Italy's Sparviero (Sparrowhawk) saw combat with the Regia Aeronautica in
France, Yugoslavia, Greece, North Africa, East Africa and in the
Mediterranean versus the Royal Navy. Italy's most successful wartime
bomber, the S.79 was also the most produced, with around 1370 built
between 1936 and early 1944. Initially developed by Savoia-Marchetti as
a transport aircraft it had evolved into a dedicated medium bomber by
the time the S.79-I made its combat debut with the Aviazione Legionaria
in the Spanish Civil War in 1936. The manufacturer then produced the
S.79-II torpedo-bomber, fitted with 1000 hp Piaggio or Fiat radial
engines in place of the original 780 hp Alfa Romeos. Entering service in
1939, the S.79-II saw much action over the next four years, particularly
in its intended torpedo-bomber role against the Royal Navy in the
Mediterranean. Indeed, the Sparviero crews tasked with targeting Allied
shipping became national heroes in Italy thanks to their exploits, with
men such as Buscaglia, Graziani, Erasi, Faggioni, Di Bella, Aichner and
Cimicchi being as revered as fighter aces in other countries. Following
Italy's surrender in September 1943, a large number of S.79s continued
to see action against the Allies with the pro-German RSI, although they
suffered heavy losses. This is the first of two proposed volumes on the
S.79, the second book detailing its use as a bomber and transport.
