Talk:Savoia-Marchetti SM.78

SM78 or S.78
Is the correct designation for this aircraft the S.78 or the SM.78 - although the references I have don;t say a lot about this aircraft, they do suggest that it was designated the S.78 rather than the S.M.78. The reason why I'm not sure - although it may have something to do with the fact that it is earlier in design.Nigel Ish 20:16, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

There is the possibility to use both (not toghever). I rate better SM.78 because effectively the criteria adopted afther 1938 are factory-projectist: factory is Savoia-Marchetti Marchetti is the designer. But for semplicity often this old aircrafts are called S.-

In every case, until 1938 the standard was call them S. because the builder was SIAI. But after they were called generally SM. even if born before. So it's generally considered that atleast machines built after were called so, SM. For the machines made before, sometimes are called S. and sometimes SM. but only after 1938.

It's rougly like the change in designation made by USAF, F insthead of P. Because the use of, let's say, P-51 was made mainly before, then it still called P-51 in the most cases and not F-51.

But who remembers that F-80 and T-33 were origially called P-80? Nobody, because they were used mainly after the change of the name. So S or SM. are, for the machines still in service after 1938, good enough, fro earlier machines, 'S' and for those made after, or with service performed mainly after that date essentially they are called S.M.--Stefanomencarelli 14:19, 28 August 2007 (UTC)