THE JET AGE RESERVE COLLECTION

ITALIAN AIRCRAFT AT DISPERSAL

As the 150mm depth of the shelves precluded most 1/72 scale twin (and larger single) engined aircraft, the opportunity was taken to field some of the small models that have had little or no public airing since the Jet Age Museum left Staverton in 2000.

For an overview of the Jet Age Reserve Model Collection aircraft at dispersal and in-depth discussion of some of the American built aircraft involved click on the picture above.

The Fiat G50 Freccia (Arrow) was Italy’s first all-metal monoplane fighter. As was the unfortunate case with many Italian fighters, it was underpowered and under-gunned. Designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli of the Fiat Company, it was a modern enough machine, with features like retractable landing gear and an enclosed cockpit. However, it had limited weaponry which made its usefulness questionable.

In 1938, twelve G50 were sent to fight in the Spanish Civil War. Pilots found it to be a manoeuverable aircraft but disliked the canopy and so it was removed in successive models. The G 50 went into regular service with the Italian Regia Aeronautica as well as the Finnish air force in 1939. Italian production was slow however, and by the time Italy entered the war in June of 1940 only 97 Freccia – or Arrows – were combat ready. Total production amounted to 774 Freccias.

When compared to the Me 109s of their German allies or the Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes of the RAF, the Fiat G50 Freccia was outclassed. In fact, when they were deployed as a token presence in the Battle of Britain it was common for pilots of G50s to avoid direct combat whenever possible.

Strangely, the Fiat G50 Freccia design was kept and some improvements added – a larger fuel tank, re-designed tail and attachable bomb-rack – for a new version called the Fiat G 50 Bis. Ground-attack became a more important function but the overall performance of the plane was not greatly changed.

Freccias were used to mediocre effect in campaigns over Greece and North Africa and were decommissioned almost immediately after Italy surrendered. Finland, surprisingly, was able to squeeze value out of the G 50, using it to good effect against the Soviet Union. It remained in front-line service until 1947.

The Macchi C.200 Saetta (Thunderbolt) was built by Aeronautica Macchi. Following the end of Italy's campaigns in East Africa, a program was started to completely re-equip the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force) with a new modern interceptor.

The specifications initially called for an aircraft powered by a single radial engine, with a flight endurance of one hour and armed with a single (later increased to two) 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine gun.

Macchi's lead designer was Mario Castoldi, the creator of several racing aircraft which competed for the Schneider Trophy, including his Macchi M.39 which won the competition in 1926. He also designed the Macchi MC 72 which set a still-extant world speed record for seaplanes in 1934.

For the new post-Abyssinia fighter, Castoldi proposed a modern all-metal cantilever low-wing monoplane, with retractable landing, and an enclosed cockpit. The fuselage was of semi-monocoque construction, with self-sealing fuel tanks under the pilot's seat, and in the centre section of the wing. The distinctive "hump" elevated the cockpit to provide the pilot with an unobstructed view over the engine. The wing had an advanced system whereby the hydraulically-actuated flaps were interconnected with the ailerons, so that when the flaps were lowered the ailerons drooped as well.

Power was provided by the 870 hp (650 kW) Fiat A74 radial engine, although Castoldi preferred inline engines, and had used them in all of his previous designs. However Italian industrial leaders had been instructed to concentrate solely on radials due to their better reliability.

The first prototype C.200 flew on 24 december 1937. It was followed by the second prototype early the following year. During testing, the aircraft attained 805 km/h (435 knots, 500 mph) in a dive, although it could muster only 500 km/h (270 knots, 310 mph) in level flight due to a lack of engine power. Nevertheless, this was better than the performance of the competing Fiat G.50, Reggiane Re 2000, AUT 18, IMAM Ro 51, and Caproni Vizzola F5. In 1938 the C.200 won the competition, and an initial order for 99 was placed. The G.50 was also placed in limited production, because it could be brought into service earlier. Early production C.200 aircraft showed control problems in slow-speed maneuvers and the wings were subsequently modified by Sergio Stefanutti, chief designer of SAI Ambrosini.

The C.200 began to enter service in October 1939, by which time it had been given the name Saetta (Lightning). When Italy entered the war 10 June 1940, 156 had been delivered and some were already in front line squadrons. Although the first 240 aircraft had fully-enclosed cockpits, the subsequent variants had open cockpits at the request of the Italian pilots.

The Macchi's introduction was not well received by pilots when in 1940, the first C.200 unit, 4 Stormo stationed in North Africa, discharged the type in favour of the C.R.42. The first combat missions were flown as escorts for Savoia-Marchetti SM 79 bombers attacking Malta in June 1940, where one C.200 was shot down by a Gloster Gladiator. By 1941, the Macchi C.200 had still not fully entered service with the result that the type did not see action in France, Africa or Britain.

