Dalle Corse alla Caccia

[apophenia]

Dalle Corse alla Caccia -- From Racing to the Hunt

The Big Gimper started a WW2 catapult fighter version of the Macchi M.C.72 in styrene. Not sure if that was ever finished. http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=5196.0

Here's my pixel versions ...
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Macchi M.C.72M

The Macchi M.C.72M (versione Militare) was a militarized outgrowth of the Schneider Cup racer. But the M.C.72M was anything but a straightforward development of the racer. At Fiat, Tranquillo Zerbi (assisted by Antonio Fressa and Carlo Bona) had revised the racer's Fiat AS.6 (Aviazione Spinto 6) V-24 was re-divided into to two separate V-12 powerplants. In military service, the revised engine was designated Fiat A.28. For the M.C.72M, the engines were arranged before and aft of the cockpit for better weight distribution and acceptable visibility from the cockpit.

Another major change from the racer was the introduction of a new, cantilevered wing. Surface radiators in the wings augmented cooling panels in the floats. Compared with contemporary float fighters, the M.C.72M was large and ungainly ... but it was not intended for the fighter role. Instead, it would be a single-seat torpedo bomber depending for its survival on high speed in transit and egress.

The Regia Aeronautica was unconvinced of the M.C.72M's proposed operational scheme but, even if conceptually acceptable, its mechanical issues would likely have scuppered the prototype M.C.72M anyway.

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[apophenia]

Macchi M.C.72MS

The Macchi M.C.72MS (versione Militare Sperimentale) was based on an incomplete M.C.72 racer airframe. This aircraft was built to test Fressa and Bona's new Fiat A.31 V-16 engine. An outgrowth of the AS.6 racing engine, the much-lightened A.31 was reduced to two blocks of eight cylinders each.

The original M.C.72 cockpit position was pushed forward allowing a somewhat cramped second cockpit for an onboard engineer to monitor engine performance. The Fiat A.31 performed well but a loose fuel pipe resulted in a fire while taxiing in at Vigna di Valle. The M.C.72MS burnt out on the water but this testplane had already proven the viability of Fiat's 'double V-8' A.31 engine'.

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[apophenia]

Macchi M.C.172M

The Macchi M.C.172M was an attempt to develop a float fighter around Fiat's 'double V-8' engine in its separated A.34 form. In comparison with the M.C.72M, the smaller M.C.172M was considerably lighter and much more manoeuvrable. An engineering mockup was produced of the M.C.172M but the Regia Aeronautica showed no interest.

In 1937, the M.C.172M designation was revived. The airframe for this new float fighter -- the M.C.172M bis -- was generally similar to that of the original M.C.172M but the contentious 'double V-8' powerplant was replaced by a more conventional single-block engine in the nose. The Fiat A.38 was a V-16 but its rather lengthy evolution ruined any chance that the M.C.172M bis. By the time that the Fiat A.38 finally appeared (as an inverted V-16), the Macchi M.C.172M bis was long forgotten.

Work on the M.C.72M and M.C.172M was not wasted. Mario Castoldi rescaled the wing design (sans cooling coils) for his C.200 land fighter. And Castoldi got his heart's desire of not having to use a troublesome Fiat-designed engine in his future fighters 
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BTW, my whif Macchis are all based upon an excellent RW M.C.72 profile by Vincenzo Pulin.

[Acree]

They may not have been practical, but they sure were pretty!!

[Tophe]

What a family! Very beautiful! (especially the ones with an enclosed canopy)...

[apophenia]

Thanks folks 

[AXOR]

It is a real delight,Italian design is one of the best,excellent work!
I'm glad you joined the GB!

[Brian da Basher]

Those are some magnificent Macchi machinations!

It's impossible for me to pick a favorite, they're all pure eye candy!

Brian da Basher

[jcf]

Lovely.  :)

What's next?, a CS.15 on floats? 

[apophenia]

Thanks folks!

What's next?, a CS.15 on floats? 

Jon: Spooky! I was working on a whif involving Manlio Stiavelli and CMASA ... but not the CS.15. Instead, it was going to be another racer derivative. But it looked like what it was -- a scaled-up Fiat C.29 with the nose of a CR.32    Boring!

So, I decided to do something potentially 'buildable' in its place. And this is what I came up ...

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Idroplano da Caccia Sperimentale - the Reggiane Re.2100 'Squalo'

In late 1939, the Officine Meccaniche Reggiane SpA began considering a new float-fighter of more advanced concept than the Regia Aeronautica's in-service aircraft. Reggiane's Direttore Tecnico, Ing. Antonio Alessio, had just overseen work on the Re.2000 land fighter -- led by Ing. Roberto Longhi with assistance from Fidia Piattelli. Ten. Ing. Piattelli was then assigned the job of adapting the Re.2000 to the float-fighter role.

