Italeri 1290 - S.79 Sparviero (1:72)

The Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero (Sparrowhawk) is an iconic Italian trimotor medium bomber and torpedo aircraft developed and manufactured by Savoia-Marchetti. It was originally designed in the mid-1930s as a fast eight-seat civilian transport aircraft, with its prototype flying on September 28, 1934. It quickly gained a reputation as an excellent machine, setting 26 world records between 1937 and 1939, and for a time was considered the fastest medium bomber in the world. Its potential as a combat aircraft soon attracted the attention of the Italian government.

The S.79 was easily recognizable by the characteristic dorsal "hump" on its fuselage, which earned it the nickname "Il gobbo maledetto" (The Cursed Hunchback) among crews who reportedly grew fond of it. During World War II, it was widely deployed by the Royal Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica) on all Mediterranean fronts, where it served as both a bomber and a formidable torpedo aircraft. It became famous for its successes against Allied shipping, despite its relatively weak defensive armament. Some variants were also licensed and used by the Royal Romanian Air Force on the Eastern Front. The S.79 remained in service in Italy until the 1950s, and with over 1200 units produced, it became one of the most widely manufactured Italian aircraft.

The Italeri 1290 kit in 1:72 scale accurately captures this significant aircraft. It contains plastic sprues for building the model, clear parts for the cockpit glazing, and a decal sheet for several authentic World War II versions, allowing for the depiction of various Regia Aeronautica units. The moldings are clean with finely rendered panels and a "ribbed" effect on the fuselage and tail surfaces, giving the model a realistic appearance. The kit offers good interior details and the possibility of posing movable surfaces.

Please note: The kit does not include paints or glue.

• 🗓️ Period: World War II (WW2)

• 🇮🇹 Nationality: Italian

• ✈️ Type: Bomber / Torpedo Aircraft