Modern-Aviation

The Macchi C.200 Saetta ("Lightning" or "Arrow") became a hugely important contributor for the nation of Italy during World War 2 - both as a "first-generation", all-modern metal monoplane fighter and as a combat warplane. The model begat a line of progressively successful, and more powerful, fighters that included the C.202 Folgore ("Thunderbolt") and C.205 Veltro ("Greyhound") detailed elsewhere on this site. Design of the C.200 was attributed to Mario Castoldi whose prewar experience came from record-setting floatplane racers and this exposure served the C.200 project well in developing a refined, streamlined fighter design ultimately limited only by performance and its light armament. Despite this, it proved an extremely agile fighter for the period as well as a stable gunnery platform while supplying excellent climbing and diving capabilities. These qualities allowed it to be adapted to roles beyond that of fighter and it saw service in bomber-escort, fighter-bomber, trainer, and interceptor roles by war's end. Production yielded a total of 1,153 aircraft with the last formally retired in 1947.

The C.200 was being developed as early as 1935 to a Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force) fighter requirement against other competing types. Castoldi's background as a racing aircraft engineer meant that the new Italian fighter would be well-streamlined in many respects, its contours set around a massive radial piston engine at front. The design would incorporate several modern qualities about it - an enclosed cockpit, monoplane wings, a retractable undercarriage, and stressed metal skin. A prototype was ready for 1937 and made its first flight on December 24th.

Power came from a Fiat A74 RC38 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine developing 870 horsepower while driving a three-blade propeller unit in a "puller" configuration. This engine stayed the aircraft's primary installation for the duration of the war. Performance indicated a maximum speed of 315 miles per hour with a range out to 355 miles. The aircraft's service ceiling was 29,200 feet with a rate-of-climb reaching 3,030 feet per minute.

Further flight testing revealed some stability issues but and these were addressed with needed changes. On the whole she proved a wholly viable mount showcasing maneuverability, fast-climbing, and a robust airframe - though she was not particularly fast when compared to her contemporaries. The pilot's position at center was slightly elevated for better viewing over the nose. The wing mainplanes were set ahead of midships with the cockpit over center of the fuselage design. The engine was encased in a compartment at front with a short tail section installed at the rear. The tail exhibited the usual single vertical tail fin and low-set tailplane arrangement typical seen in World War 2 fighters. The undercarriage was of a "tail-dragger" arrangement. A sliding canopy was fitted over the cockpit and rested over the raised fuselage spine when opened for entry/exit.

The armament of just 2 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns ultimately proved a limiting factor by the end of the C.200's story - though this arrangement was in keeping with traditional armament installations for many fighters of the period. The machine guns were fitted to the upper nose area over the engine and were further synchronized to fire through the spinning propeller blades.

In 1938, Regia Aeronautica authorities reviewed the competitors and decided on the C.200 prototype for serial production. This then began in June of 1939 - just months before the outbreak of World War 2 in September - and ran into July of 1942 with a total of 1,153 aircraft being built. Of these, Macchi factories only produced about 345 as Breda and SAI Ambrosini facilities covered the needed rest of the Regia Aeronautica order. First examples were delivered during July 1939 and factories outputted some 144 by September 1st - the date of the German invasion of Poland to mark the official start of the war. Between the end of the year and the fall of the next, the aircraft was revised, losing its sliding canopy assembly - at the behest of Italian pilots - and being given modified wings for improved control. The original canopy had proven dangerous to a bailing pilot so a new glazed version was introduced that incorporated an open-air top panel. The new wing corrected an autorotation problem seen in early aircraft of the series. These delays meant that operational-level numbers were not achieved until late 1940.

The C.200 soldiered along for the Italian Air Force across all major fronts in World War 2. Its first actions were against the British at Malta and they then supported the Italian invasion of Greece. Units also covered Axis operations across North Africa and flew operationally over Yugoslavia before participating along the East Front against the Soviet Union. It remained in frontline use until 1942 before given up in favor of higher-performance alternatives - namely the Macchi C.202.

With a reduced-role status, the fighter was minimally converted for duty as a fighter-bomber, carrying bomb loads between 250lbs and 660lbs under the wings. The standardized 2 x 12.7mm machine gun armament remained consistent despite its limited punch. Outperformed in the dogfighting role by the new speedier mounts being fielded by the Allies, the C.200 could still serve as a capable bombing platform. Other roles pressed onto the series then included interception over Italian airspace and bomber escort for as long as the Air Force continued its bombing campaign.

