The Luftwaffe was impressed enough to equip one of their groups with the Veltro. With a top speed of some 640 km/h and equipped with a pair of 20 mm cannon as well as 12.7 mm Breda machine guns, the Macchi C.205 Veltro was highly respected by Allied and A Sharing 80% commonality with the MC.202, the C.205 was re-designed with a German Daimler-Benz DB605 RC58 engine and was planned to have an armament of two Mauser cannon in the wings. Epic Gamer. North American P-51D Mustang. Thus, the units started to convert to Fiat G.55 Centauro. The improvement was immediately noticeable. And of the 265 Veltro’s built, only 66 remained operational at the time of the armistice. As a bomber, the aircraft was very slow with a … Along with the Reggiane Re.2005 and Fiat G.55, the Macchi C.205 was one of the three "Serie 5" Italian fighters built around the powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine. and when two extra machine guns were fitted in the wings, it became the best Italian fighter of the war. The birth of the best Italian fighter plane of WW2, the Macchi C.205V Veltro was harassed by high authorities within the Italian Air Ministry who, for some reasons, preferred to support the all-new Fiat G.55 Centauro and Reggiane Re 2005 instead of moving ahead at a much faster pace with a natural development of an already well-established MC.202 Folgore. The Focke-Wulf FW-190 not only was a superb daytime fighter but was also used extensively as a night fighter, interceptor, and ground attack aircraft on the Eastern, Western, and Italian … The Focke-Wulf FW-190 was widely believed to be the best fighter aircraft of World War II. The Reggiane Re-2001 derived from the Re-2000. But Italian fighter pilots tended to be conservative and later production models had a semi-enclosed cockpit. On this first encounter two pilots were shot down in their C.205Vs; however on May 2 the pilot Fiorini managed to score the first Mustang victory. It had a retractable undercarriage, and an enclosed cockpit. In fact, the Macchi C.205V was designed to rectify a number of shortcomings which plagued its predecessor, principally its light armament. At its peak the Folgore equipped 19 gruppo, and it saw action from Stalingrad to Tobruk. However, nearly half of them were obsolescent bi-plane types, with fixed undercarriages such as the Fiat CR.32 and CR.42 Falcon, which has fought on the nationalist side during the Spanish civil war. a ham and pepperoni pizza. Lv 7. But by 1942 its moderate performance was proving totally inadequate and it was progressively used in the fighter / bomber role. This meant that the fighters were now within range of Spitfire IX and P-51 Mustangs. The plane was built by the company Aeronautica Macchi, which had been building planes since before WWI, and which built planes on its own and with the French company Nieuport during WWI. Aug 1, 2020 - Explore Hal Cohen's board "Macchi Fighters", followed by 963 people on Pinterest. Bortolani flew on a Macchi C.205, regarded as the best Italian aircraft of World War II, as part of his "Ace of Clubs" group. 3 Answers. The Re-2001 featured a 1175 hp Alfa Romeo engine. An all metal low-wing monoplane with retractable undercarriage and enclosed cockpit, it rapidly proved itself a through thoroughbred in terms of handling characteristics and agility. There was quite a lot wrong with the Me 262 when it was committed to action but most of this was due to the exigencies… It had a better roll rate than the Bf 109G as well as better turn, dive and climb. NOTE: VISITING THIS SITE WITH ENABLED AD BLOCKERS IS PROHIBITED ! The Macchi C.205 Veltro was an Italian World War II fighter aircraft built by the Aeronautica Macchi. Flag images indicative of country of origin and not necessarily the primary operator. Blackburn Botha is one of the rare aircraft in the history of aviation that has been replaced with an older version. The MC-200 also saw service in north Africa and on the southern flank in Russia. Most of these fought on alongside the Germans, with Italian air force units still loyal to the fascist cause. However, the Black Widow was worth it. 6 mins ago. It had a very small cockpit and no rear facing windows, which was very unusual for a reconnaissance plane. Despite a good record in the pre-war Schneider trophy races, Italian war planes, including bombers such as the Caproni 133, were almost universally fitted with underpowered radial engines when Italy entered the war in 1940. Towards the end of May 1944, units operating C.205V could not replace their losses anymore, as Macchi production lines at Vanese had been nearly wiped