This is a 1:144 scale model of an Italian S.I.A. 7b two-seater. Since many painters choose their own mounting system, no peg is included on the plane. Pegs can be purchased separately in the Accessories section of this catalog.

The S.I.A. 7B was an Italian two-seater with an ignoble history due to frequent groundings and losses due to faulty construction. Società Italiana Aviazione (SIA) designed the plane as a replacement for the obsolete twin-boom pushers S.P.2 and S.P.3. Favorable tests in Spring 1917 convinced officials to order 500 7B's, and first deliveries commenced in August. Non-combat losses were frequent, however, and the type was grounded frequently, forcing the old SP's to soldier on past their intended lifespan. By June 1918 the SIA 7B was withdrawn from fighting duties altogether. It proved to be a fast and sturdy type when built properly, and much of its design was reused for the well-liked Fiat R.2. The 7B's checkered history led it to be largely overlooked in the history of Italian aviation.

Perhaps part of the problem was that the early SIA 7b tests showed great promise, but they were conducted under ideal conditions: gentle maneuvering at medium to high altitude. Such tests did not expose the deadly fault of the SIA 7b: under the high stress of combat, it tended to shed its wings. Attempts at reinforcement and corrections were only partially successful, and other defects in workmanship exposed problems in quality control in the factories. All of these problems were exacerbated by the rush to get the SIA into the field to replace the archaic Savoia-Pomilios. With each failure, confidence in the type was further eroded, and by June of 1918 the type was withdrawn from service and disposed of.

For more data and gaming info on this plane, see https://linen.miraheze.org/wiki/S.I.A._7b.