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Aermacchi was an Italian
aircraft manufacturer An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, or spacecraft. Aerospace is a high technology industry. ...
. Formerly known as Aeronautica Macchi, the company was founded in 1912 by
Giulio Macchi Giulio Macchi (; 1866–1935) was an Italian aeronautical engineer, the founder of ''Società Anonima Nieuport-Macchi'' (now Alenia Aermacchi). Macchi ran a small coachbuilder's works, ''Carrozzeria Fratelli Macchi'' (Macchi Brothers Coachworks) ...
at
Varese Varese ( , , or ; lmo, label= Varesino, Varés ; la, Baretium; archaic german: Väris) is a city and ''comune'' in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, north-west of Milan. The population of Varese in 2018 has reached 80,559. It is the c ...
in north-western
Lombardy Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in the northern-central part of the country and has a population of about 10 ...
as Nieuport-Macchi, to build Nieuport monoplanes under licence for the Italian military. With a factory located on the shores of
Lake Varese Varese Lake ( it, Lago di Varese) is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, in the north of Italy. It has an area of 14.5 km², a medium depth of 11 m, and a maximum depth of 23 m. It hosted the Canoeing European Championships in 2012, the Wo ...
, the firm originally manufactured a series of
Nieuport Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars. History Beginnings Originally formed as Nieuport-Duplex in ...
designs, as well as
seaplane A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tec ...
s. After
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the company began producing
motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
s as a way to fill the post-war need for cheap, efficient transportation. The company later specialised in civil and military pilot training aircraft. In July 2003, Aermacchi was integrated into the
Finmeccanica Leonardo S.p.A., formerly Leonardo-Finmeccanica and originally Finmeccanica, is an Italian Multinational corporation, multinational company specialising in Aerospace manufacturer, aerospace, arms industry, defence and Information security, securi ...
Group (now Leonardo) as
Alenia Aermacchi Alenia Aermacchi was a company active in the aeronautics sector, with offices and plants in Venegono Superiore, Varese, Turin Airport in San Maurizio Canavese, Province of Turin and Pomigliano d'Arco, Province of Naples. From 1 January 2016, ...
, which increased its shareholding to 99%.


Military trainers

Since the beginning, the design and production of military trainers have been the core business of Alenia Aermacchi. The products include: *
SF-260 The SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 (now Leonardo SF-260) is an Italian light aircraft which has been commonly marketed as a military trainer and aerobatics aircraft. The SF.260 was designed by Italian aircraft designer Stelio Frati, while production wor ...
, piston-engined or turboprop-powered screener/primary trainer *
MB-326 The Aermacchi or Macchi MB-326 is a light military jet trainer designed in Italy. Originally conceived as a two-seat trainer, there have also been single and two-seat light attack versions produced. It is one of the most commercially successf ...
, turbofan engined trainer and light attack aircraft *
M-311 M311 or M-311 may refer to: * M-311 (Michigan highway) * Alenia Aermacchi M-311, a turbofan-powered military trainer * EML Wambola (M311), a Lindau-class minehunter of the Estonian Navy * The CQ M-311, a variant of the Norinco CQ rifle * The M-31 ...
, basic turbofan trainer *
MB-339 The Aermacchi MB-339 is a military jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Italian aviation company Aermacchi. The MB-339 was developed during the 1970s in response to an Italian Air Force requirement that sought a re ...
CD, advanced and lead-in fighter trainer *
M-346 The Aermacchi M-346 Master is a family of military twin-engine transonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft. Originally co-developed with Yakovlev as the Yak/AEM-130, the partnership was dissolved in 2000 and then Alenia Aermacchi ...
, advanced and lead-in fighter trainer of the new generation


