Savoia-Marchetti SM.75
Encyclopedia
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 Marsupiale (Marsupial) was an Italian passenger and military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...
of the 1930s and 1940s. It was a low-wing, trimotor
Trimotor
A trimotor is an aircraft powered by three piston engines.Trimotor designs were relatively common in the early days of aviation, as engines were less powerful and less reliable.-Notable types:* Armstrong Whitworth Argosy...
monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
of mixed metal and wood construction with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage
Conventional landing gear
thumb|The [[Piper PA-18|Piper Super Cub]] is a popular taildragger aircraft.thumb|right|A [[Cessna 150]] converted to taildragger configuration by installation of an after-market modification kit....
.
SM.75 and SM.75
bis The SM.75 was designed in response to an enquiry from the Italian airlineAirline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
Ala Littoria
Ala Littoria
Ala Littoria was the Italian national airline that operated during the 1930s and 1940s.- History :Ala Littoria was formed by a merger of Società Aerea Mediterranea , Società Anonima Navigazione Aerea , Società Italiana Servizi Aerei and Aero Espresso Italiana in 1934...
, which was seeking a modern, middle-to-long-range airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
and cargo aircraft
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
as a replacement for its Savoia-Marchetti S.73
Savoia-Marchetti S.73
|-References:* Lembo, Daniele,SIAI 81 Pipistrello, Aerei nella Storia, n.33....
aircraft. In his design of the SM.75, Savoia-Marchetti chief designer Alessandro Marchetti
Alessandro Marchetti
Alessandro Marchetti may refer to:* Alessandro Marchetti * Alessandro Marchetti...
(1884–1966) retained the general configuration of the S.73 but introduced retractable main landing gear
Landing Gear
Landing Gear is Devin the Dude's fifth studio album. It was released on October 7, 2008. It was his first studio album since signing with the label Razor & Tie. It features a high-profile guest appearance from Snoop Dogg. As of October 30, 2008, the album has sold 18,906 copies.-Track...
to reduce aerodynamic drag. The SM.75s airframe consisted of a steel-tube frame with fabric and plywood
Plywood
Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...
covering, and its control surfaces were plywood-covered. The SM.75 had a four-man crew, and its cabin was built to accommodate up to 25 passengers. Its short take-off run of 337 meters (1,105 feet) and shorter landing distance of 280 meters (919 feet) meant that it could operate from short runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s on secondary airfields.
The SM.75 was powered by three Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34 radial engine
Radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central crankshaft like the spokes on a wheel...
s rated at 559 kilowatts (750 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
) each at 3,400 meters (11,155 feet). Eleven aircraft fitted with three Alfa Romeo 126 RC.18 14-cylinder engines rated at 641 kilowatts (860 horsepower) at 1,800 meters (5,905 feet) were designated the SM.75bis.
The Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
(Italian Royal Air Force) showed solid interest in the SM.75, resulting in the development of a militarized version. This lacked windows in the passenger cabin but was fitted with a reinforced panel to permit the installation of a dorsal gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
. It was powered by three Alfa Romeo 128 RC.21
Alfa Romeo 125
Alfa Romeo built/designed several aircraft engines based on Bristol Jupiter and Pegasus designs. These engines were named as 125, 126, 128, 129 and 131. The 126-RC34 was derived from Bristol Pegasus and 126-RC35 from Jupiter 9-cylinder radial design. All these engines were mainly fitted to Italian...
engines and had a greater cargo capacity than the SM.75, and entered military service as the Savoia-Marchetti SM.82
Savoia-Marchetti SM.82
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 was an Italian bomber and transport aircraft of World War II. It was a cantilever, mid-wing monoplane trimotor with a retractable, tailwheel undercarriage...
.
SM.76
The Italian airline LATI received its first SM.75 in 1939. The aircraft was redesignated as the SM.76 in 1940.SM.87
In 1939, a floatplaneFloatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
version of the SM.75 appeared. Known as the SM.87, it was powered by three 746 kW (1,000 hp) Fiat A.80
Fiat A.80
-References:* Gunston, Bill. . World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Patrick Stephens: Wellingborough. p.56* Ragazzi, Paolo . The Power of Aircraft Engines at Altitude. p.3...
engines. It could reach a speed of 365 km/h (227 mph) and had a ceiling of 6,250 m (20,510 ft), a range of 2200 km (1,367 mi), and a crew of four, and could accommodate 24 passengers. Four were built.
