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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 2284.PDF
2l6 FLIGHT, 22 August 1952 The prototype Aero-Caproni-Trento F-5 light jet trainer/sports aircraft. The view on the left emphasizes the clean fuselage-lines ani shows the nut fairing of the air intake duct. On the right it is seen in flight, piloted by Com. Zanlucchi and with its designer, Ing. Stelio Frati, in tie reir sjit. The F-5's Turbomica Palas turbine gives it a level speed of close on 250 m.p.h. Span is 25 ft 9 in, length 21 ft 9 in, and present all-up weight 1,655 lb LOOKING ROUND ITALY . . . in Italy today*—there would be a six- or sevea-fold increase in production potential. Finance is lacking, in fact it is worse than that, as exemplified by the crises of SIAI (Savoia Marchetti) and Breda. The present situation is partly due to the original disarmament policy and the post-war wait to see what would happen about Italian aviation. From 1945 to 1947 the major aircraft companies kept up their payrolls undergovernment directive, and this made heavy inroads into capital. Some of the firms tried to recoup by making other products, but, as is so often the case with aircraft companies, the results were uneconomical. SIAI made a beautiful bicycle that sold for less than its manufacturing cost; Macchi built a three-wheel truck, although they at least had the advantage of a small staff, for their buildings had been largely destroyed. Fiat Activity.—Fiat, on the other hand, had manifold interests to absorb labour and to make much-needed industrial equipment. They also had a production line of the G-59 fighter trainers, which was on a go-slow policy under German occupation, but made a lively recovery when an export order for the type was received from the Argentine—this line is just ending after re-equipping the Aeronautica Militaire. After the loss of the G-80 two-seater jet-trainer prototype, due apparently to tail flutter, the second and third machines are now in hand. The second prototype, the G-81, will have a Ghost and should be finished by the autumn, but the third, the G-82 with a Nene, is only in the mock-up stage for the engine installation. A small series of Goblin-engined G-80 trainers is being laid down for the Aeronautica Militaire, intended for future service trials, and the Italians, naturally enough, are pushing it as a rival to the Fokker S-14 for the future NATO jet trainer; like the Fokker, the G-80 has the advantage over the Vampire and Meteor trainers of being fitted with ejector seats. The structure of the G-80 has a load factor of 19, so there is ample room for weight increase. Fiat share the order for Vampires and Venoms for Italy with Macchi by making the wines. They are also making Vampire wings for de Havilland, and will continue with Venom wings later. In their shops can be seen the latest equipment for this work; a John Shaw 5,340-ton hydraulic platen press for detail parts, and Farman rolls for leading-edge skin forming. At Lingotto, the famous Fiat plant with the test track on the roof, is the small gas-turbine factory. At present they are making and overhauling Goblins for the Vamoires of the Aeronautica Militaire, but they have also just assembled their first Ghost from British parts, which will form the basis for future production of Ghosts for the French S.N.C.A.S.E. Venoms. The Fiat G-49 two-seater advanced trainer was due to fly * Mainly in the agricultural south, where much of the work is seasonal. shortly after I left. It looks very like the earlier G-59 (0 DUt tne structural design is more modern and all the latest ideas for a "Harvard replacement" have been incorporated. The first airframe and two further examples—one for structural testing, the other for an Alvis Leonides instead of a Wasp—are being built in production-type jigs. Fiat seem sure that they already have a production order. Fiat are also negotiating with the U.S. for a licence covering the making of spares for the J-35 engines of the NATO F-84GS. The Piaggio Factories.—Piaggio, with factories at Pontedera, Genoa and Finale Ligure, also had wide general interests. The Vespa motor scooter is an example of an outside product made in a very commercial manner; it is designed by an aircraft engineer, Ascanio of helicopter fame. At present the Finale Ligure factory is making the P-148 trainer, over twenty of which are already in service, and the initial order of 50 has been increased. This company is trying hard to get the P-148 adopted as the NATO primary trainer and to this end is negotiating for the Lycoming licence. At Finale a small additional series of the P-136 amphibian has been laid down. The Pontedera factory, near Pisa, is now free-flight-testing the new Ascanio helicopter. It is, however, underpowered with the direct-drive Lycoming, and the geared GO-435-C2 model is to be installed shortly. Proiect work includes the P-149, a four-seater version of the P-148 with a retractable undercarriage, and an intermediate trainer, the P-150 with Alvis Leonides. This is a scaled-up version of the P-148 and construction of the prototype is well advanced. It will lie between the P-148 and the G-59 operational trainer. The P-149 prototype and structural test units are nearly ready, but the Lycoming GO-435 engine for it is not expected until rather late in the year. Other Famous Names.—Aeronautica Macchi of Varese are, as alreidy mentioned, making Vampires; they do the fuselage, tail and final assembly. They are now also tooling for the Venom, and they hope for very large orders for the latter over the next two years. Macchi are also making jigs and fixtures for Hawker Hunter fuselages, and they hope to make the parts themselves later. At Pomiliano, near Naples, the bombed Alfa-Romeo factory is nearly rebuilt and will soon go into production with Ghosts. The only current Alfa-Romeo work is the manufacture of D.H. Gipsy piston engines under licence. Also near Naples is the state-owned Aerfer accessory plant, which has just obtained a licence to make spares for the NATO F-84GS which are the later type with flight refuelling—worth some $5,000,000. The Free-Lance Designers.—A curious feature of Italian aircraft manufacture is the existence of several free-lance designers. These are young men who graduated after the war and have found the industry too small tojupport them. A B.E.A. Elizabethan receiving Esso oil and Shell fuel at Malpensa, behind it are the control tower and a T.W.A. "round-the-world" Constellation.
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