295:
195:
position using a "pneumatic message" system in which messages were passed through a tube. The forward machine gun had 564 rounds of ammunition in 12 magazines, while the aft machine gun had 470 in 10 magazines. Bombs were carried in a bomb bay within the lower wing, near to the fuselage. The weapon-load was 700 kg (1,540 lb) maximum. Typical combinations were: 2 × 250 kg (550 lb) and 2 × 100 kg (220 lb) bombs, 6 × 100 kg (220 lb) bombs, 4 × 70 kg (150 lb)
1020:
1044:
1032:
194:
was fitted in the dorsal position, also armed with a 7.7 mm (.303 in) Lewis gun, manned by the gunner/radio operator, who was also provided with an R.A.350 transmitter and an A.R.4 receiver. The aircraft was not fitted with an intercom, but the two pilots could communicate with the nose
217:, generating 671 kW (900 hp) at takeoff, arranged in a steel structure mounted between the two wings, driving a four-bladed propeller with variable pitch that could be set before takeoff. This, and the much refined hull of this aircraft bestowed a good performance for the time. A
125:, made its first flight late in 1932 and then transferred the next year to Vigna di Valle for evaluation. The SM.78 was the last biplane flying boat, built or used in large numbers by Italy; 49 were completed in all (32 by Piaggio and 17 by SIAI).
178:
longerons and poplar ribs, utilising the low-weight and high-strength characteristics of these woods, and were painted to render them impermeable to water. Twin stabilising floats were mounted at mid-wing.
190:
was situated in the nose, which also contained two cameras. This position was manned by the co-pilot when necessary, the aircraft having a three-man crew. A second, enclosed
625:
1079:
29:
1069:
1089:
618:
511:
140:
This aircraft evolved from the SM.62bis, retaining practically the same unmodified wings, tail and fuselage, but with a different model of
137:, with a tall welded steel fin and a wooden horizontal tail mounted centrally. The lower hull had two steps, to aid take-off from the sea.
186:
in the prototype, this was replaced by an open cockpit in the production model. A crew position mounting a 7.7 mm (0.303 in)
1064:
846:
506:
896:
881:
821:
816:
590:
562:
283:, which already operated SM.62s, tried unsuccessfully to acquire a licence to build the SM.78, leaving Italy as the only operator.
836:
611:
380:
110:), that in 1915 had started building foreign aircraft under licence, followed two years later by the first of its own designs.
992:
942:
1010:
199:, or 6 × 12 kg (26 lb) training bombs. Smoke generators could also be mounted on the inner hardpoints. A "
211:
227:
was mounted by the engine. A total of 2,200 L (580 US gal) of fuel could be carried in six unarmoured
926:
916:
85:
997:
921:
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design with superior performance. Some aircraft remained in service during the early phase of
224:
1036:
957:
546:
300:
107:
50:
1048:
264:
144:
103:
28:
634:
218:
1058:
735:
699:
547:
171:
1024:
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196:
141:
91:
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167:
719:
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704:
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272:
252:
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The SM.78 was built between 1932 and 1935, with only 16 by SIAI and 32 from
232:
228:
204:
187:
118:
654:
649:
155:
134:
256:
244:
183:
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88:
260:
182:
While the pilot and co-pilot were seated side-by-side in an enclosed
175:
166:-skinned hull had a double-layered bottom, with an external layer of
81:
280:
102:
The SM.78 first flew at the end of 1932, designed for the role of
207:
was located on the right in the cockpit, behind a glazed window.
607:
133:
The SM.78 was a single-bay biplane. It had a long and slim aft
383:
W-18 liquid-cooled piston engine, 712 kW (955 hp)
106:-bomber. It was one of the many flying boats made by SIAI (
267:. It continued to serve until 1938, being replaced by the
174:
arranged laminates of cedar. The fabric-covered wings had
1008:
935:
744:
728:
642:
531:
529:
527:
619:
549:Italian Civil and Military Aircraft 1930–1945
416:2,400 km (1,500 mi, 1,300 nmi)
322:Italian Civil and Military Aircraft 1930–1945
8:
450:3,800 m (12,500 ft) in 53 min 40 s
279:, performing in an air-sea-rescue capacity.
447:3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 29 min 43 s
444:2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 14 min 30 s
626:
612:
604:
635:SIAI, Savoia-Marchetti and SIAI-Marchetti
441:1,000 m (3,300 ft) in 5 min 37s
410:220 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn)
404:245 km/h (152 mph, 132 kn)
235:, two aft, two central and two forward.
1015:
600:N.19, Westward editions, p. 43–49.
523:
596:Lembo, Daniele. "SM.78 (in Italian)."
585:. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1997.
18:
210:The aircraft was powered by a single
7:
553:. USA: Aero Publishers Inc. p.