Military collaboration

Alenia Aermacchi has cooperated in international military programs: * AMX Program: Alenia Aermacchi takes part in the AMX program with Alenia Aeronautica and
Embraer Embraer S.A. () is a Brazilian multinational aerospace manufacturer that produces commercial, military, executive and agricultural aircraft, and provides aeronautical services. It was founded in 1969 in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, where i ...
of Brazil with a total share of 24%. Alenia Aermacchi develops and manufactures the fuselage forward and rear sections and installs some avionic equipment in the aircraft. A Mid-Life Updating program is required by the Italian Air Force to upgrade the aircraft capabilities. *
Panavia Tornado The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Italy, the United Kingdom and West Germany. There are three primary Tornado variants: the Tornado IDS (inter ...
program: Alenia Aermacchi designs and produces wing pylons and wing tips, roots,
trailing edge The trailing edge of an aerodynamic surface such as a wing is its rear edge, where the airflow separated by the leading edge meets.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 521. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. ...
s and flaps, which represents a 5% share in the overall program. *
Eurofighter The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leo ...
program: Alenia Aermacchi has a share of more than 4% in the Eurofighter program, for the design and development of wing pylons, twin missile and twin store carriers, ECM pods, carbon fiber structures and titanium engine cowlings. *
C-27J The Alenia C-27J Spartan is a military transport aircraft developed and manufactured by Leonardo's Aircraft Division (formerly Alenia Aermacchi until 2016). It is an advanced derivative of Alenia Aeronautica's earlier G.222 (C-27A Spartan in ...
program: After participating in the
G-222 The Aeritalia G.222 (formerly Fiat Aviazione, later Alenia Aeronautica) is a medium-sized STOL military transport aircraft. It was developed to meet a NATO specification, but Italy was initially the only NATO member to adopt the type. The Unit ...
transport aircraft program, the company is involved in the new Military Transport Aircraft C-27J Spartan, for the production of outer wings.


Civil programs

Since the mid-1990s, Alenia Aermacchi has participated in programs for the supply of engine nacelles for civil aircraft. It produces cold parts for engine nacelles: inlets, fan cowls and EBU, the systems-to-engine interface. In 1999, the company established a joint venture (MHD) with Hurel-Dubois (presently Hurel-Hispano, of
SNECMA Safran Aircraft Engines, previously Snecma (''Société nationale d'études et de construction de moteurs d'aviation'') or Snecma Moteurs, is a French aerospace engine manufacturer headquartered in Courcouronnes and a subsidiary of Safran. It ...
group), a French company specializing in the development and manufacture of thrust reversers, to obtain the full responsibility for the development of nacelles installed on maximum 100-seat aircraft.


