Savoia-Marchetti S.56

Role: Biplane flying boat
National origin: Italy
Manufacturer: Savoia-Marchetti
Designed by: Alessandro Marchetti
First flight: 1924
Introduction: 1927
Primary users: United States Army Air Corps Regia Aeronautica New York City Police Department
Number built: 70 circa
Variants: Budd BB-1 Pioneer

Picture - The Budd BB-1 Pioneer in front of the Franklin Institute.

The Savoia-Marchetti S.56 was an Italian single-engine biplane flying boat trainer and tourer, built by Savoia-Marchetti.

Of unequal span, the upper longer than the lower, of wooden construction. Instructor and student sat side-by-side in separate cockpits, with dual controls; a third cockpit was located just aft that. It used a 52 kW (70 hp) Anzani.

The S.56A had a slightly longer span and 60 kW (80 hp) Anzani, and turned into amphibians by addition of manually-retractable landing gear. Private owners and flying clubs purchased at least 12, and Regia Aeronautica operated four (differing in engine specification, including 96 kW {115 hp} FIAT A.53, 101 kW {135 hp} FIAT A.54, and Walter Venus radial engines, among others).

The S.56A proved popular in the U.S., and the American Aeronautical Corporation (AAC) set up licence production in 1929, relying on the 67 kW (90 hp) Kinner K5 radials for power for three two-place aircraft and over 40 three-seaters.

This was followed in 1930 by the S.56B, powered by the 93 kW (125 hp) Kinner B-5, with an enclosed cockpit. Another was converted to a single-seater and given additional fuel tanks, as the S.56C, for an attempted round-the-world flight by American businessman Zachery Reynolds.

In 1932, the Budd Company built an all-metal S.56 as the Budd BB-1 Pioneer.

Operators

Military operators

Italy

Regia Aeronautica

United States

United States Army Air Corps

Romania (5, school)

Civilian and government operators

United States

New York City Police Department operated 6 biplanes built under license in the USA by American Aeronautical Corporation

Aircraft on display

NC349N, built under licence in the US by AAC and used by police during the Prohibition years to intercept rum smugglers is in the Cradle of Aviation Museum, Long Island, New York.

A restored S.56 is on display at the North Carolina Aviation Museum in Asheboro, North Carolina.

Specifications (S.56B)

Picture - Savoia-Marchetti S.56 in the Cradle of Aviation Museum. This is one of two surviving planes.

Data from Encyclopedia of World Aircraft

General characteristics

Crew: 1 or 2
Capacity: 1-2 passengers
Length: 7.8 m (25 ft 7 in)
Wingspan: 10.72 m (35 ft 2 in)
Height: 2.99 m (9 ft 9¾ in)
Wing area: 26.5 m² (285.25 ft²)
Empty weight: 658 kg (1,450 lb)
Gross weight: 975 kg (2,150 lb)
Powerplant: 1 x— Kinner B-5 radial, 93 kW (125 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 178 km/h (111 mph)

Bibliography

Donald, David, ed. (1997) "Savoia-Marchetti S.56" Encyclopedia of World Aircraft Etobicoke, Ontario: Prospero Books
Boroli, Achille and Adolfo; Nilo, Mario, eds. (1978) "Savoia-Marchetti" (in Italian) Mach 1 Enciclopedia dell'aviazione 7 Novara, Italy: EDIPEM

Savoia-Marchetti S.56 Pictures

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Source: WikiPedia