WesWorld

Types in Service;

IMAM Ro.1
Licence built Fokker C.V reconnaissance biplane. Saw good service and continues in 2nd line roles of rec and communications.

Savoia-Marchetti S.55
Flying boat. The S.55 has a very unusual twin-hulled monoplane layout, with tandem engines on a central pylon, and tail surfaces supported by tubular struts. The cockpit is in the thick centre section of the wing. Despite initial skepticism, the navy bought 170. Italo Balbo made the S.55 famous with long-distance formation flights to Rividavia and Chicago.

Fiat BR.2
A large biplane light bomber. Really too large and heavy. 100 were constructed in the early 20s.

IMAM Ro.20
First naval torpedo bomber. Essentially a trial aircraft, the lessons learnt were incorporated into the Ro.21


IMAM Ro.21
Carrierborne torpedo bomber. A larger and more powerful design than the previous Ro.20. Speed, range and lift improved considerably. Pilots praise the handling qualities. A very robust design that is well liked. About 200 were produced between 1929 and 1931.

Savoia Marchetti SM.79
Monoplane medium bomber and torpedo bomber. First flight in 1932. Very modern in comparison to the older Caproni types it replaced. Tubular steel frame and covered in duralumin and fabric. Torpedo bomber versions omit the ventral gondola. 400 examples were ordered by the Regia Aeronautica in 1932. All were delivered by 1935. Siam purchased a small number of examples.

Breda Ba.64/65
Single-seat multirole aircraft. Initially designed to be a fighter bomber, the fighter qualities of the aircraft were found to be distinctly lacking. The 50 examples ordered were reassigned to army-cooperation roles as attack aircraft which they are eminently suited for.

Magni-Jona J.10bis
An aircraft continuing the tradition of innovation from Magni. The novel arrangment was tested in the wind tunnel at Guidonia and found to be satisfactory. 3 prototypes were ordered and delivered in 1934. The J.10 version had a radial A.80 engine and an Asso XI engine. Performance on trials was dissapointing. The aircraft was underpowered. The J.10bis version was constructed in July 34 and used two 1400hp W1518 engines. The test reports were much better and this version was ordered into production. SuperAero ordered 240 as light/medium bombers in 1934.

Breda Ba.67

Following on from the Breda Ba.64/65 series of attack aircraft the Ba.67 builds on the combat experience gained in South America along with the newer generation of materials and construction techniques. It is a cantilever mid-wing monoplane, the wing position being moved up to accomodate a larger internal bay. The basic structure of the fuselage and wing is of chrome-molybdenum steel alloy tubing, covered with duralumin sheet. The wing incorporates Handley-Page leading edge slats and large double-slotted flaps. Large wheels and strengthened structure allow for carrier landings and operations off second line airfields. There is extensive armouring around the cockpit and underneath the engine.

The engine is the large Isotta-Fraschini W1518, this new model being modified to run at higher rpms and so produce more power. The engine mounting has been carefully designed so that it is plug-compatible with the Alfa-Romeo 135 radial, which is currently producing less pwoer, but for much less weight.

Two versions are planned, a single-seat and two-seater.

Caproni Ca.1000 Astore

The final winner of the requirement to replace current medium bomber types (SM.79 and SM.81) was an offering from the newly amalgamated Caproni company. The success of the SM.79 left a large hole in the Regia Aeronautica when the design began to date during the mid 1930s. Experience from Argentina indicated that the design would not be particularly survivable against newer fighter types. As a result, the Regia Aeronautica issued a requirement for a fast bomber to replace both the SM.79 and SM.81. The aircraft would be able to undertake traditional medium bomber tasks, tactical strike, and reconnaissance missions.

The winning design was from Caproni and was a twin engined aircraft, sleek in appearance, similar in size and weight to the SM.79. The advances in structure (all metal steel-aluminium alloy) and powerplant lead to significantly increased performance. The design began to be introduced in 1939 with Alfa-Romeo 135 RC.40 engines, which were replaced with higher power 136 RC.25 engines in the second series for low-level operations.

Type: Ro.1
Country: Italy
Function: Reconaissance
Year: 1926 Crew: 2 Engines: 1 * 420hp Bristol Jupiter
Wing Span: 12.50m Length: 9.55m Height: 3.50m Wing Area: 28.80m2
Empty Weight: 1420kg Max.Weight: 1915kg
Speed: 200km/h Ceiling: 7000m Range: 770km
Armament: 2*mg7.9mm 200kg

Type: S.55
Function: bomber / transport
Year: 1924 Crew: 2 Engines: 2 * 880hp Isotta Fraschini Asso 750
Speed: 280km/h Ceiling: 4200m Range: 3500km
Load: 4*mg 7.7mm 2000kg

Type: B.R.2
Function: bomber
Year: 1925 Crew: 2 Engines: 1 * 1090hp Fiat 25
Wing Span: 17.30m Length: 10.66m Height: 3.91m Wing Area: 70.22m2
Empty Weight: 1646kg Max.Weight: 4195kg
Speed: 240km/h Ceiling: 6250m Range: 1000km
Armament: 2*mg 7.7mm 720kg

Whilst not as capable as the Fiat BR.2, the Ro. 20 is considerably smaller and can still carry a 450mm torpedo.

