The Reggiane Re.2000 ''Falco'' I was an Italian all metal, low-wing
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 ...
developed and manufactured by aircraft company
Reggiane
Officine Meccaniche Reggiane SpA (commonly referred to as ''Reggiane'') was an Italian industrial manufacturer and aviation company.
Reggiane was founded during 1904 by its parent company Caproni, which was in turn owned by the aeronautical eng ...
. The type was used by the ''
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was abolis ...
'' (Italian Air Force) and the
Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force ( sv, Svenska flygvapnet or just ) is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the es ...
during the first part of the
Second World War
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 Re 2000 was developed by a team headed by aircraft designers Roberto Longhi and Antonio Alessio to be a lightly-built and highly maneuverable
interceptor
Interceptor may refer to:
Vehicles
* Interceptor aircraft (or simply "interceptor"), a type of point defense fighter aircraft designed specifically to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft
* Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, a police car
* ...
/
fighter aircraft. The emergent design, which had been designated as the ''Re 2000 Falco I'', was equipped with a
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation is a manufacturer and services provider headquartered in Davidson, North Carolina, with factories and operations in and outside the United States. Created in 1929 from the consolidation of Curtiss, Wright, and v ...
-style retractable undercarriage, bore substantial similarities to the American-built
Seversky P-35
The Seversky P-35 is an American fighter aircraft built by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in United States Army Air Co ...
. On 24 May 1939, the prototype performed its
maiden flight
The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.
The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
.
[Ethell 1995, p. 72.] Flight testing of the prototype revealed it to be able to outfight several significant combat aircraft of the time, including even the more modern
Macchi C 200
The Macchi C.200 Saetta (Italian: "Lightning"), or MC.200, was a fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy. Various versions were flown by the ''Regia Aeronautica'' (Italian Air Force) who used the type throughou ...
and the German
Messerschmitt Bf 109E
Due to the Messerschmitt Bf 109's versatility and time in service with the German and foreign air forces, numerous variants were produced in Germany to serve for over eight years with the Luftwaffe. Additional variants were produced abroad tota ...
fighters. During the run up to and following the outbreak of the Second World War, the aircraft was ordered by several nations, including the
Hungarian,
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
,
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
and Italian governments.
Upon entering squadron service, the Re 2000 soon proved to be a technically advanced aircraft, being well balanced and extremely aerodynamic during flight, but was not without its faults.
[Angelucci and Matricardi 1978, p. 214.] Although the aircraft was potentially superior to Italian contemporary fighters (
Fiat G 50
The Fiat G.50 ''Freccia'' ("Arrow") was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by aviation company Fiat. Upon entering service, the type became Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal monoplane that had an enclosed co ...
and
Macchi C 200
The Macchi C.200 Saetta (Italian: "Lightning"), or MC.200, was a fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy. Various versions were flown by the ''Regia Aeronautica'' (Italian Air Force) who used the type throughou ...
), the Re 2000 was not considered to be satisfactory by Italian military authorities. Consequently, the manufacturer built the type for export and almost all of the first production served with the
Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force ( sv, Svenska flygvapnet or just ) is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the es ...
and
Hungarian Air Force
The Hungarian Air Force ( hu, Magyar Légierő), is the air force branch of the Hungarian Defence Forces.
The task of the current Hungarian Air Force is primarily defensive purposes. The flying units of the air force are organised into a single ...
, rather than in the Regia Aeronautica.
[Snedden 1997, p. 53.] The Re.2000 served as the starting point for several derivatives, including the
MÁVAG Héja
The MÁVAG ''Héja'' ("Hawk") was a Hungarian fighter aircraft based on the Italian Reggiane Re.2000. The 70 Reggiane Re2000s delivered from Italy were modified with Hungarian equipment and fitted with Hungarian-built Manfred Weiss WM K-14 engin ...
,
Reggiane Re.2001
The Reggiane Re.2001 ''Falco'' II was an Italian fighter aircraft, serving in the '' Regia Aeronautica'' (Italian Air Force) during World War II. A contemporary of the renowned Macchi C.202, the production of this type was to be limited to only ...
,
Re.2002,
Re.2003,
Re.2004,
Re.2005,
Re.2006 and
Re.2007 combat aircraft.
Development
Background
During 1938, the
Italian Air Ministry
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 ...
launched ''Programme R'', a comprehensive effort targeted towards the enactment of several improvements, both qualitative and qualitative, throughout the ''
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was abolis ...
'' (Italian Air Force).