SM.90
The SM.90 was a version of the SM.75 fitted with more powerful 1,044 kW (1,400 hp) Alfa Romeo 135 R.C.32Alfa Romeo 135
The Alfa Romeo 135 Tornado was an Italian 18-cylinder radial engine designed by Giustino Cattaneo in 1934-35. It basically consisted of two nine-cylinder radials, using similar engines to the Alfa Romeo 126. Cattaneo leaved A.R. in 1936, leaving the development to eng. Bossi and his staff, but...
engines. It had a longer fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
than the SM.75. Only one was built.
SM.75GA
The SM.75 GA (for Grande Autonomia, meaning "Long Range") was a modofication of the SM.75 powered by three 641 kW (860 hp) Alfa Romeo 128Alfa Romeo 125
Alfa Romeo built/designed several aircraft engines based on Bristol Jupiter and Pegasus designs. These engines were named as 125, 126, 128, 129 and 131. The 126-RC34 was derived from Bristol Pegasus and 126-RC35 from Jupiter 9-cylinder radial design. All these engines were mainly fitted to Italian...
engines and fitted as well as a powerful radio and auxiliary fuel tanks to boost the aircrafts range to 7,000 kilometers (4,350 statute miles) with a 1,100-kilogram
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
(2,430-pound) load. With a four- or five-man crew and a 200-kilogram (441-pound) load, the SM.75 GA could achieve a range of 8,005 kilometers (4,971 statute miles) at 298 kilometers per hour (185 miles per hour) flying at altitudes between 3,500 and 5,000 meters (11,483 and 16,404 feet).
Italian commercial service
The SM.75 first flew in November 1937 from NovaraNovara
Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With c. 105,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin...
, in Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
. It entered commercial service with Ala Littoria in 1938 and with LATI in 1939, and was employed on services both within Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, as well as on the Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
-Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
route established after the Italian invasion—and later conquest—of Abyssinia
Ethiopian Empire
The Ethiopian Empire also known as Abyssinia, covered a geographical area that the present-day northern half of Ethiopia and Eritrea covers, and included in its peripheries Zeila, Djibouti, Yemen and Western Saudi Arabia...
in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War
Second Italo-Abyssinian War
The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
. The SM.75 proved easily capable of carrying a crew of four and 17 passengers and their baggage a distance of 1721 kilometres (1,069.4 mi) at 362 kilometres (224.9 mi) per hour at 4,000 meters (13,123 feet), and it established a number of world records for speed-over-distance-with-payload and closed-circuit distance. One SM.75 was modified to set endurance world records, and succeeded in 1939 when it covered around 12000 km (7,456.5 mi).
After Italy entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
on 10 June 1940, civil SM.75s continued to perform supply operations to Italy overseas territories, which dwindled as the war progressed, until the Italian armistice with the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
went into effect on 8 September 1943. They also continued to operate services to South America until December 1941, when Italy declared war on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Italian military service
After Italy entered World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in June 1940, the Regia Aeronautica needed aircraft with which to maintain contact with Italys imperial possessions -- Abyssinia
Ethiopian Empire
The Ethiopian Empire also known as Abyssinia, covered a geographical area that the present-day northern half of Ethiopia and Eritrea covers, and included in its peripheries Zeila, Djibouti, Yemen and Western Saudi Arabia...
, Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland , also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy through various...
, and Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
-- in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, which were surrounded by British-controlled territories and military forces. Available SM.75s were militarized by the installation of a 12.7-millimeter (0.5-inch) Breda-SAFAT machine gun
Breda-SAFAT machine gun
Breda-SAFAT was a series of machine-guns mounted on Italian aircraft during World War II. The weapon came in 7.7mm and 12.7mm variants. The 7.7mm model was similar to the M1919 Browning machine gun and could use some types of .303 British ammunition. The 12.7mm version could fire a...
mounted in a Caproni-Lanciani gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
and the introduction of a fifth crewman to man it, and new SM.75s were manufactured to a modified design allowing them to carry up to 24 troops over long distances and with the same performance as the airliner version.
