Savoia-Marchetti SM.82

The Savoia‑Marchetti SM.82 was a three‑engine, all‑metal transport aircraft developed in Italy during the late 1930s by the firm SIAI‑Marchetti. First flown in February 1940, the SM.82 was designed as a long‑range bomber‑transport capable of carrying heavy cargo, troops, and a modest bomb load across the Mediterranean and into distant theatres. Powered by three Alfa Romeo 128 RC.18 radial engines, it produced 1,000 hp each, giving the type a maximum speed of about 350 km/h, a range of roughly 2,900 km, and a payload capacity of up to 4,000 kg. Its spacious fuselage featured a reinforced floor and a rear loading hatch, allowing rapid conversion between cargo, passenger, and night‑bomber configurations. The aircraft saw extensive service with the Regia Aeronautica during World War II, performing logistical missions in North Africa, the Balkans, and the Eastern Front, as well as special operations such as the supply of remote outposts and clandestine raids. Although relatively under‑armed and vulnerable to enemy fighters, the SM.82 demonstrated the strategic value of multipurpose transport aircraft and foreshadowed the post‑war development of dedicated heavy airlifters. Its legacy endures as a pioneering example of Italian aeronautical engineering and wartime logistics.