Ansaldo SVA
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| SVA | |
|---|---|
 SVA.5 Primo |
|
| Type | Reconnaissance aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Gio. Ansaldo & C. |
| Designed by | Umberto Savoia and Rodolfo Verduzio |
| Maiden flight | 1917 |
| Number built | 1,245 |
The Ansaldo SVA (named for Savoia-Verduzio-Ansaldo) was a family of Italian reconnaissance biplane aircraft of World War I and the decade after. Originally conceived as a fighter, the SVA was found inadequate for that role. Nevertheless, its impressive speed, range and operational ceiling made it an excellent reconnaissance aircraft and even light bomber. Production of the aircraft continued well after the war, with the final examples delivered in 1928. Two minor variants were produced, one with reconnaissance cameras, the other without cameras but extra fuel tanks.
The SVA was a conventionally-laid out unequal-span biplane, featuring Warren Truss-style struts and therefore no bracing wires. The plywood-skinned fuselage had the typical Ansaldo triangular cross-section.
[edit] Variants
- SVA.1 - single prototype
- SVA.2 - 65 production aircraft
- ISVA - (Idroplane - "seaplane") float-equipped version. 50 built for Italian navy
- SVA.3 - AER-built SVA.4
- SVA.3 Ridotto ("Reduced") - fast-climbing interceptor variant for anti-Zeppelin defence. Some fitted with additional oblique-firing machine gun
- SVA.4 - first major production version. Portside Vickers gun deleted to save weight for cameras.
- SVA.5 - definitive production version
- SVA.6 - prototype bomber version
- SVA.8 - single prototype; nature unclear
- SVA.9 - two-seat unarmed reconnaissance version with larger wings. Intended as pathfinder for SVA.5 formations, and as trainer
- SVA.10 - two-seat armed reconnaissance version with 250hp Isotta-Fraschini engine and fitted with single forward firing gun and a Lewis gun on a flexible mounting in the rear cockpit
[edit] Specifications (SVA.5)
General characteristics
- Crew: one pilot
- Length: 8.10 m (26 ft 7 in)
- Wingspan: 9.10 m (29 ft 10 in)
- Height: 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 24.2 m² (260 ft²)
- Empty weight: 680 kg (1,500 lb)
- Gross weight: 1,050 kg (2,320 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × SPA 6A, 150 kW (200 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 230 km/h (140 mph)
- Endurance: 3 hours
- Service ceiling: 6,000 m (19,700 ft)
- Rate of climb: 5 m/s (980 ft/min)
Armament
- 2 × syncrhonised .303 Vickers machine gun
- up to 90 kg (200 lb) of bombs
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 62.
- World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing: London. File 889 Sheet 62.
- airwar.ru
- Munson, Kenneth "Aircraft of World War I". Ian Allan 1967. ISBN 0-7110-0356-4
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