The Italian Air Force Museum
Vigna di Valle, Rome

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 'Canguru' (Kangaroo) was used as a transport and bomber. Having first flown in 1939 it remained in service till 1960. It was so named as it could carry dismantled fighters in its fuselage. Based on the civil version SM.75 'Marsupiale', 875 were built during the war, providing transport between Germany and East Africa. As a bomber, it carried out missions as far a field as Gibraltar and on an oil refinery in the Persian Gulf. It had a range of 1875 miles (3,000 Km). Around 250 survived to the end of the war, and were used by the 36^th Transport Wing based at Guidonia, till the types eventual withdrawal from service in 1960. The example on display was painted as 'MM61850' and coded '14' (it is really MM61187) for many years and carries markings of the 'Sovereign Order of Malta' on the fuselage. These markings were applied to avoid the aircraft's destruction, as part of the armistice treaty.