Macchi C.205
Encyclopedia
The Macchi C.205 (also known as MC.205, "MC" standing for "Macchi Castoldi") Veltro was an Italian
World War II
fighter aircraft
built by the Aeronautica Macchi. Along with the Reggiane Re.2005
and Fiat G.55
, the Macchi C.205 was one of the three "Serie 5" Italian fighters built around the powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605
engine. The C.205 was a development of the earlier C.202 Folgore.
With a top speed of some 400 mph and equipped with a pair of 20 mm cannon as well as 12.7 mm Breda machine guns, the Macchi C.205 Veltro was highly respected by Allied and Luftwaffe pilots alike. Regarded as the best Italian aircraft of World War II
, in action it proved to be extremely effective, destroying a large number of Allied bombers and capable of successfully clashing on equal terms with such renowned fighters as the North American P-51D Mustang
, a capability which encouraged the Luftwaffe
to use a number of these aircraft to equip one Gruppe.
But, although the C.205 was able to match the best Allied opponents in speed and maneuverability, it was introduced late in the conflict. Moreover, due to the poor Italian industrial capability of the time, only a small production run was delivered before the end of the war. Like the Spitfire, the Veltro was tricky (in its construction) and thus slow to build. Italy's highest scoring ace, Adriano Visconti
, achieved 11 of his 26 credited victories in the few weeks he was able to fly the Veltro, with the top scoring 205 Sergente Maggiore pilota Luigi Gorrini
shooting down 14 enemy aircraft plus six damaged with the C.205.
decided to licence-build the German DB 605 1,100 kW (1,475 hp) liquid-cooled supercharged
inverted V-12 engine in Italy, which Fiat produced as the RA.1050 R.C.58 Tifone (Typhoon). Fighter manufacturers were invited to enter versions of their designs using this engine as the caccia della serie 5 ("series-5 fighter") and were provided with imported DB 605s for prototype use. All of the designs used the number 5 in the name, with the Macchi becoming the C.205 (instead of C.202bis or C.203).
Macchi had used a licence-built DB 601
engine in the C.202, an engine which was closely comparable in size to the later, more powerful DB 605. This meant that the C.202 airframe could be easily adapted for the DB 605. The C.205V Veltro first flew on 19 April 1942, and was considered a stop-gap measure with the definitive variant being the 205N Orione (N stood for "new"). In testing, the Fiat G.55 Centauro and Re.2005 Sagittario proved to be better performers at high altitude due to their larger wing area. In fact, the Veltro used the same wing as the earlier Folgore but its weight had increased from 2,350 kg (5,180 lb) to 3,408 kg (7,515 lb) and the wing loading
from 142 kg/m² (29 lb/ft²) to 203 kg/m² (41 lb/ft²). The Veltros performance was similar to German designs with their higher wing loading, and was at its best at medium altitudes where it could reach 642 km/h (399 mph). The C.205 Veltro was placed in production until the G.55 and the Re.2005 could become available.
The first 100 Veltro Serie I were only machine-gun-armed, but many were also fitted with the 20 mm MG 151 cannon
. There were no Serie II built, but 150 Serie III were ordered, which were fitted with wing cannons as a standard.
The necessity to re-engineer the forward fuselage was time-consuming but, after several months of delays, the "205N" was ready. The C.205N1 first flew on 1 November 1942, with armament consisting of a 20 mm cannon firing through the propeller hub, and four cowling-mounted 12.7 mm (.5 in) Breda-SAFAT machine gun
s for which it carried 300-400 and 1,400 rounds of ammunition respectively. This configuration allowed a higher ceiling, but less speed (629 km/h/391 mph), however, the better aerodynamics (with a longer and more streamlined rear fuselage) provided an overall advantage over the Macchi C.205V/MG151 (620 km/h/385 mph).
The maiden flight of the second prototype, the C.205N2, took place on 19 May 1943, reaching 628 km/h (390 mph) during testing, which was marginally slower than the C.205N1 with a correspondingly longer time to reach its operational altitude. It was equipped with one engine-mounted 20 mm cannon, two wing-mounted 20 mm cannon, and two fuselage-mounted 12.7 mm (.5 in) machine guns. The ammunition load comprised 600 or more 12.7 mm (.5 in) rounds, and a maximum of around 900 20 mm rounds which was much heavier than that carried by the C.205N1, and more than that of the Reggiane and the Fiat which carried 490-550 and 650 20 mm rounds respectively. Although 1,200 aircraft were initially ordered, the design was abandoned due to the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces.
The N-series aircraft should have performed better than the C.205V, but Macchi test pilot Guido Carestiato noted that their flying characteristics were inferior to the lighter and more agile C.205 Veltro. The later series also experienced overheating while climbing.
: the tail was larger, the cockpit
and its hump were redesigned, the antenna mast was bigger and some modifications were made to the wings.
The C.205 was a single-seat, all-metal, monoplane
fighter, intended primarily as an interceptor but with ground attack and escort capabilities. The long nose housed the DB605 engine which drove a three-blade, constant-speed metal propeller
, with the main fuel tank
situated between the engine and the cockpit
. The radiator
was located under the centre section of the fuselage beneath the cockpit while the short rear section housed the radio equipment, oxygen
cylinder and an 80 L (20 US gal) reserve fuel tank. The wings were made of light aluminium alloys and steel, having two spar
s and three sections, housing two additional fuel tanks, and the fully retractable wide-set main undercarriage
gear. Apart from the all-metal flap
s in the inner wing, all the other control surfaces were metal-framed and fabric-covered. Veltros had self-sealing fuel tank
s, an armoured seat, and armoured windscreen as standard. The cramped cockpit possessed a limited field-of-view, but some examples were fitted with a rear-view mirror.
The 827 kg/1,823 lb (normal) payload consisted of the fully equipped pilot (85 kg/187 lb), fuel (307 kg/677 lb), two Breda machine guns and two Mauser cannon (60 and 84 kg/130 and 185 lb respectively), 740 rounds of 12.7 mm (.5 in) ammunition (76 kg/168 lb), 500 rounds of 20 mm ammunition (100 kg/220 lb), and other sundry items such as oil (33 kg/73 lb), oxygen cylinder (12 kg/26 lb) and radio equipment. Additionally, 100 L (30 US gal) fuel tanks or 160 kg (350 lb) of bombs could be carried on two underwing hardpoints. Due to a lack of passenger transport aircraft, modifications were made to a C.205 to enable it to carry eight passengers in the belly of the fuselage and, among others, three pilots of 51° Wing (including Adriano Visconti) made the journey from Sardinia to Italy after the Armistice in this manner.
Veltros originally had "tropical" pattern camouflage, with a sand brown base coat and irregular black-green lines all over their surface. Those in service with Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
were painted an overall dark green (nearly black), while others adopted a variation of the "tropical" pattern.
Notes:
1. Series I/III
2. Under ideal conditions
Although these figures provide an indication of the relative performance of each variant, and showed that the Orione, especially the N2, suffered as a result of the weight increase (particularly in climbs), they are not truly representative as they were obtained under different test conditions. As opposed to the two N versions, the Veltro was tested under ideal conditions, i.e. at light weight (3,250 kg/7,170 lb) and with full emergency power (2,750 rpm). In a climb to 6,000 m (19,700 ft), a Veltro III series, fully equipped and using combat (not emergency) power at 2,600 rpm needed 7 minutes.
units.
