S.81 Cargo Capacity

[jwsleser]

Posted 23 April 2017 - 07:44 PM by Dili

Tra continuità e incertezza: Italia e Albania (1914-1939) : la strategia ... page 278 makes references to tests made in Libya about use of S.81 bomber in transport function:

- 22-25 troops with rifles and machine guns(probably fucile mitragliatori)

- 65/17 gun in 5 parts with 10 crew and 8 ammo boxes or

1 motorcycle w/machine gun and 15 troops

Range is stated as 500km.

 

[Saetta]

In the book Courage Alone: the Italian Air Force 1940-43 by Chris Dunning, pg.276 details some of the flight characteristics of the S.81. There is no mention of how much it could carry in the transport role, but the range, however is stated as 1,242 miles or roughly 2000km. I wonder if the discrepancy is because of dust filters for the desert, or other environmental factors that might affect the range.

max speed: 214mph / 344kph
Performance ceiling: 22,960 ft / 7 km
when in bomb role, max payload: 2000kg
No. built or used: 535

 

[Dili]

Range depends on fuel load. Which is dependent on cargo load. Or vice versa. There is also the problem that often lower ranges mean radious, then there are or not safety allowances - reserve fuel included or not. For example a S.81 with typical load of 1000kgbombs had 1800km or so range with Alfa engine. But this range means 900km radius.