by USAAF bombing. Aug 29, 2020 - Explore Will Dougherty's board "Macchi Fighters - Italy WW2" on Pinterest. They turned better and had more range than the Veltro or anything in the Luftwaffe. Recognizing the superior qualities of the Messerschmitt 109, Macchi acquired an 1175 hp Daimler-Benz 601 liquid cooled inline engine, and fitted this to a modified Macchi C-200. Hurricane vs Spitfire: What is a Fighter? Over 1100 were built but the losses were heavy, and by the time of the armistice only 33 survived. Alongside the Fiat CR.42 biplane, the Macchi C-200 formed the backbone of the Italian Royal Air Force in 1940, and was soon involved escorting bombers in raids against the island fortress of Malta. There are a total of [ 32 ] WW2 Italian Fighter Aircraft entries in the Military Factory. The Fiat G-50 Freccia (arrow), was Italy first monoplane fighter of all metal construction. See more ideas about ww2 planes, wwii aircraft, ww2 aircraft. The birth of the best Italian fighter plane of WW2, the Macchi C.205V Veltro was harassed by high authorities within the Italian Air Ministry who, for some reasons, preferred to support the all-new Fiat G.55 Centauro and Reggiane Re 2005 instead of moving ahead at a much faster pace with a natural development of an already well-established MC.202 Folgore. For all its inadequacies the Macchi C-200 served the Italian Air Force well during the early period of the war. The Re-2005 was designed for the Daimler-Benz 605 engine. The only difference from the prototypes was in the installation of a Fiat-built DB605-engine. Copyright © 2006-2021 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - THE OPERATORS OF THIS SITE DISSOCIATE THEMSELVES FROM CONTENTS OF OTHER WEBSITES, WHICH ARE LINKED ON THESE PAGES. Production was further delayed due to the Regia Aeronautica demanding the fuel tanks would be incorporated into the wings. It could achieve a top speed of 399 miles an hour. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! The Messerschmitt Bf 109, officially shortened to Bf 109, was the iconic German fighter of WWII. Information on Italian aces is scanty at best and confusing at worst. European Theater, Early Period. This was driven by a license built version of the more powerful 1474 hp Daimler-Benz 605 engine. In mid-April the C205V-Gruppo was required to move south to Reggio Emilia. Users: Italy, Germany (only for training). It proved to be invaluable to the Allied Forces especially since the Mustang could outperform its opponents. But less were produced. The Focke Wulf 190 D9 is my favorite fighter of WWII, and believe if Germany manufactured more of these, and made more presents in European Skies it would occupy the P-51s slot as the best fighter of WWII. Powerful and fast, it’s one of WWII’s best naval fighters. In aerial fighting, the Veltro was proving to be a successful aircraft, chalking up an impressive tally – for example, on 2 August, six C.205V faced a much higher number of P-38 Lightning and P-40 fighters, shooting down five American aircraft for the loss of one Macchi. Focke-Wulf Fw-190. While armament was still restricted to a single pair of machine guns, firing from just behind the engine cowling through the propeller arm. one license-built Daimler-Benz DB605A-1 (called Fiat RA1050 RC58 Tifone) engine with 1,475 hp, 399 mph; 376 mph in 24,606 ft (642 km/hr; 605 km/hr in 7,500 m), 2 x 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns (400 rounds each), 2 x Mauser MG151/20 (720 rpm; velocity 1,920 ft.sec; 250 rounds each), Enemies claimed Destroyed in air by ANR January-August 1944. Early models had the standard Daimler-Benz engines, but later ones the slightly less powerful 1075 hp version, license-built by Alfa Romeo. 6 mins ago. The G.55 Centauro and Re.2005 Sagittario. Though the F4U Corsair could arguably be considered a superior fighter due to its greater speed and versatility, my vote would go to the Grumman F6F Hellcat. From its first appearance in the skies over the battlefields in 1944, the Yak-3 became a true headache for German pilots. It happened after a very brief war career that began in 1939 and lasted for only 18 months. It proved to have higher top speed and horsepower. Production kicked off with a mere trickle, the SMA insisting that the C.202 and obsolete C.200 production lines remain open in parallel with that new machine. The Bf 109 was flown by the three top-scoring German fighter aces of World War II, who claimed 928 victories among them. Focke-Wulf FW 190 D-9. No doubt many of you have seen Corky Meyer's article in Flight Journal about this subject. The Macchi C.202 Folgore (Italian "thunderbolt") was an Italian fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Macchi Aeronautica. Designed by Northrop, only around 700 were built, and at a cost of $190,000 per plane, they were among the most expensive American fighter plane of ww2. This prototype of the Macchi C-202 Folgore, first flew in August 1940. Dec 31, 2019 - Explore David Ledger's board "WW2 Planes", followed by 615 people on Pinterest. 