, is the first unit to enter action with the C.205, on Mediterranean, escorting maritime and aerial convoys to and from Tunisia
. During their first sortie, 22 C.205 clashed with very good results against more numerous formations of Curtiss P.40 and Supermarine Spitfires. During the next few months, C.205s of the Regia Aeronautica were involved in several major engagements with some of the 4,000 Allied aircraft that were stationed in the Mediterranean at that time.
At the end of May, because of the vulnerability of Pantelleria
, the 1° Stormo was moved to Sigonella airfield, in Sicily
, and on the minor airstrip of Finocchiara, 15 km South-East of Ragusa
. On June 8, 1943, 15 C.205 of 1° Stormo escorted three torpedo-bombers attacking Allied ships which were shelling Pantelleria's defenses. At the end of June, the Stormo had no more serviceable Veltros. On 24 June, 1° Stormo left Sicily for Osoppo
first, and Ronchi dei Legionari
later, and was replaced by 4° Stormo. Few pilots returned to Udine
, while the remaining aircraft joined other units.
4° Stormo, that had left Africa in January 1943, was re-equipped with Macchi C.202s and C.205s on the airfields of Campoformido (10° Gruppo) and Bresso (9° Gruppo). It was then moved on Rome-Ciampino
airport. On 9 July 1943 (the eve of the Allied invasion of Sicily), 4° Stormo was based in the Catania
plain, with a complement of 10 Veltros and 38 Folgores (no Italian unit was equipped with Veltros alone). Later it received a batch of a further 10 C.205s. The Italian pilots flew as many as six sorties per day, but on the 14th of July, with the first Allied paratroopers landing on the Catania plain, 4° Stormo was forced to retreat to Crotone airfield in Calabria
after setting fire to four or five damaged C.205s that could not be repaired in time.
51° Stormo fought with some success over Sardinia, (apart from the battle of 2 August) but sustained many losses, especially at the end of July and the beginning of August.
3° Stormo C.T., commanded by Tenente Colonnello Tito Falconi, also had the chance to use the "Veltro" in combat. At the time it was based on Cerveteri
airstrip with the task to defend Rome, 83a, 85a and 95a Squadriglia, 18° Gruppo (of 3° Stormo) all received a number of C.205s. Commander Falconi assigned them to the most eminent pilots: Sergente Maggiore Luigi Gorrini
, Tenente Franco Bordoni-Bisleri and Maresciallo Guido Fibbia
.
The 3° Stormo used the new type effectvely to intercept American bombers and fighters in the sky of Latium.
"The Macchi fighter possessed some excellent qualities, and the Italian pilots made optimum use of the aircraft which had a maximum speed of 644 km/h (400 mph)."
One of the greatest British fighter pilots of World War II, Group Captain Duncan-Smith
DSO DFC respected both the Macchi and the Italian airmen:
Like its predecessors, the first Veltros were insufficiently armed, but the aircraft often performed well in combat. Guido Carestiato said about the C.205, that it was the "best Italian fighter that he knew" and many pilots like the C.205 "ace" Luigi Gorrini, scored 19 or 24 victories (in return, he was downed four or five times). Gorrini claimed 12 victories in July 1943 and several of them were with the Veltro.
While patrolling between Cap Bon and Cap Mustafà on 20 April 1943, a large enemy formation was spotted 35 km (22 mi) west of Pantelleria. The Italian fighters started to close in to the aircraft of Nos. 1, 92, 417, and 601 SAAF squadrons which were flying at low level, but were surprised by six Polish pilots of 145 Squadron flying high cover. These were joined by other Spitfire
s and the 33 Macchis found themselves in combat with up to 60 Spitfires (mainly Mk VCs, and possibly Mk VIIIs and IXs). The Italian pilots claimed 15 victories (one by Maresciallo Baschirotto who fired 500 rounds), with 14 Spitfires downed in the sea and another over African soil. The Polish pilots, on the other hand claimed seven victories, another three were claimed by 92 Squadron and one by a pilot of 601.
The encounter was differently described by other sources:
However, another analysis of this combat shows that the Regia Aeronautica pilots claimed a total of 17 aircraft on 20 April and claimed to have downed 15 Spitfires in this engagement; although Italian ground observers claimed to have seen 14 aircraft crash into the sea or onto land, only one Spitfire, flown by Flg Off Drecki of 145 Sqn
, was heavily damaged. In return three C.205Vs were lost. There is also a possibility that Bf 109s of I./JG77 were involved in this engagement.
Allied records report only two C.205Vs downed (Tenenti Andreoli and Fanelli), while another made an emergency landing near Cap Bon, and explains why some sources quote two losses and others three, but there is some doubt as to whether this aircraft, the only one to touch down on African soil, was a Veltro or a Folgore. At least one other Macchi was damaged, and the pilot wounded. Similarly, the Italian claims didn't match any losses recorded in Allied squadron reports.
were downed and the Italians sent a CANT Z.506 Airone
aircraft escorted by four C.205Vs on a search and rescue mission. A group of P-40s attacked the Cant, but despite the defence put up by the Veltros, one American fighter crashed into the Z.506 and both fell into the sea.
A USAAF search and rescue PBY Catalina
mission was also mounted, escorted by 12 P-38
s. C.202 and C.205s of 51° Stormo, led by Ennio Tarantola, intercepted this flight. The Catalina was taken by surprise on the surface near the Sardinian coast having broken a propeller blade in the heavy sea conditions. The Italians also claimed to have downed all 12 P-38s, whereas the Americans claimed three or four victories over the Axis fighters with no losses. Later records showed that only the Catalina and the C.202 of Maresciallo Bianchi, a close friend of Tarantola, were shot down.
The two or three victories over P-38s claimed by Tarantola are not supported by any data available; however, no further SAR missions were made by Americans to search for the downed pilots, while the Italians claimed as many P-38s downed as all those available in the theatre. Except for a crewman killed by strafing, the crew of the Catalina was saved, thanks to a fast vessel of the Royal Navy
whose captain was awarded with the DSC
for battling adverse sea conditions, coastal battery fire and enemy aircraft while rescuing the survivors.
s.
Given the shortage of modern aircraft, it was natural that more advanced combat aircraft like the Veltros were usually given to the best flyers and most experienced pilots like Vittorio Minguzzi.
.
Macchi produced the remaining 72 aircraft of the third series for the ANR before production was shut down by Allied bombing in May 1944. Statistics on aircraft production post-Armistice are unclear and incomplete. The first air battle of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana – still with German insignia – took place on 3 January 1944. The C.205s, guided by Italian ace Capitano Adriano Visconti, intercepted a formation of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and their escort of Lockheed P-38 Lightnings bombing RIV factories in Villar Perosa.
On 24 January, the Macchi 205 were transferred to two bases in Friuli. On 28 January, the C.205s, now with Italian markings, succeeded in shooting down a B-24 Liberator, their first four-engined American bomber. This air victory was credited to Sergente Marconcini, wingman of the ace Visconti.
1° Gruppo, based in Udine
, was equipped with a few Veltros. According to one author
A few Veltros were also delivered to 3° Gruppo, based in Vicenza
, while further Veltros were scattered throughout other small units.
In general, C.205s fought well in RSI service: they were attached to units that had homogeneous equipment, or at least of comparable quality, and were guided by German radar stations. Though few in number, they achieved some success in inflicting losses on Allied bombers and fighters,.
