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Smokey Stover
Banned
Not many of you probably knew that this little fighter was operational during
WWII
The Ro.57 was preceded by another twin engine fighter design, the Ro.53, which never entered production. The Ro.57 consisted of an all metal, semi-monocoque fuselage with a steel skeleton and Duralumin structure. The wings were also Duralumin.
Powered by two 840 hp Fiat A.74 radial engines giving a maximum speed of 516 km/h, which in 1939 was better than that of the main Italian fighter, the Macchi C.200 (504 km/h). After testing at Guidonia it was proposed by IMAM for use as a dive bomber. This transformation, which involved the addition of dive brakes, provision for 500 kg bombs and an improved forward firing armament (adding two 20 mm cannon)[2], took time and delayed production. The resulting aircraft was designated the Ro.57bis. Performance dropped to 457 km/h maximum speed and to 350 km/h at cruise speed. The Ro.57bis was ordered into production in 1942 and entered service with the 97? Gruppo in 1943. About 50-60 aircraft were delivered.[3]
It is said that the Ro.57 could had been the long range interceptor that Italy lacked throughout the war. It proved to be too costly for the limited weapons it carried and it never was assigned a clear role
Two hundred aircraft were ordered, but only about 75 were produced in two versions, one flown as an interceptor, the other in the role of a ground attack aircraft.
General characteristics
Crew: One
Length: 8.80 m (28 ft 10½ in)
Wingspan: 12.50 m (41 ft 0 in)
Height: 2.90 m (9 ft 6â…› in)
Wing area: 23.0 m² (248 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,497 kg (7,694 lb)
Loaded weight: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb)
Powerplant: 2× Fiat A.74 R.C.38 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engines, 627 kW (840 hp) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 501 km/h (270 kts, 311 mph) at 5,000 m (16,400 ft)
Cruise speed: 390 km/h (210 kts, 242 mph)
Range: 1,200 km (648 nm, 745 mi)
Service ceiling 7,800 m (25,590 ft)
Wing loading: 217 kg/m² (44.4 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.25 kW/kg (0.15 hp/lb)
Climb to 6,000 m (19,700 ft): 9 min 30 sec
WWII
The Ro.57 was preceded by another twin engine fighter design, the Ro.53, which never entered production. The Ro.57 consisted of an all metal, semi-monocoque fuselage with a steel skeleton and Duralumin structure. The wings were also Duralumin.
Powered by two 840 hp Fiat A.74 radial engines giving a maximum speed of 516 km/h, which in 1939 was better than that of the main Italian fighter, the Macchi C.200 (504 km/h). After testing at Guidonia it was proposed by IMAM for use as a dive bomber. This transformation, which involved the addition of dive brakes, provision for 500 kg bombs and an improved forward firing armament (adding two 20 mm cannon)[2], took time and delayed production. The resulting aircraft was designated the Ro.57bis. Performance dropped to 457 km/h maximum speed and to 350 km/h at cruise speed. The Ro.57bis was ordered into production in 1942 and entered service with the 97? Gruppo in 1943. About 50-60 aircraft were delivered.[3]
It is said that the Ro.57 could had been the long range interceptor that Italy lacked throughout the war. It proved to be too costly for the limited weapons it carried and it never was assigned a clear role
Two hundred aircraft were ordered, but only about 75 were produced in two versions, one flown as an interceptor, the other in the role of a ground attack aircraft.
General characteristics
Crew: One
Length: 8.80 m (28 ft 10½ in)
Wingspan: 12.50 m (41 ft 0 in)
Height: 2.90 m (9 ft 6â…› in)
Wing area: 23.0 m² (248 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,497 kg (7,694 lb)
Loaded weight: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb)
Powerplant: 2× Fiat A.74 R.C.38 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engines, 627 kW (840 hp) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 501 km/h (270 kts, 311 mph) at 5,000 m (16,400 ft)
Cruise speed: 390 km/h (210 kts, 242 mph)
Range: 1,200 km (648 nm, 745 mi)
Service ceiling 7,800 m (25,590 ft)
Wing loading: 217 kg/m² (44.4 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.25 kW/kg (0.15 hp/lb)
Climb to 6,000 m (19,700 ft): 9 min 30 sec
