SIAI S.58

SIAI-Marchetti · Italy · first flew 1924 · light aircraft

The SIAI S.58 was an Italian single-engine flying boat designed in the early 1920s for reconnaissance and general duties. It continued the SIAI tradition of elegant flying boat designs.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsHigh-mounted, straight
E — Engines1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — FuselageRadial engine mounted above fuselage on struts
T — TailConventional

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

Spot it by:

Identifiable as a compact single-engine flying boat with a parasol-style high wing mounted on struts above the boat hull, and a single radial engine.

Specifications

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

History

Developed from earlier SIAI flying boat designs that had gained fame in the post-war period, the S.58 was used by the Regia Marina for coastal patrol and reconnaissance. Italy was a leading producer of flying boats in this era, and the S.58 represented a capable if modest addition to that lineage.

Variants

Several sub-variants were produced with different engine fits and minor structural changes to suit specific operator requirements.

Where you'll see it

Operated primarily by the Italian Regia Marina for coastal and maritime patrol duties during the mid-1920s.

Related aircraft

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