Savoia-Marchetti S.59

SIAI-Marchetti · Italy · first flew 1925 · light aircraft

The Savoia-Marchetti S.59 was an Italian single-engine biplane flying boat used for reconnaissance and training roles in the mid-1920s. Its pusher configuration and hull design were characteristic of the Savoia school.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsHigh-mounted, straight
E — Engines1 × piston, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage10.36 m fuselage
T — TailConventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Identified by its single pusher engine positioned between the biplane wings above the hull, open tandem cockpits, and the absence of wheel undercarriage.

Specifications

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed by Savoia (later SIAI-Marchetti) in the early 1920s, the S.59 served with the Regia Marina and was exported to several countries. It participated in various long-distance cruise flights that demonstrated Italian aviation capability.

Variants

The S.59bis featured an uprated engine and minor aerodynamic refinements.

Where you'll see it

Operated mainly by the Italian Regia Marina and by a small number of export customers including Turkey and Spain through the late 1920s.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.