The Little World

Purists amongst the aviation game may wonder at the slight anhedral exhibited by RT-AFR …the new SM.79 that Ruritania Poste has added to the African mail route. The answer is simple. The Savoia Marchetti is depressed. Wartime service for the Italians and now having to fly over cannibals and savage lions of post-war Africa …and all for the sake of a few letters and parcels. What a fate.

Mental state notwithstanding, the old Airfix kit has come up pretty well. When you look at this plane you are essentially seeing the end of the 1930’s carried forwards. Had there been better engines it might well have carried on even further – but isn’t it interesting that postwar civil flight rarely used three engines until they could move them to the tail end of the planes. When it did – the Boeing 727’s were a good example – the passengers benefited greatly from the smoothness and reduction of engine noise.

Well, RT-AFR will fly to Africa, and come back if they are lucky. Plenty of mail space for the South African route. No need for windows in the fuselage as the cargo will be in sacks and not looking at the scenery. No need for super speed, either… as long as the letters get there it is time enough.

For an old torpedo bomber, it is as good a fate as you could hope for.