Aermacchi aircraft


World War I

* Macchi L.1 – reconnaissance
flying boat A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fusela ...
( Lohner copy) *
Macchi L.2 The Macchi L.2 was an Italian biplane flying boat developed from the earlier Macchi L.1, itself a copy of a captured Austrian Lohner flying boat. Development In an attempt to improve the performance of the L.1 flying-boat Macchi, the design was ...
– flying boat
biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
(Lohner copy) *
Nieuport-Macchi N.VI The Nieuport VI was a sport monoplane produced in France in the 1910s, a further development by Nieuport along the same general lines as the Nieuport II and Nieuport IV, differing mainly from the Nieuport IV in being slightly larger.Taylor 1989, ...
– reconnaissance monoplane (license-built
Nieuport Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars. History Beginnings Originally formed as Nieuport-Duplex in ...
monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...
with local modifications) *
Nieuport-Macchi Parasol The Nieuport-Macchi Parasol was a single-engine observation aircraft produced by the Italy, Italian aeronautical company Nieuport-Macchi in the early 1910s. It was the first aircraft designed independently by Aermacchi, Macchi, which until then ha ...
parasol-wing A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
observation Observation is the active acquisition of information from a primary source. In living beings, observation employs the senses. In science, observation can also involve the perception and recording of data via the use of scientific instruments. The ...
monoplane (developed from
Nieuport IV The Nieuport IV was a French-built sporting, training and reconnaissance monoplane of the early 1910s. Design and development Societe Anonyme des Etablissements Nieuport was formed in 1909 by Édouard Nieuport. The Nieuport IV was a developm ...
) (1913) *
Nieuport-Macchi N.10 The Nieuport 10 (or Nieuport XB in contemporary sources) was a French First World War Biplane#Sesquiplane, sesquiplane that filled a wide variety of roles, including reconnaissance, fighter and trainer. Design and development In January 1914, d ...
– fighter/reconnaissance
sesquiplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a ...
(license-built
Nieuport 10 The Nieuport 10 (or Nieuport XB in contemporary sources) was a French First World War sesquiplane that filled a wide variety of roles, including reconnaissance, fighter and trainer. Design and development In January 1914, designer Gustave Delag ...
with local modifications) *
Nieuport-Macchi N.11 The Nieuport 11 (or Nieuport XI C.1 in contemporary sources), nicknamed the ''Bébé'', was a French World War I single seat sesquiplane fighter aircraft, designed by Gustave Delage. It was the primary aircraft that ended the Fokker Scourge in ...
– fighter sesquiplane (license-built
Nieuport 11 The Nieuport 11 (or Nieuport XI C.1 in contemporary sources), nicknamed the ''Bébé'', was a French World War I single seat sesquiplane fighter aircraft, designed by Gustave Delage. It was the primary aircraft that ended the Fokker Scourge in ...
with local modifications) *
Nieuport-Macchi N.17 The Nieuport 17 C.1 (or Nieuport XVII C.1 in contemporary sources) was a French sesquiplane fighter designed and manufactured by the Nieuport company during World War I. An improvement over the Nieuport 11, it was a little larger than earlier Ni ...
– fighter sesquiplane (license-built
Nieuport 17 The Nieuport 17 C.1 (or Nieuport XVII C.1 in contemporary sources) was a French sesquiplane fighter designed and manufactured by the Nieuport company during World War I. An improvement over the Nieuport 11, it was a little larger than earlier N ...
with local modifications) *
Macchi M.3 The Macchi L.3, or later Macchi M.3, was an Italian biplane flying boat developed from the earlier L.2. Development The Macchi company had learned about flying boat design from copying an Austrian flying boat to produce the Macchi L.1 and imp ...
– flying boat biplane (1916) *
Macchi M.5 The Macchi M.5 was an Italian single-seat fighter flying boat designed and built by Nieuport-Macchi at Varese. It was extremely manoeuvrable and agile and matched the land-based aircraft it had to fight.Orbis 1985, page 2393 Development The ...
– flying boat fighter (1917) *
Macchi M.6 The Macchi M.6 was an Italian flying boat fighter prototype of 1917. Design and development In 1917, Nieuport-Macchi built the M.6. for comparison with its Macchi M.5 flying boat fighter, which went into service that year and operated successfu ...
– flying boat fighter prototype (1917) *
Macchi M.7 The Macchi M.7 was an Italian single-seat fighter flying boat designed by Alessandro Tonini and built by Macchi. A modified version of the M.7, the M.7bis won the Schneider Trophy in 1921. Development The M.7 was similar to the earlier M.5 ...
– flying boat fighter (1918) * Macchi M.8 – reconnaissance/bomber flying boat (1917) * Macchi M.9 – flying boat bomber (1918) *
Macchi M.12 __NOTOC__ The Macchi M.12 was a biplane flying boat bomber designed by Alessandro Tonini, and produced in small numbers by Macchi in Italy in 1918.Taylor 1989, 617 It had a conventional design, generally similar to an enlarged version of other Ma ...
– flying boat bomber (1918) *
Macchi M.14 The Macchi M.14 was an Italian fighter of 1918 designed and manufactured by Macchi. The M.14 was the first non-seaplane fighter Macchi produced, its previous fighter production having focused on flying boat fighters. Design and development A ...
– sesquiplane fighter (1918)