Leaflet mission to Asmara
In January 1942, the commander-in-chief of the Regia Aeronautica, General Rino Corso Fougier
Rino Corso Fougier
Rino Corso Fougier was a Royal Italian Air Force general. From 1940 to 1941 he served as the commander of the Corpo Aereo Italiano which, in concert with the Luftwaffe, took part in the Battle of Britain. From 1941 to 1943 he commanded the Royal Italian Air Force.-External links:*...
, began plans for a long-range flight from Rome to Tokyo. He consulting with pilots with recent experience in long-range flights to South America and East Africa, and reached a consensus that the SM.75 was better suited for the mission than either the SM.82 or the Savoia-Marchetti SM.83 because of its superior endurance, albeit at the expense of defensive armament and self-sealing fuel tanks. The SM.75 aircraft selected for the flight, serial no. MM.60537, was modified to become the first long-range SM.75 GA aircraft.
The first mission of the SM.75 GA was to drop propaganda leaflets saying "Italian colonists, Rome is not forgetting you. We shall come back!" over British-held territory in East Africa previously occupied by the Italians. A five-man crew led by Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Amadeo Paradisi, who piloted the aircraft, flew from Rome to Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. The mission began at 17:30 hours on 7 May 1942, when the SM.75 GA set out from Benghazi on the 2700 kilometres (1,677.7 mi) first leg, flying at a planned 3,000 meters (9,842 feet), although bad weather forced Paradisi to climb to 4,000 meters (13,123 feet). After 10 hours and 20 minutes, the SM.75 GA arrived over Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
in Eritrea and released the leaflets, but instead of returning as planned to Benghazi, Paradisi flew directly to Rome, first at 3,500 meters (11,482 feet), and then at 5,200 meters (17,060 feet) to optimize fuel consumption. The entire mission had lasted 28 hours.
At Rome, mechanics conducted several trials with the plane. On 11 May 1942, two days after it arrived in Rome, the SM.75GA suffered a simultaneous breakdown of all three of its engines during a 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) ferry flight from Rome to Guidonia Montecilio. Paradisi made an emergency landing in which the aircraft was destroyed and he lost a leg, although the rest of the crew avoided injury.
Rome-to-Tokyo flight
After the loss of the first SM.75 GA, a second SM.75, serial number MM.60539, was modified to SM.75 GA standard for the Rome-to-Tokyo flight. Ready on 9 June 1942, it was designated the SM.75 GA RT (for "Rome-Tokyo"). Its pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Moscatelli, was placed in charge of the overall operation, which in addition to providing Italy with propaganda about Italian aviation prowess was to carry new codes for communications between Japan and her Axis partners; the Italians believed the British had broken the existing codes. The flight was made difficult to perform by the extreme distance involved and the need to fly thousands of kilometers through the airspace of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, a country with which Italy was at war.
Taking off from Guidonia Montecelio at 05:30 hours on 29 June 1942, the SM.75 GA RT landed later that day 2030 kilometres (1,261.4 mi) away at Zaporozhye in German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-occupied Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, the easternmost airfield available to the Axis powers. At 18:00 hours on 30 June 1942, carrying no documents or correspondence that might embarrass the Japanese (who were not at war the with Soviet Union) and with its crew under orders to burn the aircraft and its documents if forced down in enemy-held territory, the overloaded SM.75 GA RT made the difficult and potentially dangerous takeoff from the grassy 700-meter (2,297-foot) runway at Zaporozhye, weighing 21,500 kilograms (47,400 pounds) while having 11,000 kilograms (24,250 pounds) -- 10,340 liter
Litér
- External links :*...
s (2,721 gallon
Gallon
The gallon is a measure of volume. Historically it has had many different definitions, but there are three definitions in current use: the imperial gallon which is used in the United Kingdom and semi-officially within Canada, the United States liquid gallon and the lesser used United States dry...
s) -- of fuel on board. Operating under strict radio silence, the aircraft continued unscathed through the night—despite encountering Soviet anti-aircraft fire, bad weather conditions, and a Soviet fighter, probably a Yakovlev Yak-1
Yakovlev Yak-1
The Yakovlev Yak-1 was a World War II Soviet fighter aircraft. Produced from early 1940, it was a single-seat monoplane with a composite structure and wooden wings....
