Savoia-Marchetti SM.91 – “Edited” version

The SM.91 was an evolution of an earlier Savoia-Marchetti design for a twin-boom heavy fighter, the SM.88. The latter would have fallen a bit short, since the new requirement of the Regia Aeronautica called for the use of license-built DB-605 engines, and a decent bomb load. The SM.88 ended up in the bin, and the SM.91 was born –or rather, the P-Trentotto, since it definitely looked somewhat like a P-38.

Only two prototypes were built; both were captured by the Germans, disappeared, and are presumed destroyed.

The build

Nothing fancy; I already did the SM.92, so turning it into the SM.91 wasn’t all that difficult… building the central nacelle and changing the cockpit were just about the only things to be done.
Just because I felt like it, the plane is ready for the North African theatre with a “Nocciola Chiaro 4” coating.

Controls

Like the SM.92 this one flies decently but suffers under its bomb load. For takeoff, half flaps & full throttle; a slight correction may sometimes be necessary to keep ‘er going straight
Standard controls –VTOL down for flaps, trim slider for pitch trim.
AG1 : Closes your canopy. Since the plane spawns with its canopy open, closing it may be a good idea before taking off.
AG2 : not assigned
AG3 : Freezes the plane’s controls and activates the gyro so you can play around with the rear gunner’s station.
AG4 through AG6 : not assigned
AG7 : drop the four 160kg bombs in one go…
AG8 : toggles the lights

Weaponry

The weapons aren’t completely what they should historically be… I felt like playing around a bit, hence the reason why this is an “edited” SM.91…

• 5x 20mm cannons at the front -just like the actual SM.91

• 4x forward-firing, fixed MG’s (12.7 mm) -a pair in each hull’s nose

• 1x rearward-firing 20mm cannon, controllable from the gunner’s position. This is definitely an “edit”; originally the cannon was mounted in the “ridge” on the center nacelle… I tried that, but it’s a terrible location; all you’ll hit is your tail, which is literally in the way for everything. And so I moved the remote-controlled cannon to a similar location as the rear machine gun in the SM.92, giving it a nice & clear field of fire.

• 1x 500kg and 4x 160kg general-purpose bombs. Unlike the real SM.91, this one has a bomb bay which fits the single 500kg bomb. No controls for that; the bay opens when the weapon is selected, and closes again when the bomb is dropped.

Have fun