Savoia-Marchetti S.63
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1920s |
| Headquarters | Italy |
| Products | Aircraft |
The Savoia-Marchetti S.63 represented an evolution from the Italian Savoia-Marchetti S.55 flying boat, featuring a single hull design. Initially introduced as a bomber aircraft in 1927, it was swiftly adapted for use as a commercial airliner. Only one unit of the S.63 was produced, which operated under an Italian airline.
Design and development
The earlier and highly successful Savoia-Marchetti S.55 flying boat was conceived as a torpedo bomber, which led to its distinctive twin-hull configuration. Although capable of carrying passengers and undertaking extended flights, the twin hulls increased drag and weight, complicating takeoff when heavily fueled. The main distinction of the S.63 lay in its adoption of a single hull[1] and its original role as a bomber.[2] Following evaluation flights in 1927, it was determined that it did not provide significant benefits compared to the S.55, prompting its conversion into a ten-seat passenger aircraft.
The S.63 featured a cantilever high wing monoplane layout with a wing composed of three segments and a thick airfoil profile that tapered toward the tips; the central section reached a maximum depth of approximately 900 millimetres (35 in). The outer wing panels were trapezoidal with about 6° of dihedral angle and were equipped near their tips with short, overhung tapered ailerons featuring aerodynamic balancing.[1] Constructed from wood with three spars, the wing’s leading edge was sheathed in plywood while the remainder was covered with fabric.
Propulsion was provided by a push-pull arrangement using two water-cooled 500 horsepower (370 kW) Isotta Fraschini Asso 500 V-12 engines mounted above the wing center section on pairs of inward-leaning N-struts combined with central transverse V-struts angled sharply upward. These engines were left uncowled to minimize fire hazards and shared a single forward-mounted honeycomb radiator along with an oil tank positioned between them.[1]
In contrast to the twin-hull empennage support structure of the S.55—which used open flat triangular tubular girders extending from each hull—the S.63 employed a similar framework adapted for its single, comparatively wide hull, allowing for a shorter fuselage length. The hull bottom had a shallow concave V-shape with one step for water operations. Stability on water was maintained by outward-angled V-bottomed floats located slightly beyond the wing center section. The bomber variant incorporated defensive machine gun mounts on ringed positions at both nose and aft of the wing trailing edge. A forward entry provided access to an open cockpit seating two pilots side-by-side, positioned offset to the left and ahead of the wing’s leading edge.[1] When converted for airline use, pilot accommodations were split into two enclosed cockpits symmetrically arranged,[3] followed by a windowed passenger cabin measuring 3 by 3 metres (9.8 ft × 9.8 ft) capable of seating ten individuals. Behind this cabin was space allocated for luggage and a wireless operator’s station with engine access.[1]
The tail assembly shared similarities with that of the S.55 but featured two vertical stabilizers instead of three. These wire-braced fins were quadrantal in shape and included balanced rudders, each mounted on one girder. A rectangular tailplane with a pronounced positive incidence connected the girders and extended beyond them laterally, supporting a semi-elliptical balanced elevator.[1]
Operational history
The S.63 took to the skies for the first time on 8 September 1927. By March of the following year, Alandresso Passaleva had conducted enough evaluations to confirm its outstanding performance. Identified by the registration I-AABH, this aircraft was acquired by the airline Società Aerea Mediterranea (SAM) and operated alongside their S.55 models on the route connecting Rome and Cagliari.
Operators
- Italy
Specifications
References
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