Flight, February 1923

SOCIETA IDROVOLANTI ALTA ITALIA ("Savoia"), Sesto Calende.

   ONE of the latest flying boats to be produced by the SIAI firm of Sesto Calende, Lake Maggiore, Italy, is the Savoia S.53. Fitted with a 300 h.p. Fiat engine, this machine is a commercial flying boat in which, however, no attempt has been made to include in the design a cabin for the passengers. Nor are we certain that for a flying boat a cabin is essential. It must be remembered that the Savoia will mostly work in a southern climate and under pleasant conditions, entirely different from the rains and fogs of more northern climates, and, this being the case, there is no doubt that open cockpits, if provided with adequate wind-screens, afford the passengers a much greater sense of movement and freedom than would be the case if they were housed in a closed saloon
   As regards the machine itself, the S.53 follows usual Savoia practice, having a flat-sided hull and a single hollow step. The workmanship is, as usual, excellent, and altogether the machine makes a very favourable impression.
   The only unusual feature is the arrangement of the passenger accommodation. One passenger sits in front, on the starboard side, and behind his cockpit, one behind the other, are the two cockpits for the passengers and pilot (the latter on port side in second cockpit). These are so arranged as to be divided longitudinally by a stout structural member, two passengers in each cockpit sitting on the starboard side of this, and one on the port side. Evidently the longitudinal member has been incorporated in order to strengthen the hull at a place where otherwise the cutting out of the cockpit openings would weaken the structure.
   The Fiat engine is mounted on engine struts high in the gap, and drives a pusher airscrew. The radiator is in the nose of the engine nacelle, and a starting handle projects through it in a position easily accessible from the aft cockpit. Following are the main characteristics of the Savoia 53: Engine, 300 h.p., Fiat type, A12 bis; wing area, 65 sq. m. (700 sq. ft.); weight of machine, empty, 1,750 kg. (3,850 lbs.); fuel and useful load, 800 kg. (1,760 lbs.); total loaded weight, 2,550 kg. (5,610 lbs.); power loading, 18-7 lbs./h.p.; wing loading, 8 lbs./sq.ft.; maximum speed, 160 km. (100 m.p.h.); min. speed, 80 km. (50 m.p.h.); power expenditure, 50 h.p, per passenger.

Flight, August 1923

GOTHENBURG International Aero Exhibition 1923

The Italian Section

   Societa Idrovolanti Alta Italia, Sesto Calende. - The S.16 bis M flying boat exhibited by the "Savoia" firm is a development of the old S.16 exhibited at the Paris Show of 1919, and is thus not a new type except for certain alterations made to the original design. The machine is intended for bombing and reconnaissance, and as exhibited at Gothenburg had two large bombs slung under the lower planes. A machine gunner is installed in the front cockpit, the pilot and third member of the crew occupying a larger cockpit just ahead of the wings.
   The machine is of standard Savoia design and construction, and there is consequently little need of a detailed reference to its aerodynamic and structural features. The engine is a Fiat A.12 bis of 300 h.p., mounted high in the gap between the wings, and driving a pusher airscrew.
   Following are the main dimensions, weights, etc.: Length o.a.; 9-97 m. (32 ft. 8 ins.); span, 15-5 m. (50 ft. 10 ins.); wing area, 59-15 sq. m. (636 sq. ft.); weight empty, 1,700 kgs. (3,740 lbs.); useful load, 800 kgs. (1,760 lbs.); total loaded weight, 2,500 kgs. (5,500 lbs.); wing loading, 8-65 lbs./sq. ft.; power loading, 18-3 lbs./h.p.; maximum speed, 175 km. (108 m.p.h.); minimum speed, 80 km. (50 m.p.h.); climb to 3,000 m. (10,000 ft.) in 48 mins.; ceiling, 5,000 m. (16,400 ft.); radius of action, five hours at full speed (540 miles).

Flight, April 1925

THREE "SAVOIA" SEAPLANES

   ONE of the best-known, and perhaps the most active, of the Italian aviation concerns is the Societa Idrovolanti Alta Italia (S.I.A.I), which has its works at Sesto Calende and offices in Milan. During the War the original Savoia company was responsible for an enormous output of aircraft and components. Since then the S.I.A.I. has produced a number of successful and interesting machines, mainly of the flying boat type.
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   Turning now to the other two machines, these are both, generally speaking, of the familiar Savoia flying boat type, differing in design according to the requirements of the duties imposed on each. The S.16ter, which we will deal with next, is a modern version of a comparatively old and successful Savoia flying boat. Among the most recent successes of this type may be mentioned the flight across Europe and over the Alps, made by a section of three flying boats of the Italian Military Air Force, and which returned to Italy without having had any trouble, in spite of the bad weather encountered at the time (July, 1924); and also the world's height record for flying boats with 500 kgs. (1,102.5 lbs.) made on August 25, 1924, by Centurone with an altitude of 4,597 m. (15,078 ft.). The new S.16 model, besides the improved characteristics in flight and in water, is also provided with wireless equipment, camera, machine-gun mounting, bomb racks and all latest installations. The most important modification, however, is the fitting of the 400 h.p. Lorraine-Dietrich engine, which considerably improves the take-off and the manoeuvring abilities. It is primarily intended for bombing and reconnaissance work.
   As may be seen from the illustrations, the S.16ter is an orthodox biplane flying boat, with equal span wings, having four-bay bracing (excluding the small centre section carrying the engine). The lower plane, which is about 8 ins. less in chord than the top one, is set at a dihedral angle, and is provided with wing tip floats.
   The hull is of the single-step type, with concave bottom and a sharply tapering stern. It is provided with two cockpits in the bows, the pilot's just forward of the main planes and the gunner's immediately in front of this and fitted with a machine-gun ring.
   The 400 h.p. Lorraine-Dietrich engine, driving a pusher air screw, is mounted in a partly enclosed nacelle, with nose radiator, supported above the hull by two pairs of N-struts. In other respects this machine follows usual practice.
   The principal characteristics of the S.16ter are :-
   Span 50 ft. 6 ins.
   Chord 7 ft. 4 ins. (top), 6 ft. (bottom).
   Overall length 34 ft. 2 ins.
   Wing area 645-6 sq.ft.
   Weight empty 3,682-5 lbs.
   ,, loaded 5.667 lbs.
   ,, per square foot 8-75 lbs.
   ,, per horse-power 14-1 lbs.
   Speed range 56-118 m.p.h.
   Climb to 3,000 ft 3 mms. 30 secs.
   ,, to 16,000 ft. 55 mins.
   Range of action 4-6 hrs.
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