SAVOIA MARCHETTI S.79 "SPARVIERO"

[Clint Mitchell]

I have no idea about this one Ugo? I have only ever seen this profile so maybe someone else can provide some photos? I'll have a search around to see what I can find.

Clint

[Clint Mitchell]

Hi Ugo

I've found a photo and also another profile showing what look to be more accurate colours according to the photo but I dont quite know exactly what colours are on the aircraft? Perhaps someone can elaborate?

Images from LEMB

Clint

[Ugo Crisponi]

well well.....fomr the picture the german cross is over the oval door while in the profile is ending riht before it. And the tail swastika is slightly bigger then in the profile. So, good to have this image. Someone could elaborat the colours?

[Clint Mitchell]

Also from the photo it looks as if the upper parts of the elevators are yellow. Profiles do not show this?

Clint

[BLOWHARD]

Even though the one color is light, I'd guess 70 and 71 first. What would be interesting, and this is pure conjecture, 71 and 79. That would look great!
For a reasonable guess, the darker color is a German green, 70 or 71. The lighter color, if it's not 71, doesn't follow any of the standard bomber or transport camouflage conventions. It could be 02 or 75...or 79, but unless there is a primary source for color information, it's all guesses. Non-standard colors don't make sense. Luftwaffe SM 82s were usually just plain 71 on the top and 65 underneath.

I agree that the tops of the elevators are most likely yellow as well, or at least the same light color.
I found several picture of Ju 52s with light colored rudders, elevators and cowlings in Classic's Transporter Vol.1. They're marked just like the photos above. These were used in Greece/Crete and are shown in the illustrations to be yellow but the photos look like white. It's a toss-up which color they are.

And that leads to another guess. Yellow undersides? Why yellow? The Luftwaffe used a great many Italian planes, especially SM 82s, and they were use in front line operations. They were painted in standard Luftwaffe practice. Yellow was used for capture aircraft that were undergoing tests or training. I doubt yellow would fit in here in any way...again, unless there is some source that tells us otherwise; the profiles could be based on some information or flights of fancy based on other captured aircraft with yellow undersides.
Seeing as though so many Italian aircraft were repainted in Luftwaffe colors and used along side German planes in all theaters, I'd say the yellow is out. My guess at least.
All that said, I'd say it has 65 undersides and the light colored rudder and elevators (and cowlings?) are white (or yellow?) theater markings.
With the theater markings and 70/71/65 paint, it would be in line with He 111s and Ju 52 in the area.

[Clint Mitchell]

Hi gents

There is a discussion on LEMB about CQ+HO regarding it's use/capture by the Luftwaffe? Nothing concrete but it might explain why the undersides could have been yellow. Discussion starts some way down the post.
Luftwaffe Savoia Marchetti SM.79 - Luftwaffe Experten Message Board

I will make a post on LEMB to see if anyone has evidence regarding the colours of CQ+HO

Thanks

Clint

[BLOWHARD]

Definitely interesting.

[Ugo Crisponi]

YEP! indeed VERY interesting! Thanks Blowhard. Please Clint, keep us posted on this subject.

[Clint Mitchell]

Right then! A chap has kindly posted some info over on TOCH:Here!

"The camouflage is totaly wrong. It was ex-yugoslav machine (tactical number 'white 33' and ex MM 22407) landed from Mostar to Zemun airfield in 11th April 1941. Next day, early afternoon Zemun airport captured by local volksdeutschers who passed it to Luftwaffe units. After repair (maybe in Ikarus factory), and repainting original Italian camouflage, that airplane got Yugoslav camouflage: dark green and dark earth on upper and light blue-gray on under side. On 24th April 1941 that SM-79 transferred to Luftflotte IV, some months later came from Wien to Agram (Zagreb) and introduced in Croatian AF inventory under serial number 0701. Next year, it shoot down by partisans in Bihac area and crew captured.

Upper summary I read from article wrote by mr Ognjan Petrovic in Vesnik (Herald) published by Military Museum in Belgrade this year about the planes of Italian origin in Royal Yugoslav Air Force (Vazduhoplovstvo Vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije - official name) in 1937-1941."

Also when asked about the elevators & rudder he replied: "The rudder and horizontal tail control surfaces are yellow."

The only reference I have found regarding the Dark Green & Dark Earth colours he mentioned are listed in a Yugoslav WW2 Camo paint list:Here Also check out the other Yugoslav pages to the left. Now as for the engine nacelles I am awaiting his reply? I found a profile of this aircraft sporting the colours when shot down wearing the Croatian code 0701 also another Luftwaffe rendition. So it looks as if you could create the first historically accurate profile of this aircraft in its German markings? Or Croatian? Or Yugoslav?

[Clint Mitchell]

It seems strange that some profiles show a brownish ring around the front of the engine nacelles. Perhaps another photo exists showing these areas? Or perhaps the other profile artists are using the older profiles for reference creating a sort of visual chinese wisper?

Clint