When Cats Fly

17 December 2016     Editor    3 Comments.

GALLERY | Click images to enlarge

Continuing in the ‘Old School’ vein, here is the 1924 Savoia-Marchetti S.55 - a twin-hulled flying boat that set 14 world records for speed, payload, altitude and range. “The most incredible serial-built flying boat of the Interbellum.”

Designed by Alessandro Marchetti, the S.55 achieved great fame through spectacular long-distance flights: Lieut-Col the Marchese de Pinedo flew the Santa Mariafrom Sardinia to Buenos Aires and then through South America and the USA in 1927; later Brazilian, American and Russian crews achieved world headlines. The S.55 will be chiefly remembered, however, for the remarkable mass formation flights led by the famous Italo Balbo - which were dubbed the ‘Aerial Armada’ by the international press.

A fascist propaganda dream come true, the flying boats were undeniably capable, and well… catamarans. Flying catamarans!

Read more here, and here.

Thanks to the Multihulls Digest for the report.

 History