Savoia-Marchetti SM.91

SIAI-Marchetti · Italy · first flew 1943 · fighter

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.91 was an Italian twin-engine heavy fighter prototype that preceded the SM.92, sharing its twin-boom configuration with engines in a central nacelle.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × piston, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	13.25 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

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

Spot it by:

Twin-boom Italian heavy fighter prototype, predecessor to SM.92
Two engines in central nacelle with twin tail booms
Larger wingspan than the SM.92 variant

Closely resembles the SM.92 with its twin-boom twin-engine layout, but has a slightly longer wingspan; the two types are distinguished primarily by minor dimensional and detail differences.

Specifications

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.91 has a length of 13.25 m (43 ft).
It has a wingspan of 19.7 m (65 ft).
Its maximum speed is 584 km/h (363 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

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

History

The SM.91 was developed alongside the SM.92 as part of Italy's effort to produce a capable heavy fighter for the Regia Aeronautica. First flying in 1943, it did not progress beyond prototype evaluation before Italy's armistice ended development. Its slightly larger dimensions compared to the SM.92 reflected early design choices that were subsequently refined.

Variants

Only prototype aircraft were constructed; no production variants were authorised.

Where you'll see it

Never entered operational service, remaining a prototype throughout its brief evaluation period in 1943.

Related aircraft

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