Luftwaffe II.Gruppe of JG 77 operated with requisionated C.205Vs, for two months, from October until the end of 1943.
in December, when the German unit was re-equipped with new Bf 109s. Thus there are photos of C.205s with black crosses painted over the mid-fuselage Italian white strip markings. The Germans were less enthusiastic about the C.205Vs, nor were really impressed by the early evaluations in Spring 1943. There is mention in the KTB (History diary), on 25 November 1943 page: the group has 23 Macchi, 11 are ready to fight. Macchi is fast and had a good flying characteristics, except for the tendency to lose control in sharp turns. The fighter is disavantaged because its radio, while powerful, is far from reliable in action. Refuelling and rearming process is slow and difficult, it takes much time to make the fighters ready. Today's mission was made with 17 Macchis, radio control problems caused delays, and the mission concluded without intercepting the enemy.
After II.JG 77 was equipped with new Bf 109s, the C.205s were sent to Italian units. In the brief German use, Veltros had at least five losses by accidents, often caused by the inverted throttle used on Italian aircraft (In German and Allied fighters the "open throttle" position was forward, not back, and this was the source of several errors). Some Veltros were ferried by JG 53. The first losses occurred on 27 September 1943 near Albenga. Two German pilots were killed and other wounded in these accidents. On the other side, it was recorded only one aerial combat in which Germans claimed at least one P-38 and two probable (1 December 1943).
Regia Aeronautica also had a poor opinion about the Macchi C.205N, plagued by overheating in the climb.
The 1° Gruppo C.T. of the ANR, based at the Campoformido airfield, was equipped with MC. 205. Its first operation, on 3 January, began with a surprise blow right away: the Italian fighter pilots shot down four P-38 Lightnings. By 25 February 1° Gruppo C.T. had reported 26 victories for nine losses. An extremely bitter aerial combat took place on 11 March. The Italians claimed 12 victories for themselves, but lost three of their own pilots, including 1st Lt Boscutti, who was killed by an American P-38 Lightning pilot after he had baled out from his stricken fighter and was hanging from his parachute. On 18 March, 30 C.205s from 1° Gruppo C.T. and 60 Bf 109 from JG.77 joined combat with about 450 Allied bombers and their escorts, shooting down at least four enemy aircraft, but Corp. Zaccaria was killed while hanging from his parachute again by a P-38 pilot who fired at him from close range.
Allied bombing in April 1944 destroyed most of the Macchi and Fiat facilities bringing fighter production to an end. With the interruption of production, the Italians were forced to re-equip their three groups almost fully with Bf 109s, largely because the Germans were quick to offer some of their best models, including Bf 109G-6s and Bf 109K-4s. The Allies were less generous with the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
(ICAF), and Veltros, including some upgraded C.202s, were slowly replaced with worn-out P-39s and Spitfires, but not before summer 1944.
, Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske (ZNDH) in 1944, but the Croatian "Veltros" flew few sorties and were soon overwhelmed by the waves of Allied fighters that swarmed over Yugoslavian skies. On 30 June 1944, three recently arrived Macchi C.205s, flown by Eastern Front veterans (Major Josip Helebrant, Oberleutenant Ljudevit "Lujo" Bencetic and Feldwebel Bozidar "Bosko" Bartulovic), along with three inexperienced pilots in Macchi C.202s, took off to intercept USAAF Fifteenth Air force bombers heading to bomb Blechhammer
, location of Nazi Germany
chemical plants, prisoner of war (POW) camps, and forced labor camps. The Macchis attacked the USAAF bombers and their escorting fighters, 5th FS/52nd FG P-51 Mustangs over Bjelovar
, but five of the Italian-built aircraft were shot down both by the bomber's defensive fire and by the Mustangs. Only Bencetic - an ace with a final score of 15 kills and his "Veltro" succeeded in returning back to base at Zagreb
. Helebrant and Bartulovic baled out and survived the war, with a final score of, respectively, 11 and eight kills.
The new Veltros were fully equipped, while the Folgore conversions were armed with only two 12.7 mm Breda machine guns. They were the lightest series of the entire production, and consequently had the best performance, but were seriously under-armed. A total of 15 Macchis were delivered to Egypt before the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
, seeing brief combat against the Israeli Air Force
. Some Veltros, equipped with underwing bomb racks were used in ground-attack sorties against Israeli targets. On 7 January 1949, a C.205 claimed an Israeli P-51D Mustang. In return two or three Veltros had been claimed by IAF fighters by the end of the war in July, with another six under repair.
Israeli secret services acted with bombing in Italy, at the time supporting both Israel and Arabs. Already 15 February 1947 one S.95 was destroyed soon after the take off from Rome. Aboard there was an Egyptian princess, several politics and an Italian intelligence officer. The subsequent bombing was at Venegono on 18 September 1948: one hangar was damaged by several explosive devices, destroying 3 MB.308 and one MC.205 in Macchi facilities. The hangar, not totally demolished, contained several Veltros destined to Egypt. All the G.55s ordered by Egypt were armed with four Breda(12.7 mm) machine-guns, and they were brand new: 16 were single-seaters and three were twin seaters. Syria ordered 16 G.55A (all single-seaters).
The MM/Snc were: Macchi first batch: 1201-1224; second batch, 1225-1242. Fiat G.55A were 91214-91220, 91225-91229, 91221-91224 (G.55B two-seats).
The last Veltros were delivered in 1951, the fighter served mainly with No.2 Sqn until the mid-1950s. The last batch, 20 Veltros (10 ex-MC.202, six Veltro sr.III and 4 sr.I) were assigned to AMI with deliveries continuing until 29 May 1951. The phasing out process was however swift, because the new Anglo-American jet fighters were available at a surprisingly low cost at the time of the official phasing out of the Veltro (around 1951), although the last '205 was phased out in 1955. The "Folgore" was stricken off register in 1948, with the exception of those C.202 airframes transformed into Veltros.
.
M.C.205
M.C.205V
M.C.205S
M.C.205N Orione
M.C.205N-1
M.C.205N-2
M.C.206
M.C.207
Independent State of Croatia
Egypt
Nazi Germany
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)
Italian Social Republic
All C.205s that are preserved are hybrids made up of parts of C.202s mixed with those of C.205s.
One, MM.91818 (bearing the registration MM 9372), is on display at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan
. Restoration was completed in 1981 by the Italian Air Force together with Fiat and Aermacchi.
Another two are on display at the Museo storico dell'Aeronautica Militare
in Vigna di Valle.
MM.9546 is displayed as a MC.205 and MM.92166 is displayed as a MC.202.
In November 2006 the engine and cockpit of a crashed C.205 were found 8 meters underground, with the pilot still in his seat, in Correzzola
, near Padua
, and can be viewed on request at the air museum in Fusignano
.
A C.205 replica can be seen outside Rome's Palazzo dell'Aeronautica, and another in Volandia Park and Museum of Flight at Vizzola Ticino
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
built by the Aeronautica Macchi. Along with the Reggiane Re.2005
Reggiane Re.2005
The Reggiane Re.2005 was an Italian monoplane fighter/fighter-bomber produced for the Regia Aeronautica during the later years of World War II. It is considered by many to be "the most beautiful plane of the Second World War". Along with the Macchi C.202/C.205 and Fiat G.55, the Reggiane Re.2005...
and Fiat G.55
Fiat G.55
The Fiat G.55 Centauro was a single-engine single-seat World War II fighter aircraft used by the Regia Aeronautica and the A.N.R. in 1943-1945. It was designed and built in Turin by Fiat. The Fiat G.55 was probably the best type produced in Italy during World War II, but it did not enter...
