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SMER 1/48 SIAI-Marchetti SM.79P / SM.79CS Airliner (I-ALAN) / Corsa (I-TOMO) by Vincent Fiore |
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In 1934, Savoia-Marchetti commenced work upon what would become the SM.79. The design team was headed by Ing. Alessandro Marchetti. The plane had originally been conceived as a fast monoplane transport aircraft, capable of accommodating eight passengers and to be used in air races. The design, which was initially designated as the SM.79P (P for passenger), was originally intended to be a civil derivative of the Savoia-Marchetti SM.81, a militarised transport/bomber aircraft that was itself based upon the Savoia-Marchetti S.73 airliner. The company set about the construction of a single prototype with the intention of entering the London-Melbourne race. A three-engine configuration was adotpted primarily for commercial safety concerns rather than for speed. The prototype c/n 19001 (later MM.260) was to adopt the liquid-cooled 801 hp Isotta-Fraschini Asso XI Ri powerplant, however, it was deceided to use the more reliable, although less powerful 590 hp Piaggio Stella P.IX R.C.40, a derivative of the license-produced French Gnome & Rhone K.9. On 28 September 1934, the prototype SM.79 conducted its maiden flight, piloted by Adriano Bacula. Despite the company's aim to participate in the London-Melbourne race the plane's prepartions were not completed in time. The prototype's registration was I-MAGO which rather allusively meant "Wizard". The plane featured sleek contours and continuous panoramic windows, true to its original intended role as a passenger aircraft. The prototype was able to quickly demonstrate its speed, conducting a flight from Milan to Rome in just one hour and 10 minutes, flying at an average speed of 250 mph (410 km/h). On 20 July 1935, it was awarded its Certificate of Airworthiness. Soon after on 2 August 1935, the prototype established a new speed record flying from Rome to Massawa in Italian Eritrea, in 12 flying hours with a refuelling stop at Cairo, Egypt. Various other world records were established during multiple test flights performed by the prototype. It was determined early on that it was the engines rather than the airframe itself that proved to be its limiting factor and accordingly the prototype was re-engined. During 1935, the P.IX engines that had been originally installed were replaced by Alfa Romeo 125 RC.35s and in 1936, these were replaced by the new and more powerful Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34s. The prototype being used by Generale Valle, the Chief of Staff of the Regia Aeronautica for various trips to East Africa as a fast liaison. The high performance demonstrated by the prototype attracted the attention of the Italian military, who approached Savoia-Marchetti with a request to investigate the prospects of producing a bomber-conversion of the type.
The SM.79 prototype I-MAGO was modified to carry a payload of 6,100 kg (13,400 lb) of bombs internally, which enabled it to attempt speed records while carrying this payload and on 23 September 1935, it flew 1,200 miles (2,000 km) with a 4,400 lb (2,000 kg) load at an average speed of 242.09 mph (389.61 km/h) breaking six separate world records in the process. As on the prototype, the "hump" was not fitted to some of the first production aircraft, these being transformed into performance aircraft designated as the SM.79CS (Corsa/Racer). One of these aircraft established further records during 1937 powered by an arrangement of three Piaggio P.XI RC.40 engines providing a total of 3,000 hp, it averaged 263.224 mph (423.618 km/h) over 620 miles (1,000 km) with a 4,400 lb (2,000 kg) payload. This record then improved to 275.96 mph (444.12 km/h), while another SM.79 achieved 266.13 mph (428.3 km/h) in the 1,200 miles (2,000 km) / 4,400 lb (2,000 kg) category. Unofficially, a speed of 293 mph (472 km/h) was later achieved in the same category. A group of five SM.79CSs went on to enter the Paris-Damascus–Istres race, where I-CUPA, I-FILU and I-BIMU took the first three positions, while the other two were placed sixth I-6 (I-TOMO) and seventh I-12 (I-ROTR). A pair of Fiat BR.20s had also competed in the same race, but were only able to achieve a joint sixth place (with a SM.79) and an eighth place. Three of the SM.79CSs were modified to increase their endurance, allowing them to traverse the Atlantic Ocean and reach Brazil. On 24 January 1938, the three aircraft took off and 11 hours later landed in Dakar, Senegal, where they refuelled before heading for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and on 25 January, two of the three planes arrived at 22:45 local time. One of the aircraft suffered a technical fault, forcing the crew to land at Natal, Northeastern Brazil, this SM.79 remained there and was eventually donated to the Brazilian Air Force. |
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This is the very old SMER kit which was reboxed by Artiplast, probably one of the most challenging builds I've done - the kit is very rough. However, with a lot of work and cannibalized parts, a nice set of decals (I used Arctic Decals ARC48-008), you can get a fair result. The first thing I did was to remove the hump. Then I glued some sheet plastic card over the windows from the inside of the fuselage. I then filled the openings with filler, the same for the gun positions. With this done I proceeded to cut the cabin windows. Because I had no drawings unfortunately the windows are undersized. When I realized this it was too late to correct. When the fuselage was glued together it was very obvious that the top was flat and not rounded as it should be. I then began to build it to the correct contours with milliput and filler. The cockpit clear part was a complete disaster. Luckily I had a Broplan Fiat G.12 partially finished (because the decals were not good quality) and to my great luck, I could modify the clear parts to suit the needs of my SM 79. While surfing the net I came across a SMER SM.79 for one hundred and two dollars, I bought mine for five dollars about twenty-five years ago. This is one of the kits that my grandson dug out of my stash in the US and sent it to me a couple of months ago. When I came to Tangier ten years ago I left behind about three hundred built and two hundred unbuilt kits in my stash. Paints used MRP Bianco Avorio.
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Aircraft: SIAI-Marchetti SM.79 Prototype (I-MAGO) Manufacturer: SIAI-Marchetti Type: Civil Transport Year: 1934 Engine: Three Piaggio Stella P.IX R.C.40, 9-cylinder radial, air-cooled, 590 hp each Wingspan: 69 ft 7 in (21.20 m) Length: 53 ft 2 in (16.20 m) Height: 13 ft 5t in (4.10 m) Weight: 23,180 lb (10,500 kg) (Loaded) Maximum Speed: 248 mph (400 km/h) Ceiling: 23,294 ft (7,100 m) Range: 1,180 miles (1,900 km) Crew: 4 Passengers: 8
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