The SM.74 was the first four-engine plane that the SIAI-Marchetti company ever manufactured. Only three aircraft were constructed, but they saw long years of service in peace and war. The SM.74 was flown by Ala Littoria first on the Rome-Marseilles-Lyons-Paris route and then on the Rorne-Brindisi line. When World War II broke out, the three planes were transferred to the military. They saw service in Africa as troop and cargo carriers, and then were used to evacuate civilians and wounded. All three were destroyed in military action. The last one was damaged during a bombing raid over the Rorne-Urbe airport on July 19, 1943.

The prototype first took to the air on November 16, 1943, and during its test flights established a world record. It flew some 620 miles (1,000 km) at 200 mph (322 km/h) with a load of ten tons. The SM.74 was a high-wing monoplane. The wing was constructed of wood, while the fuselage was built of metal with wood and fabric covering. Two of the aircraft were powered by four 700 hp Piaggio Stella X.RC engines; the third was powered by 845 hp Alfa Romeo Pegasus III engines. Lodged in NACA cowls, the engines drove two-position three-blade metal propellers. The passenger cabin was about 26 feet (8 m) long and had a bar as well as sanitary facilities. Passenger capacity varied from a maximum of 27, for distances up to 620 miles (1,000 km), to a minimum of 16, for distances up to 1,200 miles (2,000 km). Since the plane had to climb to high altitudes in order to cross the Alps, the passengers were equipped with individual oxygen masks. The SM.74's test flight performances were excellent. The aircraft could reach about 3,000 feet (1,000 m) in two minutes and forty-eight seconds; 9,000 feet (3,000 m) in eight minutes and fifty-five seconds; and 15,000 feet (5,000 m) in nineteen minutes and forty-three seconds.

The first SM. 74 was delivered to the Rome Urbe airport on March 27, 1935, and inaugurated the Rome-Marseilles-Lyons-Paris route on July 18. The other two aircraft were delivered later in the year. Beginning in the summer of 1936, the three SM.74s flew the Rorne-Brindisi line and later made flights to Libya. On the eve of the war the planes were transferred to the Reyia Aeronautica.

Soon the planes were sent to the vicinity of Benghazi, which was their base during the war. The first SM.74 to be destroyed (the second that was built) crashed into a mountain on October 23, 1941. The second to go was the prototype, which was destroyed on the ground during an air raid on November 2, 1941. The last SM.74 had more than one accident, but survived until July 1943.

This is the BROPLAN 1/72 Vacuform kit of the Savoia Marchetti S.74 with scratch-built interior and engine nacelles.

Paint
The model was sprayed with a base coat of Tamiya Fine White Primer right out of the can. The canopies were then painted interior green using Tamiya Nato Green (XF-67) mixed with a bit yellow and white for scale effect. The sand camo blotches are painted using Tamiya Khaki (XF-49), while the red-brown camo blotches are Tamiya Hull Red (XF-9), with some more red (XF-7) added. I chose Tamiya Rubber Black (XF-85) for the propeller rear faces as well as the wheels. The undersides were my own mix using blues and greys to get the right hue. The propeller faces were painted Tamiya Kure Grey (F-75).

Model Master Gloss was applied to prepare the surface for decals. Once the decals were applied (I used spare Italian Fascist markings from the Italeri SM-82 Marsupiale, and Sky Models). Another coat of Gloss was applied to prepare the subsequent washes using various tones of browns from Windsor Newton thinned with Humbrol thinners. The overall model was then coated with a semi-gloss coat of Model Master Acryl Semi-Gloss to complete the model!

Editor's Note: Please note there is some debate as to the base color of this plane GM3 vs VM3. Undersurfaces Grigio Mimetico FS.595b 36231 (CMPR) / 12 - Alluminio SIAI subalare (VITO Charts). There are no three tone CMPR Camouflage Schemes indentified with VM3 base color for SIAI-Marchetti planes.

SIAI document dated Feb 1940 states that paints were those of Arson SISI: Verde 53192, Marrone 53193 and Giallo 53194 (GM 3). S. Lazzaro