Interwar

*
Nieuport-Macchi N.29 The Nieuport-Delage NiD.29 was a French single-seat biplane fighter (C.I category) designed and built by Nieuport-Delage for the French Air Force. Design and development The prototype NiD.29 was an equal-span biplane with ailerons on both up ...
– biplane fighter (license-built Nieuport-Delage NiD.29) * Macchi M.7''bis''
Schneider Trophy The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider, also known as the Schneider Trophy, Schneider Prize or (incorrectly) the Schneider Cup is a trophy that was awarded annually (and later, biennially) to the winner of a race for seaplanes and flying ...
racing seaplane (1920) *
Macchi M.15 The Macchi M.15 was an Italian reconnaissance aircraft, bomber and trainer, designed by Alessandro Tonini and Piero Bergonzi and built by Macchi. Design and development The M.15, which first flew in 1922, was a two-seat biplane with wings of ...
– reconnaissance, bomber, and trainer aircraft (1922) * Macchi M.16 – sports aircraft (1919) * Macchi M.17''bis'' – Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1922) *
Macchi M.18 The Macchi M.18 was a flying boat designed by Alessandro Tonini and produced by Macchi in Italy in the early 1920s.Taylor 1989, 617''World Aircraft Information Files'' File 901 Sheet 01 Originally planned as a passenger aircraft, it entered pr ...
– passenger, bombing, and reconnaissance flying boat *
Macchi M.19 The Macchi M.19 was a 1920s Italian single-seat racing flying boat designed and built by Macchi for the 1920 Schneider Trophy race. Development Based on the earlier Macchi M.17 racer the M.19 first flew in August 1920. It was designed to meet ...
– Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1920) * Macchi M7''ter'' – flying boat fighter (1923), major redesign of M.7 *
Macchi M.20 The Macchi M.20 was a single-engine biplane trainer aircraft produced by the Italian aeronautical company Aeronautica Macchi between the end of the 1910s and the beginning of the 1920s. Produced in small numbers and intended for the civil aviatio ...
– civil trainer aircraft (ca. 1919) *
Macchi M.24 The Macchi M.24 was a flying boat designed by Alessandro Tonini and produced by Macchi in Italy during the 1920s. Originally intended as a bomber, it was eventually produced for civilian use as well.Taylor 1989, 617''World Aircraft Information Fi ...
– flying boat bomber (1924) *
Macchi M.26 The Macchi M.26 was an Italian flying boat fighter prototype of 1924 designed and manufactured by Macchi. Design and development In 1924, the '' Regia Marina'' (Italian Royal Navy) issued a requirement for a replacement for its Macchi M.7''te ...
– flying boat fighter prototype (1924) *
Macchi M.33 The Macchi M.33 was an Italian racing flying boat which competed in the 1925 Schneider Trophy race. Design and development The Macchi M.33 was a single-seat, wooden, shoulder-wing monoplane flying boat of very clean aerodynamic design for its t ...
– Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1925) *
Macchi M.39 The Macchi M.39 was a racing seaplane designed and built by the Italian aircraft company Aeronautica Macchi in 1925–26. An M.39 piloted by Major Mario de Bernardi (1893–1959) won the 1926 Schneider Trophy, and the type also set world speed ...
– Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1926) *
Macchi M.40 The Macchi M.40 was a prototype 1920s Italian catapult-launched reconnaissance floatplane designed and built by Macchi, it did not enter production. Design The M.40 was an all-metal equal-span biplane powered by a Fiat A.20 piston engine. It ha ...
– reconnaissance seaplane (1928) *
Macchi M.41 The Macchi M.41 was an Italian flying boat fighter prototype of 1927 designed and manufactured by Macchi. Its production model, the M.41''bis'', first flown in 1929, was in front line service from 1930 to 1938. Design and development M.41 In 19 ...
– flying boat fighter (1927) *
Macchi M.52 The Macchi M.52 was an Italian racing seaplane designed and built by Macchi for the 1927 Schneider Trophy race. The M.52 and a later variant, the M.52bis or M.52R, both set world speed records for seaplanes. Design and development M.52 Mario C ...
– Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1927) *
Macchi M.52R The Macchi M.52 was an Italian racing seaplane designed and built by Macchi for the 1927 Schneider Trophy race. The M.52 and a later variant, the M.52bis or M.52R, both set world speed records for seaplanes. Design and development M.52 Mario Ca ...
– Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1929) * Macchi M.53 – reconnaissance floatplane (1929) *
Macchi M.67 The Macchi M.67, was an Italian racing seaplane designed by Mario Castoldi and built by Macchi for the 1929 Schneider Trophy race. Design and development Castoldi based the design of the M.67, (a single-seat, low-wing, monoplane, twin-float floa ...
– Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1929) *
Macchi M.70 The Macchi M.70, was an Italian light biplane of the late 1920s built by Macchi. Design and development The M.70 was a two-seat, single-bay biplane with tandem cockpits. The pilot generally sat in the rear cockpit, but both cockpits had flight c ...
– light biplane landplane/floatplane (ca. 1929) *
Macchi M.71 The Macchi M.71 was an Italian flying boat fighter of the 1930s designed and manufactured by Macchi. Design and development In 1930, Macchi built a new version of its M.41''bis'' flying boat fighter designed for launching by catapult from war ...
– flying boat fighter (1930) *
Macchi M.C.72 The Macchi M.C. 72 is an experimental seaplane designed and built by the Italian aircraft company Macchi Aeronautica. The M.C. 72 held the world speed record for all aircraft for five years. In 1933 and 1934 it set world speed records for pisto ...
– Schneider Trophy racing seaplane (1931) *
Macchi M.C.73 The Macchi M.C.73 was a two-seat touring landplane / floatplane built by Macchi in the early 1930s. Intended to replace the Macchi M.70 The Macchi M.70, was an Italian light biplane of the late 1920s built by Macchi. Design and development ...
- two-seat tourism plane * Macchi M.C.94 – flying boat airliner (1935) *
Macchi M.C.100 The Macchi M.C.100 was an Italian commercial flying boat designed and built by Macchi. Design and development The M.C.100 was a shoulder-wing cantilever monoplane flying boat, with a family resemblance to the military twin-engine M.C.99 and ear ...
– passenger flying boat (1939) * Macchi M.C.200 ''Saetta'' – fighter (1939)