The Saetta with its sturdy construction, and its agility permitted skilled pilots to effectively fight against more modern designs like the British Hawker Hurricane and the American Curtiss P-40. Its greatest weakness was the light armament of two 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns. Although possessing good flying qualities, initially the type suffered from poor landing characteristics, and at least two pilots died in these types of accident. Macchi responded with a redesigned wing from designer Stefanutti.

In facing its main foe, the Hawker Hurricane, the C.200 Saetta was well matched. While the Hurricane was faster at sea level (450 km/h vs the C.200's 430 km/h), the Saetta could reach more than 500 km/h at 4,500 m, although speed dropped off at altitude: 490 km/h at 6,000 m and 350 km/h at 7,000 m with a maximum ceiling of 8,800 m. Comparative speeds of the Hurricane Mk I was 505 km/h at 5,000 m and 528 km/h at 6,000 m. Over 5,000 m and at very low levels, only the huge Vokes (anti-sand) air filter fitted to the "tropical" variants slowed the Hurricane Mk II to Macchi levels. Although the Macchi C.200 was more agile than the Hurricane, it was lightly armed, its windshield and pilot's seat were not usually armoured nor was a radio normally fitted as standard, while its flight characteristics, even if better than the G.50, were not easily mastered by the average Italian pilot.

The C.200 subsequently saw action over Greece and Yugoslavia. Fitted with dust filters and designated C.200AS, Saettas saw extensive use in North Africa. A number were also involved in operations on the Eastern Front during 1941-2 where, together with C.202s, they achieved a claimed 88 to 15 victory/ loss ratio.

In an attempt to improve performance, a C.201 prototype was created with a 1,000 hp (750 kW) Fiat A.76 engine, but this was abandoned in favour of the Daimler-Benz DB 601-powered C 202. The Saetta was to have been replaced outright by the C.202 after only one year in production, but the C.200's service life was extended because Alfa Romeo could not produce enough of the RA.1000 (license-built DB 601) engines, and more C.200s were built using C.202 parts while waiting for production to increase.

The most serious handicap was the low production rate of the type at over 22,000 hours in production time due to antiquated construction technology. A total of 1,153 Saettas was eventually produced, but almost all were gone by the time of the Armistice with Italy in September 1943. Twenty-three were transferred to Allied airfields in southern Italy, and flown for a short time by pilots of the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force.

Aeronautica Macchi S. p. A. designed and built the Folgore (Lightning), based on the earlier C.200 Saeta (Thunderbolt). To create the Folgore, Macchi's chief of design Mario Castoldi adapted the Saeta airframe around the German Daimler-Benz DB 601 liquid-cooled engine. Italy was a significant air-faring nation during the mid-1930s but its aviation industry began to lag late in the decade, particularly in engine development. No indigenous, in-line powerplant of sufficient power was available when the war started so early in 1940 Macchi had to import the German engine as a private venture. The results were impressive. Flat out, the Folgore was almost 97 kph (60 mph) faster than the Saeta's speed of 502 kph (312 mph).

The C.202 first flew in August 1940 and the RA initially deployed the aircraft during the summer of 1941 to the 1° Stormo C.T. for conversion training. By November 1941, this unit had transferred to Libya and engaged British forces shortly before the British blockaded Tobruk. Although it was available too late to affect the outcome in North Africa, the new Macchi C.202 proved clearly superior to both the American Curtiss P- 40 and the British Hawker Hurricane. The Italian fighter outperformed all opponents except Supermarine Spitfires and North American P-51 Mustangs. Folgore pilots lauded the fighter's finger-light handling and superb agility.

When supplies of DB 601 engines ran out, Alfa Romeo began building a copy, under license, called the R. A. 1000 R. C. 41 Monsonie (Monsoon) but initial production was slow. However, the need for aircraft was urgent so for a time that Macchi built the outdated C.200 alongside the C.202, but by late 1942, Folgores outnumbered all other fighter aircraft in the Regia Aeronautica. Folgore production totalled about 1,500 units, built from 1941 to 1943. Macchi built fewer than 400 but the Breda and S. A. I. Ambrosini firms manufactured the balance.

Chief designer Castoldi employed a unique method of counteracting the torque and P-factor (propeller factor) generated by the engine. These aerodynamic phenomena often cause airplanes to swing on take off, sometimes uncontrollably. Castoldi made the left wing 210 mm (8 3/8") longer than the right wing. The larger wing created more lift which tended to roll the fighter right, opposing and thereby counteracting the torque and P-factor.

The Germans operated the C.202 in limited numbers and after 1943 it appeared in the small Allied Co-Belligerent Air Force that operated continuously against the Axis from the Italian Armistice to V-E Day. Postwar Folgores, modified to accept the more powerful DB 605 engine and redesignated C.205 Veltros, last served in the Egyptian Air Force in 1949.