Savoia-Marchetti S.72
| Savoia-Marchetti S.72 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Role | Bomber/transport |
| National origin | Italy |
| Manufacturer | Savoia-Marchetti |
| First flight | 1934 |
| Primary users | China Regia Aeronautica |
| Number built | 7 |
The Savoia-Marchetti S.72 was an Italian three-engine transport monoplane designed and built by Savoia-Marchetti as an enlarged and strengthened version of the earlier S.71. The S.72 was a three-engine, high-wing cantilever monoplane with a fixed tailwheel landing gear. Designed as a heavy bomber, the prototype was first flown in 1934 powered by three 410 kW (550 hp) Alfa Romeo licence-built Bristol Pegasus radial engines.
Operational history
[edit]The Regia Aeronautica showed no interest in the aircraft as a heavy bomber and the prototype was used as a VIP transport. After being demonstrated in China in 1935 the prototype was handed over to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek as a gift. Six more aircraft were ordered by the Chinese and assembled in China. It is presumed that all the aircraft were destroyed in Japanese air raids in 1937.
Operators
[edit]
- Chinese Nationalist Air Force operated 6 aircraft.
Specifications
[edit]Data from [1]
General characteristics
- Length: 19.95 m (65 ft 5.5 in)
- Wingspan: 29.68 m (97 ft 4.5 in)
- Height: 5.5 m (18 ft 0.5 in)
- Wing area: 118.50 m2 (1,275.57 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 6,800 kg (14,991 lb)
- Gross weight: 12,800 kg (28,219 lb)
- Powerplant: 3 × Alfa Romeo licence-built Bristol Pegasus engine , 410 kW (550 hp) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 295 km/h (183 mph, 159 kn)
- Range: 2,000 km (1,243 mi, 1,080 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 8,000 m (26,245 ft)
Armament
- up to 6 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine guns
- 1 × 20 mm cannon
- 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) of bombs
See also
[edit]Related lists
References
[edit]- ^ Oribis 1985, page 2894
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
External links
[edit]
