Ansaldo S.V.A.

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Engineers Umberto Savoja and Rofolfo Verduzio designed a new plane, the SV after their initials, intended as a single-seat fighter. Combining with the firm Ansaldo for manufacturing (and adding an "A" to the name), they called on top aces to give their opinion. It was fast and sturdy, but during testing pilots rejected it for poor sight lines, lack of access to the guns, and lack of maneuverability. Further adjustments would eventually lead to the Ansaldo A.1 Balilla, but in the meantime the S.V.A. was found to be an excellent fast reconnaissance machine. From a modest start in autumn of 1917 production rates gradually increased, and by the Armistice the S.V.A. equipped six sezioni and four army squadriglie. [1] Total SVA production during the war is estimated at 619[2] to 1,245[3]. 900 had been ordered from Ansaldo, 350 from AER (250 delivered), 150 from Bauchiero, and 300 from Savoia (70 delivered).[2]

The Prototype SVA first few in March 1917, and while it lacked the maneuverability of a contemporary fighter, its speed made for an excellent fast reconnaissance machine. After extensive testing, the type went into production in the autumn of 1917, and by then end of the year 65 had been built. It began service in February 1918.[4]

While the SVAs did not fulfill their projected mission as a fighter, they found a niche as high-speed reconnaissance, interception, and long-range bombing. Only 87ª Squadriglia was fully equipped with SVAs; the rest were dribbled out in ones and twos to various units. In the last months of the war several SVA units were just getting their start, and they saw little to no action before war's end.[5]

There were several variants on the SVA theme, the most famous of which are the single-seat SVA5 (and its variants), the SVA9 two-seat trainer, and the SVA10 two-seat reconnaissance machine. The data is sketchy but Alegi makes a stab at it in Ansaldo S.V.A.5:

SVA Aircraft[6]
PlaneDescription
SVOriginal prototype
SVA1Original prototype, renamed
SVA2Maybe the 1917 pre-production batch?[6] Or perhaps the "Ridotto" reduced wing unarmed fighter trainer?[7]
SVA3Single-seat defense version with smaller wingspan and wing-mounted Fiat MG.[6]
Or the AER-built interceptor with "Ridotto" smaller wing and SPA6A engine.[7]
SVA4Single-seat recon version. Two side-mounted Vickers, two cameras. Enlarged wing.[6][7]
SVA5Single-seat recon & bombing. Two side-mounted Vickers, two cameras, six 162mm bombs.[6][7]
SVA6Single-seat recon. Wing mounted Fiat MG. Two cameras.[6][7]
SVA7Single-seat recon & bombing. Wing-mounted Fiat MG. 6[6]-8[7]× 162mm bombs
SVA8Single-seat armored ground attack plane. Post-war?[6][7]
SVA9Two-seat trainer that also saw some operational use.
SVA10Two-seat recon.
ISVAFloatplane version.

For more information, see Wikipedia:Ansaldo SVA.

References

Citations
  1. Alegi, p.1.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Davilla Italian Vol.2, pp.40-80.
  3. Lamberton, p.162.
  4. Cattaneo'66, pp.3-5.
  5. Davilla Italian Vol.2, pp.42-46.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Alegi, p.36.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Davilla Italian Vol.2, p.41.
Bibliography
  • Gregory Alegi, Windsock Datafile 40: Ansaldo SVA 5. Great Britain, Albatros Publications Ltd., 1993. ISBN 0-948414-50-2
  • Gianni Cattaneo, Profile Publications 61: The S.V.A. (Ansaldo) Scouts. Great Britain: Profile Publications, Ltd., 1966.
  • James Davilla, MD, Italian Aviation in the First World War, Volume 2, Aircraft A-H. USA: Aeronaut Books, 2023. ISBN 978-1-953201-80-5
  • W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Reconnaissance & Bomber Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Ltd., 1962. ISBN 9780900435027
  • Kenneth Munson, Bombers: Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft, 1914-1919. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1968, Blandford Press Ltd. ISBN 978-0753721711