Italian fighters rock (1 Viewer)

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Magister

Airman 1st Class
183
2
Dec 11, 2005
Cupertino, CA
Just thought I'd share that.

ZOE-38details.jpg


ZOE-34details.jpg
 
No, it goes B-29, B-1, Z.1007.

Id have a Fiat G.56 over anything...Im sure itd give a Dora a run for its money...

Or even an SAI 403. Lightweight, small engine, heavy armament, immense performance.
 
The SAI 403 was an excellent fighter! Too bad it was not more heavily produced.

Look at the Stats for it.

Type: S.A.I. 403
Function: fighter
Year: 1943
Crew: 1
Engines: 1 * 750hp Isotta-Fraschini R.C.21/60
Wing Span: 9.80m
Length: 8.20m
Height: 2.90m
Wing Area: 14.46m2

Empty Weight: 1983kg
Max.Weight: 2640kg

Speed: 648km/h (on a 750 hp engine!)

Ceiling: Range: 937km

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/kiwimac/WW2%20Ai
rcraft/Italian%20Aircraft/AmbrosiniSAI403.jpg
 
The engine of the MC72, theFiat AS6, was the union of two AS5, that were already used in the Macchi C52 and Fiat C29 in the 1929 edition of the Schneider Cup.
Fiat_C.29_03.JPG

What's impressive of the AS-5 is not his power (1600 hp at 3500 rpm at the maximum), but it's measures, it displaced only 25 litres and weight 460 Kg (For comparison, the DB 605 displaced 35.7 litres and weight 745 kg). But this refinement is also it's limit. Think to use this engine into a WWII fighter is like to use a F1 engine to move a tank (mainly cause engines of italian fighters had to use an higly corrosive 87 octane fuel).
In fact, when Fiat decided to design an engine for the G55 (the unfortunate AS38) whose project was ready from 1939, they didn't start from the AS-5, but tried to do a completely new project.

The sturdier Isotta Fraschini engines were better for daily use.
At the 1929 edition of the Schneider Cup, the M-67 mounted an Isotta fraschini Asso 1000, that displaced 57 litres, and was capable of 1800 hp with a certain reliability and 2300 hp without it.
DSC05589.jpg

DSC06641.jpg

DSC06648.jpg

(in the third photo you can see both Asso 1000 and AS-6)
With the M-67, Mario de Bernardi was the first man flying faster than 500 Km/h
The Asso 1000 was the first of several good engines (of which I have already said in the "italian bombers" thread), and, ten years later, it was capable to develop 2000 hp continuously, but Regia Aeronautica requires radials, so, it was used as a naval engine.

DogW
 
Nice pics. I am not a fan of Italian Fighters but those are some good pics. I too would take a Spit or a Fw-190D over an Italian fighter anyday.
 

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