, the Macchi C.205 was one of the three "Serie 5" Italian fighters built around the powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605
Daimler-Benz DB 605
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-517-67964-7...
engine. The C.205 was a development of the earlier C.202 Folgore.
With a top speed of some 400 mph and equipped with a pair of 20 mm cannon as well as 12.7 mm Breda machine guns, the Macchi C.205 Veltro was highly respected by Allied and Luftwaffe pilots alike. Regarded as the best Italian aircraft of World War II
, in action it proved to be extremely effective, destroying a large number of Allied bombers and capable of successfully clashing on equal terms with such renowned fighters as the North American P-51D Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
, a capability which encouraged the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
to use a number of these aircraft to equip one Gruppe.
But, although the C.205 was able to match the best Allied opponents in speed and maneuverability, it was introduced late in the conflict. Moreover, due to the poor Italian industrial capability of the time, only a small production run was delivered before the end of the war. Like the Spitfire, the Veltro was tricky (in its construction) and thus slow to build. Italy's highest scoring ace, Adriano Visconti
Adriano Visconti
Major Adriano Visconti di Lampugnano was one of Italy's top flying aces of the Second World War, shooting down between 10 to 26 enemy aircraft...
, achieved 11 of his 26 credited victories in the few weeks he was able to fly the Veltro, with the top scoring 205 Sergente Maggiore pilota Luigi Gorrini
Luigi Gorrini
Luigi Gorrini, MOVM, is a former Italian World War II fighter pilot in the Regia Aeronautica and in the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana....
shooting down 14 enemy aircraft plus six damaged with the C.205.
Design and development
In 1941, seeking to further improve the performance of the C.202 fighter, the Regia AeronauticaRegia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
decided to licence-build the German DB 605 1,100 kW (1,475 hp) liquid-cooled supercharged
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
inverted V-12 engine in Italy, which Fiat produced as the RA.1050 R.C.58 Tifone (Typhoon). Fighter manufacturers were invited to enter versions of their designs using this engine as the caccia della serie 5 ("series-5 fighter") and were provided with imported DB 605s for prototype use. All of the designs used the number 5 in the name, with the Macchi becoming the C.205 (instead of C.202bis or C.203).
Macchi had used a licence-built DB 601
Daimler-Benz DB 601
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Mankau, Heinz and Peter Petrick. Messerschmitt Bf 110, Me 210, Me 410. Raumfahrt, Germany: Aviatic Verlag, 2001. ISBN 3-92550-562-8.* Neil Gregor Daimler-Benz in the Third Reich. Yale University Press, 1998-External links:...
engine in the C.202, an engine which was closely comparable in size to the later, more powerful DB 605. This meant that the C.202 airframe could be easily adapted for the DB 605. The C.205V Veltro first flew on 19 April 1942, and was considered a stop-gap measure with the definitive variant being the 205N Orione (N stood for "new"). In testing, the Fiat G.55 Centauro and Re.2005 Sagittario proved to be better performers at high altitude due to their larger wing area. In fact, the Veltro used the same wing as the earlier Folgore but its weight had increased from 2,350 kg (5,180 lb) to 3,408 kg (7,515 lb) and the wing loading
Wing loading
In aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing. The faster an aircraft flies, the more lift is produced by each unit area of wing, so a smaller wing can carry the same weight in level flight, operating at a higher wing loading. Correspondingly,...
from 142 kg/m² (29 lb/ft²) to 203 kg/m² (41 lb/ft²). The Veltros performance was similar to German designs with their higher wing loading, and was at its best at medium altitudes where it could reach 642 km/h (399 mph). The C.205 Veltro was placed in production until the G.55 and the Re.2005 could become available.
The first 100 Veltro Serie I were only machine-gun-armed, but many were also fitted with the 20 mm MG 151 cannon
MG 151 cannon
The MG 151 was a 15 mm autocannon produced by Waffenfabrik Mauser starting in 1940. It was in 1941 developed into the 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon which was widely used on many types of German Luftwaffe fighters, fighter bombers, night fighters, ground attack and even bombers as part of or as...
. There were no Serie II built, but 150 Serie III were ordered, which were fitted with wing cannons as a standard.
The necessity to re-engineer the forward fuselage was time-consuming but, after several months of delays, the "205N" was ready. The C.205N1 first flew on 1 November 1942, with armament consisting of a 20 mm cannon firing through the propeller hub, and four cowling-mounted 12.7 mm (.5 in) Breda-SAFAT machine gun
Breda-SAFAT machine gun
Breda-SAFAT was a series of machine-guns mounted on Italian aircraft during World War II. The weapon came in 7.7mm and 12.7mm variants. The 7.7mm model was similar to the M1919 Browning machine gun and could use some types of .303 British ammunition. The 12.7mm version could fire a...
s for which it carried 300-400 and 1,400 rounds of ammunition respectively. This configuration allowed a higher ceiling, but less speed (629 km/h/391 mph), however, the better aerodynamics (with a longer and more streamlined rear fuselage) provided an overall advantage over the Macchi C.205V/MG151 (620 km/h/385 mph).
The maiden flight of the second prototype, the C.205N2, took place on 19 May 1943, reaching 628 km/h (390 mph) during testing, which was marginally slower than the C.205N1 with a correspondingly longer time to reach its operational altitude. It was equipped with one engine-mounted 20 mm cannon, two wing-mounted 20 mm cannon, and two fuselage-mounted 12.7 mm (.5 in) machine guns. The ammunition load comprised 600 or more 12.7 mm (.5 in) rounds, and a maximum of around 900 20 mm rounds which was much heavier than that carried by the C.205N1, and more than that of the Reggiane and the Fiat which carried 490-550 and 650 20 mm rounds respectively. Although 1,200 aircraft were initially ordered, the design was abandoned due to the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces.
The N-series aircraft should have performed better than the C.205V, but Macchi test pilot Guido Carestiato noted that their flying characteristics were inferior to the lighter and more agile C.205 Veltro. The later series also experienced overheating while climbing.
Design
The C.205, known initially as the C.202bis, was similar to the previous Folgore, but there were many differences in the fuselageFuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
: the tail was larger, the cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
and its hump were redesigned, the antenna mast was bigger and some modifications were made to the wings.
The C.205 was a single-seat, all-metal, monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
fighter, intended primarily as an interceptor but with ground attack and escort capabilities. The long nose housed the DB605 engine which drove a three-blade, constant-speed metal propeller
Constant speed propeller
A constant speed propeller is a type of propeller that can change its blade pitch to take better advantage of the power supplied by an engine in much the same way that a transmission in a car takes better advantage of its power source...