0 0. While on patrol, the Gruppo had to taste bitter experience with the formidable P-51, which proved decidedly faster. This fighter aircraft is a WW2 Italian fighter Macchi C.202 Folgore. These continued in service as trainers until 1947. An argument could be made that the Bf 109 was the most successful fighter platform of the war. It later saw action in Albania and Greece, where it acquitted itself surprisingly well against British hurricanes. Serving in both WW2 and the Korean War, the Vought F4u Corsair is a three bladed, inverted gullwing machine of war. This was not a development of the Re-2002, but rather an entirely new design. In 1939, Italy had almost as many fighters as Britain and France combined. Answer Save. This list may not reflect recent changes ( learn more ). Powered by an original German engine, the first prototype flew for the first time on 19 April 1942. Immediate impressions were highly favorable, the aircraft appeared to perform much better than the C.202, and handled beautifully. The situation with the G-50 didn’t improve until the G-55 Centauro, fitted with a much more powerful inline engine and in service just before the armistice in September 1943. More than 100 MC-202 Folgore’s were produced and the aircraft was a great improvement over the MC-200, although in 1943 it was again outclassed by contemporary allied aircraft. The REggiane Re-2001 was considered equal to the Macchi C-202, but the Macchi was produced in larger numbers simply to being approved first by the Regia Aeronautica. Looking very similar to the G-50 but distinguishable by the streamlined faring over the cylinder heads, which reduced the frontal area of the engine cowling, the Macchi C-200 Saeta, or MC-200 was only marginally superior. Moreover, the 20 mm Mauser cannon was even harder to produce than the engines, and most of the first 100 examples had to be fitted with 7.7 mm machine guns similar those of the C.202. The Wing Roundel on this Regia Aeronautica’s aircraft is still visible after 70+ years at the bottom of the sea! This was still far below the monthly average of 50 C.202 being produced parallel. In fact, by April 19, they had claimed 18 Allied aircraft destroyed. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Today, most people view both the Hurricane and Spitfire as some of the best WWII-era fighter aircraft ever made. The ROV Hercules came across the remains of a downed aircraft in Sicily, Italy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Often incorrectly called the “Me 109,” the Bf-109 remains the most produced fighter aircraft in history and was one of the Luftwaffe’s air-to-air workhorses. The Focke-Wulf FW-190 was widely believed to be the best fighter aircraft of World War II. The Reggiane Re-2005 was described by the British as a superb, potent aeroplane. Michal Sychra. After that Italy was divided in two states, the Axis Italian Social Republic in the north and the Allied Italian kingdom in the south. The aircraft had its first combat mission on April 7 over Tunisia, when fighters from Pantelleria escorted naval and aerial convoys plying between Italy and North Africa. I like the medium altitude Veltro. The Zero was hardly the best plane they had in their fleet, that honor is reserved for a much more deadly plane … A total number of 237 Re-2001 were produced and the aircraft managed to hold its own against many of the Allied fighters and proved to be a major asset in the Royal Italian Air Force. Later, I have learned programming and the development of computer games, and finally with the Internet, also web design. The Yak-3 was evenly matched against the German Bf 109 and Fw 190 fighters, but sometimes could also perform the impossible. The type was also used as a shipping escort in the Mediterranean, fitted with drop tanks to extend its range. See more ideas about fighter, italian air force, ww2 aircraft. In the European Theater of Operations, early years, there were two … It was operated mainly by the Regia Aeronautica (RA; Royal (Italian) Air Force) in and around the Second World War. This was to be one of a pre-production batch of 100 examples. It was inferior at high altitude however. During the Allied invasion of Sicily the 51 Stormo, one of the elite fighter units of the RA, was heavily involved in defending Sardinia, bagging ten P-40s for the loss of three C.205 by the end of July. The role of WWII fighter aircraft differ greatly from modern fighter aircraft. They all had good rear view compared to the Bf 109 too. