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The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 ''Sparviero'' (Italian for sparrowhawk) was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood-and-metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, between 1937 and 1939, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the world.〔Arena et al. 1994, p. 7.〕 It first saw action during the Spanish Civil War and flew on all fronts in which Italy was involved during World War II.〔Angelucci and Matricardi 1978, p. 198.〕 It became famous and achieved many successes as a torpedo bomber in the Mediterranean theater.〔Arena et al. 1994, p. 9.〕 The SM.79 was an outstanding aircraft and was certainly the best-known Italian aeroplane of World War II.〔 It was easily recognizable due to its distinctive fuselage dorsal "hump", and was well liked by its crews who nicknamed it ''Gobbo Maledetto'' ("damned hunchback").〔("Savoia-Marchetti SM.79/" ) ''Aviation History On-Line Museum.'' Retrieved: 26 December 2011.〕 It was the most widely produced Italian bomber of World War II, with some 1,300 built, remaining in Italian service until 1952.〔Mondey 1996, p. 236.〕 ==Development== The SM.79 project began in 1934 and was conceived as a fast, eight-passenger transport capable of being used in air-racing (the London-Melbourne race). Piloted by Adriano Bacula, the prototype flew for the first time on 28 September 1934. Originally planned to use the Isotta-Fraschini Asso XI Ri as powerplant, the aircraft reverted to the less powerful Piaggio P.IX RC.40 Stella, a license-produced Bristol Jupiter on which many Piaggio engines were based. The engines were subsequently replaced by Alfa Romeo 125 RC.35s (license-produced Bristol Pegasus).〔Sgarlato 2002, p. 4.〕 The prototype (registration ''I-MAGO'') was completed too late to enter the London-Melbourne race, but flew from Milan to Rome in just one hour and 10 minutes, at an average speed of . Soon after, on 2 August 1935, the prototype set a record by flying from Rome to Massaua, in Italian Eritrea, in 12 flying hours (with a refuelling stop at Cairo).〔Sgarlato 2002, p. 5.〕 The SM.79 was by far the most important Italian offensive warplane of World War II, and one of the very few Italian aircraft to be produced in substantial quantities.〔Gunston 1980, p. 22.〕 Production started in October 1936 and continued until June 1943, totalling 1,217 machines.〔Matricardi, Paolo. ''Aerei Militari: Bombardieri e Transporti''. Milano: Mondadori Electa Editori, 2006.〕 Some were constructed by Aeronautica Umbra of Foligno, makers of the AUT.18. 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「Savoia-Marchetti SM.79」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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