Preliminary note: I'd like to thank Eswube for his inestimable help on this project. Without it, this drawing would have not been possible.
Considered by many as the best Italian airplane of World War 2, the Savoia-Marchetti Sm.79 "Sparviero" (Sparrowhawk) was a three engined medium bomber but it succeded as a torpedo bomber.
First it was designed as a passenger airplane and, during the years 1937-1939 it set 26 world records which qualified it as the fastest medium bomber in the world.
This airplane saw action first in the Spanish Civil war and through the whole WW2.
It was also the most widely produced Italian bomber of WW2 with around 1300 airplanes produced.
It remained in active service in Italy until 1952 and with Lebanon until 1959 (in both cases in transport duties)
- Versions
Sm.79P: The prototype, only existed as a passenger airplane.
Sm.79-I: The first production five seat bomber version. It saw two subversions as well, the earliest and the latest (and more successful) one.
Sm.79-II: Torpedo bomber version. Very effective because it could carry two torpedoes. One of these shot the torpedo which made impact on the carrier HMS Indomitable and put her out of active service for various months
Sm.79-III: The most advanced version of this airplane. It saw limited production and it's range was extended.
Sm.79B: Twin engine export version of the Sm.79. As you can see from the pics there are various differences between the prototype and the final production version.
Sm.79JR/JIS-79: Export version for Romania. Eight were built by Italy and 36 were built under license by Romania under the name of IAR JRS-79B. Production continued until 1946.
Sm.79K: Export version for Yugoslavia
Sm.79T: Passenger/transport version. It covered the Rome-Rio de Janeiro route.
Sm.79CS: Race version.
Savoia-Marchetti Sm.79 Sparviero/IAR 79/JIS-79B/IAR JRS-79B. Italy, Co-Belligerent Italy, Italian Social Republic, Croatia, Lebanon, Romania, Nationalist Spain, Yugoslavia, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Iraq and USSR (Soviet Union) and, of course, blank versions