Typo man, i've tried the SM79 just few hours ago, and i've been KILLED ( while operating the dorsal machine gun ) by an AI hurricane with 12 .303 machineguns.
It is not impossible, it's just exremely difficult to do with .303.
Try with 12.7 or with a couple of cannons, and you will see the result.
Then try to do the same with an he 111, and you will realize that it's the .303 that has some problems!
The SM79 was heavy armoured for it's time, and the .303 was a poor machinegun, for it's time.
Both the engine and the fuel tank of SM79 was armoured and can withstand shots from .303.
As you know, there were stories about he111 returning home with 200 bullet holes, and a fact about a couple of SM79 retuning home in addis abeba, one of whitch with 800 bullet holes, after been attacked by two hurricanes and two gladiator ( altought the gladiator was quickly left behind ).
The Fiat BR20 ( a light bomber, of the same period of the SM79 and somewhat less capable ) has something like 158 kg of armpur around the fuel tanks, and can withstand shots from machineguns up to 12.7 mm.
Cimicchi, an italian bomber pilot, wrote that seldom italian bombers was shot down by english fighters, even if they were hit and returned to base with wounded and death on board and with many holes.
Simply, the .303 machinegun wasn't up to the task ( and that's because the hurricane, with a relative thick wing, rmounted 4 cannons quite easly, and the spitfire don't).
During the battle of britain, it was dicovered by the same britains that the 4 .303 wasn't as good as 2 cannons for taking down bombers.
That's the difference! Bombers are bigger and heavy armoured, fighters don't.
For dogfight, 2 12.7 machineguns wew almost as good as 8 .303 machineguns.
For Shooting down bombers, you need cannons ( that's why almost all late war fighters has cannons or, at least, 6 12.7 machineguns ).
By the way, there is still some debate about the 6 12.7 american style machineguns, as most expert says that that wasn't the best wapon choice ( some say that 4 12.7 and 1 20 mm was the best ).
These aren't my thoughts, but are the word of Michele M. Gaetani, writted on RID ( rivista italiana difesa ) of august 1996, with bibliography to support them.
As many before me has said to you, try to engage the sm79 from ahead, or try to shoot to the pilot, or the fuel tanks ( that, by the way, lose fuel when hit, even by .303, and i've seen it by myself ).
Or change weapons, as ALL the nation during ww2 has done.
For example, can you shoot down a B29 wit just machineguns? Or will you need some more firepower?
Not to mention the twin engine heavy fighter ...
Quote :"So Italy could have simply conquered all of the world till 1941, when actually Hurricane IIC appeared..."
That means, if i've understand correctly, that a plane very difficult to shoot down with a very inefficent weapon can bring a nation to victory regardless any other condition.
During the battle of britain in 1940, the need for a more powerful weapons has created the spitfire with 20 mm guns, that has entered in service in 1941.
Not the 1941 saw the entering in service of the cannon armed spitfire because someone has decided that 1941 it's the right year.
If the battle of britain was happened, for example, a year later, than the guns probably will be pushed in service one year later.
Every new weapon will be the best for only a limited amount of time, and after that, it will be surclassed by another weapon created just because of the first new weapon.
P.S. : I'm sorry for my english.