, with the main fuel tank
Fuel tank
A fuel tank is safe container for flammable fluids. Though any storage tank for fuel may be so called, the term is typically applied to part of an engine system in which the fuel is stored and propelled or released into an engine...
situated between the engine and the cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
. The radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
was located under the centre section of the fuselage beneath the cockpit while the short rear section housed the radio equipment, oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
cylinder and an 80 L (20 US gal) reserve fuel tank. The wings were made of light aluminium alloys and steel, having two spar
Spar (aviation)
In a fixed-wing aircraft, the spar is often the main structural member of the wing, running spanwise at right angles to the fuselage. The spar carries flight loads and the weight of the wings whilst on the ground...
s and three sections, housing two additional fuel tanks, and the fully retractable wide-set main undercarriage
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
gear. Apart from the all-metal flap
Flap (aircraft)
Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...
s in the inner wing, all the other control surfaces were metal-framed and fabric-covered. Veltros had self-sealing fuel tank
Self-sealing fuel tank
In aviation, self-sealing fuel tank is a fuel tank technology in wide use since World War II that prevents fuel tanks primarily on aircraft from leaking fuel and igniting after being damaged by enemy fire....
s, an armoured seat, and armoured windscreen as standard. The cramped cockpit possessed a limited field-of-view, but some examples were fitted with a rear-view mirror.
The 827 kg/1,823 lb (normal) payload consisted of the fully equipped pilot (85 kg/187 lb), fuel (307 kg/677 lb), two Breda machine guns and two Mauser cannon (60 and 84 kg/130 and 185 lb respectively), 740 rounds of 12.7 mm (.5 in) ammunition (76 kg/168 lb), 500 rounds of 20 mm ammunition (100 kg/220 lb), and other sundry items such as oil (33 kg/73 lb), oxygen cylinder (12 kg/26 lb) and radio equipment. Additionally, 100 L (30 US gal) fuel tanks or 160 kg (350 lb) of bombs could be carried on two underwing hardpoints. Due to a lack of passenger transport aircraft, modifications were made to a C.205 to enable it to carry eight passengers in the belly of the fuselage and, among others, three pilots of 51° Wing (including Adriano Visconti) made the journey from Sardinia to Italy after the Armistice in this manner.
Veltros originally had "tropical" pattern camouflage, with a sand brown base coat and irregular black-green lines all over their surface. Those in service with Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
thumb|250px|Wing emblem of the A.N.R. from 1944 to 1945.The National Republican Air Force was the air force of the Italian Social Republic during World War II, closely linked with the German Air Force in northern Italy.-Description:This air force was tasked with defending the industrial areas of...
were painted an overall dark green (nearly black), while others adopted a variation of the "tropical" pattern.
Relative performance
The following are relative performance and characteristics data for the three versions of the C.205 (or MC.205, as the machines designed by Castoldi were often called):| C.205V | C.205N/1 | C.205N/2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum weight (kg) | 2,581 | 2,695 | 2,759 | |
| Maximum weight (kg) | 3,408 | 3,621 | 3,794 | |
| Payload (kg) | 827 | 926 | 935 | |
| Ceiling (m) | 11,200 | 11,500 | 11,800 | |
| Range (km) | 950 | 1,020 | 950 | |
| Maximum speed (km/h) | 642/620 (at 7,500 m) [1] | 629 (at 6,500 m) | 628 (at 6,500 m) | |
| Time to 5,000 m altitude | 4 min 47 sec | 5 min 46 sec | 6 min 14 sec | |
| Time to 6,000 m altitude | 5 min 53 sec [2] | 6 min 07 sec | 7 min 38 sec | |
| Time to 7,000 m altitude | 7 min 06 sec [2] | 7 min 45 sec | 9 min 07 sec | |
| Time to 8,000 m altitude | 9 min 09 sec [2] | 9 min 25 sec | 10 min 47 sec | |
Notes:
1. Series I/III
2. Under ideal conditions
Although these figures provide an indication of the relative performance of each variant, and showed that the Orione, especially the N2, suffered as a result of the weight increase (particularly in climbs), they are not truly representative as they were obtained under different test conditions. As opposed to the two N versions, the Veltro was tested under ideal conditions, i.e. at light weight (3,250 kg/7,170 lb) and with full emergency power (2,750 rpm). In a climb to 6,000 m (19,700 ft), a Veltro III series, fully equipped and using combat (not emergency) power at 2,600 rpm needed 7 minutes.
Production
At the end of evaluation tests, the C.205 began series production, with a first order of 250 aircraft. The first C.205 left the factory in September 1942. Speed of production was very slow (about 12 machines per month), because of shortage of engines and strategic materials, only in June 1943 did Macchi manage to complete the first batch of 100 fighters. It took until September before production reached 177 examples, of which 146 were delivered to Regia AeronauticaRegia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
units.
Operational history
The C.205 entered production only five months after its maiden flight and began reaching front line units in February 1943. At the end of April, the 1° Stormo, based in PantelleriaPantelleria
Pantelleria , the ancient Cossyra, is an Italian island in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and just east of the Tunisian coast. Administratively Pantelleria is a comune belonging to the Sicilian province of Trapani...
, is the first unit to enter action with the C.205, on Mediterranean, escorting maritime and aerial convoys to and from Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. During their first sortie, 22 C.205 clashed with very good results against more numerous formations of Curtiss P.40 and Supermarine Spitfires. During the next few months, C.205s of the Regia Aeronautica were involved in several major engagements with some of the 4,000 Allied aircraft that were stationed in the Mediterranean at that time.
At the end of May, because of the vulnerability of Pantelleria
Pantelleria
Pantelleria , the ancient Cossyra, is an Italian island in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and just east of the Tunisian coast. Administratively Pantelleria is a comune belonging to the Sicilian province of Trapani...
, the 1° Stormo was moved to Sigonella airfield, in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, and on the minor airstrip of Finocchiara, 15 km South-East of Ragusa
Ragusa, Italy
Ragusa is a city and comune in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Ragusa, on the island of Sicily, with around 75,000 inhabitants. It is built on a wide limestone hill between two deep valleys, Cava San Leonardo and Cava Santa Domenica...
. On June 8, 1943, 15 C.205 of 1° Stormo escorted three torpedo-bombers attacking Allied ships which were shelling Pantelleria's defenses. At the end of June, the Stormo had no more serviceable Veltros. On 24 June, 1° Stormo left Sicily for Osoppo
Osoppo
Osoppo is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 90 km northwest of Trieste and about 25 km northwest of Udine...
first, and Ronchi dei Legionari
Ronchi dei Legionari
Ronchi dei Legionari is a comune in the Province of Gorizia in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 30 km northwest of Trieste and about 14 km southwest of Gorizia....
later, and was replaced by 4° Stormo. Few pilots returned to Udine
Udine
Udine is a city and comune in northeastern Italy, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps , less than 40 km from the Slovenian border. Its population was 99,439 in 2009, and that of its urban area was 175,000.- History :Udine is the historical...
, while the remaining aircraft joined other units.
4° Stormo, that had left Africa in January 1943, was re-equipped with Macchi C.202s and C.205s on the airfields of Campoformido (10° Gruppo) and Bresso (9° Gruppo). It was then moved on Rome-Ciampino
Ciampino
Ciampino is a town and comune in the province of Rome, Lazio, Italy. It was a frazione of Marino until 1974, when it became a comune; it obtained the city status in 2004 by presidential decree.-Overview:It is best known for the local "Giovan Battista Pastine" International Airport, best known as...
airport. On 9 July 1943 (the eve of the Allied invasion of Sicily), 4° Stormo was based in the Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
plain, with a complement of 10 Veltros and 38 Folgores (no Italian unit was equipped with Veltros alone). Later it received a batch of a further 10 C.205s. The Italian pilots flew as many as six sorties per day, but on the 14th of July, with the first Allied paratroopers landing on the Catania plain, 4° Stormo was forced to retreat to Crotone airfield in Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
after setting fire to four or five damaged C.205s that could not be repaired in time.