World War II

* Macchi M.C.202 ''Folgore'' – fighter (1941) * Macchi M.C.205 ''Veltro'' – fighter (1942)


Post-World War II

*
Macchi M.B.308 The Macchi MB.308, later Aermacchi MB-308, was a light aircraft produced in Italy in the late 1940s. Development It was a conventional high-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed tricycle undercarriage. Construction throughout was of wood. The p ...
– utility aircraft (1948) *
Macchi M.B.320 The Macchi MB.320 was an Italian cabin monoplane designed and built by Macchi. Only a small number were built. Design and development The MB.320 was a low-wing cabin monoplane powered by two wing-mounted Continental E185 engines. It had room f ...
– light civil utility aircraft (1949) * Macchi M.B.323 – trainer (1952) *
Aermacchi MB-326 The Aermacchi or Macchi MB-326 is a light military jet trainer designed in Italy. Originally conceived as a two-seat trainer, there have also been single and two-seat light attack versions produced. It is one of the most commercially successf ...
– trainer and light attack aircraft (1957) *
Aermacchi AL-60 The Aermacchi AL-60 is a light civil utility aircraft of the late 1950s and early 1960s, originally designed by Al Mooney of Lockheed in the United States. After the company decided not to build the aircraft in the US, it was manufactured in s ...
– light civil utility aircraft (1959) * Aermacchi SF.260 – aerobatics aircraft and military trainer (1964) *
Aermacchi MB-335 The Aermacchi AM.3 was the result of a joint venture between Aermacchi and Aeritalia (then Aerfer Industrie Aerospaziali Meridionali) in response to an Italian Army requirement for an aircraft to replace the Cessna L-19, and was initially desi ...
– initial designation of the AM.3 *
Aermacchi AM.3 The Aermacchi AM.3 was the result of a joint venture between Aermacchi and Aeritalia (then Aerfer Industrie Aerospaziali Meridionali) in response to an Italian Army requirement for an aircraft to replace the Cessna L-19, and was initially desi ...
– military utility aircraft (1967) *
Aermacchi MB-338 The Aermacchi MB-339 is a military jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Italian aviation company Aermacchi. The MB-339 was developed during the 1970s in response to an Italian Air Force requirement that sought a rep ...
– trainer (early 1970s) *
Aermacchi MB-340 The AMX International AMX is a ground-attack aircraft jointly developed by Brazil and Italy. The AMX is designated A-11 Ghibli by the Italian Air Force and A-1 by the Brazilian Air Force. The Italian name, "Ghibli", is taken from the hot dry w ...
– light ground-attack aircraft (early 1970s) *
Aermacchi MB-339 The Aermacchi MB-339 is a military jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Italian aviation company Aermacchi. The MB-339 was developed during the 1970s in response to an Italian Air Force requirement that sought a re ...
– trainer (1976) *
Aermacchi S-211 The SIAI-Marchetti S.211 (later Aermacchi S-211) is a turbofan-powered military trainer aircraft designed and originally marketed by Italian aviation manufacturer SIAI-Marchetti. SIAI-Marchetti started to develop the S-211 in 1976 as a private v ...
– trainer (1981) *
Aermacchi M-290 RediGO The Valmet L-90 Redigo is a turboprop-powered military basic trainer aircraft and liaison aircraft, a development of Valmet's earlier training aircraft for the Finnish Air Force. The L-90 was the last military aircraft designed and produced in ...
– trainer (1985) *
Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master The Aermacchi M-346 Master is a family of military twin-engine transonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft. Originally co-developed with Yakovlev as the Yak/AEM-130, the partnership was dissolved in 2000 and then Alenia Aermacchi ...
– trainer (2004) *
Alenia Aermacchi M-311 The Aermacchi M-345 is a turbofan-powered military trainer aircraft. It is a development of the SIAI-Marchetti S.211. Development Origins During 1997, Italian aircraft manufacturer Aermacchi acquired SIAI-Marchetti; this purchase included the ri ...
– trainer (2005)


