Savoia-Marchetti SM.91

Savoia-Marchetti

Industry	Aerospace, Defense
Founded	1915
Headquarters	Italy

Template:Infobox aircraft

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.91 was an Italian prototype heavy fighter featuring two engines and seating for two crew members. It was developed in response to a 1942 revision of a long-range fighter-bomber competition initially launched by the Regia Aeronautica in 1938. The SM.91 drew heavily from the earlier Savoia-Marchetti SM.88, which had been the outcome of the original 1938 specification.

Design and development

In July 1942, the Regia Aeronautica issued a request for a new aircraft design powered by German DB 605 engines, targeting a top speed of 620 km/h (385 mph) and an operational range of 1,600 km (990 mi). The armament was specified to include six MG 151 cannon positioned in the nose and wings, alongside a defensive 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun. Additionally, the aircraft was expected to carry an 800 kg (1,800 lb) bomb load. This new long-range fighter requirement led to the cancellation of the SM.88 project, which was still under development, and authorized the creation of the SM.91—a larger, heavier, and more modern design.

Constructed entirely from metal to maximize performance without regard for cost, the fuselage and wings housed a crew of two within a central nacelle. Its wing and tail design bore strong resemblance to that of the SM.88. The aircraft's standard fuel capacity was 1,600 L, extendable to 1,800 L with auxiliary tanks. Whether this allowed it to meet the desired 1,600 km (990 mi) range remains uncertain.

Powered by two DB 605 engines producing a combined output of 2,950 hp, the SM.91 achieved a maximum speed of 585 km/h (363 mph), surpassing that of its predecessor, the SM.88. Its armament included three 20 mm MG 151 cannon mounted in the nose and an additional pair located in the wings near the fuselage. A rear gunner operated another machine gun for defense. The total bomb payload capacity was 1,640 kg (3,620 lb), with capability for carrying a torpedo as well.

The prototype, identified as MM.530, completed its maiden flight on 11 March 1943 under test pilot Aldo Moggi. Two prototypes were built in total—the second being a modified version of the original SM.88 prototype.

Flight testing took place at Vergiate, accumulating approximately 27 hours over subsequent months. Despite its advanced design, the SM.91 did not participate in official trials at Guidonia, likely due to ongoing testing phases. The first prototype was seized and transported to Germany in October 1943, after which it disappeared and is presumed destroyed. The second prototype remained incomplete when German forces occupied northern Italy in September 1943; it underwent testing on 10 July 1944 but was later destroyed during Allied bombing raids that same year.

Specifications (SM.91)

File:Sm91-riss.jpg

References

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

External links

• Might Have Beens: Italian Twin-Engined Fighters, 1943 – worldatwar.net