Italy's most successful wartime bomber; the S.79 was also the most produced; with around 1370 built between 1936 and early 1944. The Sparviero (Sparrowhawk) saw combat with the Regia Aeronautica in France; Yugoslavia; Greece; North Africa; East Africa and in the Mediterranean. Initially developed by Savoia-Marchetti as a transport; the aircraft had evolved into a dedicated medium bomber by the time the S.79-I made its combat debut with the Aviazione Legionaria in the Spanish Civil War in 1936. A robust bomber; the S.79 provided the striking power for most of Italy's aerial campaigns. A proven torpedo-bomber; the Sparviero also made a solid contribution to Italy's maritime war in the Mediterranean. Although initially hampered by poor tactics; the S.79 bomber crews nonetheless scored sunk a number of Allied vessels. Indeed; the Sparvieri bombers patrolled ceaselessly over the Mediterranean; providing a constant threat to Allied sailors in the early stages of the war. In East Africa and the Red Sea the Sparvieri were the most modern bombers in-theater; proving a challenge to RAF and SAAF biplane fighters. This proposed volume aims to chronicle the history of the S.79's war in the Mediterranean; North Africa; Greece; the Balkans and East Africa. S.79 bombers; in action from the first day of the war in the Mediterranean until late 1942; played their part in numerous actions; operating as both strategic and tactical bombers. From 1943 until war's end; the S.79 served as auxiliary and liaison transport aircraft. A small number continued to see action as bombers through to 1945; however; serving with the pro-German ANR in northern Italy.
#541409 in Books OSPREY PUBLISHING 2014-05-20 2014-05-20Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 250.19 x 6.73 x 7.28l; #File Name: 147280147496 pages9781472801470
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. A fine brief analysis of two bloody battlesBy Steven PetersonThe battles at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania were bloody affairs. The Army of the Potomac took more casualties--but also had more men to spare. Both U. S. Grant and Robert E. Lee were willing to slug it out in these two conflicts.This book does a nice job--with little space to describe matters in detail. The volume contains 93 pages of text; and whole books have been written in great detail about these battles separately.As with other works in the Osprey "Campaign" series; we have a standard template: brief introduction; a chronology; oppsoing commanders; the armies (with a detailed--and very helpful--order of battle for the Armies of the Potomac and of Northern Virginia); the opposing planes; the description of battle; the aftermath; and the state of the battlefield today. There are also maps; some of which are not ass illuminating as others.These battles represent U. S. Grant's first efforts against Lee. Grant showed a gumption and determination that other Union generals had not. Key leaders for the northern forces: U. S. Grant; George Meade; Winfield Scott Hancock; Ambrose Burnside; John Sedgwick;Gouverneur Warren; and Philip Sheridan. Each of these people would have major roles to play. Conferdderate leaders? Lee; of course. James Longstreet; who had one of his best days of the war at The Wilderness; Richard Ewell; A. P. Hill; Jeb Stuart; and John Gordon. The structure of the two armies is laid out on pages 13-18 (the Union forces) and the Army of Northern Virginia (pages 20-23.The next 60 pages outline the sanguinary struggles engaged in by both armies--and the highlights and lowlights of each. The aftermath of the battle is discussed; as is a brief depiction of the battlefields today (not in as bad a shape as some other major battlefields).All in all; a fine book for one so brief.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Grant moves southBy HMS WarspiteIn early 1864; President Abraham Lincoln summoned his most successful combat leader; Major General Ulysses Grant; to take command of the Union Armies. Grant chose to command from the field; traveling with the Meade's Army of Potomac. Meade was directed to move his army south; in an attempt to sidestep Confederate General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia on the way to Richmond. As events would prove; Lee would not be sidestepped on familiar ground. The ensuing clash of armies in the Wilderness and at Spotsylvania were the beginning of the long campaign that would end at Appomattox Court House in April 1865."Wilderness and Spotsylvania 1864" is the latest Osprey Campaign Series book on the Civil War; authored by Andy Nunez and illustrated by Peter Dennis. It follows the standard Osprey format; with an introduction of the opposing commanders; their armies; and their plans; followed by a fairly detailed narrative of the fighting. The text is nicely enhanced with a selection of maps; diagrams; period and modern photographs; and illustrations. Nunez does almost heroic work making sense of the confused and extremely bloody fighting; which he approaches in a chronological manner.The text suffers from some editing issues. It is a decent introduction to two complex battles and is recommended to the general reader.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Concise; Fairly Detailed SummaryBy oldAvnGood read. Does an excellent job of tying the two battles together. The price paid in human suffering during the American Civil War was horrendous.