Motorcycles


1950s

Aermacchi began producing motorcycles in c. 1951; the first Aermacchi to be marketed to the public was a scooter/motorcycle hybrid called the 'Convertible', with the majority of working parts semi-enclosed, an under-saddle engine and foot boards, a conventional motorcycle fuel tank position and wheels. It was succeeded in 1953 by the 'Zeffiro' which was offered with a 125 cc or 150 cc
two-stroke engine A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being completed in one revolution of t ...
; these later models had upgraded suspension but remained similar in appearance. In 1955 they produced the 125 cc Monsone, followed by the 150 cc Corsaro, both of which had pivoted fork rear suspension and telescopic front forks. They were
two-stroke A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a Thermodynamic power cycle, power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being comple ...
s like the early models and ran a 4-speed gearbox. In 1956 they produced their first over head valve
four-stroke engine A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...
on the Chimera fitted horizontally, a layout which would become a standard for the marque. Similar to their first offering, the Chimera kept many enclosed working parts. In 1957 they released a series of sport models, powered by a
single cylinder A single-cylinder engine, sometimes called a thumper, is a piston engine with one cylinder. This engine is often used for motorcycles, motor scooters, go-karts, all-terrain vehicles, radio-controlled vehicles, portable tools and garden machinery ( ...
ohv An overhead valve (OHV) engine, sometimes called a ''pushrod engine'', is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier flathead engines, where the valves were located bel ...
engine in 175 cc or 250 cc
displacement Displacement may refer to: Physical sciences Mathematics and Physics *Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...
s. Aermacchi continued with scooter production, but sales were poor and they were unable to compete in the market amongst the well established
Vespa Vespa () is an Italian luxury brand of scooter (motorcycle), scooters and mopeds manufactured by Piaggio. The name means wasp in Italian. The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A. of ...
s and
Lambretta Lambretta () is the brand name of mainly motor scooters, initially manufactured in Milan, Italy, by Innocenti. The name is derived from the word Lambrate, the suburb of Milan named after the river Lambro which flows through the area, and wher ...
s, and concentrated solely on the production of motorcycles.


