Recent content by teiresiasx

Yes. According to Ali d'Italia n. 2, Aer.Macchi C.202, pag. 4, "the MC.202 was initially equipped with German-built DB.601A-1 engines which, when Alfa Romeo completed its new factory in Pomigliano d'Arco (Naples), were later replaced by the Italian-built version called R.A. 1000RC.41" (it is...

According to Brotzu – Caso – Cosolo, Dimensione Cielo, Aerei Italiani nella Seconda Guerra Mondiale, vol. 3, Caccia Assalto, Rome, 1972, page 33 «*The DB's of the aircraft [i.e the bi-motor Ro. 58 at its maiden flight] are not those excellently license-built by Alfa Romeo and capable of...

Here's a list (of course I did not read all the books: it is a sort of personal wish-list!). I recommend the books marked with **: Galimberti is easy to read: it explains why Italy, like a bumble bee, should not be able to fly, but manages to fly nevertheless; Luciani has plenty of data and...

If you can read Italian, I could suggest a lot of books about the subject. In German, you could be interested in Rolf Petri, "Von der Autarkie zum Wirtschaftswunder: Wirtschaftspolitik und industrieller Wandel in Italien 1935-1963" (Max Niemayer Verlag, 2001). In English, besides Zamagni, you...

As I wrote, the majority of the books I deem interesting are sectoral. My minimal suggestions are the following: A) War-economy, industry etc.: Vera Zamagni "How to lose the war but win the peace", in "The Economics of World War II: Six Great Powers in International Comparison" Mark Harrison...

Introduction: defeat and humiliation 1. The last war of Fascist Italy 2. Society, politics, regime, industry 3. Men and machines: armed forces and modern war 4. Strategy 5. Operations 6. Tactics Conclusion: the weight of the past The book is quite agile (200 pages). It is a good introduction to...

According to MacGregor Knox (Hitler's Italian Allies, 2000, Chapter 2: Society, politics, regime, industry), even during the war the Fascism favoured the long-term investments in infrastructures, plants, heavy industry and autarchic production of synthetic commodities, a policy which was...

"Eventually" means "early Forties". The facilities were destroyed in 1943 and abandoned.

I am not a wind tunnels expert. The Polytechnic University of Turin inaugurated its own wind tunnel August 1918: at this university G. Gabrielli (the "father" of G 12, G 50, G 55, G 91, G 222) graduated July 1925. The wind tunnel in Guidonia existed since the Twenties, yet a futuristic wind...

As far as I know, Italy had a state-owned wind tunnel in Guidonia (picture here Guidonia (Roma): Storia, l'aeroporto Barbieri), while the first private-owned wind tunnel was built in 1928 by Piaggio in Finale Ligure: it was called "Hangar Sperimentale" ("Experimental Hangar") and nowadays it...

The speed performance of the Gloster (316 mph) seems too optimistic. With the same engine (Mercury IX) and despite being smaller and far lighter (4599 lb vs 5400), the Bristol 146 fighter could achieve a top speed of only 287 mph, which sounds reasonable to me...