although this reduces the total bombload to only 1000 kg as opposed to 1250 kg with 250 kg bombs.

General info

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	416	404	6800	32.6	33.6	4.5	4.4	450
Upgraded	444	430		30.4	31.6	7.8	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	325	325	220	~3	~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	N/A

Survivability and armour

• No armour
• Self-sealing fuel tanks (1 under dorsal gunner, 1 in each wingroot, 1 in each outer part of the wing, 1 in the rear of each engine nacelle)

Armaments

Offensive armament

The S.M.79 serie 1 is armed with:

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

Suspended armament

The S.M.79 serie 1 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 serie 1 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

S.M.79 Serie 1 are decent bombers at their BR and below, but at uptiers are easy prey for enemy fighters when uptiered but even at it's own br and lower there is threats to it. threats like for example Spitfire, LaGG-3, MiG-3 and P-40

If the S.M.79 manage to get through the threats it got the payload to take out enemy bomb points and ground targets, with its bomber spawn it can descend to get extra speed to fast get to the bombing point which will expose it faster to enemy fighter and attackers that got enough firepower to destroy the S.M.79 with ease in both Realistic and Arcade battles.

A big drawback with the S.M.79 is that it's big and not fast or agile compared to certain bombers at same BR but if it is able to pass through enemy line it can cause alot of damage to the points. It got 2x 12.7mm Breda MGs aiming backwards in a limited field of view making alot of the plane going uncovered by the MGs, it got also 2x7.7 Breda MGs on the sides with limited views aswell, making alot of the plane exposed to be attacked from.

S.M.79 also got an offensive 12.7mm which can do damage to enemy fighters or bombers, if one got a well trained aim and knows how to use the Breda 12.7 well and what belt to use on it can make the 12.7mm Breda dangerous and to the S.M.79's advantage. Problem with the 12.7mm is its slow RoF compared to other 12.7mm and a low count of 350 rounds in the gun, but S.M.79 compared to the He-111's got limited payload but that should not put someone off from the S.M.79 since it's not the worst payload for a bomber in game.

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

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			Cover	New 12 mm MGs (turret)	New 7 mm MGs (turret)	MCRO500

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.
• Good 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-2.

Cons:

• Very limited bomb payload compared to the He 111 H-3 which has 1250 kg max.
• 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.

History

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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

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• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
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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