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Service debut of the C205s came in February 1943, when four examples joined the C.202’s of the 1 Stormo of the Regia Aeronautica at Sicily and Pantelleria, and by end of the March the number had risen to 21. In addition to being considered on of the finest axis fighter planes of ww2, it was also considered one of the best looking fighter planes of that time. Relevance. Macchi C205V Veltro 13 Sentinel At Sea. The Royal Italian Air Force ordered 750 Re-2005 in total, but only 48 were built. History, development, service, specifications, pictures and 3D model. Type: Italian single-seat fighter. Subscribe to our newsletter with the latest reports from the war diaries and about World War I & II. There were fighters, bombers, interceptors many of which were ignored by the popularity of the A6M Zero. Within a few seconds three Allied fighters went down, without losses by the Italians. As the war went on the FW-190 was manufactured in no fewer than 40 different models. According to aviation author David Mondey, the Folgore has been considered to be one of the best wartime fighters to serve in large numbers with the Regia Aeronautica. Delays in delivery of DB605-engines resulted in a month output of some nine or ten C.205 a month up to the end of 1942, and it was only in February of the following year that production doubled. Macchi promptly ordered more engines and began building them under license. Which is not to say that the 109 was the best fighter of the war, but that its design was the most solid and serviceable of WWII. Macchi C205V Veltro Type: Italian single-seat fighter. I like the rivals from Fiat and Regianne better because of their high altitude performance. Fiat CR 42 (there was many different planes from the same … As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The only Finnish-designed fighter of the war, the VL Myrsky is a lesser known World War II aircraft that perhaps deserves more fame than it gets. A list of aircraft used by Italy during World War II until its capitulation to the Allies in September 1943. and when two extra machine guns were fitted in the wings, it became the best Italian fighter of the war. For other countries see List of World War II aces by country. Types of Aircraft Icing and Its Effect on Your Aircraft. Macchi C.205V Veltro, the best Italian fighter plane of WW2. The Macchi C-202 entered in the summer of 1941, seeing its first action over Libya in November. However it came too late to stave off the Italian collapse. The first production machine was rolled out of the Macchi plant at Vanese in October 1942, barely six months after the type’s first flight. Macchi C.205V Veltro, the best Italian fighter plane of WW2. Supermarine Spitfire - Best British FighterOften misquoted as the aircraft that won the Battle of … One wig was longer than the other to help offset torque, but it still could auto-rotate if stalled in a hard turn. As with the G.50, the pilots disliked the enclosed canopy, and this too was replaced by a semi-enclosed canopy after the first couple of hundred aircraft had been built. The 190 is literally one of the best fighters of all time, no Allied plane that … The sizeable formation of B-17 Fortress were escorted by P-38 Lightnings. More than 100 MC-202 Folgore’s were produced and the aircraft was a great improvement over the MC-200, although in 1943 it was again outclassed by contemporary allied aircraft. Designed in 1936, the Saeta first flew in December the following year. I am a big fan of … Most of these planes were reconnaissance and reconnaissance float-planes built for the Italian Navy, but a small number also filled fighter roles. See more ideas about ww2 aircraft, italian air force, wwii aircraft. History, development, service, specifications, pictures and 3D model. Some state the FW 190 D-9 was superior even to the British spitfire. Related: World War II Aircraft. Its rugged construction and agile performance made it well liked by its pilots. It was not until the last few years that we have begun to see more light shed on the Italian Armed forces of the Second World War. Pages in category "World War II Italian fighter aircraft" The following 22 pages are in this category, out of 22 total. https://ww2-weapons.