First picture of Balbo ' s transatlantic plane in flight . This is the first picture to be received in London of the plane in which General Balbo , the Italian Air Minister , will lead the two squadrons , consisting of 24 machines , in the great transatlantic flight to Chicago and back . The machine is a Savoia-Marchetti SM.55X flying boat a huge seaplane with two three bladed propellers . General Balbo ' s transatlantic seaplane landed on water 17 June 1933