SIAI S.16

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.16

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

Brazil

• Brazilian Navy (15)

Spain

• Spanish Navy (26 including 10 built locally)

Kingdom of Italy

• Regia Marina (~103)

Latvia

• Latvian Navy (6)

Turkey

• Turkish Air Force (12)

Soviet Union

• Soviet Navy (80)

Specifications (S.16ter)

Data from

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 or 3 (pilot, observer)

Performance

See also

Related lists

• List of Interwar military aircraft
• List of seaplanes and flying boats

References

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. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

External links

Media related to SIAI S.16 at Wikimedia Commons