S.A.I. Ambrosini A.R., Italian flying bomb

[Jemiba]

Another theme, that perhaps is snow from the last year for our experts, but maybe
it's nevertheless interesting: In RAF Flying Review 7/55 there's an article about the
S.A.I. Ambrosini A.R. (Assalto Radioguidato), a radio controlled flying bomb, powered
by a 1000hp Fiat A.80 egine. The aircraft had an simple cockpit, too, for a pilot, who
had to take-off, set course and then bale out. Armament was made up of two 1000 kg
bombs inside the fuselage. Although performance was modest with a top speed of
about 230 m.p.h. flying characteristics were said to be good. In the end, the five machines
built were destroyed, without ever used operationally.

 

[Skybolt]

'twas one of several "secret weapons" projects tried between 1941 and 1943... There was even a Mistel. And a poor-man V-1 flying bomb made by Savoia Marchetti. On this last, a full article by myself on Aerofan N.100 (march 2007). On the other... wait a couple of days (scanner...)

 

[elmayerle]

Wasn't the "mistel" version of this flying bomb a configuration with a Macchi MC-202 on top? I seem to remember seeing drawings of it several years ago.

 

[red admiral]

Some quick ones I had to hand.

 

[Skybolt]

Wasn't the "mistel" version of this flying bomb a configuration with a Macchi MC-202 on top? I seem to remember seeing drawings of it several years ago.

Actually, the Mistel configurations proposed were more than one. In July 1943 it was proposed the coupling of a Nardi FN 305 or 315 with a Ca 309 Ghibli. This was a traditional Mistel, with the Ca 309 acting as remote guided air bomb at separation from the guide plane. Other projects were more sophisticated, with a mother plane a and a child one (as in the well known Mercedes projects), both piloted. In this style was the Bestetti. Original document attached. Complete treatment in Aerofan 79/4...

 

[raravia]

Wow!....

What a magnificent project Skybolt.
I wonder myself why the bomb has to submerge before explode, it is more simple make a direct hit on the ship?

Grazie amico

 

[lark]

Grandiose !

Thanks.

 

[Skybolt]

I wonder myself why the bomb has to submerge before explode, it is more simple make a direct hit on the ship?

Well, it was more a torpedo than a bomb. And there were speculation (extensive trials were made in the hydrodinamic pool in Guidonia) that exploding submerged would have a more descructive effect on the ship (you know, rapid expansion of a bubble of gases in higher density fluid than air and so on).

 

[Skybolt]

Some more info on the Bestetti. The project was proposed to Ing. Nardi, who designed the two plane as BN.3 for the carrier (Saettante in Italian) and BN.4 for the parasite (Saetta). Besides the 4-engine version, there was a two-engine BN.3. Finally, a side view of the Saetta. Uh, Saetta's pilot was in a prone position to sustain the high positive G acceleration when pulling out of the dive. Both Saettante and Saetta were to be built with regenerated wood, i.e. with fibers smashed and than reconstructed using synthetic glues.

 

[hesham]

Dear skybolt,

we know Bestetti Nardi BN.1, it was twin boom twin engined
reconnaissance monoplane,do you know Bestetti Nardi BN.2 ?.

 

[Skybolt]

Sure. It was a projected parasite fighter (in Italian "caccia saettato") build in regenerated wood. The airframe and the wing was static tested but the program didn't go further. Design was derived from the BN.1, essentially using one half of it... .No info on the intended carrier plane. Images refer to the windtunnel model.

 

[hesham]

Thanks dear skybolt,

and there was also a few of Italian unknown aircraft,can I ask
you about them please ?,such as Caproni Ca.330,which proceed
Ca.331 and Caproni Ca.345 which proceed Ca.355.

 

[raravia]

Thanks Skybolt for your explanation.

Do you know if these BN.2 Parasite fighter was propulsed by a jet engine?.....or will have a conventional engine?

Very interesting project, maybe someone had a little bit more info from his mothership

Raravia

 

[Skybolt]

No, it was a piston engine for sure. A line engine with a frontal radiator. Probably an Isotta Fraschini. As for the carrier engine, no hint. Some special version of the P.108 could have been capable, but Piaggio had already problems with the basic version (engines). Moreover, having a front propeller, there were problems in plane placement under another plane.

 

[Skybolt]

and there was also a few of Italian unknown aircraft,can I ask
you about them please ?,such as Caproni Ca.330,which proceed
Ca.331 and Caproni Ca.345 which proceed Ca.355.

I have to make some research. AFAIR (remember, neo-acronysm...) they were dive-bombers and perhaps one was a zerstorer ("caccia combattimento" in then-used terminology, like the SM-91 with three engines and the Breda-88 just to explain).

