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SIAI S.16
General De Pinedo's Savoia Marchetti seaplane landing on the Brisbane River in 1925.
Role Passenger and military flying-boat
National origin Italy
Manufacturer SIAI
Designer Rafaele Conflenti
First flight 1919
Primary user Italian Navy
SIAI S

SIAI S.16

SIAI S

SIAI S.16bis

The SIAI S.16 was an Italian passenger flying boat, later used a military reconnaissance-bomber, claimed to be the most successful flying-boat of the 1920s.

Design and development[]

The first flying boat designed by the Societa Idrovolanti Alta Italia (SIAI) for use as a civilian passenger carrier, the S.13 was a biplane flying boat with room for five passengers. The S.16 was powered by a single Fiat A.12bis engine. Military versions were also developed with a bow cockpit for an observer-gunner and bomb racks fitted underneath the wings. The military version was sold to Brazil, Soviet Union, Spain and Turkey.

Variants[]

S.16
Production passenger carrier powered by a Fiat A.12bis engine.
S.16bis
Improved civilian variant with reinforced hull, increased fuel capacity and a larger propeller.
S.16bis M
Military version of the S.16bis with bow cockpit, Soviet-operated versions (80 aircraft) were designated by them the S-16bis, some were licence-built in Spain.
S.16ter
Improved military variant first used by the Italian Navy from 1924, powered by a Lorraine-Dietrich 12Db vee piston engine.
S.23
Simplified variant for training, one built.

Operators[]

Rnpisaplane
Flag of Brazil Brazil
Flag of Spain Spain
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned Kingdom of Italy
Flag of Latvia Latvia
Flag of Turkey Turkey
Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union

Specifications (S.16ter)[]

Data from [1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: two or three (pilot, observer)
  • Length: 9.89 m (32 ft 5¼ in)
  • Wingspan: 15.50 m (50 ft 10¼ in)
  • Height: 3.67 m (12 ft 0½ in)
  • Empty weight: 840 kg (1852 lb)
  • Gross weight: 2652 kg (5847 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lorraine-Dietrich 12Db vee piston engine., 298 kW (400 hp)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 194 km/h (120 mph)
  • Range: 1000 km (621 miles)
  • Service ceiling: 4000 m (13,125 ft)

Armament

  • 1 × 7.7mm (0.303in) machine-gun (ring mounting at bow cockpit)
  • 230kg (485lb) of bombs on underwing racks
  • See also[]

    References[]

    Notes[]

    1. Orbis 1985, page 2853

    Bibliography[]

    • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. 
    • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing. 

    External links[]

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    The original article can be found at SIAI S.16 and the edit history here.