Aviation Classics 20 Alenia Aermacchi preview

Power and precision.The Aermacchi MB.339PANs of the Frecce Tricolori Italian Air Force Aerobatic Team pulling over the top of a formation loop.There can be no better advertisement for the aircraft of this great company. Luigino Caliaro

Contents 8

The genesis of Alenia Aermacchi

10

Giulio Macchi

14

First World War – The companies are founded

90

Flagship trainer

96

Over the Falklands

104 International programmes and consolidation 120 Into the 21st Century

30

Inter-war years

52

The great race – the Schneider Trophy

62

The Second World War

129 Subscribe

70

Postwar rebuilding

130 Next month

80

Jet success

122 Limited edition prints 124 Survivors

Editor: Publisher: Contributors:

Tim Callaway editor@aviationclassics.co.uk Dan Savage

Gregory Alegi, Luigino Caliaro, Colonel Douglas C Dildy, Keith Draycott, Lewis Mejía, Constance Redgrave, Santiago Rivas

Designer: Reprographics:

Charlotte Pearson Jonathan Schofield

Group production editor:

Tim Hartley

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Paul Deacon Steve O’Hara Charlotte Park Craig Lamb Dan Savage Nigel Hole Brian Hill

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© 2013 Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher ISBN No 978-1-906167-66-0

An Aermacchi MB.339CD trainer of the Aeronautica Militare Italiana on the pan at dusk, its formation keeping lights glowing in the long exposure.This is one of the best military training aircraft in the world, made by a company that excels at it. Luigino Caliaro

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Legacy, heritage and the future

I

n 1978, one of the finest minds of the 20th century, philosopher, historian and scientist James Burke, wrote and presented a television series called Connections; An alternative view of change. As a teenager I watched this avidly because it showed me a new approach to history. History is not a linear, neatly packaged process the way it is often taught.

Random events conspire to affect change.

People work motivated by their own reasons, often to solve a particular problem or to make a profit. Earlier work is improved upon or provides a stimulus to become something entirely different. To trace a path through the development of anything can take you to some very surprising places, seemingly unconnected until you understand how you got there. This was a revelation, one for which I have been grateful my entire adult life. In short, the series taught me how to think.

At the end of the penultimate episode of Connections, James Burke explains why he believes history to be so important to humanity, a theme he expands on in the final

part. It is a very simple but vital message: “You can only know where you are going, if you know where you have been.” Producing this issue has taught me one thing, the message of Connections could be the motto of Alenia Aermacchi.

This is a company with strong roots, having grown into an international aerospace giant over the last 100 years while staying in the same area. It has produced extraordinary, world beating aircraft throughout its history, and I was astounded and ashamed to discover how few I knew anything about and how much I still have left to learn, not only about the aircraft, but also the talents that created them. That shame has now turned to delight as the full picture emerged from my research.

The people behind this story are almost a family, the developments they began interweaving through the various companies in a complex series of relationships.

Sometimes the co-operation between the companies was officially frowned upon, the work of Mario Castoldi at Macchi and Tranquillo Zerbi at Fiat was based upon

Renzo Catellani flying the immaculate Aermacchi MB.326 from VolaFenice at the Reggio Emilia airport. Luigino Caliaro

6 In assocIatIon wIth alenIa aermacchI – 100 years young

Castoldi’s need for powerful racing engines, work they carried out often at an unofficial personal level. Test pilots, engineers and scientists you would expect to find in this story, but this period of racing development was initiated by a French industrialist who wanted to connect the great seaports of the world with commercial flying boats. The international competition he financed was instead to affect the development of high performance aircraft for the Second World War. Like I said earlier, history does not conform to neat packages. The century behind Alenia Aermacchi travels a varied and fascinating road. It takes it from companies that produced railway rolling stock, gun limbers and wagon wheels to two companies that still produce modern luxury yachts and then into space.

All through this story one factor in the success of Alenia Aermacchi is prevalent, its sense of its own heritage. The company began with military and commercial aircraft, but it is high performance – yet cost effective – trainers that have formed the keystone for

Where are they going? Here. The latest in a long line of excellent trainers, the Alenia Aermacchi MB.346 Master.

