Macchi C.200 Saetta

The Macchi C.200 Saetta (Italian: "Lightning"), or MC.200, is a fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy. Various versions were flown by the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force) who used the type throughout the Second World War.

The C.200 was designed by Mario Castoldi, Macchi's lead designer, to serve as a modern monoplane fighter aircraft, furnished with retractable landing gear and powered by a radial engine. The C.200 possessed excellent maneuverability, and its general flying characteristics left little to be desired. Its stability in a high-speed dive was exceptional, but it was underpowered and underarmed in comparison to its contemporaries. Early on, there were a number of crashes caused by stability problems, nearly resulting in the grounding of the type; these problems were ultimately addressed via aerodynamic modifications to the wing.

From the time Italy entered the Second World War on 10 June 1940, until the signing of the armistice of 8 September 1943, the C. 200 flew more operational sorties than any other Italian aircraft. The Saetta saw operational service in Greece, North Africa, Yugoslavia, across the Mediterranean, and in the Soviet Union (where it obtained an excellent kill to loss ratio of 88 to 15). The plane's very strong all-metal construction and air-cooled engine made the aircraft ideal for conducting ground attack missions; several units flew it as a fighter-bomber. Over 1,000 aircraft had been constructed by the end of the war.

Development

Origins

In early 1935 Mario Castoldi, lead designer of Italian aircraft company Macchi, commenced work on a series of design studies for a modern monoplane fighter aircraft, which was to be furnished with retractable landing gear. Castoldi had previously designed several racing aircraft that had competed for the Schneider Trophy, including the Macchi M.39, which won the competition in 1926. He had also designed the M.C. 72. From an early stage, the concept aircraft that emerged from these studies became known as the C.200. formulated and published by the Ministero dell'Aeronatica, called for an aircraft powered by a single radial engine, which was to be capable of a top speed of and a climb rate of 6,000 meters in 5 minutes. Additional requirements were soon specified: the aircraft was to be capable of being used as an interceptor with a flight endurance time of two hours and armed with a single (later increased to two) machine gun.

Production

Shortly following the completion of the second prototype, an initial order for 99 production aircraft was placed with Macchi. In June 1939, production of the C.200 formally commenced.

The most serious handicap was the low production rate of the type. According to some reports, in excess of 22,000 hours in production time was attributed to the use of antiquated construction technology. A lack of urgency shown by the authorities regarding standardisation was also viewed as having negatively affected mass production efforts, particularly in light of the lack of availability of key resources in Italy at the time. However, during 1940, the termination of all production of the type was considered in response to aerodynamic performance problems that had caused the loss of multiple aircraft; the type was retained after changes were made to the wing to rectify a tendency to go into an uncontrollable spin that could occur during turns. A total of 1,153 Saettas were eventually produced, but only 33 remained operational by the time of the armistice between Italy and the Allies in September 1943. As a result of its ultimate load factor of 15.1, it could reach speeds as fast as true airspeed during dives.

Power was provided by a Fiat A.74 radial engine, although Castoldi preferred inline engines, and had used them to power all of his previous designs. Under a direttiva (air ministry specification) of 1932, Italian industrial leaders had been instructed to concentrate solely on radial engines for fighters, due to their superior reliability. The A.74 was a re-design of the American Pratt & Whitney R-1830 SC-4 Twin Wasp by engineers Tranquillo Zerbi and , and was the only Italian-built engine that could provide a level of reliability comparable to Allied designs. The licence-built A.74 engine could be problematic. In late spring 1941, 4o Stormo's Macchi C.200s, then based in Sicily, had all the A.74s produced by the Reggiane factory replaced because they were defective. The elite unit had to abort many missions against Malta due to engine problems. While some considered the Macchi C.200 to have been underpowered, the air-cooled radial engine provided some pilot protection during strafing missions. Consequently, the C.200 was often used as a cacciabombardiere (fighter-bomber).

The C.200 was typically armed with a pair of Breda-SAFAT machine guns; Moreover, a radio was not fitted as standard.

