Savoia-Marchetti SM.85

SIAI-Marchetti · Italy · first flew 1936 · bomber

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.85 was an Italian single-seat twin-engine dive bomber of the late 1930s, distinguished by its unusual twin-boom configuration and high-wing layout. Despite entering service with the Regia Aeronautica it proved inadequate in combat and was quickly replaced.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	10.4 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

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Spot it by:

Italian twin-engine dive bomber — one of Italy's early attempts at a dedicated dive-bombing design
Twin-boom configuration with engines mounted in the booms above the wing
Used in combat during early WWII but quickly withdrawn due to poor performance

The high-wing twin-boom layout with engines in the booms is distinctive; the SM.85 has a central fuselage pod for the pilot between twin booms each housing an engine and joining at a shared tail surface.

Specifications

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.85 has a length of 10.4 m (34 ft).
It has a wingspan of 14 m (46 ft).
Its maximum speed is 368 km/h (229 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

The SM.85 first flew in 1936 and was intended to provide the Regia Aeronautica with a modern dive-bombing capability similar to Germany's Ju 87. It entered limited service but combat operations in the early stages of the Second World War — particularly against Malta in 1940 — revealed serious shortcomings in speed and performance. It was withdrawn from frontline use by late 1940.

Variants

The SM.86 was a developed variant, but neither type achieved operational success; Italy subsequently relied on adapted general-purpose aircraft for dive bombing.

Where you'll see it

Operated briefly by the Regia Aeronautica in the dive-bombing role in 1940, including operations against Malta; retired from frontline service after demonstrating inadequate performance.

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