1960s and beyond

In 1960, US business
Harley-Davidson Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depressi ...
motorcycles purchased 50% of Aermacchi's motorcycle division. The Italian branch of the brand was named 'Aermacchi-Harley-Davidson' and the first bike was a variation of the 'Ala Verde' suitably modified for the American market. This was also the year that the Chimera ceased production. The remaining motorcycle holdings were sold in 1974 to AMF-Harley-Davidson, with motorcycles continuing to be made at Varese. The business was sold to
Cagiva Cagiva is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It was founded in 1950 by Giovanni Castiglioni in Varese, originally producing small metal components. Giovanni's sons, Claudio and Gianfranco Castiglioni, went into the motorcycle industry in 1978. ...
in 1978.


Racing History

After the Harley Davidson investment, Aermacchi branched out into racing with a 250 cc production-volume Ala d'Oro for
road racing Road racing is a form of motorsport racing held on a paved road surface. The races can be held either on a closed circuit or on a street circuit utilizing temporarily closed public roads. Originally, road races were held almost entirely on publ ...
competition. Early results varied but over years of bike development the team placed third during the 1966 350 cc World Championship with racer
Renzo Pasolini Renzo Pasolini (18 July 1938 – 20 May 1973), nicknamed "Paso", was an Italian professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1964 to 1972. Although he never won a world cham ...
and third again in 1968 with
Kelvin Carruthers Kelvin Carruthers (born 3 January 1938) is an Australian former world champion Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and racing team manager.
. The following year Carruthers competed at the
Isle of Man TT The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world ...
. A new era began in 1971 with the development of twin-cylinder two-stroke racers of 250cc and 350cc capacity, designed at Aermacchi by their chief engineer, Ing. William Soncini. The first 250cc racer was very fast, with 46hp at 11,000rpm, and weighed only 250lbs. After Harley-Davidson acquired 100% of Aermacchi in 1972, they funded further racing development at the Aermacchi factory, and the racers were branded with Harley-Davidson on their fuel tanks. These two-stroke twins provided Harley-Davidson with their only Grand Prix wins, and four
World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
: 250cc World Championship in 1974, '75, and '76, and the 350cc World Championship in 1976, all under rider
Walter Villa Walter Villa (born 13 August 1943 - 18 June 2002) was an Italian four-time Grand Prix motorcycle road racing world champion. He was known for his quiet, unassuming nature off the bike who became a ruthless competitor once the races began. Motorc ...
.Walker, Mick: Mick Walker's Italian Classic Gallery - the Racing Bikes. 1991, Haynes.


List of Motorcycle Models (incomplete)

*250 Cross *350 *500
Linto Lino Tonti (September 16, 1920 – June 8, 2002) was an Italian motorcycle engineer known for designing a number of sport and racing motorcycles in the 1950s and 1960s, and for creating his signature 'Tonti frame' for Moto Guzzi's 1971 V7 Spo ...
*Ala Azzura *Ala Bianca * Ala d'Oro (Golden Wing) 958-1961*Ala Rossa * Ala Verde *Biccindrico *
Chimera Chimera, Chimaera, or Chimaira (Greek for " she-goat") originally referred to: * Chimera (mythology), a fire-breathing monster of Ancient Lycia said to combine parts from multiple animals * Mount Chimaera, a fire-spewing region of Lycia or Cilicia ...
*Convrtible *Corsaro *Drixton *Monsone *Sprint 250 *Sprint 350 *Wisconsin 250 *Zeffiro


See also

*
List of Italian companies Italy is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe with the third largest nominal GDP in the Eurozone and the eighth largest in the world. As an advanced economy the country also has the sixth worldwide national wealth and it is ranked third fo ...
*
Harley-Davidson Baja 100 The Harley-Davidson Baja 100 was a small displacement off-road motorcycle made for Harley-Davidson in Italy by Aermacchi, which was 50% owned by Harley-Davidson at the time. It was one of Harley-Davidson's attempts to enter the small displacement ...
off-road motorcycle


References


External links


Leonardo website
{{Major Italian motorcycle manufacturers Italian brands Defunct aircraft manufacturers of Italy Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of Italy Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1913 Italian companies established in 1913 Defunct manufacturing companies of Italy Alenia Aermacchi Leonardo S.p.A. Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 2003 Italian companies disestablished in 2003