title: Savoia-Marchetti S.72
text: # Savoia-Marchetti S.72
  
  The Savoia-Marchetti S.72 was an Italian three-engine transport monoplane designed and built by Savoia-Marchetti as an enlarged and strengthened version of the earlier S.71. The S.72 was a three-engine, high-wing cantilever monoplane with a fixed tailwheel landing gear. Designed as a heavy bomber, the prototype was first flown in 1934 powered by three 410 kW (550 hp) Alfa Romeo licence-built Bristol Pegasus radial engines.
  
  ## Operational history
  
  The Regia Aeronautica showed no interest in the aircraft as a heavy bomber and the prototype was used as a VIP transport. After being demonstrated in China in 1935 the prototype was handed over to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek as a gift. Six more aircraft were ordered by the Chinese and assembled in China. It is presumed that all the aircraft were destroyed in Japanese air raids in 1937.
  
  ## Specifications
  
  Data from
  
  General characteristics
  
  * Length: 19.95 m (65 ft 5.5 in)
  * Wingspan: 29.68 m (97 ft 4.5 in)
  * Height: 5.5 m (18 ft 0.5 in)
  * Wing area: 118.50 $m^2$ (1,275.57 sq ft)
  * Empty weight: 6,800 kg (14,991 lb)
  * Gross weight: 12,800 kg (28,219 lb)
  * Powerplant: 3 × Alfa Romeo licence-built Bristol Pegasus engine , 410 kW (550 hp) each
  
  Performance
  
  * Maximum speed: 295 km/h (183 mph, 159 kn)
  * Range: 2,000 km (1,243 mi, 1,080 nmi)
  * Service ceiling: 8,000 m (26,245 ft)
  
  Armament
  
  * up to 6 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine guns
  * 1 × 20 mm cannon
  * 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) of bombs
  