| SM.81 | |
|---|---|
 Savoia Marchetti SM.81 of the Regia Aeronautica during flight | |
| General information | |
| Type | Bomber and transport aircraft |
| National origin | Italy |
| Manufacturer | Savoia-Marchetti |
| Primary users | Regia Aeronautica |
| Number built | 535[1] |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1935 |
| First flight | 8 February 1934 |
| Retired | 1950 |
| Developed from | Savoia-Marchetti S.73 |
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello (Italian: bat) was the first three-engine bomber/transport aircraft serving in the Italian Regia Aeronautica.[2] When it appeared in 1935, it represented a real step ahead in Italian military aviation: it was fast, well armed and had a long range.[2] It proved effective during the war with Ethiopia and the Spanish Civil War.[2] Despite being too slow to remain competitive as a bomber in the later years of World War II, it was one of the most flexible, reliable and important aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica from 1935 to 1944, and adapted to second-line duties in a wide range of tasks.
- ^ Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello
- ^ a b c Angelucci and Matricardi 1978, p. 188.