Italian fighters "Serie"
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Generally Italian aeroplanes had the name from the Firm name, say ( Macchi, or M) the initial of the Designer (C for Mario Castoldi, designer of Macchi or G for Gabrielli, designer of Fiat, Z for Zappata, a Breda designer, M for Marchetti of Savoia-Marchetti) and a serial design number.
But not always, as Re 2000, Re 2005 etc. did not have the initials of the designer(s).
Macchi from 200 to 206 were, for example:
Macchi M.C.200 Saetta - Attack and fighter low-wing aeroplane. Single-seat, single Fiat A.74 engine. Nearly 400 completed and saw service 1939-1947. (1939)
Macchi M.C.201 - Fighter design modelled on the M.C.200. Fiat A.76 engine. (1940)
Macchi M.C.202 Folgore - Sleek low-wing fighter. Nearly 400 examples produced. Most fitted with Alfa Romeo engines, first example had a Daimler-Benz DB601 engine. (1941)
Macchi M.C.203 - A twin engined reconnaissance-bomber floatplane project.
Macchi M.C.204 - Monoplane project based on the M.C.202 with the installation of an engine by Isotta-Fraschini.
Macchi M.C.205 Veltro - Low-wing fighter or fighter bomber. Prototype first flew on 19 April 1942. (1942)
Macchi M.C.205 N/1 - Low-wing fighter prototype first flew on 1 November 1942 with a Daimler-Benz DB605 powerplant. (1942)
Macchi M.C.205 N/2 - Low-wing fighter prototype first flew on 19 May 1943. Differed to the N/1 in armament configuration. (1942)
Macchi M.C.206 - Land-based fighter project. A follow-on design from the M.C.205 project, powered by a Daimler-Benz DB.603 engine. (1944)
They were called unofficially "Serie 5" as all the three fighters were fitted with DB 605 engines, but Fiat G 56, Macchi MC 206 and Reggiane 2006 were not fitted with a DB 606 engine but with a DB603...
Ohh dear....
But not always, as Re 2000, Re 2005 etc. did not have the initials of the designer(s).
Macchi from 200 to 206 were, for example:
Macchi M.C.200 Saetta - Attack and fighter low-wing aeroplane. Single-seat, single Fiat A.74 engine. Nearly 400 completed and saw service 1939-1947. (1939)
Macchi M.C.201 - Fighter design modelled on the M.C.200. Fiat A.76 engine. (1940)
Macchi M.C.202 Folgore - Sleek low-wing fighter. Nearly 400 examples produced. Most fitted with Alfa Romeo engines, first example had a Daimler-Benz DB601 engine. (1941)
Macchi M.C.203 - A twin engined reconnaissance-bomber floatplane project.
Macchi M.C.204 - Monoplane project based on the M.C.202 with the installation of an engine by Isotta-Fraschini.
Macchi M.C.205 Veltro - Low-wing fighter or fighter bomber. Prototype first flew on 19 April 1942. (1942)
Macchi M.C.205 N/1 - Low-wing fighter prototype first flew on 1 November 1942 with a Daimler-Benz DB605 powerplant. (1942)
Macchi M.C.205 N/2 - Low-wing fighter prototype first flew on 19 May 1943. Differed to the N/1 in armament configuration. (1942)
Macchi M.C.206 - Land-based fighter project. A follow-on design from the M.C.205 project, powered by a Daimler-Benz DB.603 engine. (1944)
They were called unofficially "Serie 5" as all the three fighters were fitted with DB 605 engines, but Fiat G 56, Macchi MC 206 and Reggiane 2006 were not fitted with a DB 606 engine but with a DB603...
Ohh dear....
GregP
Major
The approach to Italian aircrarft naming and series has always been a bit baffling to me, but not the planes themselves. I really love some of the Italian designs. The complexity of some designs kept numbers low.
You could build a Bf 109 in about 4,000 man-hours. But the Re.2005 or M.C. 205 were in the 9,000 to 12,000+ man-hour range. Complex curves aren't easy to make or assemble in ALuminum alloy. With fewer factories and workers, the number of Italian planes was necessarily much lower ... though better looking. The Itlaians have a flair for aesthetic design if you ignore a few conspicuous exceptions and Breda in general.
I've seen a report from Italy after a U.S. test pilot flew an M.C 205. His remark was, "Gee, that's a honey of an airplane!"
You could build a Bf 109 in about 4,000 man-hours. But the Re.2005 or M.C. 205 were in the 9,000 to 12,000+ man-hour range. Complex curves aren't easy to make or assemble in ALuminum alloy. With fewer factories and workers, the number of Italian planes was necessarily much lower ... though better looking. The Itlaians have a flair for aesthetic design if you ignore a few conspicuous exceptions and Breda in general.
I've seen a report from Italy after a U.S. test pilot flew an M.C 205. His remark was, "Gee, that's a honey of an airplane!"
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bobbysocks
Chief Master Sergeant
from what i understand the 200 had one wing ~ 9 (?) inches longer to compensate for engine torque.
Numbers
If someone is interested, I can post all the various M.M. (Matricola Militare) that went out from the various factories. My fault for not having specified.
Wing
The MC 205 wing was basically the original dell'MC.202 with two machine guns SAFAT 7,7mm installed. The wing had the characteristic design tapered in plan with rounded ends, and was made by two asymmetrical half-wings to counteract the torque of the propeller. The right wingtip had a span of 4,32m, chord of 1,17m at the tip and a weight of approximately kg 168, while the left measured 4,52m, with 1,16 m of chord end and weighed 185 kg. The construction was very simple and consisted in the two wing panels combined with a central part integral with the fuselage. The construction was made by a metal lattice with two longerons connected by 54 ribs. The ailerons were also a metal structure covered with fabric. On the trailing edge flaps were installed, splitted in four sections. "
Handling
and by far the MC 205, having practically the same wing platform of the Macchi C200, but with a much heavier wing load, was considered among the "Serie 5" the most difficult to handle.
For the numbers, the bottleneck was not particularly in the difficulty of the construction, that of course did not facilitate at all, but mostly in the extremely short supply of the engines: after the war a certain number both of MC 205 and Fiat G 55 were assembled from parts built during the war.
Exactly, these numbers are taken from an history of the Aeronautica Macchi (Aermacchi after the war) that of course show only the numbers of the machines that went out from their own factories.
If someone is interested, I can post all the various M.M. (Matricola Militare) that went out from the various factories. My fault for not having specified.
Wing
The MC 205 wing was basically the original dell'MC.202 with two machine guns SAFAT 7,7mm installed. The wing had the characteristic design tapered in plan with rounded ends, and was made by two asymmetrical half-wings to counteract the torque of the propeller. The right wingtip had a span of 4,32m, chord of 1,17m at the tip and a weight of approximately kg 168, while the left measured 4,52m, with 1,16 m of chord end and weighed 185 kg. The construction was very simple and consisted in the two wing panels combined with a central part integral with the fuselage. The construction was made by a metal lattice with two longerons connected by 54 ribs. The ailerons were also a metal structure covered with fabric. On the trailing edge flaps were installed, splitted in four sections. "
Handling
and by far the MC 205, having practically the same wing platform of the Macchi C200, but with a much heavier wing load, was considered among the "Serie 5" the most difficult to handle.
For the numbers, the bottleneck was not particularly in the difficulty of the construction, that of course did not facilitate at all, but mostly in the extremely short supply of the engines: after the war a certain number both of MC 205 and Fiat G 55 were assembled from parts built during the war.
