Savoia-Marchetti S.56

The Savoia-Marchetti S.56 of 1924, a three-seat trainer/tourer flying-boat, was an unequal-span biplane mainly of wooden construction. Pilot and co-pilot were seated side-by-side in separate cockpits equipped with dual controls, a third cockpit being located just behind them. Power was provided by a 52kW Anzani engine, but two S.56A boats built with 60kW Anzanis had a slight increase in wing span and were given amphibious capability by the introduction of manually-retracted wheel landing gear. At least 12 S.56As were sold to private owners and clubs and four were used by the Regia Aeronautica for training; they were powered by a variety of engines, including the 86kW Fiat A.53, 101kW Fiat A.54, and Walter Venus radials. The American Aeronautical Corporation began licence-production of the S.56 in 1929, powered by the 67kW Kinner K5 engine, and three two-seat machines were followed by at least 40 three-seater. In 1930 the S.56B, powered by a 93kW Kinner B5, was flown in the USA. One was built with an enclosed cockpit canopy and one, converted to single-seat capacity, with additional fuel tanks and redesignated S.56C, was used on a round-the-world trip by American businessman Zachery Reynolds. An all-metal version of the S.56 was built by the American Edwin Budd Corporation in 1932 and designated Budd BB-1.