Alenia Aermacchi

The Aermacchi MB.339 T-Bird II was an entry into the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System competition of 1994 and is now on display at the Venegono factory. Alenia Aermacchi

60 years at Aermacchi, a development chain that has resulted in today’s superb M.346.

Fiat, through to Aeritalia and Alenia have been at the cutting edge of combat aircraft development for decades, a line that culminates in the Typhoon and shortly the F-35. From my research, I feel it is an appreciation and an understanding of the value of its legacy that has brought the group such international success. The photographs on these pages feature a collection of the aircraft on display at the Venegono factory complex, along with one of its most famous products recently returned to flight. Clearly, this is a company which knows where it has been. What will be just as fascinating is where this solid foundation of knowledge will take it in the next 100 years.

Happy 100th birthday Alenia Aermacchi!

As usual, I have been assisted in the production of this magazine by some remarkable and enthusiastic people. Aviation Classics’ old friend Colonel Douglas C Dildy has been joined by Santiago Rivas and Lewis Mejía in explaining the use of the MB.326 and 339 in Argentina and Peru, Colonel Dildy adding to his history of the aircraft of the Falklands War following on from the Harrier and Mirage issues. Another old friend, Luigino Caliaro, waited in the rain and fog for weeks until the weather cleared just long enough to get the airborne photographs with the Vola Fenice MB.326. I would also like to thank the great Italian historian and aviation expert Gregory Alegi, who has supplied many fascinating insights into the people behind the aircraft, as well as vital information that clarified the histories of the smaller

companies in the lineage. There has also been a tremendous amount of support from Alenia Aermacchi itself, and I would like to record my deepest appreciation for the efforts of Marco Valerio Bonelli, Barbara Buzio and Bruno Frigerio who between them supplied many of the images that grace these pages, not to mention a great deal of information.

To you all, if you will forgive my lack of your beautiful language, molto molte grazie. ■

The unique Aermacchi MB.339K Veltro II was a single seat ground attack version of the trainer from 1980, preserved at the Venegono factory. Alenia Aermacchi

All best, Tim

Svelte and elegant, one of the best fighters of the Second World War, the Macchi C.205V Veltro, on display inside the Venegono factory.

Alenia Aermacchi Alenia Aer macchi 7

the genesis of

alenIa aermacchI

A company family tree

A timeline of the company histories that developed into the Italian aerospace manufacturer Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company and a giant of the European aerospace industr y.

8 In assocIatIon wIth alenIa aermacchI – 100 years young

T

his issue of Aviation Classics will examine the histor y of the Alenia Aermacchi in detail, including the aircraft produced by the companies that merged together to create the aerospace giant between 1913 and today, the 100th Anniversar y of the founding of the first of these

companies. The stor y follows two main streams, that of Fiat of Turin and that of Macchi of Varese, and incorporates many short lived businesses along the route. Many of these will feature in sidebars scattered through the magazine, where possible in chronological order. This chart is intended to show the relationship

between these companies, how they changed, merged, spilt and developed through the last centur y, covering as they do the majority of the histor y of manned flight. Happy anniversar y Alenia Aermacchi, looking at what you have achieved over the last 100 years, we can only wonder at what the next centur y will bring.

Giulio Macchi Visionary aViation pioneer

Giulio Macchi, founder of what was to become a giant of the international aerospace industry.

Alenia Aermacchi

Macchi had been a name synonymous with vehicle making in Varese, northern Italy, since 1840, when the brothers Agostino and Giovanni Macchi established a coach and carriage works in the town. It made all kinds of motor vehicles, including trams, and in the early 1900s it was the presence of tramlines that influenced the firm, now run by a new generation of Macchis, to open two new factories – a coachworks and what later became an aircraft workshop.

A

gostino and Giovanni Macchi had established their coach and carriage works in the town of Varese in 1840 where it was known as Carrozzeria Macchi.