Type: IMAM Ro. 20
Function: reconaissance
Year: 1928 Crew: 2 Engines: 1 * 540hp Alfa Romeo Mercury IVA
Wing Span: 13.67m Length: 11.2m Height: 3.91m Wing Area: 63.45m2
Empty Weight: 1930kg Max.Weight: 3359kg
Speed: 203km/h Ceiling: 3050m Range: 1705km
Armament: 2*mg7.7mm 690kg

Improvement over Ro.20 and BR.2 with more powerful and more reliable engine, longer range, increased payload and faster.

Type: IMAM Ro. 21
Function: reconaissance/strike
Year: 1931 Crew: 2 Engines: 1 * 960hp Isotta-Fraschini Asso 750
Wing Span: 12.2m Length: 10.6m Height: 3.91m Wing Area: 37.00m2
Empty Weight: 2617kg Max.Weight: 4318kg
Speed: 406km/h Ceiling: 9150m Combat Radius : 400m with 1000kg
Armament: 2*mg7.7mm 1000kg

Savoia Marchetti SM.79 "Gobbo"

Type: S.M.79 I
Function: bomber
Year: Crew: 4-5 Engines: 3 * 580kW Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34
Wing Span: 21.20m Length: 15.80m Height: 4.30m
Wing Area: 61.70m2
Empty Weight: 6800kg Max.Weight: 10480kg
Speed: 430km/h Ceiling: 6500m Range: 1900km
Armament: 3*mg12.7mm 1*mg7.7mm 1250kg

Starting to supply squadrons in Regia Aeronautica from 1932/33 replacing older Caproni types.



SM.79 in attack run just prior to sinking ANS Melampus. If...

Breda Ba.65

Monoplane ground-attack/strike aircraft. Small internal bomb bay. Some thought being given to carrier operation. Trials with torpedo carriage are needed.

60 ordered by Japan

Type: Ba.65 I
Function: attack
Year: 1933 Crew: 1 Engines: 1 * 1000hp Fiat A.80 RC 41
Wing Span: 12.10m Length: 9.30m Height: 3.20m Wing Area: 23.50m2
Empty Weight: 2400kg Max.Weight: 2950kg
Speed: 430km/h Ceiling: 6300m Range: 550km
Armament: 1000kg 2*mg12.7mm 2*mg7.7mm

Type: Jona J.10bis
Function: Medium Bomber/Torpedo Strike
Year: 1934 Crew: 2 Engines: 2 * 1400hp Isotta-Fraschini W1518
Wing Span: 16.10m Length: 12.16m Height: 3.70m Wing Area: 46.20m2
Empty Weight: 5230kg Max.Weight: 8180kg
Speed: 590km/h @ 4000m Ceiling: 10000m
Range: 2200km with 1000kg payload
Armament: 4*mg 7.7mm in wings

Breda Ba.67 Occhione

Function: Torpedo Strike Reconnaissance
Year: 1935 Crew: 2 Engines: 1 * 1700hp Alfa-Romeo 135 RC.40
Wing Span: 50ft Length: 37ft Height: 16ft Wing Area: 408sq ft
Empty Weight: 9047lb Max.Weight: 16060lb
Speed: 316mph @ 13000ft (Clean) Ceiling: 34,000ft
Range: 400m radius with 2000kg payload
Armament:4 x 11.35mm Madsen in wings, 1 x 11.35mm Madsen in rear cockpit

Caproni Ca.1001 Astore
Above: Serie I, Serie II, Serie II with gunpack

Serie I
Function: Bomber Strike Reconnaissance
Year: 1939 Crew: 3 Engines: 2 * 1700hp Alfa-Romeo 135 RC.40
Wing Span: 17.74m Length: 15.54m Height: 5.42m Wing Area: 45sq m
Empty Weight: 6388kg Max.Weight: 11900kg
Speed: 550km/h at 4000m Ceiling: 8500m
Range: 900km radius with 3000kg payload
Armament: 2x13.2mm Breda-SAFAT in remote controlled dorsal turret

Serie II
Function: Bomber Strike Reconnaissance
Year: 1940 Crew: 2 Engines: 2 * 1700hp Alfa-Romeo 135 RC.40
Wing Span: 17.74m Length: 15.54m Height: 5.42m Wing Area: 45sq m
Empty Weight: 6188kg Max.Weight: 11900kg
Speed: 600km/h at 4000m Ceiling: 11000m
Range: 950km radius with 3000kg payload
Armament: 1x13.2mm Breda-SAFAT in flexible dorsal mounting