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Savoia-Pomilio SP.4

Страна: Италия

Год: 1917

Savoia-Pomilio - SP.2 / SP.3 - 1915 - Италия<– –>SIA - Italia - 1913 - Италия


J.Davilla Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.3: Aircraft M-W (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 75)


Savoia-Pomilio S.P.4

  Initially the AER firm of Orbassano,Turin, planned on developing a two-seat variant of the S.P.2 that was never realized. The next step was to produce a twin engine version of the S.P.3 to be designated S.P.4 that was to serve as a bomber. The S.P.4 used many of the common components of the S.P.3. Power was supplied by two 190-hp Isotta Fraschini I.F. V4B engines which would power two-bladed tractor propellers. The reliability of Italian power plants made it desirable to use an aircraft with two engines, this improving the aircraft’s ability to return to base should one of them fail. The twin-engine formula was ideal for long range missions over enemy territory, particularly over the Alps, and also permitted a more powerful defensive armament to be fitted.
  The crew of two men were seated in tandem in a nacelle between the two engines. The S.P.4s were intended to equip nine armata Squadriglias.

Variant

  S.P.5 - According to an official DTAM document written in 1917, it was anticipated that there would be production of a fifth Savoia Pomilio type, the S.P.5. This would have been a twin-engine design with two pusher propellers between the tail booms. According to this document it was anticipated that S.P.3 production would cease in August, 1917; S.P.4 production would end in 1918, and production of the S.P.5 would follow. The S.P.5 was never built.

Production

  The S.P.4 was produced by the firm of AER at Orbassano. Production of the S.P.4 was limited due to three main problems:
  - the size of the aircraft limited production and storage of completed airframes.
  - higher production costs
  - lack of raw materials, shortage of workers, and limited factory space and storage.
  The wingspan and wing area of the S.P.4s was considerably larger than the S.P.2s and S.P.3s, making it difficult to fit in the hangars built at Campo, so much so that the AER-built aircraft had to be stored in Aviazione Militaire hangars.
  The price of the two-engined Pomilio designs was also a cause for concern, an estimated at L 53,000 per aircraft due to the cost of raw materials and workers.
  Operational problems, along with the high cost of the S.P.4 resulted in production stopping at only 152 examples, only a few of which actually saw combat.
  On January 3, 1917 tests conducted resulted in the decision to not employ the S.P.4 as a night fighter, the role for which it had been originally intended. Nonetheless 150 were ordered from AER Orbassano, which produced 22 in the first half of 1917, 101 in the second and 29 in the first of 1918, a total of 152 examples.

Operational Service

  The S.P.4s served in small numbers in many reconnaissance squadriglias.
  The squadriglias received the S.P.4s in July 1917 - a delay caused by the need to change the radiators, the deliveries of which were also delayed. Only 61a and 62a Squadriglias, saw operational service with the S.P.4, but there were to have been two others.
  On 1 November 1917 63a Squadriglia, recently mobilized, returned from the front to report their problems with the S.P.4 and sent the planes to the warehouse at Taliedo. 64a Squadriglia was in Turin without airplanes on November 15, 1917 when it suspended training.
  Small numbers of S.P.4s were sent to other army cooperation units.
  The French and British had already brought spies at night, but tests were begun to see if agents could be inserted by parachute. A Caproni Ca.3 was involved which did not work, due to the location of the rear engine. The possibility of using the twin-engine Savoia Pomilio S.P.4 was considered, which immediately gave much better results. Since the observer was behind the pilot in the nose of the plane, the way to get the paratrooper out of the aircraft was the main problem. The solution was to create a folding seat behind the pilot where the paratrooper would sit with his face towards the tail and with the feet dangling out. The paratrooper seat was controlled manually by the observer . The parachute was housed outside, under the belly of the S.P.4, connected to the paratrooper with a 4 cm diameter elastic rope and only four meters long.


S.P.4 two-seat bomber with two 190-hp Isotta Fraschini F.V4B engines
  Wingspan 19.80 m; length 10.70 m; height 3.65 m; wing area 78 sq m
  Empty weight 1,700 kg; payload 600 kg; loaded weight 2,300 kg
  Maximum speed 150 km/h; range 4,500 m
  A total of 152 built

J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.3: Aircraft M-W /Centennial Perspective/ (75)
S.P.4
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.3: Aircraft M-W /Centennial Perspective/ (75)
S.P.4
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.3: Aircraft M-W /Centennial Perspective/ (75)
S.P.4
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.3: Aircraft M-W /Centennial Perspective/ (75)
S.P.4
Форум - Breguet's Aircraft Challenge /WWW/
The SP 4 was produced by the firm AER, which had been formed in 1915 and ceased operations shortly after the war.
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.3: Aircraft M-W /Centennial Perspective/ (75)
S.P.4
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.3: Aircraft M-W /Centennial Perspective/ (75)
S.P.4
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.3: Aircraft M-W /Centennial Perspective/ (75)
S.P.4
J.Davilla - Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.3: Aircraft M-W /Centennial Perspective/ (75)
S.P.4