Forerunner of present Siai-Marchetti organization (see
Siai-Marchetti Societa Per Azioni). Founded 1915 by Luigi
Cape at Sesto Calende, with a seaplane base on Lake
Maggiore. As Idrovolanti Savoia built FBA flying-boats under
license. Name "Savoia"had a geographical and historical
connotation (House of Savoy), and after the war new flying-boats
were known by the name Idrovolanti Savoia, or
Savoia. These achieved early distinction, notably in the
1920 Schneider Trophy contest. Names Savoia and Marchetti
were linked in 1922, when Alessandro Marchetti
became technical director of company
S.M.79 "Sparviero"
renamed Societa
Idrovolanti Alta Italia—Savoia-Marchetti. In 1925 the company
gained publicity when an S.16ter was flown to Australia
and Tokyo and back to Italy by Francesco De Pinedo.
Famous types included the twin-hulled S-55 which, though
first flown in 1924, is remembered chiefly for General
Balbo's mass-formation flights of 1930 and 1933. Special
long-range landplane S-64 broke world's duration and
distance records in June 1930. Initials S. M. for type numbers
were not commonly applied until later, and then particularly
in association with fast 3-engined civil and military
types. Most famous was S.M.79 bomber and torpedo
bomber of Second World War. Civil types included the
record-breaking S.M.75 of 1939. Last Second World War
aircraft was S.M.91 twin-boom fighter-bomber, but S.M.84
bomber served as transport until 1948.