Like other early Italian monoplanes, the C.200 suffered from a dangerous tendency to spin. Early production C.200 aircraft showed autorotation problems similar to those found in the Fiat G.50 Freccia, IMAM Ro.51 and the Aeronautica Umbra Trojani AUT.18. At the beginning of 1940, a pair of deadly accidents occurred due to autorotation. Aircraft production and deliveries were halted while the Regia Aeronautica evaluated the potential for abandoning use of the type, as the skill involved in flying the C.200 was considered to be beyond that of the average pilot. The problem was a product of the profile of the wing. Castoldi soon tested a new profile, but a solution to the autorotation problem was found by Sergio Stefanutti, chief designer of SAI Ambrosini in Passignano sul Trasimeno, based on studies conducted by German aircraft engineer Willy Messerschmitt and the American National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). He redesigned the wing section with a variable, instead of constant, profile, which was achieved by covering parts of the wings with plywood. After the modified wing of the Saetta was introduced, the C.200 proved to be, for a time, the foremost Italian fighter. The first production C.200 series, did not have armour fitted to protect the pilots, as a weight-saving measure. Armour plating was incorporated when frontline units were going to replace the Saettas with the new Macchi C.202 Folgore (Thunderbolt) but in only a limited number of aircraft. After the armour was fitted, the aircraft could become difficult to fly. During aerobatic maneuvers, one could enter an extremely difficult-to-control flat spin, which would force the pilot to bail out. On 22 July 1941, Leonardo Ferrulli, one of the top-scoring Regia Aeronautica pilots, encountered the problem and was forced to bail out over Sicily.

Operational history

Introduction

thumb|A Macchi C.200 on the ground

In August 1939, about 30 C.200 Saettas were delivered to the 10th Gruppo of the 4th Stormo, stationed in North Africa.

When Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940, 144 C.200s were operational, only half of which were serviceable. Although the first 240 aircraft had been fitted with fully enclosed cockpits, the subsequent variants were provided with open cockpits at the request of the Italian pilots, who were familiar with the open cockpits that were commonplace amongst the old biplanes.

thumb|C.200 in flight

In September 1940, the C.200s of the 6th Gruppo conducted their first offensive operations in support of wider Axis efforts against the Mediterranean island of Malta, escorting Junkers Ju 87 dive-bombers. With the arrival towards the end of December 1940 of Fliegerkorps X in Sicily, the C.200s were assigned escort duty for I/StG.1 and II/StG.2 Ju 87 bombers attacking Malta, as the Stukas did not have adequate fighter cover until the arrival of 7./JG26's Bf 109s.

Soon after, British air power in the theatre was enhanced, especially by the arrival of the Hurricane fighter, which forced a redeployment of Italian forces in response.

While the Hurricane was faster at sea level ( vs the C.200's , the Saetta could reach more than at , although its speed dropped off at altitude, at and at with a maximum ceiling of . Comparative speeds of the Hurricane Mk I were at and at . Over and at very low levels, only the huge Vokes (anti-sand) air filter fitted to the "tropical" variants slowed the Hurricane Mk II to Macchi levels. Although the Macchi C.200 was more agile than the Hurricane, it carried a lighter armament than its British adversary.

On 6 February 1941, the 4th Stormo received C.200s from the 54th Stormo. Once the autorotation problems had been resolved, the Macchis were regarded as "very good machines, fast, manoeuvrable and strong" by Italian pilots. After intense training, on 1 April 1941, the 10th Gruppo (4th Stormo) moved to Ronchi dei Legionari airport and started active service. The C.200 subsequently saw action over Greece, Yugoslavia and the Balkans, frequently engaging in dogfights with British Gladiators and Hurricanes over the Balkans. At dawn on 6 April 1941, four C.200s from 73a Squadriglia flew over Pola harbour and attacked an oil tanker, setting it on fire. Due to limited air resistance being encountered, sorties flown by the type in this theatre were usually limited to escorting and strafing.

The 4th Stormo flew its last mission against Yugoslavia on 14 April 1941: on that day, 20 C.200s from the 10th Gruppo flew up to south of Karlovac without meeting any enemy aircraft. Operations ended on 17 April. During those 11 days, the 4th Stormo did not lose a single C.200. Its pilots destroyed a total of 20 seaplanes and flying boats, while damaging a further 10. Additionally, they set on fire an oil tanker, a fuel truck, several other vehicles, and destroyed port installations.

