The
SP.2 was a derivative of the
Farman M.F.11 "Shorthorn", built to accommodate the powerful Fiat A.12 engine. The follow-on
SP.3 shortened the wings and raised the horsepower from 200 to 250, but the pusher design was already too far beyond its "golden age" to make much of a difference. The failure of the
SIA 7b programme left the SP.2 and SP.3 serving much longer than they deserved -- well in to 1918. While its strength was appreciated, its slow speed and lack of maneuverability became a detriment, and it was not until the arrival of more modern machines in mid-1918 that it was finally retired to training schools. Though largely forgotten, the SP.2 and SP.3 were important reconnaissance platforms for the Italian air force in 1917-1918.
The SIT-built version of the SP.3 featured a much more rounded fuselage/nacelle, shaped like a stretched sphere and leaving much more of the Fiat engine exposed.
This plane comes in 1:144 and 1:285/6mm/1:288 scales. The 1:285 product uses a propeller disk instead of blades, since they are difficult to print at small scales.
DESIGNER NOTE:
Models at scales smaller than 1:144 may no longer be available. Shapeways discontinued the material for which they were designed, and the newer materials require that each and every model be adjusted to thicken surfaces like wings. If you are interested in a particular model in a small scale, please let me know and I will prioritize it higher in the queue.
Related Products:
Farman 1914 SP.2 SP.3 SP.3 (SIT version)
For more details and gaming information, see
https://linen.miraheze.org/wiki/Savoia-Pomilio_S.P.3