At the time, those fighter aircraft under consideration for their potential adoption had either already reached the prototype phase of development (such as the
Fiat G.50
The Fiat G.50 ''Freccia'' ("Arrow") was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by aviation company Fiat. Upon entering service, the type became Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal monoplane that had an enclosed ...
and the
Macchi C.200
The Macchi C.200 Saetta (Italian: "Lightning"), or MC.200, was a fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy. Various versions were flown by the ''Regia Aeronautica'' (Italian Air Force) who used the type throughou ...
) or were within advanced stages of development (like the
Aeronautica Umbra Trojani AUT.18
The AUT.18 was a prototype fighter aircraft developed in Italy by Aeronautica Umbra shortly before the outbreak of World War II. It was designed in 1934 by Felice Trojani, who at that time was collaborating with Umberto Nobile on the Arctic flig ...
and the
Caproni Vizzola F.5
The Caproni Vizzola F.5 was an Italian fighter aircraft that was built by Caproni. It was a single-seat, low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable landing gear.
Development
The F.5 was developed in parallel with the Caproni Vizzola F.4, ...
). However, only one aircraft, designated as the Re 2000 by Italian aircraft manufacturer
Reggiane
Officine Meccaniche Reggiane SpA (commonly referred to as ''Reggiane'') was an Italian industrial manufacturer and aviation company.
Reggiane was founded during 1904 by its parent company Caproni, which was in turn owned by the aeronautical eng ...
, was intentionally designed with the intention of competing for orders under Programme R in mind.
[Cattaneo 1967, p. 3.]
During 1938, work commenced at Reggiane on a new fighter design; the company's design team, which was headed by Roberto Longhi and Antonio Alessio, set about designing an aircraft that would be offered to the Air Ministry that would not only meet but exceed the requirements of Programme R.
Having very little time, the company considered various options, including the potential for manufacturing an American-developed fighter aircraft
under license, however, under the influence of
aeronautical engineer
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is si ...
Giovanni Battista Caproni
Giovanni Battista Caproni, 1st Count of Taliedo (July 3, 1886 – October 27, 1957), known as "Gianni" Caproni, was an Italian aeronautical engineer, civil engineer, electrical engineer, and aircraft designer who founded the Caproni aircraft-manu ...
, a completely new design was rapidly prepared.
The design team took inspiration from the contemporary American fighter
Seversky P-35
The Seversky P-35 is an American fighter aircraft built by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in United States Army Air Co ...
, which Re.2000 would superficially resemble; according to aviation author Gianni Cattaneo, the design "displayed evidence of fairly strong American influence...certain structural characteristics were strongly reminiscent of the American school, particularly of the Seversky P-35".
Refinement of the Re 2000's aerodynamic characteristics greatly benefitted from a series of
wind tunnel
Wind tunnels are large tubes with air blowing through them which are used to replicate the interaction between air and an object flying through the air or moving along the ground. Researchers use wind tunnels to learn more about how an aircraft ...
tests held at Caproni's facility in
Taliedo
Taliedo is a peripheral district ("quartiere") of the city Milan, Italy, part of the Zone 4 administrative division, located south-east of the city centre. The informal boundaries of the district are three main city streets, respectively Via Mecen ...
,
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
.
[Cattaneo 1967, p. 4.]
Flight testing
On 24 May 1939, the prototype Re 2000 conducted its
maiden flight
The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.
The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
at
Reggio Emilia
Reggio nell'Emilia ( egl, Rèz; la, Regium Lepidi), usually referred to as Reggio Emilia, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, and known until 1861 as Reggio di Lombardia, is a city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has abou ...
,
Emilia-Romagna
egl, Emigliàn (man) egl, Emiglièna (woman) rgn, Rumagnòl (man) rgn, Rumagnòla (woman) it, Emiliano (man) it, Emiliana (woman) or it, Romagnolo (man) it, Romagnola (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title ...
, Italy, flown by
Mario De Bernardi
Mario de Bernardi (1893–1959) was an Italian World War I fighter pilot, seaplane air racer of the 1920s, and test pilot of early Italian experimental jets.
Early life
De Bernardi was born on 1 July 1893 in Venosa, Italy. In 1911, at the age ...
.
[Green and Swanborough 1990, p. 57.] According to Cattaneo, early flights had quickly demonstrated the type's favourable flying attitude, including good speed and high manoeuvrability. Only minor modifications were required after the successful completion of the initial factory flight test programme; these including changes to the exhaust, the lengthening of the
carburetor
A carburetor (also spelled carburettor) is a device used by an internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the venturi tube in the main meteri ...
air intake, and the replacement of the round windshield with a framed counterpart.
