Italian aircraft designations

[ginklo]

Post Scriptum.
S for Savoia Marchetti means Savoia, not SIAI
CR means Caccia Rosatelli, not Celestino Rosatelli, as BR20 means Bombardiere Rosatelli.
Ciao.
Gianclaudio

[veltro]

Thanks for your precious inputs and corrections, knowledge should be a cumulative effort.

[Ludovico Slongo]

Hello,

Just another note on this topic, I must admit that I’ve ever used indifferently S or SM, but according with Cesare Gori, who has studied the history of the Sparviero for more than twenty years the Italian bomber was originally christened by its designer Alessandro Marchetti as “Savoia Marchetti S.79” where Savoia Marchetti was not the brand (that remained S.I.A.I. –Società Italiana Aeroplani idrovolanti-) but part of the denomination. This remains the official name until June 1938 when it became (officially) S.M.79 following also the change of name of the producer that had become “Società Italiana Aeroplani idrovolanti Savoia Marchetti” from April 1937.

So in the second world war this bomber was the SM 79.

If this was right, then the correct denomination should be S 81 -whose last production batch was completed in march 1938- and SM 82 who started production in 1939.

Regarding the Fiat and Macchi fighters I’ve ever seen CR 32, CR 42 (in particular in the maintenance manual of this fighter) MC 200, MC 202, MC 205 and considering that they meant Caccia Rosatelli and Macchi Castoldi it seems to me that the capital letters are the right choice.

No ideas for the Ro even if I always seen Ro.



Ludovico