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(詳細はSavoia-Marchetti SM.81 first saw combat during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, where it showed itself to be versatile, serving as a bomber, transport and reconnaissance aircraft. SM.81s also fought in the Spanish Civil War with the ''Aviazione Legionaria'' and were among the first aircraft sent by the fascist powers to aid Francisco Franco. In spite of their obsolescence, when Italy became involved in the Second World War, approximately 300 SM.81s were in service with the ''Regia Aeronautica''. Its low speed and vulnerability to fighter aircraft meant that daytime duties were second line, with the aircraft being used primarily as a transport. At night, the SM.81 was an effective bomber, particularly in the North African theatre. Most SM.81s were withdrawn from use by the time of the Italian armistice of 1943, although some remained in service of both the Italian Social Republic and the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force. Several examples survived the war and went on to serve the ''Aeronautica Militare Italiana'', but by 1950 they had all been retired. ==Early history== The first 100 aircraft were delivered to 7, 9, 13 and 15 Wings, serving initially in Ethiopia where they proved to be well suited. They were quickly adapted to the roles of bombing, strafing, close air support and reconnaissance. This was an aggressive war against Italy's old adversary that in 1896 had defeated the Italian expedition corps at Adwa, and despite international conventions, both the Italians and Abyssinians committed many war crimes, including the use of chemical weapons, with SM.81s deploying Phosgene and Yperite against enemy troops. A total of 170 bombers — Caproni Ca.133s and SM.81s — operated in the Ethiopian war in the two groups of 9 Wing, which was a cloned unit ("bis") of the original 9° that remained in Italy. After entering Addis Ababa in 1936, the Italians continued to face fierce opposition for many months. The situation only became stable in 1937 by virtue of Italian air supremacy and support, which was decisive against an extremely dangerous enemy in this difficult and wild terrain. 36 SM.81s remained in Ethiopia to provide support to Italian troops occupying the country, including transport and the airlifting of supplies. Small arms fire was the main danger, as the missions were flown at low altitude, but the damage was normally insufficient to bring down the aircraft, even though they had no protective armour apart from having self-sealing fuel tanks. SM.81s also initially operated with 8 Wing (Bologna), 10 (Bresso), 11 (Ferrara), 12 (Guidonia), 14 and 16 (Vicenza), 30, 32 and 33 Wings (Napoli); they also equipped 15° in Libya, where they were fitted with Gnome-Rhône 14K engines and anti-sand filters. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Operational history of the Savoia-Marchetti SM.81」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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