Alessandro Marchetti (aircraft engineer)
Alessandro Marchetti | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 June 1884 Cori, Italy |
| Died | 5 December 1966 (aged 82) Busto Arsizio, Italy |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer, aircraft designer |
| Known for | Development of the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 medium bomber |
Alessandro Marchetti (16 June 1884 – 5 December 1966) was a distinguished Italian engineer and aircraft designer. Born in Cori, Italy, he passed away in Busto Arsizio.[1] Marchetti is predominantly recognized for developing the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 medium bomber during his career.[2]
Biography
Marchetti was born in 1884 and completed his engineering degree at the Sapienza University of Rome in 1908.[1] By 1910, he had constructed his initial aircraft, the sport biplane Chimera, with which he also conducted his inaugural flight.[1] In 1917, he began employment with the Vickers branch located in Terni. During his tenure at Vickers, he designed a notably rapid small biplane named the Marchetti MVT (Marchetti-Vickers-Terni).[1]
In 1922, Marchetti took on the role of technical director at SIAI (Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia). Between the two world wars, he engineered a succession of innovative and commercially successful seaplanes. Among these was the S.55, initially developed as a torpedo seaplane and later produced in multiple civil and military variants. Departing from earlier designs such as the central-hull Dornier flying boats or twin-float models, Marchetti created an aircraft featuring twin hulls positioned under a single substantial wing with significant thickness, thereby eliminating the need for external bracing.
His designs powered historic flights undertaken by aviators like Francesco de Pinedo, who circumnavigated the globe, and Arturo Ferrarin, who completed a nonstop journey from Italy to Brazil. Marchetti’s most renowned contributions include the development of the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 and the Savoia-Marchetti SM.81, both prominent bomber aircraft during World War II. His final notable projects encompassed the four-engine transport plane SM.95 (1943) and the light transport cabin monoplane SM.102 (1949).
See also
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Bibliography
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