Savoia-Marchetti SM.95

Savoia-Marchetti SM.95

Company type	Aircraft
Industry	Aviation
Founded	1937
Founder	Alessandro Marchetti
Headquarters	Italy
Products	Mid-range transport aircraft

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.95 was an Italian mid-range transport aircraft powered by four engines, making its maiden flight in 1943. It was developed as the successor to the Savoia-Marchetti SM.75.

Design and development

Conceived in 1937 amid a growing preference for four-engine designs, the SM.95 marked a shift from Italy’s prior reliance on tri-motor aircraft. Engineered by Alessandro Marchetti, its initial flight occurred on 8 May 1943. Initially designated as the SM.76, it featured four A.R. 126 RC.34 engines, each delivering 750 hp. By 1939, the project was rebranded as SM.95C (with "C" denoting Civil), incorporating more powerful Alfa Romeo RC.18 engines rated at 860 hp.

The outbreak of World War II brought construction to a halt until December 1941 when L.A.T.I. requested a four-engine aircraft suitable for South American routes. Although its performance was eclipsed by the more advanced and metallic Piaggio P.108C and CANT Z.511A models, which boasted greater power, the SM.95’s advantages lay in reduced production costs and faster development timelines.

The design shared similarities with other airliners of its era but utilized mixed construction techniques. Its fuselage framework consisted of welded steel, with light alloy panels covering the nose, underside, and tail sections, while fabric enveloped the fuselage sides and roof. The wing structure comprised three spars made from wood, sheathed in plywood. The powerplants drove three-bladed metal constant speed propellers.

The cockpit accommodated two pilots seated side by side within an enclosed cabin; directly behind them were the flight engineer on the left and radio operator on the right. Passenger accommodations typically ranged from 20 to 30 seats, with a maximum capacity of 38 passengers for shorter flights.

An initial variant intended for bomber duties, designated SM.95B, was planned to feature upgraded engines and armament; however, the first version to actually take flight was the SM.95C on 3 August 1943 at Vergiate, piloted by Guglielmo Algarotti.

Operational history

The program was halted following Italy's armistice with the Allies in September 1943. At that point, only two aircraft had been completed; these were seized by German forces and transported to Germany. There, they operated under the Luftwaffe until eventually being lost.

A third unit took flight on 28 July 1945 and, alongside a fourth model that remained incomplete at war’s end, was utilized by the Aeronautica Militare. The Royal Air Force also acquired one example. Service with the Aeronautica Militare commenced after April 1946. In the civilian sector, Alitalia purchased six aircraft, which entered service starting in 1947. LATI procured three units in 1949, and SAIDE acquired four SM.95s, employing them on the Cairo-Rome-Paris route. The Aeronautica Militare was the sole military operator, maintaining five aircraft.

The SM.95C represented an advanced variant of the design. Initial models were equipped with AR.128 RC.18 engines; the third aircraft featured A.R. 131 RC.14/50 powerplants. Subsequent versions incorporated Bristol Pegasus 48 engines delivering 1,005 hp, while LATI opted for even more potent Twin Wasp R-1830 engines rated at 1,217 hp. Plans existed for a further evolution, the SM.95S, which would have featured an all-metal airframe, but this version never progressed to production.

File:Savoia SM95 I-DALL RWY 1948.jpg

Savoia-Marchetti SM.95 I-DALL operated by Alitalia and named "Marco Polo" at Manchester Ringway Airport in April 1948 during scheduled service via London to Rome

The final SM.95 was completed on 18 November 1949, marking the conclusion of twenty officially built units. Despite being fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines, their overall performance was modest and they lacked cabin pressurization, limiting operational altitude. The mixed construction approach was phased out relatively quickly; the last flight occurred on 28 September 1954 (with Alitalia ceasing use by 1950).

On January 27, 1951, an Alitalia Savoia-Marchetti SM.95B Ugolino Vivaldi (registration I-DALO), named after the Italian explorer Ugolino Vivaldi, was struck by lightning during a flight from Paris-Le Bourget Airport to Roma-Ciampino Airport. The aircraft caught fire and crashed near Civitavecchia, Italy, resulting in the deaths of fourteen of the seventeen occupants.

Operation "S"

Military interest in this aircraft type was underscored by an ambitious plan: a bombing raid on New York City. In July 1939, the S.M.75 set a distance record of 12,935 km (8,034 mi). Various long-range missions were conducted using both the S.M.82 and S.M.75 models; however, for Operation "S," attention focused on the four-engine CANT Z.511—a fully metal floatplane.

Despite its capability to operate in sea conditions reaching force-5 gales, this floatplane required mid-ocean refueling from submarines—a significant operational limitation—especially problematic during the war’s final stages. A proposed long-range variant of this aircraft, designated SM.95 GA, was designed with a range exceeding 11,000 km (6,840 mi) and considered for launching a bombing sortie against New York from Western France.

Due to concerns over the large Italian-American population residing in New York City, Benito Mussolini authorized only propaganda leaflet drops rather than actual bombing runs. It was documented that fuel capacity was increased to 23,800 kg for a total takeoff weight of approximately 39.3 tons. The mission planned to carry a payload of 500 kg (1,100 lb) but remained under preparation when Italy signed the Armistice in September 1943.

Civil operators

Template:Country data Kingdom of Italy

• LATI (Linee Aeree Transcontinentali Italiane)

Template:ITA – Postwar period

• Alitalia

Egypt – Postwar period

• SAIDE

Military operators

Template:Country data Kingdom of Italy

• Regia Aeronautica

Template:ITA – Postwar period

• Italian Air Force operated a fleet of five Savoia-Marchetti SM.95 aircraft (serial numbers: MM 61635, 61811, 61812, 61813, 61814) produced after the war and decommissioned in 1953

Germany

• Luftwaffe employed captured units

Bibliography

• Angelucci, Enzi. World Encyclopedia of Civil Aircraft. London: Willow Books, 1984. ISBN 0-00-218148-7.
• Stroud, John. "Post War Propliners, Part 3: S.M.95." Aeroplane Monthly, August 1992, Vol. 20, No 8, Issue No 232, pp. 64–68. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240.

External links

• Specifications of the Savoia-Marchetti SM.95
• Incident report dated 15 FEB 1947
• Historical photograph of an aircraft that later crashed in January 1951