The two brothers both raised families in the town, Agostino having six children, Enrico, Giulio, Giovanni, Giuseppina, Giulia and Felicita; while his brother Giovanni had three, Giuseppe, Luciano and Silvio. While little is recorded about the early lives of the children or their education, it is obvious that the young Macchis were all well versed in the family business, and indeed business and engineering in general. I say obvious because in 1905, four of the family, Giovanni, Giuseppe, Enrico and Giulio, along with extended family members Angelo and Pietro, formed a new company. This was called Società Anonima Fratelli Macchi, roughly equivalent to the Macchi Brothers Limited. The new business was to build bodywork for coaches, trams and trains, manufacture automobiles and act as a wheelwright, servicing and manufacturing wooden wheels for a wide variety of vehicles.

The driving forces behind the new venture were brothers Giovanni and Giulio Macchi, both of whom had seen the rapid developments in modern transportation towards the end of the 19th century as a threat to the traditional products of the family company. They had decided to diversify into new areas in order to survive.

Giulio Macchi was born in 1866, and as already noted, little is known about the early life and education of either Giulio or his brother Giovanni, but suffice to say Giulio was a well respected businessman in Varese in 1905. He was a Rotarian and shareholder and board member of the local bank, the Credito Varesino, which still exists today. He also held board member positions at Varese’s electrical power and Grand Hotel companies. While busy with these duties, Giulio also found time to work with Varese’s local council on the development plan for the city. It was his work with the council and as a board member of the Grand Hotel company that brought Giulio into contact with famous art nouveau architect Guiseppe Sommaruga, who designed the

The shortlived alliance with Wolsit did produce some automobiles, including this 1907 racer built for the Coppa Florio race in September that year. Editor’s collection

beautiful Palace Grand Hotel on Campigli hill just to the west of the town centre, a site we will return to. This area was served by the new electric tramway that ran westwards for 25km (15 miles) from Varese to Laveno on the shore of Lake Maggiore. Interestingly, the trams on this service were built by Macchi, so it can be seen that Giulio was able to bring all his business interests together in the development plan for Varese.

Varese lies to the north west of Milan, west of Como and south of Lugano, on the shores of Lake Varese. It is a beautiful city with many parks and woodlands, despite the area being an industrial centre for companies such as Agusta helicopters, Cagiva motorcycles, Ignis electronics and Ficep machine tools. It is interesting to note that so much of Italy’s aerospace industry developed in the area, companies such as Caproni, SIAI and of course Aermacchi were all associated with the region around Milan and Varese. These developments were spurred by the proximity of the industrial centre of Milan and the wide range of small

scale businesses in the region, whose skills in working with wood and fabric lent themselves to the construction of early aircraft. The many lakes in the region were also useful in the development of seaplanes, of which more later.

To return to 1905 and the formation of the new Fratelli Macchi company, the building of new premises to allow for large scale production required investors, and it is testimony to the reputation of the family name that 49 shareholders from industry and finance were attracted to invest in the new venture. The site for the new coachworks was selected alongside the main road on the north side of Campigli hill, almost in the shadow of the Palace Grand Hotel. Giulio had been much impressed by American mass production techniques and brought in machine tools that would allow for the mass manufacture of wooden wheel rims, hubs and spokes. This enabled the new company to maintain quality control while minimizing costs, factors that helped it become successful in bidding for military contracts to produce

Although taken after the end of the First World War, this image shows the location of the Macchi Varese factory, at the foot of Campigli hill below the splendid Palace Grand Hotel. Alenia Aermacchi

Carlo Felice Buzio, the aviation pioneer who was to persuade Giulio Macchi to move into aircraft production. Alenia Aermacchi

wheels for towed artillery and other army equipment. These contracts were to be a major source of support for the company through its development years while it was establishing itself.

In 1907, the Macchi brothers joined with the Banca di Legnano to form Wolsit, or Wolseley Italiana, with a view to producing Wolesely automobiles under licence in Legnano. This venture was badly hit by a financial crisis at the time, so in 1909 the alliance was liquidated after only a few vehicles had been produced. From this point on, the Macchi brothers were actively seeking other avenues to diversify into. A remarkable character, Carlo Felice Buzio enters the story.

Buzio was a keen sporting aviator with many contacts in the French aviation industry in particular, as it was leading European aircraft development at the time. He was also well known in the Italian Army’s Battaglione Aviatori, and was very active in promoting aviation in Italy in both civil and military circles. The Italian Army had used aircraft ➤

The wing workshop at Varese.The wooden structures of early aircraft called for great craftsmanship and skill from the workforce, despite the mass production nature of the task.