Perhaps influenced by his recent tours of US aviation firms, Piattelli rejected the common Italian practice to twin floats. Instead, he chose a single central float with a well-streamlined pylon. The smaller stabilizer floats were retractable in a manner similar to the contemporary US PBY flying boat. Using the third prototype Re.2000 airframe, this seaplane variant came together quickly. Completed in August 1940, the prototype Re.2100 was then transferred to another Caproni subsidiary, the Compania Aeronautica Bergamasca. The Re.2100 was assembled at Lake Iseo for flight trials. The new float-fighter -- designated Re.2100 [1] but nicknamed 'Squalo' -- performed flawlessly.

Designated Re.2100, [1] the new Reggiane was also much faster than the in-service float fighter. Indeed, it was noted that the Re.2100's cruising speed of 295 km/h was almost as fast as the IMAM Ro.44 biplane's top speed. An order for 25 Re.2100s was quickly placed on behalf of the Regia Aeronautica. These float-fighters were sent to Sicily where they joined a handful of Re.2000 in the Sezione Sperimentale Reggiane. Later becoming the 377a Squadriglia Autonoma Caccia Maritime, the Re.2100 unit was dispatched to Rhodes while a decision was made about replacing the shipboard Ro.44 biplanes.

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[1] Like CRDA Cant, Reggiane adopted a designation system based on product classes. All Re.10x series designations were for Reggiane aero-engine designs, Re.200x designations were for land-based aircraft, and Re.210x designations were for water-borne aircraft. Of the latter, only the Re.2100 flew. The Re.2103 was to be a reconnaissance floatplane based on the 2-seat Re.2003. However, Fidia Yaakov Piattelli was unable to complete his design once Italy succumbed to Nazi pressures for anti-Semitic 'race' restrictions.

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[Logan Hartke]

Very nice. Is that a Rufe float?

Cheers,

Logan

[GTX_Admin]

 :)

[Buzzbomb]

Working out nicely

[Brian da Basher]

Seriously looks like a "could've been".

Your work rendering the NMF is magnificent!

Brian da Basher

[apophenia]

Cheers folks 

Very nice. Is that a Rufe float?

Logan: Logan: Yes, that was my concession to potential 'buildability'. The central Rufe float is unmodified (as is the trolley). The floaty bit of the retractable tip floats are also from the Rufe (although something more Catalina-ish would maybe be more practical?).

Brian: Thanks. I was trying for the relatively dull NMF on the RW Re.2000 prototype.

[Logan Hartke]

I am very familiar with it from my own He 100 floatplane. The lines are etched in my brain.

Cheers,

Logan

[jcf]

Lovely.  :) 

So that A6M2-N float makes one wonder how it would look beneath a Gloster F.5/34 or Bristol 146. 

[AXOR]

Your work rendering the NMF is magnificent!

My thoughts exactly,great work again!

[apophenia]

Thanks folks

I am very familiar with it from my own He 100 floatplane. The lines are etched in my brain.

I know what you mean Logan. Your He 100 floatplane managed to be highly believable, very buildable looking, and an instant post-War Schneider Cup contestant with a simple coat of paint. Lovely 

Jon: Hmmm ... I think a Gloster F.5/34 Rufe might be the winner there. Nice!

[apophenia]

Ricognitore e osservatore -- The Reggiane RPN and OTN Projects

The Officine Meccaniche Reggiane SpA pursued on final float-based design after the 'removal' of Ten. Ing. Fidia Piattelli. Senior Designer Ing. Roberto Longhi saw the potential for developing a larger aircraft employing two sets of Re.2100 'Squalo' floats. This design was intended as a replacement for the Regia Marina's IMAM (Meridionali) Ro.43 catapult biplanes within the Squadriglie of the Forze Navali.

Longhi's concept was for a twin-engined aircraft with a fully-glazed nose for maximum visibility during reconnaissance and naval observation missions. Initially, the design had a single tail and rudder (Monoderiva). Later, at the instigation of Reggiane's Direttore Tecnico, Ing. Antonio Alessio, the design was offered with option twin tails (Doppia deriva).

The direct replacement for the Ro.43 was titled Ricognizione Biposto Navale. In the shipboard reconnaissance role, the pilot would perform flying and observer duties. The rear gunner would man the Caproni-Lanciani Delta turret. For the observation role, the same airframe would accommodate a crew of three including a dedicated observer in the nose with the pilot.

Once preliminary design was accomplished, the RPN/OTN scheme was forwarded to Reggiane's owner, the Officine Caproni at Taliedo. Head office was not pleased. It was agreed at head office that the more powerful Reggiane projects were direct competition for Taliedo's own Caproni Ca.316 prototype. As a result, Reggiane was instructed to abandon further work on their promising shipboard seaplane concept.

[GTX_Admin]

 :)

[AXOR]

Ohhh that shiny stressed skin....lovely!

[jcf]

 :) :) :) :)

[Acree]

 :)