Page 21
HISTORY
High altitude bombing being ineffective, for
reasons already said,that prompted an interest
to convert the SM.79 into a torpedo bomber.
Italy had a long standing tradition when it
came to torpedoes which were produced in
several factories, the idea was convincing
enough that some SM.79s were converted
to carry these weapons under the fuselage.
Racks for two torpedoes were attached under
the belly, an extra fuel tank added in place of
the bomb compartment, and different aiming
devices were developed so that the moving
target would be hit at a specific angle of attack.
The propaganda picture showing an SM.79 with
two torpedoes sent shockwaves all around the
globe, contribuiting to the false myth that the
aircraft could carry two of them in combat. This
myth lasted for years after the war, even in the
modelling world, Airfix is still selling a SM.79
in 1/72 which splendid box-art shows several
Sparviero with two torpedoes under their belly.
Along the name Sparviero (Sparrowhawk)
the nickname “Gobbo Maledetto” (Damned
Hunchback) was given to the aircraft due to
the large cabin on top of the fuselage were the
radio operator and the engineer sat along with
a Breda-Safat 12.7mm machine gun to defend
against enemy fighters.
ith the introduction of the first six SM.79
modified to carry the SIAI torpedo,
preparations were made for the first combat
actions. On the 25th of July 1940 the Reparto
Sperimentale Aerosiluranti was created,
speeding up preparations of the equipment
and crew it was ready for early August. The
first torpedo combat action was carried out
against the port of Alexandria by 5 planes on
the night of the 15th of August. It wasn’t a total
success however, one SM.79 was lost without
any tangible victory. The determination of the
crews, however, lead the way for a series
of very successful missions that took into
account all the previous errors. New tactics
and techniques were developed and victories
didn’t take long. From 1940 to 1943 a great
number of Sparviero were modified or built in
the torpedo bomber configuration even with
shortages, sabotage and the ever increasing
enemy fighters threat that made torpedo
runs much more dangerous. The amount of
sank or damaged ships by the SM.79 speaks
for itself, contributing to fuel the myth of the
“gobbo maledetto”. Despite being obsolete
or if it wasn’t designed for such actions, this
aircraft was a perfect adaptation, even when
compared to its successor the SM.84, which
failed to replace it.With the Armistice in Italy in
September 1943 there were still a lot of SM.79,
but the fall of the fascist government and
the Italian military apparatus brought about
a great crisis. With the Civil War on the horizon,
Italy divided, in the North the new fascist
regime still allied to the Germans, while the
South sided with the allies. The SM.79s saw
combat actions once more, in the South it
was limited to transport and training, but in
the North torpedoes were still being attached
to the belly of the aircraft. SIAI had already
modified the Sparviero project with new “bis”
A post-war SM.79
attached to Zona Roma,
a big unit based in central
Italy. Side windows can be
seen on fuselage sides.
A wonderful pics of the interior of a preserved SM.79 in Italy, with many details and
colours well visible.
The famous "typewiter" placed inside the bomber aimer gondola. It was a device that
selected the order of launching bombs and their selection.
W
INFO Eduard
21
February 2024