Shot by enemy's fire, this SM.79 of Italian Regia Aeronautica ditching in Mediteranean Sea. Note the upper hatch open for emergency exit of crew. Photo taken likely by rescue aircraft. Date unkown. Victor Sierra

SM.79 ditching

Pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer in the cockpit of a SM.79 of Italian Regia Aeronautica. Unit, location and date unkown. Victor Sierra. Victor Sierra

In the cockpit

According some sources the most famous Italian bomber aircraft of WW2 is indicated with the name S.79, according others the name is SM.79. In reality the correct name is S.79 because the manufacturer, Savoia-Marchetti, begun down the the acronym SM (Savoia-Marchetti) for its aircraft only from Juin 1938 and this three-engine plan flew for first time at October 1934. Note, in fact, the name S.79 behind the central engine cowling of first prototype (I-MAGO, originally the aircraft of ingegner Alessandro Marchetti was a civil airliner) re-engined with the Alfa Romeo 125 RC.35, 750 hp. However the name SM.79 is used usually and therefore the use of the names S.79 and SM.79 can deem correct in either case.  I remember the old pilots say "S.79" and not "SM.79". Victor Sierra