Macchi M.52

Macchi M.52

Role: Racing seaplane
National origin: Italy
Manufacturer: Macchi
Designed by: Mario Castoldi
First flight: early August 1927
Number built: 3 (M.52) 1 (M.52bis or M.52R)

Picture - Macchi M.52

The Macchi M.52 was an Italian racing seaplane designed and built by Macchi for the 1927 Schneider Trophy race. The M.52 and a later variant, the M.52bis or M.52R, both set world speed records for seaplanes.

Design and development

M.52

Mario Castoldi (1888-1968) designed the M.52, following the formula he used in designing the successful Macchi M.39, which Major Mario de Bernardi (1893-1959) piloted to victory and a world seaplane speed record in the 1926 Schneider Trophy race and to another world seaplane speed record four days later. Like the M.39, the M.52 was a single-engined, low-wing monoplane on twin floats. Slightly smaller than the M.39, it was powered by a much more powerful engine, the 746 kW (1,000 hp) Fiat AS.3. Despite the significant increase in engine power, the M.52 had a maximum takeoff weight 60 kilograms (132 pounds) less than that of the M.39. Macchi built three M.52s.

M.52bis or M.52R

Picture - Italy's three entrants in the 1929 Schneider Trophy race. The M52R, which took second place, is at right; the other two aircraft are Macchi M.67 floatplanes.

A restyled version, known both as the M.52bis and M.52R, also was built. Its wingspan (7.85 m/25 ft 9 in) and maximum takeoff weight were reduced further from that of the M.52, and it had streamlining improvements including floats with a smaller frontal area. Macchi built a single M.52bis.

Operational history

M.52

Italy entered all three M.52s in the 1927 Schneider Trophy race, which was held at Venice, Italy, on 26 September 1927. All three suffered engine trouble, and none of them finished the race; the 1926 winner de Bernardi officially finished tenth after dropping out, and the best result among the M.52s was that achieved by the one piloted by Captain Federico Guazetti, which did not drop out of the race until the final lap. Major de Bernardi, however, used one of the M.52s to establish a new world speed record of 479.3 km/h (297.8 mph) over a 3-kilometer (1.86-statute mile) course at Venice on 4 November 1927.

M.52bis or M.52R

At Venice on 30 March 1928, de Bernardi, flying the lone M.52bis (or M.52R), set a new world speed record of 512.776 km/h (318.625 mph). De Bernardi thus became the first person to exceed 500 km/h (310.5 mph)

Although Italy had planned to enter all three of the later Macchi M.67 racing seaplanes in the 1929 Schneider Trophy race, one of them crashed during training. As a substitute, the M.52R was entered alongside the two surviving M.67s to represent Italy in the race, which took place on 7 September 1929. Flown by Warrant Officer Tommasso Dal Molin, it was the only one of the three Italian aircraft to finish, gaining second place with a speed of 457.380 km/h (284.203 mph).

Operators

Italy

Specifications

M.52

Data from

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 7.14 m (23 ft 4¾ in)
Wingspan: 8.98 m (29 ft 5½ in)
Gross weight: 1,515 kg (3,340 lb)
Powerplant: 1 x— Fiat AS.3 piston engine, 746 kW (1,000 hp)

Performance

M.52bis or M.52R

Data from

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Length: 7.14 m (23 ft 4¾ in)
Wingspan: 7.85 m (25 ft 9 in)
Gross weight: 1,480 kg (3,263 lb)
Powerplant: 1 x— Fiat AS.3 piston engine, 746 kW (1,000 hp)

Performance

Schneider Trophy
Airspeed record
Newsreel footage of 1929 Schneider Trophy racing teams, British Supermarine S.6A aircraft (#2 and #8), and Italian Macchi M.67 (#10) and Macchi M.52R (#4) aircraft at 1929 Schneider Trophy race

Related development

Macchi M.39
Macchi M.67

Comparable aircraft

Supermarine S.5
Gloster IVB

Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1997. ISBN 0 7607 0592 5.
"Mario de Bernardi" on Italian Wikipedia

Macchi M.52 Pictures and Macchi M.52 for Sale.

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia