Unknown wind tunnel model

Skyraider3D

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Dated 1955, this definitely has a 1930s styling. Reminds of Westland designs, but supposedly Italian.
Anybody ever seen this before? The adjustable flaps and approximate scale do suggest it could be an actual windtunnel model.
http://bentleyslondon.com/shop/walnut-wind-tunnel-model/
 

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Maybe an early study on what would become the P.119? The vertical stabilizer is very distinctive though and unlike any other italian aircraft I'm aware of, and the spats are different than anything else too.

Possibly the Caproni Ca.350?
 

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Nice (and mysterious, too) model - thanks for sharing!
I'm also think about P-119 predecessor, and Savoia-Marchetti SM-93 diving-bomber with pilot in prone position comes to my mind.
 

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I disagree with all this,

the wing is swept back a little,and the winglet is different,even the cockpit is longer,it's not P.119.
 

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Just a small point, the font on the Bentley site is atrocious, but if you paste the date into Word it is clearly 1935.
So it predates the P.119 and the SM.93 by a large margin.

The shape and layout of the monoplane wing would seem to confirm this too.
The aircraft has fixed undercarriage and leading-edge slats. The enclosed cockpit is quite odd for an Italian design of this period, it could possibly be a two-seater type given the length of the canopy. The engine is presumably a buried V-12 engine.
It reminds me a bit of the size and shape of an attack aircraft similar to the Breda BA.65. That aircraft first flew in 1935 and had retractable undercarriage. This model seems an odd mix of new and old features, you would have assumed the care taken to bury the engine for streamlining and the covered cockpit that the undercarriage would have been retractable, even in 1935. The vertical tail surfaces appear too small as well.
 
The assumption is being made that it is a genuine wind tunnel model of an actual aeroplane design. Is such an assumption necessarily reliable?
 
Fair point, although I would assume production of a windtunnel model is expensive and time consuming and few were made "for fun". For it to survive till now is even rarer.
 
It has all the signs of being a wind tunnel model from the mid 1930s; size, construction method etc.
Certainly a curious mixture of features mixing typical 1930s ideas on high speed aerodynamic shaping, thin wing with large wing fillets, with lower speed spatted fixed undercarriage. The large slots and flaps on the high aspect ratio wing indicate that a low landing speed was important, as does the wide-track undercarriage, and the shape and placement of the fin and rudder is also typical of 1930s thinking to ensure controls remained effective for spin recovery. The cockpit is located well foward so has to be either over the engine or the engine is installed mid-fuselage with a long drive shaft.

The text says 'large scale Italian walnut art-deco......' but does that mean it is Italian and made of walnut, or that it is made of Italian walnut?
 
Hi, I came across this wind tunnel model on the net at http://bentleyslondon.com/shop/aeronautical/walnut-wind-tunnel-model/. I was wondering if anybody may have any knowledge of what actual type it actually was. The description was as follows:
A stylish, large-scale Italian walnut art deco influenced wind tunnel aircraft model with metal details and moving wing and tail flaps, circa 1935. With a wingspan of 110cm and standing 64 cm tall, this model has great impact. Newly mounted on a two tone brass and aluminium base.
Dimensions: 78 cm/30¾ (length) x 110.5 cm/43½ inches (wing span) x 64 cm/25¼ inches (maximum height on stand).
There are additional images if you look at the link provided. I look forward to any replies!
bentleys_aeronautical_walnut-wind-tunnel-model_01_3.jpg bentleys_aeronautical_walnut-wind-tunnel-model_04_2.jpg bentleys_aeronautical_walnut-wind-tunnel-model_07_2.jpg bentleys_aeronautical_walnut-wind-tunnel-model_15_1.jpg bentleys_aeronautical_walnut-wind-tunnel-model_06_1.jpg bentleys_aeronautical_walnut-wind-tunnel-model_11_1.jpg
 

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