 

[hesham]

thanks you dear skybolt,

and for Caproni Ca.330, I only heard that it was a project led to
develope Ca.331,and for Ca.345 it was a twin boom aircraft but
I have no details.

 

[Skybolt]

Just a few hours. I can anticipate that the Ca.330 were identical to the Ca.331 first version (was an observation aircraft) but had different engines: Piaggio P.something
Ca.345 was a twin boom boatplane with two floats.

 

[Skybolt]

I fpund a lot of info. No drawing still, but I'll have a part of them by Tuesday. In the mean time, an isometric view of the Ca.345 is illustrated in the first book by the Great Tophe on Forked Ghosts. And I know where he found the 3-view...

 

[hesham]

Thank you dear skybolt,

and you know Nardi FN.306 was two seat trainer aircraft developed from FN.305,
what was Nardi FN.314 ?.

 

[Skybolt]

ummm, I'll check, not very fond of trainers...

 

[hesham]

Thanks to you dear skybolt,

and I am sure Nardi FN.306 was developed from FN.305,
please search about both (FN.306 and FN.314).

 

[moin1900]

Hi everybody
Someone can tell me more about the Savoia Marchetti "V-1 flying bomb" ? Please
Is it a copy of the original V-1 ?

Here the Aereonautica Lombarda A.R.
http://www.giemmesesto.org/settori/aerei/AereonauticaLombardaAR/AR.htm
Here the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 "DRONE"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoia-Marchetti_SM.79

Many greetings and Thanks in advance

 

[Justo Miranda]

Plese see
http://gallery.rumodelism.com/gallery/img81/m1637.shtml

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=57157

http://www.airwar.ru/enc/bpla/ar.html

http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=14&products_id=166&osCsid=f9ba2b3ab0e2a6f340d0d4fe34a20407

http://www.villacidro.net/zzz/storia/1939-43eng.htm

 

[Skybolt]

Someone can tell me more about the Savoia Marchetti "V-1 flying bomb" ? Please
Is it a copy of the original V-1 ? Huh?

No, it was like a reduced-size Miles Hoopla. The guidance (sort of) was like the V-1 one, with a mechanical counter of the rotations of the spinner linked to the carburetor. I'm writing an article for "Storia Militare" on this.

 

[moin1900]

Thanks !

 

[hesham]

Hi,


a well know pilot,De Bernardi,he participated in the first remotely controlled flying
bomb in 1939,did they mean the Lombarda A.R.1 or a design from his creation ?.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_de_Bernardi

 

[athpilot]

Hi! Someone did a good model job on it.

 

[hesham]

Hi,


so weird,here is anther design for Lombarda AR.4 radio-controlled bomber,I know
only AR.1,so does anyone hear about this designation before ?.


http://www.aleniaaermacchi100.it/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/A-century-of-flying_part2.pdf

 

[hesham]

Hi,


I think that's a completely fake, right ?.

Edit: Merged with this topic

 

[hesham]

From Ali magazine 1944,

what was this ?.

 

[Apophenia]

From Ali magazine 1944,

what was this ?.

Not relevant to the A.R. ... the Italian text is talking about initial British PR responses to German V-1 attacks.

Richard Borlase Matthews (1876-1943) was an electrical engineer best known for his work on the 'all-electric' farm. However, from his obituary in Nature: "in 1908 he took up aeronautical work and during the War of 1914-18 he was in the Applied Design (Liaison) Department of the Air Ministry." So that helps explain his F.R.Ae.S.

Obviously, Matthews continued his interest in things aerial, resulting in this 1941 notional design for a catapult-launched, wing-shedding flying bomb.

 

[Justo Miranda]

Hi,


I think that's a completely fake, right ?.

Edit: Merged with this topic

Real project

 

[Justo Miranda]

Post-2

 

[hesham]

From Ali magazine 1944,

what was this ?.

Not relevant to the A.R. ... the Italian text is talking about initial British PR responses to German V-1 attacks.

Richard Borlase Matthews (1876-1943) was an electrical engineer best known for his work on the 'all-electric' farm. However, from his obituary in Nature: "in 1908 he took up aeronautical work and during the War of 1914-18 he was in the Applied Design (Liaison) Department of the Air Ministry." So that helps explain his F.R.Ae.S.

Obviously, Matthews continued his interest in things aerial, resulting in this 1941 notional design for a catapult-launched, wing-shedding flying bomb.

Was him from UK or Italy ?.

 

[Apophenia]

Was him from UK or Italy ?.

Richard Borlase Matthews was British (born in Swansea).