Savoia-Pomilio SP.4

The Savoia-Pomilio SP.4 was a reconnaissance and bomber aircraft built in Italy during the First World War.^[1] It was a further development of the family of designs that had started with the SP.1. Ultimately all of these took their basic configuration from the Farman MF.11: a biplane with twin tails and a fuselage nacelle that accommodated the crew and a pusher-mounted engine.^[2] However, the SP.4 differed both from its Farman antecedent and the previous Savoia-Pomilio designs by featuring twin engines mounted in the interplane gap in place of the single engine in the nacelle.^[2] Removing the engine from this position allowed a second machine gun to be placed there instead.^[2]

Apart from their intended role as a reconnaissance aircraft and bomber, some SP.4s were used to insert spies and saboteurs behind enemy lines.^[3] A further development designated SP.5 remained unbuilt by the end of the war.^[4]

Operators

 Kingdom of Italy

• Corpo Aeronautico Militare

Specifications

Data from "Savoja-Pomilio S.p.4"

General characteristics

• Crew: Two, pilot and observer
• Length: 10.70 m (35 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 19.80 m (65 ft 0 in)
• Wing area: 78 m² (839 ft²)
• Gross weight: 2,300 kg (5,060 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Isotta-Fraschini V.4B, 110 kW (150 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 150 km/h (94 mph)

Armament

• 2 × machine guns

Notes

References

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing. 
• "Savoja-Pomilio S.p.4". Aerei Italiani. Retrieved 2009-03-04. 
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.