Savoia-Marchetti heavy fighter prototypes
Encyclopedia
The Savoia-Marchetti
SM.88, SM.91 and SM.92 were Italian
twin-engined heavy fighter prototypes of World War II
. All featured a dual-fuselage structure and used German Daimler-Benz engines.
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Savoia-Marchetti first developed the SM.91, a long-range fighter/bomber, to compete in a contract offered by the Regia Aeronautica to the Italian aircraft companies in 1938.
In July 1942, the Regia Aeronautica requested designs for a new aircraft, propelled by the DB605 engine, capable of flying at 620 km/h (385 mph) with a range of 1,600 km (995 mi). The armament should consist of six MG 151 cannon
s in the nose and wings and a 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun as a defensive weapon. It should have a 800 kg (1,760 lb) bombload. At this point, the request for a long-range fighter killed the SM.88, still in development, and the SM.91, a larger, heavier and more modern design, was authorized.
The fuselage and the wings were all-metal, to achieve the best performance regardless of cost. The central nacelle held the crew of two, and the wings and tail was similar to the SM.88. Fuel capacity was 1,600 l. but with auxiliary tanks could be raised to 1,800 l. It is unknown if it was capable of a range of 1,600 km.
The two DB 605 engines gave a total of 2,950 hp. The aircraft's maximum speed at 585 km/h (363 mph) was better than the SM.88. There were three 20 mm MG 151s in the nose. Two more were mounted in the wings, close to the fuselage. Another machine gun was provided for the rear gunner. Total bombload was 1,640 kg (3,608 lb) or a torpedo.
The prototype, designated MM.530, flew for the first time on 11 March 1943, tested by Aldo Moggi. There were two prototypes, the second a modified SM.88 prototype.
The machine flew at Vergiate
and logged 27 hours in the next few months. It was advanced, but was not entered into the official tests at Guidonia, perhaps because it was still undergoing testing. The first prototype was captured and sent to Germany in October 1943, after which it vanished and is presumed destroyed. The second prototype was captured by the Germans incomplete when they occupied northern Italy in September 1943. This aircraft was tested on 10 July 1944, but was destroyed by Allied bombers later in the year.
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Another heavy fighter/bomber based on the SM.88 was the SM.92. The SM.92 did away with the mid-wing crew nacelle. The crew of two sat in the left fuselage only. Two DB 605 engines were fitted.
Armament consisted of three 20 mm MG 151 cannon, two in the mid-wing and one in the right fuselage, and three 12.7 mm machine guns, one under each engine, and one remotely controlled in the tail. A bombload of up to 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) could be carried under the inner wing, and 160 kg (350 lb) bombs were carried under the outer wings.
The maximum speed was increased, but still did not meet that required. It had a complex and advanced structure which contributed to difficulties in producing a working prototype. The prototype MM.531 flew for the first time in October 1943 and logged over 21 hours of flight time. In March 1944 it was mistaken for a P-38 Lightning
and attacked by a Macchi C.205
. The aircraft survived by performing evasive manoeuvres, but it was so badly damaged that it was grounded for months. The SM.92 was destroyed by Allied bombing in 1944.
Savoia-Marchetti
-History:The original company was founded in 1915 as SIAI . After World War I gained the name Savoia, when it acquired the Società Anonima Costruzioni Aeronautiche Savoia, an Italian aircraft company founded by Umberto Savoia in 1915.The name Marchetti was added when chief designer Alessandro...
SM.88, SM.91 and SM.92 were Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
twin-engined heavy fighter prototypes of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. All featured a dual-fuselage structure and used German Daimler-Benz engines.
Savoia-Marchetti SM.88
{|Savoia-Marchetti SM.91
{||}
Savoia-Marchetti first developed the SM.91, a long-range fighter/bomber, to compete in a contract offered by the Regia Aeronautica to the Italian aircraft companies in 1938.
In July 1942, the Regia Aeronautica requested designs for a new aircraft, propelled by the DB605 engine, capable of flying at 620 km/h (385 mph) with a range of 1,600 km (995 mi). The armament should consist of six MG 151 cannon
MG 151 cannon
The MG 151 was a 15 mm autocannon produced by Waffenfabrik Mauser starting in 1940. It was in 1941 developed into the 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon which was widely used on many types of German Luftwaffe fighters, fighter bombers, night fighters, ground attack and even bombers as part of or as...
s in the nose and wings and a 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun as a defensive weapon. It should have a 800 kg (1,760 lb) bombload. At this point, the request for a long-range fighter killed the SM.88, still in development, and the SM.91, a larger, heavier and more modern design, was authorized.
The fuselage and the wings were all-metal, to achieve the best performance regardless of cost. The central nacelle held the crew of two, and the wings and tail was similar to the SM.88. Fuel capacity was 1,600 l. but with auxiliary tanks could be raised to 1,800 l. It is unknown if it was capable of a range of 1,600 km.
The two DB 605 engines gave a total of 2,950 hp. The aircraft's maximum speed at 585 km/h (363 mph) was better than the SM.88. There were three 20 mm MG 151s in the nose. Two more were mounted in the wings, close to the fuselage. Another machine gun was provided for the rear gunner. Total bombload was 1,640 kg (3,608 lb) or a torpedo.
The prototype, designated MM.530, flew for the first time on 11 March 1943, tested by Aldo Moggi. There were two prototypes, the second a modified SM.88 prototype.
The machine flew at Vergiate
Vergiate
Vergiate is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 45 km northwest of Milan and about 15 km southwest of Varese...
and logged 27 hours in the next few months. It was advanced, but was not entered into the official tests at Guidonia, perhaps because it was still undergoing testing. The first prototype was captured and sent to Germany in October 1943, after which it vanished and is presumed destroyed. The second prototype was captured by the Germans incomplete when they occupied northern Italy in September 1943. This aircraft was tested on 10 July 1944, but was destroyed by Allied bombers later in the year.
Specifications (SM.91)
Savoia-Marchetti SM.92
{||}
Another heavy fighter/bomber based on the SM.88 was the SM.92. The SM.92 did away with the mid-wing crew nacelle. The crew of two sat in the left fuselage only. Two DB 605 engines were fitted.
Armament consisted of three 20 mm MG 151 cannon, two in the mid-wing and one in the right fuselage, and three 12.7 mm machine guns, one under each engine, and one remotely controlled in the tail. A bombload of up to 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) could be carried under the inner wing, and 160 kg (350 lb) bombs were carried under the outer wings.
The maximum speed was increased, but still did not meet that required. It had a complex and advanced structure which contributed to difficulties in producing a working prototype. The prototype MM.531 flew for the first time in October 1943 and logged over 21 hours of flight time. In March 1944 it was mistaken for a P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
and attacked by a Macchi C.205
Macchi C.205
The Macchi C.205 Veltro was an Italian World War II fighter aircraft built by the Aeronautica Macchi. Along with the Reggiane Re.2005 and Fiat G.55, the Macchi C.205 was one of the three "Serie 5" Italian fighters built around the powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine...
. The aircraft survived by performing evasive manoeuvres, but it was so badly damaged that it was grounded for months. The SM.92 was destroyed by Allied bombing in 1944.
Specifications (SM.92)