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Veltro_x264.mp4. What was the best Italian fighter aircraft of World War II? The fuselage was much the same as the Re-2000, some parts such as the tail were in fact identical. Your email address will not be published. In 1940 the Italian air force came to the belated conclusion that their fighters needed better performance than could be provided by the air cooled radial engines then in service. There was nothing available in the English language press about Italians planes, fighter pilots, and most everything Italian regarding WW2. Required fields are marked *. This … In one dog fight on 16th July 1944, 18 Yak-3s faced 24 German … This is a list of aces in World War II from Italy.A flying ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. Both countries had their own Air Force fitted with formerly used Italian aircraft … The lightest (over two tons) fighter aircraft of WWII, it had impressive characteristics of speed and maneuverability. Even by the standards of 1940, it was therefore both under-powered and under-gunned. As the war went on the FW-190 was manufactured in no fewer than 40 different models. Learn how your comment data is processed. The last Macchi C205V’s were out of service in mid-August 1944. And when Italy surrendered 10 weeks later, this figure had fallen to a mere 53. It’s the most celebrated US fighter plane during World War II. All information, figures, specifications and statistics used here had been compiled from a variety of sources and the large, over decades collected, library of the author about military history, WW2 and weapons. Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order (1-to-Z). The appearance of the new aircraft over France in 1941 was a rude surprise to the Allied air forces. Via Goodfon. But their radios were bad. The Macchi MC.205 is a development of the previous MC.202 Folgore, undoubtedly the best fighter plane used by the Italian Air Force during the 2nd World War. Its rugged construction and agile performance made it well liked by its pilots. Best Fighter of WWII - Criteria, by Greg_P . The C.205 was a development of the earlier C.202 Folgore. During WWII the Japanese used many aircraft in the Pacific Theater of War. As a reconnaissance plane/torpedo bomber, Botha had quite a long list of drawbacks. Your email address will not be published. My name is Norman 'Kretaner' and since my childhood I am interested in history and strategy games. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. History: The birth of the … Macchi C.205V Veltro read more » After the armistice and the creation of Mussolini’s National Republican Air Force (ANR) the C.205Vs were first blooded during their operational debut on January 3, 1944, when 1st Gruppo opposed a massive USAAF bomber formation. All data presented is for entertainment purposes and should not be used operationally. the more powerful engine and streamlined nose gave a top speed of 372 miles an hour, and handling qualities remained as delightful as before. This is alongside the Japanese Zero, Soviet Yak-3, North American P-51, German Bf.109 and the French Caudron C.714. The G-50 had two heavy machine guns firing through the propeller arc, and was powered by an 840 horsepower radial engine, which only gave a top speed of 293 miles an hour. In the article, he states clearly that any plane worthy of being called "the best" should have several characteristics and should be able to fly at least four missions: While the majority of fighters listed so far performed best during the day, the Black Widow was designed from the start to fight at night. However, it was still powered by the same 840 hp Fiat radial engine, and only had a top speed of 313 miles an hour at 15000 feet. Later production models were fitted with the same wings as the improved Macchi C.202 Folgore, and could carry 706 pounds of bombs. On that day, they encountered superior numbers of Spitfire V and Curtiss P-40 fighters, obtaining significant results. Italian industry had been slow to respond to changing demands, particularly in the development of more powerful engines. In April 1942, Macchi introduced the improved model MC-205 Veltro, or greyhound. By the time the allies invaded Sicily in 1943 however, losses left only about a 100 still operational. I'm in the fortunate position to combine all my interests with my work and to live on a place of my choice, on Crete. 1. The ANR’s (only for the National Republican Air Force) record for this type shows that the C205V had destroyed 115 Allied aircraft, with a further 45 probable to the loss of 55 C.205Vs and 49 pilots killed.