Savoia-Marchetti S.72

The Savoia-Marchetti S.72 was an Italian three-engine transport monoplane designed and built by Savoia-Marchetti as an enlarged and strengthened version of the earlier S.71. The S.72 was a three-engine, high-wing cantilever monoplane with a fixed tailwheel landing gear. Designed as a heavy bomber, the prototype was first flown in 1934 powered by three 410 kW (550 hp) Alfa Romeo licence-built Bristol Pegasus radial engines.

Operational history

The Regia Aeronautica showed no interest in the aircraft as a heavy bomber and the prototype was used as a VIP transport. After being demonstrated in China in 1935 the prototype was handed over to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek as a gift. Six more aircraft were ordered by the Chinese and assembled in China. It is presumed that all the aircraft were destroyed in Japanese air raids in 1937.

Specifications

Data from ^[1]

General characteristics

• Length: 19.95 m (65 ft 5½ in)
• Wingspan: 29.68 m (97 ft 4½ in)
• Height: 5.5 m (18 ft 0½ in)
• Wing area: 118.50 m² (1,275.57 ft²)
• Empty weight: 6,800 kg (14,991 lb)
• Gross weight: 12,800 kg (28,219 lb)
• Powerplant: 3 × Alfa Romeo licence-built Bristol Pegasus engine, 410 kW (550 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 295 km/h (183 mph)
• Range: 2,000 km (1,243 miles)
• Service ceiling: 8,000 m (26,245 ft)

• up to 6 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine guns
• 1 × 20 mm cannon
• 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) of bombs

See also

Related lists

• List of Interwar military aircraft

References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. 
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Savoia-Marchetti S.72.

• "The World's Race to Arms" Popular Mechanics, December 1935 various rare photos. note - statement that S.72 was sent to Ethiopia is untrue