Savoia-Marchetti S.56

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The Savoia-Marchetti S.56 is an Italian single‑engine biplane flying boat used for training and touring. Built by Savoia-Marchetti and designed by Alessandro Marchetti, it has wooden construction and unequal wings, with the upper wing larger than the lower. The instructor and student sit side by side in separate cockpits with dual controls, and there is a third cockpit placed aft. It was powered by a 52 kW (70 hp) Anzani engine.

The S.56A version has a longer wingspan and a 60 kW (80 hp) Anzani engine, and could be made into an amphibian with manually retractable landing gear. Private owners and flying clubs bought at least 12; the Regia Aeronautica operated four with different engines, including FIAT A.53 (96 kW), FIAT A.54 (101 kW), and Walter Venus radial engines, among others.

The S.56A was popular in the United States, where the American Aeronautical Corporation licensed production in 1929. They used 67 kW (90 hp) Kinner K5 radial engines for three two-seat aircraft and over 40 three-seat models. In 1930 the S.56B used a 93 kW (125 hp) Kinner B-5 and had an enclosed cockpit. One S.56 was converted to a single-seater with extra fuel tanks for a round‑the‑world attempt by Smith Reynolds, known as the S.56C.

In 1931 the Budd Company built an all‑metal version called the Budd BB-1 Pioneer. About 70 S.56s were built in total. The program’s introduction was in 1927, with the first flight in 1924.