IMAM Ro.63
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| Ro.63 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Reconnaissance |
| Manufacturer | Industrie Meccaniche e Aeronautiche Meridionali (IMAM) |
| Designed by | Giovanni Galasso |
| Maiden flight | June 1940 |
| Primary user | Regia Aeronautica |
| Number built | 6 |
The IMAM Ro.63 was an Italian STOL aircraft designed for short-range reconnaissance and light transport during World War II.
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[edit] Development and design
Interest in a STOL aircraft was raised by the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch acquired from Germany, and in June 1939 the Regia Aeronautica asked Italian aircraft companies to design a similar machine (see below).
The IMAM Ro.63 was of mixed construction with wood, fabric and metal used for the fuselage and wings. It first flew in June 1940, just at the outbreak of World War II. It was put into competition with another Italian aircraft, but clearly proved superior.
It had STOL capabilities similar to the Fi.156, but the larger fuselage held up to four people, and the wings held more fuel. The 280 hp Hirth engine and constant speed propeller helped to give it a maximum speed of 240 km/h and almost 1,000 km endurance. However there was no defensive armament, as the Fi 156 had from the C version onwards.
The aircraft, designed by Giovanni Galasso, and tested by Aldo Ligabò, could have been a success, but although 150 were ordered, only six were produced from mid-1940 to 1941, because of the shortage of available engines, as German engines were no longer available, and the Italian engine industry failed to produce enough Isotta-Fraschini 'Beta' units.
The Ro.63 was a viable machine that was not put into production in significant numbers (practically only a pre-series production) despite the fact that development was completed pre-war. They were doomed by lack of Italian-built engines. The performance was better than the Fi 156, with a superior speed and endurance, and only slightly inferior STOL capabilities. This was due to the more powerful engine and the two-speed propeller.
[edit] Operational service
The aircraft was deployed in the North African Campaign, together with 30 Fieseler Fi 156 imported from Germany, even though this was insufficient to replace the IMAM Ro.37 and older reconnaissance aircraft. By 1943, after two years hard service, only one Ro.37 survived.
In 1948 it was proposed to resume production, but lack of capacity and data about the aircraft meant that the project was eventually abandoned.
[edit] Specifications (Ro.63)
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Capacity: 3 passengers
- Length: 8.7 m (28 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 13.5 m (44 ft 4 in)
- Height: 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 26.5 m² (285.1 ft²)
- Empty weight: 1,060 kg (2,332 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 1,485 kg (3,267 lb)
- Powerplant: 1× Hirth HM 508D air-cooled inverted V8 engine, 209 kW (280 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 220 km/h (120 knots, 137 mph)
- Cruise speed: 55 km/h (30 knots, 34 mph)
- Range: 360 km (195 nm, 224 mi)
- Endurance: 900 km (486 nm, 560 mi)
Armament
- None
[edit] Other STOL aircraft
The AVIS C.4 should have been the winner of the contest, as originally it was meant for the industries involved, but despite being capable 240 km/h, it had poor flying performance.
Its characteristics were:
- Length: 8.7 m
- Wingspan: 13.96 m
- Height: 3 m
- Wing surface: 28 m²
- Speed: 240 km/h, min 60
- Endurance: 800 km, 360 range
- Weights: 836 kg/1,329 kg
- Engine: 1 Hirth HM.508D, 280 hp (209 kW)
The low wing was not satisfactory for an observation aircraft, despite the generous flaps, which gave good STOL capabilities. First flown in June 1940, a year later it was sent to Guidonia where it performed poorly in evaluation. This was MM.11586, the only example produced, as the initial batch of six was never completed.
Another project was the Caproni GDL, also never completed, even as prototype. It should have been capable of 315 km range, 800 km endurance, and its dimensions were 13.8 m wingspan, 10.35 m length, 4.03 m height, 21 m² wing area, with empty weight of 730 kg and fully loaded of 1,010 kg. The engine was the same Hirth HM.508D as the others.
[edit] References
- Lembo, Daniele Officine Meccaniche Meridionali, Aerei nella storia magazione, Delta editions, Parma, Oct-Nov 2003 (Italian)
- enricopezzi.it (Italian)
[edit] See also
Comparable aircraft
Related lists
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