Contrary to what most people think, the WW2 Italian aircraft were advanced monoplanes built with reliable engines and fitted with the best armament of the time. Fast and maneuverable, the Italian fighters were superior to the French, Russian, and even to the Japanese fighters, including the Zero. However, they were produced in limited numbers as Italy lacked enough industrial infrastructure to massively produce them, like the Russians, Germans, and Americans did. The Italian Royal Air Force also had excellent bombers, which carried out bombing raids over Greece, in the Mediterranean theater, and North Africa.
List of WW2 Italian Aircraft
Fighters
- Macchi C.205 Veltro. Max speed: 650 km/h (400 mph). Armament: two Mauser MG151 20mm cannons, two Breda SAFAT 12.7mm machine guns. Number built: 262.
- Ambrosini SAI.207. Max speed: 642 km/h (399 mph). Armament: two 20mm cannons, two 12.7mm machine guns. Number built: 14.
- Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario. Max speed: 630 km/h (390 mph). Armament: three Mauser MG151 20mm cannons, two Breda SAFAT 12.7mm machine guns, 160-kg of bombs. Number manufactured: 50.
- Fiat G.55 Centauro. Max speed: 623 km/h (387 mph). Armament: one Mauser MG151 20mm cannon, four Breda SAFAT 12.7mm machine guns. Number produced: 350.
- Macchi C.202 Folgore. Max speed: 600 km (372 mph). Armament: four machine guns (two 12.7mm and two 7.7mm).
- Reggiane Re.2001 Falco II. Max speed:542 km/h (337 mph). Armament: two 12.7mm and two 7.7mm machine guns. Number built: 252.
- Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I. Max speed: 530 km/h (329 mph). Armament: two 12.7mm machine guns. Number produced: 180.
- Macchi C.200 Saetta. Max speed: 504 km/h (313 mph). Armament: two Breda SAFAT 12.7mm machine guns. Number built: 1,153.
- Fiat G.50 Freccia. Max speed: 470 km/ (300 mph). Armament: two 12.7-mm machine guns. Number built: 791. Service: 1938-1945.
- Breda Ba.27. Max speed: 380. Armament: two 12.7mm machine guns. Number built: 14.
- Fiat CR.42 Falco. Fastest biplane of WWII. Max speed: 441 km/h. Armament: four 12.7mm machine guns. Number built: 1,810.
Medium and Heavy Bombers
- IMAM Ro.57. Two engines. Max speed: 501 km/h (311 mph). Two 12.7mm machine guns. Bombload: 300 kg. Number built: 60.
- Piaggio P.108. Four engines. Max speed: 430 km/h. Range: 3,520 km. Bombload: 3,500 kg. Number built: 35.
- Savoia-Marchetti SM.79. Three engines. Max speed: 460 km/h (290 mph). Range: 2,600 km (1,620 miles). Armament: three machine guns. Bombload: 1,200 kg, two 450mm torpedoes. Number pruduced: 1,350.
- CANT Z.1007. Two engines. Max speed: 458 km/h (285 mph) Range: 1,800 km. Armament: four machine guns. Bomb payload: 1,200 kg, or two 800-kg torpedoes. Number built: 660.
- Savoia-Marchetti SM.81. Three engines. Max speed: 347 km/h. Range: 2,000 km (1,240 miles). Bombload: 2,000 kg. Number built: 535.
- Breda Ba.65. It was a single-engine ground-attack aircraft, capable of flying at 430 km/hour, which was fast for a bomber.
- Breda Ba.88. Two engines. Max speed: 490 km/h (304 mph). Range: 1,640 km (1,020 miles). Armament: seven 12.7mm machine guns. Bombload: 1,000 kg. Number built: 149.
- Caproni Ca.135. Two engines. Max speed: 275 km/h. Range: 1,200 km. Bombload: 1,500 kg. Number built: 140.
- Fiat BR.20 Cicogna. Two engines. Max speed: 440 km/h. Bomb payload: 1,600 kg. Number built: 560.
Below, an Italian fighter, the C.205 developed by Macchi. It was one of the fastest of the war.
Below, the Savoia Marchetti SM.79, a reliable and flexible medium-sized bomber. It carried out many sorties in the skies over North African and the Mediterranean Sea.