North Africa

Fitted with dust filters and designated C.200AS, the Saetta saw extensive use in North Africa, greater than any other theatre of war.

thumb|left|A formation of Macchi C.200s escorting bombers, probably on a mission to [[Malta and Tobruk.]]

During April 1941, the C.200s of the 374th Squadriglia became the first unit to be stationed on the North African mainland. During September 1942, the type was responsible for sinking the British destroyer , as well as several smaller motor vessels, near Tobruk, during Operation Agreement, an attempted amphibious assault by Allied forces.

Following the decisive victory by Commonwealth forces at El Alamein, the C.200 provided cover for the retreating Axis forces, strafing advancing Allied columns and light vehicles. By 12 August 1941, all 51 C.200s had arrived at Tudora, Ștefan Vodă, near Odessa. For a short time, the 22nd Gruppo was subordinated to Luftwaffe V. Fliegerkorps. Subsequently, they took part in the September offensive on the Dnieper; and as the offensive continued they operated sporadically from airstrips in Zaporozhye, Stalino, Borvenkovo, Voroshilovgrad, Makiivka, Oblivskaja, Millerovo, and their easternmost location, Kantemirovka, moving to Zaporozhye late in October 1941.

Maintaining operations became increasingly difficult as winter took hold, the unit having not been furnished with the necessary equipment for conducting low-temperature operations; accordingly, flying was often impossible throughout November and December. In December 1941, 371a Squadriglia was transferred to Stalino, but were replaced two days later by 359a with 11 C.200s. On 25 December, the C.200s flew low-level attacks against Soviet troops that had encircled the Black Shirt Legion Tagliamento, at Novo Orlowka; and 359a Squadriglia intercepted Soviet fighters over Bulawa, shooting down five without loss to themselves. On 28 December, pilots of 359a claimed nine Soviet aircraft, including six Polikarpov I-16 fighters, in the Timofeyevka and Polskaya area, without loss. According to Cattaneo, during the course of the three-day long 'Christmas battle', a total of 12 Soviet fighters were downed by C.200s with only a single friendly aircraft lost.

In May, the aircraft's pilots received praise from the commander of the German 17th Army, mostly for their daring and effective attacks in the Slavyansk area. During the German advance in summer 1942, the 21st Gruppo Autonomo C.T. transferred to Makiivka airfield, and then to Voroshilovgrad and Oblivskaya.

As time went on, the type was increasingly tasked to escort German aircraft. On 24 July 1942, the unit was shifted to Tatsinskaya Airfield, with 24 Saettas. Its main task was to provide escort for Stukas in the Don Bend area, where there were few German fighters available. Hauptmann Friedrich Lang, Staffelkäpitan of 1./StG 2 reported the Italian escort as "most disappointing". The Saettas proved unable to protect the Stukas from Soviet fighters. On 25 and 26 July 1942, five C.200s were lost in aerial combat. After only three days of action from Tatsinskaya, one-third of the Italian fighters had been shot down.

A summary of the Italian expeditionary force operations included 2,557 offensive flights (of which 511 with bombs drops), 1,310 strafing attacks, and 1,938 escort missions, with the loss of 15 C.200s overall. The top-scoring unit was 362a Squadriglia, commanded by Capitano Germano La Ferla, which claimed 30 Soviet aircraft shot down and 13 destroyed on the ground.

After the armistice

Following the signing of the armistice, which resulted in Italy's withdrawal from the Axis, only 33 C.200s remained serviceable. Although Macchi estimated a top speed of only 312mph was attained on test, work on the two prototypes was cancelled after Fiat abandoned the troublesome A.76 engine.

Operators

;

Luftwaffe operated some captured aircraft.

;

Regia Aeronautica
Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force

;

Italian Air Force operated some aircraft as trainers until 1947

Specifications (Macchi C.200 early series)

thumb|Macchi C.200 Saetta drawing