Savoia-Marchetti SM.105

Savoia-Marchetti

Industry	Aerospace, Defense
Founded	1915 (1915)
Headquarters	Italy

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.105 represented an Italian concept for a four-engine transport aircraft intended for both military and civilian roles in the post-World War II era.

Design

Originally conceived as an enhanced model of the SM.104, the SM.105 underwent a redesign influenced by emerging designs such as the Fairchild XC-120 and Miles M.68. The revised concept featured a detachable cargo module with a volume of 64 m³ (2,260 ft³). The flight deck was positioned above this cargo compartment. Access was facilitated by sizable doors located at the front and rear of the fuselage. The payload capacity allowed for transporting eight horses accompanied by four handlers or alternatively two automobiles. The civilian variant was planned to accommodate 40 passengers, including a bar area, and incorporated an extensively glazed nose section to provide passengers with exceptional visibility.

A distinctive element of this aircraft was its modular fuselage design, where the central cargo section could be detached while the cockpit remained integrated within the wing's center section—an arrangement reminiscent of the 1960s CH-54 Tarhe helicopter. Despite its innovative approach, conditions in 1947 were not conducive to advancing this project.

References

• Daniele Lembo, I bifusoliera della Regia, Storia militare magazine, Westward editions, issue 11, April–May 2000 (in Italian)