The Macchi M.C. 72 is an experimental

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 ...

designed and built by the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

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 piston engine-powered seaplanes; the latter still stands.

Design and development

The Macchi M.C. 72 was one of a series of seaplanes developed by Macchi Aeronautica. In the 1920s, Macchi focused on speed and on winning the

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 ...

. In 1922 the company hired aircraft designer

Mario Castoldi Mario Castoldi (February 26, 1888 - May 31, 1968) was an Italian aircraft engineer and designer. Biography Born in Zibido San Giacomo (province of Milan), Castoldi worked for the experimental center of Italian Military Aviation at Montecelio, no ...

to design high-speed aircraft. In 1926 the company won the trophy with the M.39, which attained a top speed of 396 km/h (246 mph). Further aircraft, the M.52, M.52R and the M.67, were designed and built but victory in the Schneider races kept eluding the Italians. Castoldi then designed the M.C. 72, a single-seater aircraft with two floats powered by a modified

FIAT Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...

AS.6 supercharged V24 engine, generating around 1,900-2,300 kW (2,500-3,100 hp).Cowin 1999, p. 45. driving

contra-rotating propellers Aircraft equipped with contra-rotating propellers, also referred to as CRP, coaxial contra-rotating propellers, or high-speed propellers, apply the maximum power of usually a single piston or turboprop engine to drive a pair of coaxial propell ...

. The forward part of the M.C. 72's

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...

is constructed of metal; aft of the

cockpit A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft or spacecraft, from which a Pilot in command, pilot controls the aircraft. The cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments on an instrument panel, and the ...

it is of wood, with a wood skin over a structure of bulkheads and longerons attached to the front section with four bolts.Kinert 1969, p. 35. The nose enclosed an

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

tank with its outside wall exposed to the airstream. The wing was all metal, with flat tubular water radiators faired into the wings. The twin floats had three radiators on the outer surfaces, the forward radiator for water and the centre and rear radiators for oil cooling. The float struts also had water radiators and another radiator was fitted during hot conditions under the fuselage running from cockpit to tail. The M.C. 72 was built in 1931 for what turned out to be the final Schneider Trophy race, but due to engine problems was unable to compete. Instead of halting development, Macchi continued work on the M.C. 72.

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...

personally took an interest in seeing development of the M.C. 72 continue and directed state funds to the company.

Operational history

For two years, the M.C. 72 suffered from many mechanical defects, as well as the loss of two test pilots who died trying to coax world class speed out of the M.C. 72 (first Monti and then Bellini). After 35 flights the engines were overhauled in preparation for a record attempt. The aircraft finally lived up to expectations when it set a new world speed record (over water) on 10 April 1933, with a speed of 682 km/h (423.5 mph). It was piloted by Warrant Officer

Francesco Agello Francesco Agello (27 December 1902 – 24 November 1942) was an Italian test pilot. Biography and flight achievements Born at Casalpusterlengo, Lombardy, Italy, Agello graduated from pilot school in 1924 and soon became a test pilot. He was t ...

(the last qualified test pilot). Not satisfied, development continued as the aircraft's designers thought they could surpass with the M.C. 72. This was achieved on 23 October 1934, when Agello piloted the M.C. 72 at an average speed of Colin, 1999, p.45 over three passes. This record remains (as of 2019) the highest speed ever attained by a piston-engined seaplane. After this success the M.C.72 was never flown again.

Speed record

The M.C. 72 held the world speed record for all aircraft for five years. For comparison, the record holder for a land-based aircraft was held (for a time) by the

Hughes H-1 Racer The Hughes H-1 Racer is a racing aircraft built by Hughes Aircraft in 1935. It set a world airspeed record and a transcontinental speed record across the United States. The H-1 Racer was the last aircraft built by a private individual to set the ...

with a top speed of only 566 km/h (352 mph). Then, in 1939, two German racing aircraft surpassed the M.C. 72. The first was a Heinkel prototype fighter which reached the speed of 746 km/h (463 mph). The second was the

Messerschmitt Me 209 The first Messerschmitt Me 209 was a single-engine racing aircraft which was designed for and succeeded at breaking speed records. This Me 209 was a completely new aircraft whose designation was used by Messerschmitt as a propaganda tool. Al ...

, built by Messerschmitt solely for the purpose of setting a new world speed record, which it achieved with a speed of 756 km/h (469 mph) on April 26 – less than 5 months before the start of

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 current world speed record for a piston-engined aircraft is 528.33 mph (850.26 km/h) set by a heavily modified

Grumman F8F Bearcat The Grumman F8F Bearcat is an American single-engine carrier-based fighter aircraft introduced in late World War II. It served during the mid-20th century in the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the air forces of other n ...

named ''

Rare Bear ''Rare Bear'' is a highly modified Grumman F8F Bearcat that dominated the Reno Air Races for decades. History The Bearcat that became Rare Bear was a severely damaged wreck when discovered by Lyle Shelton in 1969. It had been abandoned next ...

'' over three km in 1989. However, the M.C. 72 record still stands as the world's fastest propeller-driven seaplane.

Survivors

One M.C. 72, the aircraft that took the world record, survives. It is on display at the

Italian Air Force Museum The Italian Air Force Museum is an aircraft museum at Vigna di Valle, on Lake Bracciano (Lazio), in central Italy. It is operated by the . The museum's collection has an emphasis on Italian machines and seaplanes. While maintaining the technical a ...

, near Rome.

Specifications

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * Cowin, Hugh W. ''The Risk Takers, A Unique Pictorial Record 1908-1972: Racing & Record-setting Aircraft (Aviation Pioneer 2)''. London: Osprey Aviation, 1999. . *James, Derek N. ''Schneider Trophy Aircraft 1913-1931''. London: Putnam, 1981. * Kinert, Reed. ''Racing Planes and Air Races: A Complete History, Vol. 1 1909-1923''. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, Inc., 1969. * Munson, Kenneth. ''Flying-boats and Seaplanes since 1910 (Blandford Colour Series: The Pocket Encyclopedia of World Aircraft in Colour)''. London: Blandford Press, 1971. . * Taylor, Michael J.H. ''Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation (Vol. 4)''. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Educational Corporation, 1980. .

External links

Gregory Alegi on the MC 72

Newsreel footage of the Macchi M.C.72
{{Authority control Schneider Trophy Floatplanes 1930s Italian experimental aircraft Racing aircraft Low-wing aircraft M.C.072 Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft with contra-rotating propellers Aircraft first flown in 1931