SIA 9
Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia · Italy · first flew 1918 · reconnaissance aircraft
The SIA 9 was an Italian WWI two-seat reconnaissance and light bombing biplane produced by Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia in 1918. It represented the Italian aviation industry's effort to field domestically designed tactical aircraft toward the war's end.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.7 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- Italian WWI two-seat reconnaissance biplane with tractor inline engine
- Equal-span two-bay biplane wings with interplane struts
- Tandem open cockpits with observer's defensive ring gun aft
Resembles many Italian two-bay biplanes of 1917–18; distinguishable primarily by its manufacturer markings and slight differences in interplane strut arrangement.
Specifications
- The SIA 9 has a length of 9.7 m (32 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.5 m (51 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 205 km/h (127 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
SIA developed the type as the war drew to a close in 1918, with limited opportunity for operational deployment before the Armistice. The firm is better known for its floatplane designs, and the SIA 9 represents a land-based departure for the manufacturer.
Variants
Documentation on variants is sparse given the type's limited production.
Where you'll see it
Saw, at most, marginal front-line service with the Corpo Aeronautico Militare in the final months of WWI.
Related aircraft
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