IMAM Ro.57

{{Infobox aircraft

| name = Ro.57

| image = Italian IMAM Ro.57 fighter prototype front quarter view.jpg

| image_border =

| caption = The first IMAM Ro.57 prototype, MM-407

| type = Fighter, attacker

| national_origin = Italy

| manufacturer = Industrie Meccaniche e Aeronautiche Meridionali (IMAM)

| designer = Giovanni Galasso

| first_flight = 1939

| introduction = 1943

| retired =

| status = Retired

| primary_user = Regia Aeronautica

| more_users =

| produced =

| number_built = 50 + 1 prototype[http://www.alieuomini.it/catalogo/dettaglio_catalogo/imam_ro,37.html IMAM Ro.57]

| developed_from =

| variants =

| developed_into = IMAM Ro.58

}}

File:Italian IMAM Ro.57 fighter prototype rear quarter view.jpg, MM-407.]]

File:Italian IMAM Ro.57 bis fighter front quarter view.jpg

File:Italian IMAM Ro.57 bis fighter front view.jpg

File:Italian IMAM Ro.57 bis fighter in flight.jpg

The IMAM Ro.57 was an Italian twin-engined, single-seat monoplane fighter of the Regia Aeronautica. Based on a 1939 design by Giovanni Galasso the aircraft did not enter production until 1943.

Two hundred aircraft were ordered, but only 50–75 were produced in two versions, one flown as an interceptor, the other in the role of a ground attack aircraft.{{cite book |last= Angelucci|first= Enzo |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft 1914 to the Present |year= 2001 |publisher= Chartwell books |location= Edison, NJ |pages= 232–233 |isbn= 0-7858-1359-4 }}

Design and development

The Ro.57 was preceded by another twin engine fighter design, the Ro.53, which never entered production. The Ro.57 consisted of an all-metal, semi-monocoque fuselage with a steel skeleton and Duralumin structure. The wings were also Duralumin. It was powered by two {{convert|840|hp|abbr=on}} Fiat A.74 radial engines giving a maximum speed of 516 km/h, which in 1939 was faster than that of the main Italian fighter, the Macchi C.200 (504 km/h).

After testing at Guidonia it was proposed by IMAM for use as a dive bomber. This transformation, which involved the addition of dive brakes, provision for 500 kg bombs and an improved forward firing armament (adding two 20 mm cannon), took time and delayed production. The resulting aircraft was designated the Ro.57bis. Performance dropped to 457 km/h maximum speed and to 350 km/h at cruise speed. The Ro.57bis was ordered into production in 1942 and entered service with the 97° Gruppo in 1943. About 50–60 aircraft were delivered.{{cite book |last= Green|first= W |author2=Swanborough, G |title= The Complete Book of Fighters |year= 1994|publisher= Smithmark |isbn= 0-8317-3939-8}}

It is said that the Ro.57 could have been the long range interceptor that Italy lacked throughout the war. It proved to be too costly for the limited weapons it carried and it never was assigned a clear role{{Citation needed|date=November 2007}}. A better-armed version with more powerful engines was developed as the Ro.58.

Variants

;Ro.57

:Single-seat fighter with Fiat A.74 radial engines, and two 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns

;Ro.57bis

:The dive bombing variant fitted with dive brakes, two 20 mm cannon in addition to the 12.7 mm guns and a crutch for bombs up to {{cvt|500|kg|0|order=flip}} under the fuselage

Operators

; {{flagicon|Kingdom of Italy}} Kingdom of Italy

Regia Aeronautica

Specifications (Ro.57 Bis)

{{Aircraft specs

|ref= Warplanes of the Second World War, Fighters Volume 2 {{cite book |last= Green|first=William |title=Warplanes of the Second World War, Fighters Volume 2 |year= 1961 |publisher=Macdonald |location=London| pages=153–154}}

|prime units?=met

|crew=1

|length m=8.8

|length note=

|span m=12.5

|span note=

|height m=2.9

|height note=

|wing area sqm=23

|wing area note=

|aspect ratio=6.79

|airfoil=

|empty weight kg=3497

|empty weight note=

|gross weight kg=5000

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight kg=

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity=

|more general=

|eng1 number=2

|eng1 name=Fiat A.74 R.C.38

|eng1 type=14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines

|eng1 kw=627

|eng1 sigfig=2

|eng1 note=

|prop blade number=

|prop name=

|prop dia m=

|prop dia note=

|max speed kmh=501

|max speed note=at {{cvt|5000|m}}

|cruise speed kmh=390

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed kmh=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed kmh=

|never exceed speed note=

|minimum control speed kmh=

|minimum control speed note=

|range km=1200

|range note=

|combat range km=

|combat range note=

|ferry range km=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=

|ceiling m=7800

|ceiling note=

|g limits=

|roll rate=

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude={{cvt|6000|m}} in 9 min 30 s

|wing loading kg/m2=217

|wing loading note=

|fuel consumption kg/km=

|power/mass={{cvt|0.25|kW/kg}}

|more performance=

|guns=

:*2 × 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns (Ro.57)

::or

:*2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns + 2 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon

|bombs= Up to 500 kg (1100 lbs) of bombs (Ro.57bis)

}}

References

External links

[https://comandosupremo.com/imam-ro-57/ Comando Supremo: IMAM Ro.57]
[http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww2/ro57.html IMAM Ro.57] {{in lang|ru}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20091027073401/http://geocities.com/Lucktam/italian.htm Italian Aircraft 1939–45]

Ro.57

Category:1930s Italian fighter aircraft

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1939

Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft

Category:Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear