1:72 Savoia Marchetti SM79 Sparviero (wet decals)

A humpbacked bird of prey over the Mediterranean

This three-engined machine of all-wood and mixed construction came about in the mid-1930s, first as a fast transport aircraft that collected records on routes to Africa. The military form received a characteristic structure with a gun position above the cockpit, and it is to that that the type owes its nickname the damned hunchback. Three Alfa Romeo radial engines of about 780 horsepower each gave it a speed unusual for its day.

Torpedoes instead of bombs

The fight for the Mediterranean made this aircraft the most successful Italian torpedo bomber. Its crews attacked in low-level runs against British convoys and formations, and their hits were among the heaviest losses the Regia Aeronautica inflicted on its opponent. The type had already gathered experience in the Spanish Civil War, and some machines flew after 1945 as well, when countries of the Middle East operated them as transports.

Working with the sheet

The decals are separated from the backing in water and transferred to the model flat. On a smooth gloss coat they settle without silvering; a matte surface is best given a local gloss coat under the decal. Once dry, a softener helps to draw the film into the panel lines, and a final clear coat over the finished application hides the edges. Given the broken-up glazing and the hump, it is worth dividing larger markings and fitting them in sections. Fuselage bands are laid from the spine downwards, so that any misalignment is hidden on the underside.