World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseIn 1939, the design process began for the SM.84 bombers which was planned to be the replacement for the SM.79 design, particularly an attempt to add greater torpedo bombing capability to the Italian forces. The prototype that took flight in the following year shared the same wings as its predecessor, but the steel tubing and fabric/plywood/duraluminum covering fuselage was modified. The aircraft immediately suffered problems, however. The engines were unreliable, and pilots reported difficulties at takeoff and landing due to the weight of the aircraft. Nevertheless, the Italian air force, the Regia Aeronautica, submitted a request for 246 aircraft; the number was later increased to 309. In active service, they were first used as torpedo bombers starting in Feb 1941; in this role, SM.84 bombers based in Sardinia, Italy damaged HMS Nelson in the Mediterranean Sea, sending the British battleship to repair yards for the subsequent six months. In Aug 1942, they were deployed the counter the British convoy mission code named Operation Pedestal, but they achieved little to the stop the convoy. SM.84 bombers acted as medium bombers starting in Jul 1941 when they were launched from Sicily, Italy to bomb Malta. Nevertheless, because not all issues were addressed satisfactorily, they never replaced the SM.79 bombers as originally intended, and the older S.79 and Z.1007 aircraft remained the favored torpedo bombers of the Italians. After the Italian surrender, most of the about 100 remaining serviceable units were captured by the Germans, who deployed them as transports until the end of the war. The Italian co-belligerent air force operated 7 of them and also used them as transports.

SPECIFICATIONS

SM.84

Machinery	Three Piaggio P.XI RC40 radial engines rated at 1,000hp each
Armament	1x12.7mm dorsal machine gun, 1x12.7mm ventral Scotti machine gun, 2x12.7mm side Scotti machine guns, up to 1,000kg internal bombs, up to 1,600kg of external ordnance
Crew	5
Span	21.10 m
Length	17.93 m
Height	5.42 m
Wing Area	60.80 m²
Weight, Empty	8,550 kg
Weight, Maximum	12,750 kg
Speed, Maximum	431 km/h
Service Ceiling	8,200 m
Range, Normal	1,830 km

Photographs