-- flying over the north coast of the Aral Sea
Aral Sea
The Aral Sea was a lake that lay between Kazakhstan in the north and Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region of Uzbekistan, in the south...
, skirting Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is the world's oldest at 30 million years old and deepest lake with an average depth of 744.4 metres.Located in the south of the Russian region of Siberia, between Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Buryat Republic to the southeast, it is the most voluminous freshwater lake in the...
and the Tarbagatai Mountains
Tarbagatai Mountains
Tarbagatai Mountains is a range of mountains located in the north-western parts of Xinjiang, China and East Kazakhstan....
and over the Gobi Desert
Gobi Desert
The Gobi is a large desert region in Asia. It covers parts of northern and northwestern China, and of southern Mongolia. The desert basins of the Gobi are bounded by the Altai Mountains and the grasslands and steppes of Mongolia on the north, by the Hexi Corridor and Tibetan Plateau to the...
. Maps of Soviet positions proved inaccurate, and Moscatelli had to climb to 5,000 meters (16,404 feet) to avoid detection, causing the aircrafts oxygen supply to run out earlier than planned. A sandstorm
Dust storm
A dust / sand storm is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Particles are transported by saltation and suspension, causing soil to move from one place and deposition...
over Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
also endangered the SM.75 GA RT, but its crew sighted the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
at 22:00 hours on 30 June 1942 and, on the last of its fuel, landed 6000 km (3,728.2 mi) east of Zaporozhye on the 1,300-meter (4,270-foot) runway, at Pao Tow Chien, over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level in Japanese-occupied Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
, at 15:30 hours on 1 July 1942. The aircraft was painted with Japanese markings so that it would be safe in Japanese airspace, took an interpreter aboard, and then flew the final 2700 km (1,677.7 mi) leg of the journey to Tokyo.
The SM.75 GA RT departed Tokyo on its return journey on 16 July 1942. Arriving at Pao Tow Chien, its Japanese markings were removed and replaced with Italian ones. It took off at 21:45 hours on 18 July 1942 from Pao Tow Chien, retraced its route, and, after 29 hours and 25 minutes in the air and having covered 6350 kilometres (3,945.7 mi), it landed at Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
in the Ukraine. Moscatelli then completed the operation by flying the aircraft on to Guidonia Montecelio. The Italians publicised this event on 2 August 1942 despite the Japanese government's reluctance for diplomatic reasons, which cooled relations between the two countries; the Italians made no attempt to repeat the flight.
Bombing mission to Abyssinia
In 1943, two SM.75 GA aircraft undertook a bombing mission, the only one made by an SM.75, intended to destroy American bombers stored at an airbase in Gura in Abyssinia. To reach the objective, which was over 3000 kilometres (1,864.1 mi) away, the two S.75 GAs—with civil registration I-BUBA and I-TAMO, but renominated with serial numbers MM.60539 and MM.60543, respectively. for military use—were laden heavily with 11,000 kilograms (24,250 pounds) of fuel, and modified by fitting a "Jozza" bomb-aiming system and a bomb bay
Bomb bay
The bomb bay or weapons bay on some military aircraft is a compartment to carry bombs, usually in the aircraft's fuselage, with "bomb bay doors" which open at the bottom. The bomb bay doors are opened and the bombs are dropped when over the target or at a specified launching point.Large-sized...
capable of carrying 1,200 kilograms (2,650 pounds) of bombs. The most experienced crews were selected for the mission, led by officers named Villa and Peroli.
