SIAI S.51
SIAI · Italy · first flew 1922 · light aircraft
The SIAI S.51 was an Italian racing flying boat built by SIAI for the 1922 Schneider Trophy race. It was a single-seat sesquiplane.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat sesquiplane flying boat
- Pusher engine on N-struts above the hull and below the upper wing
- Stabilising floats on inclined struts below and outboard of the lower wing tips
Inclined interplane struts in a V arrangement and a pusher propeller above a slender hull identify the type.
Specifications
- The SIAI S.51 has a length of 8 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 280 km/h (174 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was powered by a single 300 hp Hispano-Suiza 8F V-8 driving a two-bladed pusher propeller. Its hull later influenced the hull of the S.58 flying boat fighter.
Variants
Only one was built, so there were no variants.
Where you'll see it
The S.51 capsized during seaworthiness trials before the race and was righted by its crew. Flown by Alessandro Passaleva it took second place at Naples on 12 August 1922. On 28 December 1922 it set a seaplane world speed record of 280.155 km/h.
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