Savoia-Marchetti S.59

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name=Savoia-Marchetti S.59


caption=
type=Reconnaissance/bomber flying boat
manufacturer=Savoia-Marchetti
designer=
first flight=1925
introduced=1926
retired=
status=
primary user=Regia Aeronautica
more users=
produced=
number built=240+
variants with their own articles=The Savoia-Marchetti S.59 was a 1920s Italian reconnaissance/bomber flying boat designed and built by Savoia-Marchetti for the Italian Air Force.

Development

Developed as an updated version of the Savoia S.16 for the Regia Aeronautica's maritime reconnaissance squadrons. A biplane flying boat the S.59 had two side-by-side cockpits forward of the wings and a low cockpit fitted with a Lewis machine-gun. The prototype was powered by two 360hp (268kW) Rolls-Royce Eagle engines and first flew in 1925. It was underpowered and 40 production aircraft were built with 400hp (298kW) Lorraine-Dietrich 12Db radials which did not cure the limited performance but the first aircraft was delivered in 1926.

To try and improve performance the next variant, the S.59bis had more powerful 510hp (380kW) Isotta-Fraschini Asso 500 engines. The company built 82 and CANT and Macchi also built 50 each which were all delivered in 1930. In 1928 the Reggia Aeronautica flew a spectacular formation cruise of the western Mediterranean with 51 aircraft.

During service some aircraft were modified with Handley Page leading-edge slats on the upper wing. The type was withdrawn from front line service in 1937 and relegated to training duties.

The aircraft was exported to Argentina (10 aircraft) and Romania (eight aircraft) and a civil variant was developed as the S.59P with an enclosed cabin for the two crew and four passengers.

One aircraft named "Buenos Aires" made a celebrated flight from New York to Buenos Aires in 1926.

Variants

;S.59 Prototype:One prototype with two 360hp (268kW) Rolls-Royce Eagle engines;S.59:Production variant with 400hp (298kW) Lorraine-Dietrich 12Db radial engines, 40 built.;S.59bis:Re-engined variant with 510hp (380kW) Isotta-Fraschini Asso 500 engines, 222 built.;S.59P:Civil variant with enclosed cabin for two crew and four passengers.

Operators

;ARG;ITA
*Regia Aeronautica;ROM

pecifications (S.59bis)

aerospecs
ref=cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=|pages=2893
met or eng?= met

crew=2
capacity=
length m=10.36
length ft=11
length in=11¾
span m=15.50
span ft=50
span in=10¼
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
rot dia ft=
rot dia in=
dia m=
dia ft=
dia in=
width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=3.50
height ft=11
height in=5¾
wing area sqm=60
wing area sqft=645.86
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=1950
empty weight lb=4299
gross weight kg=2950
gross weight lb=6504
lift kg=
lift lb=

eng1 number=2
eng1 type=Isotta-Fraschini Asso 500 Vee piston engine
eng1 kw= 380
eng1 hp= 510
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
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eng2 kn=
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max speed kmh=200
max speed mph=124
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range km=
range miles=
endurance h= 5
endurance min= 0
ceiling m=4550
ceiling ft=14,930
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=
climb rate ftmin=
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=

armament1=1 x 7.7mm (0.303in) Lewis machine-gun
armament2=280kg (617lb) of bombs on external racks
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6=

ee also

aircontent
see also=
related=
similar aircraft=
sequence=
lists=
*List of seaplanes and flying boats

References

*
*cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=|pages=2893