Regia Aero. 10* built 1939-43 The Z.515 was another CANT CRDA project ruined by bad timing. This Zapatta’s reycling of its Z.514 Leone bomber, rejected by the Regia Aeronautica, was a modified floatplane variant with inline engines. It answered a 1937 specification for a replacement to the obsolescent Z.501 Gabbiano. It was ready by 1939 … Read more
2 built 1942-43 for the Regia Aeronautica The CANT Z.511 is one of these fascinating “what if” of history. Initially planned as a transatlantic aicraft to link Italy and South America for Ala Littoria, the national company, the model came from a September 1937 request. For this, the Adriatic Shipyards (CANT) built the Cant.Z.511 A … Read more
37 built 1927-35 The CANT 25 was a single-engine biplane seaplane developed by the aeronautical division of the Italian company Cantieri Riuniti dell’Adriatico (CRDA CANT). It made its maiden flight in 1927 but was only accepted in 1938. With 38 built in an amphibious and catapulted versions, it became the Adriatic shipyard’s first success. The … Read more
CANT 18 (1926) 29 built 1927-28 Development In 1926, SISA asked the Cosulich group to build an acrobatic seaplane for advanced training to be assigned to new pilots of the Portorose Flight School. The result was a wooden hulled seaplane, sesquiplane with top wing suspended engine, tow bladed wooden propeller and a structural safety coefficient … Read more
Standard Observation Seaplane Aviazione Ausiliaria per la Regia Marina 356 built 1937-43 The CANT Z.506 Airone (“Heron”) was a trimotor floatplane designed and manufactured by CANT from 1935. It emerged as a transport and postal aircraft with “Ala Littoria” and established 10 world records in 1936, 10 in 1937, becoming an asset for Mussolini’s propaganda. … Read more
Standard Observation Seaplane Aviazione Ausiliaria per la Regia Marina 454 built 1934-43 The CANT Z.501 Gabbiano (“Gull”) was a high-wing central-hull flying boat with a single pusher engine whch first flew in 1934 (setting a world distance record) and was produced to 454 until 1943. It served with the Aviazione Ausiliaria per la Regia Marina, … Read more
Savoia-Marchetti SM.55 (1924) Regia Aeronautica (1924-33), 250+ built The interwar record-setter The Savoia-Marchetti SM.55 was an Italian twin-hulled, twin-engine (tandem) interwar flying boat. It set many records in 1926 and the following years, and was soon known for its long distance flights, including many Atlantic crossings. Symbolic of the Regia Aeronautica as a squadron commanded … Read more
The standard Italian onboard observation floatplane Aviazione Ausiliaria per la Regia Marina 193 built 1934-41 In WW2, the bulk of Regia Marina units were equipped in June 1940 with a sturdy biplane introduced in 1935: The Romeo (IMAM) Ro.43. It replaced the Piaggio P.6 in service from 1928. It was about time as the latter … Read more
Macchi M5 (1917) Regia Aeronautica (1917-26), 148 built The Italian seaplane fighter of WWI The first Italian seaplane was built by Nieuport-Macchi in Varese, copying a captured Austrian Lohner L observation seaplane. From the L.1 and L.2 came the M.3 single-seat observation biplane in 1916. It appeared soon performances were impressive enough to convert it … Read more
