IMAM Ro.44
{{Short description|Italian fighter seaplane}}
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
|name=Ro.44 |image=Ro44 Regia Aeronautica.jpg |caption=Ro.44 }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type |type=Fighter seaplane |national origin=Italy |manufacturer=IMAM |designer=Giovanni Galasso |first flight=October 1936 |introduced= |retired= |status= |primary user= |more users= |produced= |number built=35 |variants with their own articles= }} |
The IMAM Ro.44 was a fighter seaplane developed in Italy, a single seater derivative of the Ro.43 that first flew in October 1936. While the Ro.43 had serious problems, the Ro.44 was an utter failure. Armed with two 12.7 mm machine guns fitted in the nose, the rear fuselage of the R.43 was redesigned to dispense with the observer's position, and changes were made to the tail. Overall, performance remained almost identical to that of the Ro.43, although the Ro.44 was more maneuverable.
Although it was fast enough to intercept machines like the Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Seafox, its actual performance (and sea-keeping capabilities) was so poor, that out of 51 ordered, only 35 were produced. They were used only in the Aegean Sea, with 161 Squadriglia having seven examples in service at the beginning of World War II but was soon retired from the front line and sent to seaplane schools. This was the last OFM/IMAM biplane to be designed.
Operators
;{{flag|Kingdom of Italy}}
Specifications
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=War Planes of the Second World War:Volume Six FloatplanesGreen 1962, p.113.
|prime units? = met
|crew=One pilot
|length m=9.72
|length ft=31
|length in=10.5
|span m=11.58
|span ft=37
|span in=11.63
|height m=3.51
|height ft=11
|height in=6.13
|wing area sqm=33.4
|wing area sqft=359
|empty weight kg=1674
|empty weight lb=
|gross weight kg=2226
|gross weight lb=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Piaggio P.X R
|eng1 kw=520
|eng1 hp=700
|max speed kmh=311
|max speed mph=193
|cruise speed kmh=188
|cruise speed mph=117
|range km=1200
|range miles=745
|endurance=2 hours
|ceiling m=7000
|ceiling ft=
|armament = *2 × fixed, forward-firing 12.7 mm machine guns
}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
- {{cite book |last= Green |first= William |title=War Planes of the Second World War:Volume Six Floatplanes|year=1962 |publisher=Macdonald|location=London}}
- {{cite book |last= Marcon |first= Tullio |title=IMAM Ro.43/44 |year=1999 |publisher=La Bancarella Aeronautica |location=Turin}}
- {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London |pages=533 }}
{{IMAM aircraft}}
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Category:1930s Italian fighter aircraft