Alenia Aermacchi

“This success in aTTracTing The order from The army meanT ThaT macchi had To quickly geT up To speed in new manufacTuring Techniques and skills. iT was decided To form a compleTely separaTe company, socieTà anonima nieuporT-macchi”

in its campaign against Turkish forces in Libya in 1911, Lieutenant Giulio Gavotti becoming the first man to drop bombs from an aircraft, an Etrich Taube. He attacked the oasis at Ain Zara, dropping four 1.5kg bombs by hand. The Battaglione Aviatori had a number of different types, but none were produced in Italy, making the country dependent on foreign suppliers. Buzio was aware that the Italian Army was organizing a competition to find an Italian supplier of military aircraft, and sought a company to form an alliance with himself and his French contacts to produce aircraft in Italy. He

Women were a major part of the workforce in early aviation, a quiet revolution in engineering factories the world over. Here women cover wings and ailerons in fabric at the Varese plant.

Alenia Aermacchi 12 In assocIatIon wIth alenIa aermacchI – 100 years young

Before the official formation of the Nieuport Macchi company, the first aircraft were already being produced at the Macchi brothers factory in Varese, such as this Nieuport IVG. Alenia Aermacchi

approached Giulio Macchi with this proposal in 1912, and together they convinced the board of Macchi to move into this brand new area of development.

In October 1912, the Paris Air Show, forerunner of today’s massive exhibition, was the location for talks between Macchi and Nieuport, at the time producer of some of the most advanced aircraft in France. Agreement for licence production of Nieuport designs was reached swiftly, with a contract being signed by Giulio Macchi and Leon Bazaine, Nieuport’s managing director, in November the same year. The first two Nieuport monoplanes were imported from France to give the new manufacturer experience with the type, the initial 10 members of staff learning much from studying the new machines. By the following year, the staff had increased to 49 and serious production had begun, as the army had issued a purchase order for 84 aircraft of which it stipulated 70 had to be built in Italy, with a due delivery date to the Battaglione Aviatori of April 1913.

This initial order was for several types to be split between Macchi, Caproni, SIT, Wolsit and Asteria, but the army’s competition found that none of the aircraft designed in Italy were satisfactory, so in the end the bulk of the order was given to Macchi with its proven Nieuport designs.

This success in attracting the order from the army meant that Macchi had to quickly get up to speed in new manufacturing techniques and skills. Much of these and the attendant organization required was not consistent with the firm’s existing products, so it was decided to form a completely separate company,

Società Anonima Nieuport-Macchi, to produce nothing but aircraft. New manufacturing facilities were constructed alongside the existing works at the Campigli hill site and nominal capital was raised between Macchi and Nieuport in a 70-30 split in investment.

This investment in the new company is testament to the constructive and friendly cooperation between the two manufacturers, an agreement which was to profitably succeed for many years. Pilots and engineers from Nieuport moved to Varese, including Henri Amman, a design engineer from Paris who became one of the three managers of the new company alongside Giulio Macchi and Carlo Buzio. The new company was formed on May 1, 1913, making Macchi the longest continuous aircraft manufacturer in Europe and arguably in the world.

Giulio Macchi proved to have both a passion and a vision for aviation. When the two companies split he chose to manage Nieuport Macchi on September 30, 1914, then later the company that emerged from it, Aeronautica Macchi. This was a task he was to continue with great success until his death on December 15, 1934. That he managed the company with a talent for organization is borne out by the fact that by December 1915 the company had grown to 623 employees and had produced 160 aircraft for the Italian Army, a remarkable achievement by a remarkable and dedicated man. The story of the aircraft that he produced, along with all the other companies which were to go into making the aerospace giant known today as Alenia Aermacchi, is told in the following pages. ■ Words: Tim Callaway

Stress calculations were tested rigorously, often to the destruction of the test sample. Here, a Macchi Parasol, the first design by the company, has its wing loaded with sandbags to assess its structural strength. Alenia Aermacchi Alenia Aer macchi 13