51° Stormo fought with some success over Sardinia, (apart from the battle of 2 August) but sustained many losses, especially at the end of July and the beginning of August.
3° Stormo C.T., commanded by Tenente Colonnello Tito Falconi, also had the chance to use the "Veltro" in combat. At the time it was based on Cerveteri
Cerveteri
Cerveteri is a town and comune of the northern Lazio, in the province of Rome. Originally known as Caere , it is famous for a number of Etruscan necropolis that include some of the best Etruscan tombs anywhere....
airstrip with the task to defend Rome, 83a, 85a and 95a Squadriglia, 18° Gruppo (of 3° Stormo) all received a number of C.205s. Commander Falconi assigned them to the most eminent pilots: Sergente Maggiore Luigi Gorrini
Luigi Gorrini
Luigi Gorrini, MOVM, is a former Italian World War II fighter pilot in the Regia Aeronautica and in the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana....
, Tenente Franco Bordoni-Bisleri and Maresciallo Guido Fibbia
Guido Fibbia
Guido Fibbia was an Italian Second World War fighter pilotin the Regia Aeronautica and in the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana....
.
The 3° Stormo used the new type effectvely to intercept American bombers and fighters in the sky of Latium.
"The Macchi fighter possessed some excellent qualities, and the Italian pilots made optimum use of the aircraft which had a maximum speed of 644 km/h (400 mph)."
One of the greatest British fighter pilots of World War II, Group Captain Duncan-Smith
W. G. G. Duncan Smith
Group Captain Wilfrid George Gerald Duncan Smith, DSO and Bar, DFC and 2 Bars was a British Royal Air Force Second World War Flying ace.-Early life:...
DSO DFC respected both the Macchi and the Italian airmen:
In general the standard of flying of the Italian pilots was very high indeed, and in encounters with Macchi 205s particularly we were up against aircraft that could turn and dog-fight with our Spitfires extremely well.
Like its predecessors, the first Veltros were insufficiently armed, but the aircraft often performed well in combat. Guido Carestiato said about the C.205, that it was the "best Italian fighter that he knew" and many pilots like the C.205 "ace" Luigi Gorrini, scored 19 or 24 victories (in return, he was downed four or five times). Gorrini claimed 12 victories in July 1943 and several of them were with the Veltro.
Battle of Pantelleria
1° Stormo received the first Veltros in time to fight over the southern Italian air base. In free-ranging patrols, the wing fielded 24 Veltros (around 1/10 of all those produced) and nine Folgores in an attempt to intercept enemy aircraft in the area.While patrolling between Cap Bon and Cap Mustafà on 20 April 1943, a large enemy formation was spotted 35 km (22 mi) west of Pantelleria. The Italian fighters started to close in to the aircraft of Nos. 1, 92, 417, and 601 SAAF squadrons which were flying at low level, but were surprised by six Polish pilots of 145 Squadron flying high cover. These were joined by other Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s and the 33 Macchis found themselves in combat with up to 60 Spitfires (mainly Mk VCs, and possibly Mk VIIIs and IXs). The Italian pilots claimed 15 victories (one by Maresciallo Baschirotto who fired 500 rounds), with 14 Spitfires downed in the sea and another over African soil. The Polish pilots, on the other hand claimed seven victories, another three were claimed by 92 Squadron and one by a pilot of 601.
The encounter was differently described by other sources:
On 20 April 1943, over the Straits of Sicily, 30 C. 202 and C. 205Vs from 1° Stormo clashed with 60 Spitfires. Losing only two of their own fighters, the Italians claimed to have shot down 17 Spitfires.
However, another analysis of this combat shows that the Regia Aeronautica pilots claimed a total of 17 aircraft on 20 April and claimed to have downed 15 Spitfires in this engagement; although Italian ground observers claimed to have seen 14 aircraft crash into the sea or onto land, only one Spitfire, flown by Flg Off Drecki of 145 Sqn
No. 145 Squadron RAF
No. 145 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that operated during World War I, World War II and the Cold War. Its motto was Diu noctuque pugnamus .-History:...
, was heavily damaged. In return three C.205Vs were lost. There is also a possibility that Bf 109s of I./JG77 were involved in this engagement.
Allied records report only two C.205Vs downed (Tenenti Andreoli and Fanelli), while another made an emergency landing near Cap Bon, and explains why some sources quote two losses and others three, but there is some doubt as to whether this aircraft, the only one to touch down on African soil, was a Veltro or a Folgore. At least one other Macchi was damaged, and the pilot wounded. Similarly, the Italian claims didn't match any losses recorded in Allied squadron reports.
Battle of Capo Pula
On 2 August 1943, two British BeaufightersBristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
were downed and the Italians sent a CANT Z.506 Airone
CANT Z.506
The CANT Z.506 Airone was a triple-engine floatplane produced by CANT from 1935. It served as a transport and postal aircraft with the Italian airline "Ala Littoria"...
aircraft escorted by four C.205Vs on a search and rescue mission. A group of P-40s attacked the Cant, but despite the defence put up by the Veltros, one American fighter crashed into the Z.506 and both fell into the sea.
A USAAF search and rescue PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
mission was also mounted, escorted by 12 P-38
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
s. C.202 and C.205s of 51° Stormo, led by Ennio Tarantola, intercepted this flight. The Catalina was taken by surprise on the surface near the Sardinian coast having broken a propeller blade in the heavy sea conditions. The Italians also claimed to have downed all 12 P-38s, whereas the Americans claimed three or four victories over the Axis fighters with no losses. Later records showed that only the Catalina and the C.202 of Maresciallo Bianchi, a close friend of Tarantola, were shot down.
The two or three victories over P-38s claimed by Tarantola are not supported by any data available; however, no further SAR missions were made by Americans to search for the downed pilots, while the Italians claimed as many P-38s downed as all those available in the theatre. Except for a crewman killed by strafing, the crew of the Catalina was saved, thanks to a fast vessel of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
whose captain was awarded with the DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
for battling adverse sea conditions, coastal battery fire and enemy aircraft while rescuing the survivors.
Battle of Rome
Mid-1943, Gorrini obtained one of the three C.205s delivered to the 3° Stormo (the other two were assigned to other aces, Tenente Franco Bordoni Bisleri and Maresciallo Guido Fibbia). In six weeks, during the Difesa di Roma, Gorrini became the C.205 top scoring pilot; by the Armistice, he had claimed three Consolidated B-24 Liberators, three Lockheed P-38 Lightnings (three damaged), two B-17s and two Supermarine SpitfireSupermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s.
Given the shortage of modern aircraft, it was natural that more advanced combat aircraft like the Veltros were usually given to the best flyers and most experienced pilots like Vittorio Minguzzi.
After the Armistice
At the time of the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces on 8 September 1943, the Regia Aeronautica had received 177 Veltros, but only 66 were still usable. Six of these flew to Allied airfields to serve with the Italian Co-Belligerent Air ForceItalian Co-Belligerent Air Force
The Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force , or Air Force of the South , was the air force of the Royalist "Badoglio government" in southern Italy during the last years of World War II. The ACI was formed in southern Italy in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September...
.