Italy's participation as an Axis power came to an end in September of 1943 with its surrender to the Allies. This spawned the Ally-aligned co-belligerent forces as well as the Axis-aligned Rupibblica Sociale Italiana. By this time, only 52 C.200 aircraft remained in service and 23 were claimed by co-belligerent forces while some eight examples served with the Axis. When their combat usefulness had expired, C.200s saw final service as trainers for new generations of Italian airmen. Some were also taken on - though in limited numbers - by the German Luftwaffe though their contribution was minimal.

n August 1939 about 30 C.200s, by then nicknamed Saetta ("Arrow"), were delivered to 10° Gruppo of 4° Stormo, stationed in North Africa. Pilots of this elite unit of the Regia Aeronautica opposed the adoption of the C.200, preferring the more manouvrable Fiat CR.42. These aircraft were then transferred to 6° Gruppo of 1° Stormo in Sicily, who were enthusiastic supporters of the new fighter, and Gruppo 152° of 54° Stormo in Vergiate. When Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940, 144 C.200s were operational, half of which were serviceable. Although the first 240 aircraft had fully enclosed cockpits, the subsequent variants were given open cockpits at the request of the Italian pilots.

The first C.200s to make their combat debut were those of the 6° Gruppo Autonomo C.T. led by Tenente Colonnello (Wing Commander) Armando Francois. This squadron was based at the Sicilian airport of Catania Fontanarossa. A Saetta from this unit was the first C.200 to be lost in combat when on 23 June 1940 14 C.200s (eight from 88a Squadriglia, five from 79a Squadriglia and one from 81a Squadriglia) that were escorting 10 SM.79s from 11° Stormo were intercepted by two Gloster Gladiators. Gladiator N5519, piloted by Flt Lt George Burges, attacked the bombers but was in turn attacked by a C.200 flown by Sergente Maggiore Lamberto Molinelli of 71a Squadriglia over the sea off Sliema. The Macchi overshot four or five times the more agile Gladiator which eventually shot down the Saetta.

Only on 1 November were the C.200s credited with their first kill. A Sunderland on a reconnaissance mission was sighted and attacked just outside Augusta by a flight of Saettas on patrol. With the arrival towards the end of December 1940 of X Fliegerkorps 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.

On 6 February 1941, the elite unit 4° Stormo received C.200s from 54° Stormo. With the autorotation problems solved, the Macchis were regarded as "very good machines, fast, manoeuvrable and strong" by Italian pilots. After intense training, on 1 April 1941, the 10° Gruppo (4° Stormo) moved to Ronchi dei Legionari airport and started active service. In combat with the less manoueverable Hurricane it proved effective, with outstanding dogfight performance and no vices. When it entered service, the Supermarine Spitfire was the only Allied fighter that it faced which could outclimb the Saetta.

Like other of the early Italian monoplanes, the C.200 suffered from a dangerous tendency to go in a spin. Early production C.200 aircraft showed autorotation problems similar to the ones of the Fiat G.50, IMAM Ro.51, AUT 18. At the beginning of 1940 two deadly accidents occurred due to autorotation. Deliveries and production stopped, and the Regia Aeronautica thought of abandoning use of the type, as the skill involved in flying it was beyond that of the average pilot. . The problem was the new 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 by Willy Messerschmitt and the NACA. He redesigned the wing section according to variable (instead of constant) profile by just covering parts of the wings with plywood.

The new wing entered production in 1939/1940 at SAI Ambrosini and became a standard on the aircraft manufactured by Aermacchi and Breda, a licenced manufacturer. After the modified wings of the Saetta were introduced, the C.200 proved to be, for a time, the best Italian fighter. To save weight, the first production C.200 series did not have armour fitted to protect the pilots. Armour plating was incorporated when the units were going to replace the Saettas with the new Macchi C.202 Folgore and often in only a limited number of aircraft. After the armour was fitted, the aircraft could become difficult to balance, and during aerobatic manoeuvres could enter an extremely difficult to control flat spin, forcing 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 bale out over Sicily. At the beginning of 1940, Denmark was set to place an order for 12 C.200s, a deal that fell through when Germany invaded Denmark.

Attrition and limited production figures eventually left few Saettas by the end of the war and these did not exist long into the post-war years - the last airframe retired in 1947.