Italian Dive Bomber Projects

Two Questions:

1. How heavy was the Fiat Cr. 44 supposed to be?

2. Why did the Ba. 88M, at least from what I have seen, have weaker engines than the Ba.88?
 
Hi,

here is the Fiat CR.44 fightere bomber project and two Caproni
Vizzola dive bomber projects,also CANSA glider dive bomber project.

These projects were appeared in 1942,so for Caproni-Vizzola,may they took a higher number after later of its
project F.7 ?!.
 
Dear Silencer1,
"Picchiatelli" was a nickname, given from the italian crews, of the Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" in Regia Aeronautica service. "Tuffatori" was the name of the aircraft type, a sort of italian word for the "dive-bomber" concept.
The italian aeronautical companies tried to develop a good dive-bomber, but with poor success. The problem was, from my point of view, that the headquarters of the Regia Aeronautica preferred a conventional horizontal speedy bomber and the dive-bomber solutions were not appreciated much: so the few aricraft aviable to make this role were generally nor improved or supported by the Air Minister.
The Regia Aeronautica, however, used a lot of aircraft as "assaltatori", a role like the air-support or air-attacker, but generally with old fighters, especially with the Fiat Cr.42 and the Macchi Mc 200, and the results were not so good.
Only the Breda Ba 65 saw a limited action in North Africa, bur the aircraft was too much old and obsolete to make good things.
I think that the Regia Aeronautica needed more fighters, able even to carry a bomb if necessary for ground support (like the Fw 190), and the dive-bomber aircraft was, for the italian industrial capacity, a luxury.
Off course this is just my thought :)
Actally Tuffatori is a name or verb to define the dive. When you use the diving board on a pool, you "tuffi" or you are a "tuffatore" the Acapulco cliff divers they "tuffo" in the ocean, they do not bomb.
The Picchiatelli nickname is also depending on the context. It usually refreed to the "crackpot" the person that is a bit half crazy, Fiat CR.42or its a person with a bit of brain, between the amused and the extravagant, sometimes dissolutioned.
The assaltatore is the attacker; also assault, storm the field, rushed the field. the assaltatore was meant to be the aircraft on the attack mode.
The Breda65, also lacked manuevrability and just wasn't built to go up against hurricanes, spitfire, P-40 and alike. A lot of Italan pilots in the Northern Africa theatre always prefered the FIAT CR.42 and Macchi 200 insted of the Breda65, besides Breda never did build enough to support the effort.

The Italian general Staff in the Regia Aeronautica, never did place orders with FIAT, MAcchi, Breda or even the CRDA and others simply because the foresight was never there, and the resources to bring in to build he amount of aircraft was scarse and at best low and expensive. Other efforts went to the ground army machinery and the ships, if the resources where there, Italy could have had a larger marine fleet than dare I say? England. the technology on paper was there, the innovation and vision was there, the midnight oil for Italian engineers was available, but the General Staff kept the money purse tight to their chest. Anyway, I can go on and on .....let me know I love these discussions
 
A further explanation about the word "Picchiatelli". It is a pun made combining the word Picchiata (that means nosedive, but also beaten) and the popular utterance "Picchiatello" that means "nutty boy" (literally beaten in the head).
nice try buddy
 
@tricci57 - Thank you for comprehensive expalnaition! It's always nice to receive messages from the topics, that I participated few years ago. Good reason to visits SPF more frequently :cool:
 
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