105. SIA 7b

THE Societa Italiana Aviazione was a subsudiary of the famous Fiat company and the 7B was one of their first designs   built in large numbers, yet it was a  flawed design was not a success in the field. This Italian two-seater is meticulously  covered by aero historian  Gregory Alegi who relates its turbulent history with aplomb and over 78 rare archive photos. The narrative covers the SIA 7B2 and Fiat R.2 as well as recounting the aeroplanes'  mixed fortunes within Italian and American service; detailed scale drawings from Martin Digmayer cover not only the SIA 7B2 but  also the 7B1 trainer variant in 1:48 and 1:72. There are detailed colours and markings notes as well as exhaustive appendices and three rear cover colour profiles depicting a pair of Italian examples and an American 7B1 by Bob Pearson.(First published on 30 May 2004)