Savoia-Marchetti SM.88

Savoia-Marchetti · Italy · first flew 1939 · fighter

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.88 was an Italian twin-engined, three-seat heavy fighter prototype of the Second World War, with a twin-boom structure and German Daimler-Benz DB 601 engines. It was intended for export.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	12.1 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

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Spot it by:

Twin-boom layout with two vertical rudders and a single horizontal surface between them
Fully glazed crew nacelle in the middle of the centre wing, behind the two Daimler-Benz DB 601 engines
Four-wheel retractable undercarriage with a wheel at the end of each boom

The crew of three, two pilots and a rear gunner, sit in an ejectable nacelle. Armament was two 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns in the wings and a third in a flexible enclosure at the rear of the nacelle.

Specifications

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.88 has a length of 12.1 m (40 ft).
It has a wingspan of 14.5 m (48 ft).
Its maximum speed is 560 km/h (348 mph).
Typical crew: 3.

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

History

It was regarded as an advanced combat aircraft when it appeared in 1939. The structure was a wooden frame covered with a metal skin.

Variants

Only one was built. In 1942 the Regia Aeronautica asked for a redesign as a reconnaissance aircraft or bomber, and Savoia-Marchetti responded with the SM.91 and SM.92, both largely inspired by the SM.88.

Where you'll see it

The Germans denied permission to export the DB 601 engine to Italy, leaving the SM.88 without powerplants. The Regia Aeronautica declined to order it, as the Messerschmitt Bf 110 had similar performance and better armament.

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