512:List of flying boats and floatplanes
361:65.76 m (707.8 sq ft)
349:16.66 m (54 ft 8 in)
343:12.26 m (40 ft 3 in)
583:The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft
507:List of Interwar military aircraft
389:3-bladed constant-speed propellers
355:4.34 m (14 ft 3 in)
170:, while the flanks were made from
121:, which carried the serial number
14:
468:4 × 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine guns
113:The SM.78 was developed from the
39:Bomber/reconnaissance flying boat
1042:
1030:
1018:
381:Isotta Fraschini Asso 750 R.C.35
293:
27:
1080:Single-engined pusher aircraft
545:Thompson, Jonathon W. (1963).
373:5,039 kg (11,110 lb)
1:
1070:1930s Italian patrol aircraft
428:4,000 m (13,000 ft)
367:2,944 kg (6,490 lb)
1090:Aircraft first flown in 1932
1106:
1065:Savoia-Marchetti aircraft
212:Isotta Fraschini Asso 750
26:
21:
328:General characteristics
247:. It equipped the 141°
104:maritime reconnaissance
495:Savoia-Marchetti SM.62
314:Specifications (SM.78)
150:The hull/fuselage had
78:Savoia-Marchetti SM.78
490:Savoia-Marchetti S.59
129:Technical description
535:Donald 1997, p. 823.
474:6 × 100 kg bomb load
255:, the 144° based at
94:of the early 1930s.
581:Donald, David, ed.
484:Related development
239:Operational history
1006:
1005:
432:Time to altitude:
308:Regia Aeronautica
225:fire extinguisher
74:
73:
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1046:
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745:Savoia-Marchetti
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542:
536:
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460:
426:Service ceiling:
397:
330:
301:Kingdom of Italy
299:
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263:and the 189° at
108:Savoia-Marchetti
67:
51:Savoia-Marchetti
41:Type of aircraft
31:
19:
16:Italian warplane
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598:Storia Militare
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576:Further reading
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80:was an Italian
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936:SIAI-Marchetti
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402:Maximum speed:
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86:reconnaissance
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591:1-85605-375-X
588:
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564:0-8168-6500-0
560:
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501:Related lists
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408:Cruise speed:
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371:Gross weight:
369:
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365:Empty weight:
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197:depth charges
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57:First flight
56:
55:
52:
49:
47:Manufacturer
46:
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30:
25:
20:
1085:Flying boats
831:
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318:
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277:World War II
248:
242:
209:
200:
181:
172:orthogonally
154:frames, and
149:
142:Handley Page
139:
132:
122:
112:
101:
77:
75:
66:Number built
395:Performance
387:Propellers:
377:Powerplant:
251:, based at
249:Squadriglia
98:Development
92:flying boat
1059:Categories
518:References
422:11.5 hours
420:Endurance:
359:Wing area:
269:CANT Z.501
215:W18 engine
1037:Companies
729:Marchetti
347:Wingspan:
319:Data from
287:Operators
273:monoplane
253:La Spezia
231:fuselage
229:duralumin
205:bombsight
188:Lewis Gun
156:longerons
119:prototype
1075:Biplanes
1049:Aviation
637:aircraft
479:See also
458:Armament
265:Syracuse
158:made of
135:fuselage
115:SM.62bis
1011:Portals
998:SM.1019
353:Height:
341:Length:
257:Livorno
245:Piaggio
184:cockpit
164:plywood
89:biplane
988:SF.600
983:SF.260
958:SA.202
953:SM.102
948:SM.101
943:FN.333
927:SM.105
589:
561:
472:Bombs:
414:Range:
298:
261:Nisida
192:turret
176:spruce
162:. The
152:poplar
117:. The
82:bomber
22:SM.78
1025:Italy
993:S.700
978:S.211
973:S.210
968:S.208
963:S.205
922:SM.95
917:SM.94
912:SM.93
907:SM.92
902:SM.91
897:SM.90
892:SM.89
887:SM.88
882:SM.87
877:SM.86
872:SM.85
867:SM.84
857:SM.83
852:SM.82
847:SM.81
842:SM.80
837:SM.79
832:SM.78
827:SM.77
822:SM.76
817:SM.75
466:Guns:
335:Crew:
281:Spain
233:tanks
201:Jozza
168:cedar
145:flaps
123:MM222
60:1932
36:Role
862:S.84
812:S.74
807:S.73
802:S.72
797:S.71
792:S.66
787:S.65
782:S.64
777:S.63
772:S.62
767:S.59
762:S.57
757:S.56
752:S.55
720:S.67
715:S.58
710:S.52
705:S.51
700:S.50
695:S.23
690:S.22
685:S.21
680:S.19
675:S.17
670:S.16
665:S.13
660:S.12
643:SIAI
587:ISBN
559:ISBN
379:1 ×
271:, a
76:The
736:MVT
655:S.9
650:S.8
555:262
160:ash
70:49
1061::
557:.
526:^
219:CO
203:"
147:.
1013::
627:e
620:t
613:v
593:.
567:.
337:3
221:2
84:/
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