The fourth and last Savoia-Marchetti SM.87, still at Sant’Anna air harbor, just after the flight test, 25 October 1941, civil registration I-IGEA with the Ala Littoria’s markings. Few days before, 11 October 1941, was tested the third aircraft, SM.87 construction number 36002, military code MM449, civil registration I-ILLA. After the Italy’s armistice (8 September 1943), as the other SM.87 still on Northern Italy, Sesto Calende or Venice, the I-IGEA was seized by the Germany and transferred to Lufthansa as D-AJAB. Also the I-IGOR was assigned to Lufthansa as D-AKBE, while I-ILLA was commandeered by the Luftwaffe as AJ+IJ. The three seaplanes was transferred in Germany and destroyed during the Third Reich’s last days. Victor Sierra

From Ala Littoria to Lufthansa

One of floatplanes Savoia-Marchetti SM.87 purchased by the Corporacion Sud-Americana de Trasportes Aereas, an Argentinian branch of Ala Littoria Italian airlines, for air lines in Argentina, but never delivered due the outbreak of the war. The aircraft, seaplane version of the landplane SM-75, was a transport civil aircraft for 24-30 passenger and flew for first time during the Summer 1939, test pilot Alessandro Passaleva, on the Sant’Anna air harbor, Sesto Calende, Lago Maggiore. On June 1940 the Italian Regia Aeronautica took over the SM.87 purchased ordering the completion of four of five aircraft purchased (the fifth exemplar as spare’s source). The first aircraft, military code MM.447, construction number NC 36001, was delivered on 15 August 1940, assigned to Special Air Services Command and switched to the Ala Littoria’s Communications Unit with the civil registration I-IGOR. The second aircraft MM448, NC36002, I-INNO, first test 6 December 1940, was delivered on 5 February 1941. The I-IGOR and the I-INNO was employed on the line from Rome’s, Ostia air harbor, to Barcelona via Alghero. Afterwards the I-IGOR and the I-INNO plus the other two planes built, I-ILLA and I-IGEA, was employed for lines from Rome to Spain, Balearic Island and from Rome to Sardinia, this lats lines for military duties. The only encounter with the enemies date to the 20 May 1943 when the I-INNO, took off from Ostia with 28 soldiers on board, during the landing at Olbia, Sardinia, was strafed and heavy damaged by a RAF’s Beaufighter which killed three soldiers. After the Italy’s Armistice (8 September 1943) the I-INNO, just repaired, was switched from Sardinia to Stagnone air harbor, Marsala, Sicily, and afterwards to Brindisi where was phased put and scrapped. The other was seized by the Germans. Victor Sierra

Savoia-Marchetti SM.87

This unusual plane photographed in Libya (note a S.81 in background) is one of three four engines Savoia-Marchetti S.74, former Ala Littoria’s civil transport aircraft, transferred to Italian Regia Aeronautica after the Italy’s entry in the war and assigned (25 June 1940) to Sezione Autonoma Trasporto (Autonomous Transport Section) of Comando Servizi Aerei Speciali (Special Air Services Command) at Rome, Littorio airfield. On July of the same year the S.74s was deployed in Libya, at Benghazi. Afterwards the planes was assigned to 604th Squadriglia, leader Capt. Bruno Trocca, as 604-8 (former I-URBE), 604-9 (former I-ROMA) and 604-11 (former I-ALPE). For his strange shape the S.74 was nicknamed by the military crews “Millepiedi” (Millipede). The “Millepiedi” was largely employed for supplies delivery to Italian troops in Libya and medical evacuation. One “Millepiedi”, 604-11, was lost on 23 October 1941 for impact against an hill near Catania, Sicily, during a flight in adverse flight conditions killing all the thirty peoples (crew and 26 passenger, civil and military) on board. The 604-8 was lost on the night of 2 November 1941 for enemy air raid over Castel Benito airfield, Tripoli. The last “Millepiedi”, the 604-9, survived to many strafing and a ground collision, returned in Italy, at Rome, Centocelle airfield, on January 1943, and was damaged by the American bombardment of Littorio airfield, Rome, on 19 July 1943. Here was abandoned and disappeared after the Italy’s armistice on September 1943. Victor Sierra
 
