S.M.79 serie 1 (Germany)

▀S.M.79 serie 1

Bf 109 E-7/U2

▀S.M.79 serie 1

Bf 109 E-7/U2

Germany

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.0	1.7	2.0

Class:

Bomber

Frontline bomber

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

This page is about the gift German bomber S.M.79 serie 1 (Germany). For other uses, see S.M.79 (Family).

Description

The ▀S.M.79 Sparviero serie 1 (1936) is a rank II gift German bomber with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB/SB) and 1.7 (RB). It was in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27 in the German aviation tree. In Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica", the S.M.79, as well as the other Italian planes in the German tree, were moved to the new Italian tree, although it still exists in the German tree for those who unlocked it prior to Update 1.69.

General info

Flight Performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
416	405	6800	32.6	33.7	4.5	4.4	450
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
442	430	6800	30.7	31.6	7.4	5.9	450

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
530	300	480	~2	~2

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 300	< 305	< 303	> 200

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
3,300 m	2,250 hp	2,617 hp

Survivability and armour

• No armour plating
• No armour glazing
• Fuel tanks located in fuselage and wing roots

Armaments

Offensive armament

The S.M.79 serie 1 (Germany) is armed with:

• 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, dorsal-mounted (350 rpg)

Suspended armament

• 12 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs
• 12 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs
• 5 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs
• 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs

Defensive armament

• 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal turret (500 rpg)
• 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)
• 1 x 7.7 mm Lewis machine gun, 2 x beam turret (485 rpg = 970 total)

Usage in battles

Due to its relatively low Battle Rating, the three-engined SM.79 serie 8 enjoys a relatively high speed for a bomber against most of the lower ranked opposition it faces. This aids its survivability, particularly in a shallow dive. Unfortunately, it is rather lacking in bombload options compared to the He 111s and Ju 88s and also has rather poor defensive fire arcs. Unlike the German bombers, however, it is armed with 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns which can pack quite a punch against the flimsier aircraft it faces. The pilot also controls a fixed forward-firing 12.7 mm Breda, which is otherwise uncovered by any defensive armament. This gun can be useful for strafing light vehicles and trucks that will be encountered frequently in low-rank battles and can be used to shoot down other aircraft. It is somewhat more manoeuvrable than the He 111 H-3, but the Sparviero is by no means a fighter and will rapidly lose energy in turns. With the ability to carry 500 kg bombs, the SM.79 can use these to more easily take out pillboxes and heavier tanks, although this reduces the total bombload to only 1000 kg as opposed to 1250 kg with 250 kg bombs.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable	Not controllable	Controllable	Combined	Not controllable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator		Offensive 12 mm		MCSAP100
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 12 mm MGs	Turret 7 mm
III	Wings Repair	Engine		Turret 12 mm		MCGP250
IV		Engine Injection	Cover	New 12 mm MGs (turret)	New 7 mm MGs (turret)	MCRO500

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Hard-hitting 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT defensive machine guns
• Pilot-controlled fixed forward-firing 12.7 mm Breda, which can be equipped with IAI (explosive) ammunition
• High speed
• Middle engine provides some level of protection for the pilot against head-on attacks
• Capable of carrying 500 kg bombs, unlike the He 111 H-3 or Do 17 Z-1

Cons:

• Poor total bomb load compared to the He 111 H-3 (1,250 kg max)
• Poor defensive fire arcs, including a dead zone in the rear where neither of the rearward facing 12.7 mm machine guns can cover
• No frontal defensive gun covering the frontal aspect
• Lacks armour protection for the crew
• Forced to choose between less total bomb load but individually more powerful bombs or higher total bomb load with less powerful bombs

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === Encyclopedia Info ===, also if applicable).

In-game description

"Three-engine SIAI Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 “Sparviero” medium bomber, first series, issued 1936.

A mixed-construction monoplane with a retractable landing gear system including tail wheel. Crew: 4-5. Created in the SIAI (Societa Idrovolanti Alta Italia) design firm, led by Alessandro Marchetti, as a passenger aircraft. The prototype SM.79 in passenger configuration (civil designation I-MAGO) made its first flight on October 8, 1934.

The prototype SM.79 bomber (serial number M.M.20663) first flew on July 8, 1936. Serial production began in November 1936.

The SM.79 was powered by three 9-cylinder radial air-cooled Alfa-Romeo 126RC34 engines with 780 hp and a metal variable-pitch SIAI propeller. The typical wide box-shaped fuselage of passenger planes was retained. But the characteristic dorsal “hump” in the fuselage was implemented and became the SM.79’s lifelong hallmark. Because of this, the aircraft earned the nickname “Gobbo” (“Hunchback”).

In front of the “hump”, a fixed 12.7-mm Breda SAFAT machine gun with 350 rounds of ammunition was installed. The pilot directed the machine gun’s fire. In the rear of the hump, a pivoting 12.7-mm Breda SAFAT machine gun with 500 rounds of ammunition was installed.

In the tail section, under the bomber’s fuselage, a pivot mount was installed with a 12.7-mm Breda SAFAT machine gun with 500 rounds of ammunition. In addition, a 7.7-mm Lewis machine gun with a rotary magazine (and 485 rounds of ammunition) was installed inside the fuselage. It was specially installed so that it could move from one side of the aircraft to the other. The gun was fired through large rectangular blisters located on the plane’s port and starboard side.

The bomb bay was located in the central part of the fuselage and was offset slightly to the right to allow access to the aircraft’s tail section. It could accommodate up to 1,200 kg of bombs in various combinations (2 x 500 kg, 5 x 250kg, 12 x 100 kg, or 12 12kg canisters of small fragmentation bombs). All of the bombs were hung vertically, except the 500 kg bombs, which were installed at an angle.

Once officially approved, the bomber was called the SM.79 “Sparviero” (“Hawk”), but the name failed to stick, and combat units continued to call the plane the “hunchback”."

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

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• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.