The mission started at 06:30 hours on 23 May 1943 from Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
, the easternmost Regia Aeronautica base at the time. Each of the two aircraft, weighing 10,200 kilograms (22,490 pounds) empty, had a takeoff-weight of 24,000 kilograms (52,910 pounds). The SM.75 GAs engines were optimized for endurance and economy rather than for power, which made the takeoff difficult with the heavy load of fuel and bombs. Initially flying at low altitude, at 10:00 hours the modified SM.75 GAs climbed to 3,000 meters (9,842 feet). Having used an excessive amount of fuel, Peroli diverted to bomb Port Sudan
Port Sudan
Port Sudan is the capital of Red Sea State, Sudan; it has 489,725 residents . Located on the Red Sea, it is the Republic of Sudan's main port city.-History:...
instead; he returned safely to Rhodes at 05:30 hours on 24 May 1943 after 23 hours in the air. Villa, meanwhile, pressed on alone and arrived over the Gura airbase—which was heavily defended despite being well behind the front line—at 18:45 hours and released his bombs. Although one bomb failed to drop and remained on board, presenting the threat of an explosion, Villas mission was successful, and his aircraft returned to Rhodes safely one hour and 15 minutes after Peroli, landing at 06:45 hours on 24 May 1943, having covered 6600 kilometres (4,101.1 mi) over a period of 24 hours and 15 minutes.
Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
After Italy surrendered to the Allies in September 1943, some SM.75s entered service with the Italian Co-Belligerent Air ForceItalian Co-Belligerent Air Force
The Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force , or Air Force of the South , was the air force of the Royalist "Badoglio government" in southern Italy during the last years of World War II. The ACI was formed in southern Italy in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September...
, which fought on the Allied side for the remainder of the World War II.
Hungary
Italy exported five SM.75 aircraft to HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
for service with the Hungarian airline MALERT
Malert
Malert was a Hungarian airline, founded on November 19, 1922. The airline folded in 1944, and was a fore-runner of MALÉV Hungarian Airlines....
. After Hungary entered World War II, these aircraft were pressed into service with the Magyar Kiràlyi Honvéd Légiero (MKHL), Hungarian Air Force
Hungarian Air Force
The Hungarian Air Force is the air force branch of the Hungarian Army.- 1918 to Pre–World War II :Following the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1918, a small air arm was established operating surviving aircraft from Hungarian factories and training schools...
.
During the short conflict against Yugoslavia, in the afternoon of 12 April 1941, four SM.75s, loaded with paratroopers, took off from Veszprém
Veszprém
Veszprém is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative center of the county of the same name.-Location:...
. Unfortunately, the leading aircraft, code E-101, crashed immediately afterwards. Twenty three Hungarians lost their lives, including 19 paratroopers. It was the heaviest loss in the war against Yugoslavia.
On 6 May 1941, the Hungarian Air Force had at its disposal four S.M.75, as paratroop transport.
Germany
After Italy surrendered to the Allies in September 1943, Germany seized some SM.75s. These entered service with the LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
.
Variants
SM.75- Civilian airliner and cargo aircraft; some later militarized for Regia Aeronatica use as cargo aircraft and troop transports
SM.75bis
- Up-engined version of SM.75 civilian airliner
SM.75 GA
- Long-range version of SM.75
SM.76
- 1940 redesignation of aircraft delivered to the Italian LATI airline
SM.87
- Floatplane version of SM.75
SM.90
- Re-engined version of SM.75 with longer fuselage
Military operators
Germany
- LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
Hungary
- Hungarian Air ForceHungarian Air ForceThe Hungarian Air Force is the air force branch of the Hungarian Army.- 1918 to Pre–World War II :Following the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1918, a small air arm was established operating surviving aircraft from Hungarian factories and training schools...
operated 5 aircraft
Italy
- Regia AeronauticaRegia AeronauticaThe Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
- Italian Co-Belligerent Air ForceItalian Co-Belligerent Air ForceThe Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force , or Air Force of the South , was the air force of the Royalist "Badoglio government" in southern Italy during the last years of World War II. The ACI was formed in southern Italy in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September...
Civil operators
Italy
- Ala LittoriaAla LittoriaAla Littoria was the Italian national airline that operated during the 1930s and 1940s.- History :Ala Littoria was formed by a merger of Società Aerea Mediterranea , Società Anonima Navigazione Aerea , Società Italiana Servizi Aerei and Aero Espresso Italiana in 1934...
- 34 in operation by June 1940
Hungary
- MALERTMalertMalert was a Hungarian airline, founded on November 19, 1922. The airline folded in 1944, and was a fore-runner of MALÉV Hungarian Airlines....
Specifications (SM.75)
Notes:- Climb to 4,000 m (13,123 ft): 17 min 42 sec