IMAM Ro.57

 

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), 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.

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.

An improved version of the Ro. 57, the Ro. 58 first flew in 1942 and was among Italy's first twin--engined machines to make use of 0.8.601 engines with speed capabilities in the region of 600 km/h, a rather remarkable performance for a heavy combat and attack machine. Also its armament, unlike its predecessor, was increased by the adoption of five 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon and one 12.7 mm SAFAT machine-gun. Featuring a brilliant performance in 1943 it was the recipient of a production order for 50 machines that, however, were never built.

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 6in)

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

 

C.A.N.S.A. FC.20

The first and only C.A.N.S.A. design planned from the outset as an operational military machine was the twin-engine FC.20. Flown for the first time in 1941 by C.A.N.S.A. test pilot Moroni, the prototype was a reconnaissance bomber powered by 840 h.p. FIAT A.74 R.C.38 radial engines. Wing area was 419.6 sq. ft. Performance of the FC.20 included a maximum speed of 292 m.p.h., a range of 807 miles, and a ceiling of 26,000 ft. However, it was decided to develop the basic design as a ground-attack machine, for which parallel studies had already been made.

The ground-attack version, the FC.20bis, appeared shortly after. In addition to a slight increase in wing area, the FC.20bis featured a shortened fuselage with the cockpit moved ahead of the wings and a 37-mm. Breda cannon mounted in the nose. Further armament consisted of a 12.7-mm. machine gun in a dorsal turret and two 12.7-mm. guns in the wing roots. A 54-mm. cannon was considered as a possible alternative to the 37-mm. weapon, but was never actually fitted. Two 352-lb. bombs could be carried beneath the wings outboard of the engine' nacelles, and 126 4.4-lb. anti-personnel bombs could be housed internally. loaded weight was 15,035 lb. Dimensions were: span 52 H. 6 in., length 39 ft. 1tt/2 in., height 12 H. 6 in., and wing area 430.4 sq. H. Maximum and cruising speeds were 261 m.p.h. and 211 m.p.h., range was 715 miles, and ceiling was 22,750 ft. The great similarity in appearance of the FC.20bis to the British Gloster F.9/37 escort fighter should be noted. Had both machines become operational, recognition problems would certainly have arisen. A further coincidence was the fact that liquid-cooled versions of both designs were also tested.

The FC.20ter, the third variant, reverted to the longer glazed nose and further-aft cockpit of the original reconnaissance model, but fitted 1000 h.p. FIAT A.80 R.CAI radial engines. The final model, the FC.20quater, was an FC.20bis fitted with Daimler-Benz DB 601 liquid-cooled engines of 1250 h.p. each (built by FIAT as the R.A:I000). Tested in 1943, the FC.20quater substituted a Mauser Ikaria 37-mm. cannon for the Breda weapon, and two 20-mm. cannon for the 12.7-mm. wing guns. loaded weight increased to 15,730 lb., speed to 311 m.p.h., and ceiling to 26,000 H., although range dropped to 578 miles. Three FC.20bis equipped the 174a Squadriglia Ricognizione Strategica based at Cerveteri in July, 1943, but were never employed operationally.

AMBROSINI A.R. (Assalto Radioguidato)

The A.R. (Assalto Radioguidato) flying bomb was also conceived by Sergio Stefanutti, this time in cooperation with engineers Ermenegildo Preti and Stelio Frati. The Italian air arm had previously gained the distinction of being the first in the world to employ a radio-controlled flying bomb operationally, when, on August 13, 1942, it sent a much-modified SM.79 against a part of the British Fleet lying off the Algerian coast. Although unsuccessful, the attempt encouraged General Ferdinando Raffaelli, designer of the radio-control system, to urge the development of a cheap, expendable machine to fulfill the purpose more effectively.

The result was the A.R., a simple wooden mid-wing monoplane powered by a 1000 h.p. FIAT A.80 radial engine. The fuselage was of oval construction with plywood skin, and was to have contained two sealed-in 2200-lb. bombs. Wings and tail surfaces were angular and untapered. No flaps were required as landings were not anticipated. After experiments with take-off trolleys, a simple fixed undercarriage was employed which could be dropped after the bomb was airborne.

Flight tests began in June, 1943. Unlike the reaction-powered German V-weapons, the A.R. required a pilot for take-off. After radio control took over the guidance in flight, he bailed out. With a bomb load of 4400 lb. and a total weight of 13,200 lb., the A.R. was expected to have a maximum speed of 225 m.p.h. with undercarriage jettisoned. Five of the flying bombs were built at the Venegono plant in 1943 but none were ever used. The last four were destroyed .before being tested. Wingspan was 55 ft. 9112 in., length 49 ft. 21/2 in., and wing area 409 sq. ft. The empty weight was 7936 lb.