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
A total of 29 C.205s reached northern airfields and were used by the Italian Social Republic Air Force (ANR - Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana).Macchi produced the remaining 72 aircraft of the third series for the ANR before production was shut down by Allied bombing in May 1944. Statistics on aircraft production post-Armistice are unclear and incomplete. The first air battle of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana – still with German insignia – took place on 3 January 1944. The C.205s, guided by Italian ace Capitano Adriano Visconti, intercepted a formation of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and their escort of Lockheed P-38 Lightnings bombing RIV factories in Villar Perosa.
On 24 January, the Macchi 205 were transferred to two bases in Friuli. On 28 January, the C.205s, now with Italian markings, succeeded in shooting down a B-24 Liberator, their first four-engined American bomber. This air victory was credited to Sergente Marconcini, wingman of the ace Visconti.
1° Gruppo, based in Udine
Udine
Udine is a city and comune in northeastern Italy, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps , less than 40 km from the Slovenian border. Its population was 99,439 in 2009, and that of its urban area was 175,000.- History :Udine is the historical...
, was equipped with a few Veltros. According to one author
At the start of February 1944, 1° Gruppo was transferred to a base on the outskirts of Reggio Emilia, with the task of attacking Allied four-engined bombers and the P-51s that escorted them. Dogfights with the aircraft that could be considered the best fighter of the time meant that the Italian pilots were hard pressed; however they were able to claim 58 Mustangs, though at a high price. At the end of May 1944, the number of C.205s of the ANR was so low that the unit had to be re-equipped with Fiat G.55."
A few Veltros were also delivered to 3° Gruppo, based in Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
, while further Veltros were scattered throughout other small units.
In general, C.205s fought well in RSI service: they were attached to units that had homogeneous equipment, or at least of comparable quality, and were guided by German radar stations. Though few in number, they achieved some success in inflicting losses on Allied bombers and fighters,.
Luftwaffe II.Gruppe of JG 77 operated with requisionated C.205Vs, for two months, from October until the end of 1943.
in December, when the German unit was re-equipped with new Bf 109s. Thus there are photos of C.205s with black crosses painted over the mid-fuselage Italian white strip markings. The Germans were less enthusiastic about the C.205Vs, nor were really impressed by the early evaluations in Spring 1943. There is mention in the KTB (History diary), on 25 November 1943 page: the group has 23 Macchi, 11 are ready to fight. Macchi is fast and had a good flying characteristics, except for the tendency to lose control in sharp turns. The fighter is disavantaged because its radio, while powerful, is far from reliable in action. Refuelling and rearming process is slow and difficult, it takes much time to make the fighters ready. Today's mission was made with 17 Macchis, radio control problems caused delays, and the mission concluded without intercepting the enemy.
After II.JG 77 was equipped with new Bf 109s, the C.205s were sent to Italian units. In the brief German use, Veltros had at least five losses by accidents, often caused by the inverted throttle used on Italian aircraft (In German and Allied fighters the "open throttle" position was forward, not back, and this was the source of several errors). Some Veltros were ferried by JG 53. The first losses occurred on 27 September 1943 near Albenga. Two German pilots were killed and other wounded in these accidents. On the other side, it was recorded only one aerial combat in which Germans claimed at least one P-38 and two probable (1 December 1943).
Regia Aeronautica also had a poor opinion about the Macchi C.205N, plagued by overheating in the climb.
The 1° Gruppo C.T. of the ANR, based at the Campoformido airfield, was equipped with MC. 205. Its first operation, on 3 January, began with a surprise blow right away: the Italian fighter pilots shot down four P-38 Lightnings. By 25 February 1° Gruppo C.T. had reported 26 victories for nine losses. An extremely bitter aerial combat took place on 11 March. The Italians claimed 12 victories for themselves, but lost three of their own pilots, including 1st Lt Boscutti, who was killed by an American P-38 Lightning pilot after he had baled out from his stricken fighter and was hanging from his parachute. On 18 March, 30 C.205s from 1° Gruppo C.T. and 60 Bf 109 from JG.77 joined combat with about 450 Allied bombers and their escorts, shooting down at least four enemy aircraft, but Corp. Zaccaria was killed while hanging from his parachute again by a P-38 pilot who fired at him from close range.
Allied bombing in April 1944 destroyed most of the Macchi and Fiat facilities bringing fighter production to an end. With the interruption of production, the Italians were forced to re-equip their three groups almost fully with Bf 109s, largely because the Germans were quick to offer some of their best models, including Bf 109G-6s and Bf 109K-4s. The Allies were less generous with the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
The Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force , or Air Force of the South , was the air force of the Royalist "Badoglio government" in southern Italy during the last years of World War II. The ACI was formed in southern Italy in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September...
(ICAF), and Veltros, including some upgraded C.202s, were slowly replaced with worn-out P-39s and Spitfires, but not before summer 1944.
In Croatian Service
A small batch of C.205s were in service with the Air Force of the Independent State of CroatiaAir Force of the Independent State of Croatia
The Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia, the Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske was the national air force of the Independent State of Croatia during World War II, founded under German authority in April 1941...
, Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske (ZNDH) in 1944, but the Croatian "Veltros" flew few sorties and were soon overwhelmed by the waves of Allied fighters that swarmed over Yugoslavian skies. On 30 June 1944, three recently arrived Macchi C.205s, flown by Eastern Front veterans (Major Josip Helebrant, Oberleutenant Ljudevit "Lujo" Bencetic and Feldwebel Bozidar "Bosko" Bartulovic), along with three inexperienced pilots in Macchi C.202s, took off to intercept USAAF Fifteenth Air force bombers heading to bomb Blechhammer
Blechhammer
The Blechhammer area was the location of Nazi Germany chemical plants, prisoner of war camps, and forced labor camps . Labor camp prisoners began arriving as early as June 17, 1942, and in July 1944, 400-500 men were transferred from the Terezin family camp to Blechhammer...
, location of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
chemical plants, prisoner of war (POW) camps, and forced labor camps. The Macchis attacked the USAAF bombers and their escorting fighters, 5th FS/52nd FG P-51 Mustangs over Bjelovar
Bjelovar
Bjelovar is a city in central Croatia. It is the administrative centre of Bjelovar-Bilogora County. During the 2001 census, there were 41,869 inhabitants, 90.51% which are Croats....
, but five of the Italian-built aircraft were shot down both by the bomber's defensive fire and by the Mustangs. Only Bencetic - an ace with a final score of 15 kills and his "Veltro" succeeded in returning back to base at Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
. Helebrant and Bartulovic baled out and survived the war, with a final score of, respectively, 11 and eight kills.
Postwar
During 1948-1949, Egypt received 62 refurbished C.205Vs, of which 41 were converted from C.202 airframes. In May 1948, eight C.205V and 16 C.202 were upgraded and in February 1949, three brand new and 15 ex-MC.202, and in May another 10 MC.205 and 10 MC.202 were upgraded. This last contract was not finalized and, given the end of the Israeli War of Independence (1948–49), the fighters were delivered to Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI). Egypt also orderd 19 G.55s and Syria another 16, all new-built.The new Veltros were fully equipped, while the Folgore conversions were armed with only two 12.7 mm Breda machine guns. They were the lightest series of the entire production, and consequently had the best performance, but were seriously under-armed. A total of 15 Macchis were delivered to Egypt before the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
, seeing brief combat against the Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
. Some Veltros, equipped with underwing bomb racks were used in ground-attack sorties against Israeli targets. On 7 January 1949, a C.205 claimed an Israeli P-51D Mustang. In return two or three Veltros had been claimed by IAF fighters by the end of the war in July, with another six under repair.
