Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Combat debut in Spain
Chapter 2 – 1940: War against France
Chapter 3 - Sparvieri over Malta and the Mediterranean, 1940-42
Chapter 4 – Greece and the Balkans, 1940-41
Chapter 5 – Sparvieri over the Desert, 1940-43
Chapter 6 – Over East Africa and Red Sea, 1940-41
Chapter 7 - Sparvieri in Transport roles
Appendices: A) S.79 bomber units, B) Awards to Italian S.79 crewmen and notable pilots, C) Allied warships hit by S.79s, D) Allied merchant ships hit by S.79s, E) Colour Plates Commentary

Promotional Information

The humpbacked, three-engined S.79 was the Regia Aeronautica's most effective weapon during World War 2. This fully illustrated study of Italy's most recognisable combat aircraft will appeal to those specifically interested in Italian military history.

About the Author

A native of Rome, Marco Mattioli has been interested in military history since he was a teenager. In 1992 he joined the Italian National Journalist Order, after which he was employed as a writer for several leading Italian history publishers. A contributor to many important Italian history and defence magazines, as well as the author of a number of books on Italian military aviation, he wrote Osprey Aviation Elite Units 38: 53° Stormo and Osprey Combat Aircraft 106: Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units.

Richard Caruana is a Malta-based artist whose profile artwork is well known, and respected, in aviation modelling periodicals such as Scale Aviation Modelling and Scale Models. He has illustrated all of Osprey Aviation’s Italian World War 2 titles.

Reviews

"If you are into Italian aircraft, the Spanish Civil War, or the Italian Air Force in World War II, this is a good reference book that is also a great read." --IPMS / USA "I have long sought a war history of the S.79 and find this to be a fine resource for Regia Aeronautica historians and modelers." --KitMaker Network "...good text and photos plus a series of really great color profiles. Four stars." --Air Classics Magazine