It is unlikely that in
the mid-30's there was anyone in Italy better experienced to create a
new single seat fighter than Dr Mario Castoldi, chief designer of the
Aeronautica Macchi company. Like R.J. Mitchell in the UK, Castoldi had
adequately demonstrated his originality and attention to detail in the
series of racing seaplanes developed by Macchi to compete in the
Schneider Trophy contests. His MC.72 prevented by problems with it Fiat
AS.6 engine from contending in the final contest in 1931, twice
captured the world absolute speed record for seaplanes during 1934. The
speed of 440.68 mph (709.209 km/h) established on 23 October of that
year remained unbeaten in 1984.
Ground crews re-arm a Macchi MC.200 Saetta
Following the end of
Italy's military campaigns in East Africa a programme was initiated to
re-equip the Regia Aeronautica, the Macchi MC.200 Saetta (lightning)
being designed by Mario Castoldi to meet the requirement for a new
single seat fighter. The resulting prototype (MM 336) was flown for the
first time on 24 December 1937 as a cantilever low wing monoplane of
all metal construction, except for fabric covered tail control
surfaces, with retractable tailwheel landing gear and an enclosed
cockpit. Castoldi's advanced design for the wing resulted in a
completely hinged trailing edge, the hydraulically actuated flaps being
interconnected with the ailerons so that when the flaps were lowered
the ailerons were drooped simultaneously. Power was provided by a Fiat
A.74 RC.38 radial engine, and interesting change after the Fiat inline
success in the Schneider Trophy contests. Italian engine manufacturers
hand now been instructed to concentrate on the development of radial
engines. Castoldi would dearly have liked to power the MC.200 by a high
performance inline engine, for he was concerned that the bulky radial
would limit the performance of this new fighter, but he was to find a
solution to this problem for the MC.202.
Flight testing of the
two MC.200 prototypes was successful, one of them attaining a speed of
500 mph (805 km/h) in a dive, and during 1938 the MC.200 won the
fighter contest and was ordered into production with an initial
contract for 99 aircraft, a total of more than 1,100 being constructed
eventually, about 400 being built by Macchi and the remainder by Breda
and SAI-Ambrosini. Numbered among them were sub-variants that included
the MC.200AS which was equipped for tropical operation, and the
MC.200CB fighter-bomber with provision to carry a maximum 705 lbs (320
kg) bombload or, when deployed as an escort fighter, two underwing
auxiliary fuel tanks. The single prototype of a developed version was
built under the designation MC.201, introducing a revised fuselage. It
was designated to ne powered by th e 1,000 hp (746 kw) Fiat A.76 RC.40
radial engine, but had been flown only with the Fiat A.74 RC.38 of the
standard MC.200 when its development was abandoned in favour of the
MC.202 Folgor.
The type began to enter
into service in October 1939, by which time the MC.200 had been given
the name Saetta, and when Italy entered the war in June 1940 about 150
hand been delivered to the Regia Aeronautica. The first combat missions
were flown as escorts for bomber/fighter-bombers attacking Malta in the
autumn of 1940, and the type served subsequently in actions over Greece
and Yugoslavia. The MC.200 saw extensive use in North Africa and a
number were involved in operations on the Eastern Front during 1941-2.
Following the Italian armistice with the Allies in September 1943, 23
of the Saettas were flown to Allied airfields in southern Italy, to be
flown shortly afterwards by pilots of the Italian Co-Belligerent Air
Force
(Macchi MC.200 Saetta
"Lightning")
Type: Single Seat Fighter Interceptor
Design: Ingeniere Mario Casoldi of
Aeronautica Macchi
Manufacturer: Aeronautica Macchi with
plants in Varese-Schiranna and Lonate Pozzolo
Powerplant: One 870 hp (649 kw) Fiat
A.74 RC.38 14-cylinder radial piston engine.
Performance: Maximum speed 312 mph (502
km/h) at 14,765 ft (4500 m); cruising speed 283 mph (455 km/h); service
ceiling 29,200 ft (8900 m).
Range: 540 miles (870 km) with
auxiliary tanks.
Weight: Empty 4,178 lbs (1895 kg) with
a maximum take-off weight of 5,710 lbs (2590 kg).
Dimensions: Span 34 ft 8 1/2 in (10.58
m); length 26 ft 10 3/4 in (8.19 m); height 11 ft 5 3/4 in (3.50 m);
wing area 180.84 sq ft
(16.80 sqm)
Armament: Two 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns in the upper cowling. Some later versions had
two additional 7.7 mm
(0.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns mounted in the wings.
Variants: MC.200, MC.200AS (tropical),
MC.200CB (fighter bomber), MC.201
(one prototype which was abandoned in favour of the MC.202 Folgor).
Operators: Italy (Regia Aeronautica,
Aeronautica Cobelligerante de Sud, and Aeronautica Nazionale
Republicana).
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