Israeli secret services acted with bombing in Italy, at the time supporting both Israel and Arabs. Already 15 February 1947 one S.95 was destroyed soon after the take off from Rome. Aboard there was an Egyptian princess, several politics and an Italian intelligence officer. The subsequent bombing was at Venegono on 18 September 1948: one hangar was damaged by several explosive devices, destroying 3 MB.308 and one MC.205 in Macchi facilities. The hangar, not totally demolished, contained several Veltros destined to Egypt. All the G.55s ordered by Egypt were armed with four Breda(12.7 mm) machine-guns, and they were brand new: 16 were single-seaters and three were twin seaters. Syria ordered 16 G.55A (all single-seaters).
The MM/Snc were: Macchi first batch: 1201-1224; second batch, 1225-1242. Fiat G.55A were 91214-91220, 91225-91229, 91221-91224 (G.55B two-seats).
The last Veltros were delivered in 1951, the fighter served mainly with No.2 Sqn until the mid-1950s. The last batch, 20 Veltros (10 ex-MC.202, six Veltro sr.III and 4 sr.I) were assigned to AMI with deliveries continuing until 29 May 1951. The phasing out process was however swift, because the new Anglo-American jet fighters were available at a surprisingly low cost at the time of the official phasing out of the Veltro (around 1951), although the last '205 was phased out in 1955. The "Folgore" was stricken off register in 1948, with the exception of those C.202 airframes transformed into Veltros.
An Allied Test Pilot opinion
Capt. Eric Brown, CBE, DSC, AFC, RN, Chief Naval Test Pilot and C.O. Captured Enemy Aircraft Flight, remembered how they were impressed when they tested the Veltro. “One of the finest aircraft I ever flew was the Macchi MC. 205. Oh, beautiful. And here you had the perfect combination of Italian styling and German engineering. I believe it was powered by a Daimler Benz DB 605. It was really a delight to fly, and up to anything on the Allied programme. But again, it came just before the Italians capitulated so it was never used extensively. And we did tests on it and were most impressed. The cockpit was smallish but not as bad as the Bf 109.”Variants
With limited production and service life, the C.205 saw only a few modifications. After the first 100 examples, the wing-mounted 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine guns were replaced with a couple of 20 mm MG 151 cannonMG 151 cannon
The MG 151 was a 15 mm autocannon produced by Waffenfabrik Mauser starting in 1940. It was in 1941 developed into the 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon which was widely used on many types of German Luftwaffe fighters, fighter bombers, night fighters, ground attack and even bombers as part of or as...
.
M.C.205
- One prototype armed with two 12.7 mm (0.5 in) and two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine guns.
M.C.205V
- Main production version.
M.C.205S
- Long-range escort fighter with a 200 L (53 US gal) fuel tank replacing the fuselage machine guns; 18 converted from production aircraft.
M.C.205N Orione
- Proposed DB 605-powered fighter with a more significant design revision than the C.202-derived C.205V. The aircraft had a new wing with the wingspan increased to 11.25 m (36 ft 11 in) and wing area increased to 19 m² (204.5 ft²), and new forward fuselage that brought the length to 9.65 m. This made the shape in general much slimmer, instead of being a "big nose" design. Also, the fuselage was finally adapted for a 20 mm MG 151 cannon.
M.C.205N-1
- High-altitude interceptor fighter prototype. Armed with four 12.7 mm (0.5 in) machine guns mounted in the fuselage, and one 20 mm cannon mounted in the engine.
M.C.205N-2
- High-altitude interceptor fighter prototype. Armed with three 20 mm cannon and two 12.7 mm (0.5 in) machine guns.
M.C.206
- Similar armament to the C.205N/1 with a larger wing and a Daimler-Benz DB 603Daimler-Benz DB 603|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-517-67964-7...
engine. Single prototype destroyed by Allied bombing before being completed.
M.C.207
- Similar to C.206 but with armament of four 20 mm cannon, none built.
Operators
Independent State of Croatia
- Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države HrvatskeAir Force of the Independent State of CroatiaThe Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia, the Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske was the national air force of the Independent State of Croatia during World War II, founded under German authority in April 1941...
received 4 aircraft.
Egypt
- Royal Egyptian Air Force
- No.2 Squadron REAF
Nazi Germany
- LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
- II/JG 77Jagdgeschwader 77Jagdgeschwader 77 Herz As was a Luftwaffe fighter Geschwader during World War II. It served in all the German theaters of war, from Western Europe to the Eastern Front, and from the high north in Norway to the Mediterranean.All three gruppen within the Geschwader operated variants of the...
operated 25 aircraft.
- II/JG 77
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)
- Regia AeronauticaRegia AeronauticaThe Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
- Italian Co-Belligerent Air ForceItalian Co-Belligerent Air ForceThe Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force , or Air Force of the South , was the air force of the Royalist "Badoglio government" in southern Italy during the last years of World War II. The ACI was formed in southern Italy in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September...
received 6 aircraft.
Italian Social Republic
- Aeronautica Nazionale RepubblicanaAeronautica Nazionale Repubblicanathumb|250px|Wing emblem of the A.N.R. from 1944 to 1945.The National Republican Air Force was the air force of the Italian Social Republic during World War II, closely linked with the German Air Force in northern Italy.-Description:This air force was tasked with defending the industrial areas of...
received 101 aircraft.
Survivors
Three Veltros survive today, one of which was restored to flying conditions and participated in numerous aerial displays until the end of 1986.All C.205s that are preserved are hybrids made up of parts of C.202s mixed with those of C.205s.
One, MM.91818 (bearing the registration MM 9372), is on display at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. Restoration was completed in 1981 by the Italian Air Force together with Fiat and Aermacchi.
Another two are on display at the Museo storico dell'Aeronautica Militare
Italian Air Force Museum
The Italian Air Force Museum is an aircraft museum at Vigna di Valle, on the Lake Bracciano , central Italy. It is operated by the Aeronautica Militare.- Propeller aircraft :* Ansaldo AC.2* Ansaldo SVA 5* Blériot XI* Caproni Ca.3* Caproni Ca.100...
in Vigna di Valle.
MM.9546 is displayed as a MC.205 and MM.92166 is displayed as a MC.202.
In November 2006 the engine and cockpit of a crashed C.205 were found 8 meters underground, with the pilot still in his seat, in Correzzola
Correzzola
Correzzola is a comune in the Province of Padua in the Italian region Veneto, located about 30 km southwest of Venice and about 25 km southeast of Padua. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 5,506 and an area of 42.5 km².Correzzola borders the following municipalities:...
, near Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, and can be viewed on request at the air museum in Fusignano
Fusignano
Fusignano is a comune in the province of Ravenna in Italy. It is near Senio River is located near Fusignano where the Allied crossing occurred on April 9, 1945.-History:...
.
A C.205 replica can be seen outside Rome's Palazzo dell'Aeronautica, and another in Volandia Park and Museum of Flight at Vizzola Ticino
Vizzola Ticino
Vizzola Ticino is a village and comune of the province of Varese in Lombardy, Italy. It is on the banks of the Ticino River....
.