Following the completion of armament trials at
Furbara,
Santa Marinella
Santa Marinella is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Metropolitan City of Rome in the Italy, Italian region Lazio, located about northwest of Rome.
It includes the beach resort of Santa Severa (the ancient Pyrg ...
, in August 1939, the prototype was delivered to the Experimental Establishment of the Regia Aeronautica to commence its formal evaluation.
During its original set of trials held at Guidonia by the ''Regia Aeronautica'', conducted throughout late 1939, the prototype was able to attain a speed of 518 km/h at an altitude of 5,250 m, along with 506 km/h at 6,000 m; it also climbed to 6,000 m in 6.5 minutes and demonstrated an 11,500 m altitude ceiling. Throughout the test flights, the aircraft showed that it was capable of excellent performance levels, and on several occasions, it demonstrated the ability to perform better than other existing fighters then in production.
In mock
dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is an aerial battle between fighter aircraft conducted at close range. Dogfighting first occurred in Mexico in 1913, shortly after the invention of the airplane. Until at least 1992, it was a component in every majo ...
s, it could successfully fight not only the slower
Fiat CR 42 biplane, but even the more modern
Macchi C 200
The Macchi C.200 Saetta (Italian: "Lightning"), or MC.200, was a fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy. Various versions were flown by the ''Regia Aeronautica'' (Italian Air Force) who used the type throughou ...
and the German
Messerschmitt Bf 109E
Due to the Messerschmitt Bf 109's versatility and time in service with the German and foreign air forces, numerous variants were produced in Germany to serve for over eight years with the Luftwaffe. Additional variants were produced abroad tota ...
fighters.
However, an unfavourable technical report of the prototype was also produced by the Directorate of Aeronautical Construction of the Air Ministry.
Amongst its findings, it judged the placing of the integral fuel tanks within the wings to be highly vulnerable and prone to leaks, as well as posing some difficulty to manufacture. The negative conclusions of the technical report directly led to an initial order for 12 pre-production aircraft, which had been drafted towards the latter half of the flight test programme, to be cancelled, along with the instruction to proceed given to Reggiane to prepare the tooling necessary for a wider production run of 188 aircraft.
[Cattaneo 1967, pp. 4-5.] While some consideration was made at Reggiane towards the adoption of a more conventional three-spar wing with normal fuel tanks instead, only a prototype conforming to this configuration was authorised (this subsequently became the basis for the
Reggiane Re.2002
The Reggiane Re.2002 ''Ariete'' ("Ram") was an Italian fighter-bomber developed during World War II. The aircraft was a further development of the Re.2000, with some of the modifications that already had been introduced in the Re.2001. The airc ...
ground attack aircraft).
[Cattaneo 1967, p. 5.]
Further development
The Re.2000GA (Grande Autonomia) version featured additional 340-liter fuel tanks, which was primarily achieved by sealing off the cells of the outer wing structure, to function as a modern long range reconnaissance aircraft for the ''Regia Marina'' (
Italian Navy
"Fatherland and Honour"
, patron =
, colors =
, colors_label =
, march = ( is the return of soldiers to their barrack, or sailors to their ship after a ...
).
This version was intended to have been used to reach
Eastern Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa:
Due to the historical ...
; during 1941, the Italian government was keen to acquire an aircraft which would be able to fly directly from Italy to
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
. By adopting the Re.2000GA, Italy would be able send reinforcements to the units of the ''Regia Aeronautica'' far easier, unlike a batch of 51 C.R.42s that had to be disassembled and air-transported by the large
Savoia-Marchetti SM.82
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 ''Marsupiale'' was an Italian bomber and transport aircraft of World War II. It was a Cantilever#Aircraft, cantilever, mid-wing monoplane trimotor with a retractable, Conventional landing gear, tailwheel undercarriage. ...
s instead.
However, the Re.2000GA was not ready to enter operational service until after the
Armistice of Cassibile
The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 September 1943 and made public on 8 September between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies during World War II.
It was signed by Major General Walter Bedell Smith for the Allies and Brig ...
, Italy's surrender to the
Allied Powers, had already come into effect.
In comparison to the standard production Re.2000s, the newer Re.2000GA variant was heavier and significantly slower, possessing an empty weight of 2,190 kg compared to the Re.2000's 2,080 kg along with a maximum speed of 520 km/h at 5,300 meters. The armament was a pair of 12.7 mm SAFAT machineguns, complete with 600 rounds, along with provisions for a Nardi dispenser capable of housing 88 2 kg
bomblet
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller submunitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill personnel and destroy vehicl ...
s (this was a typical 'special armament' for the Re.2000). The Re.2000GA was never considered to be highly reliable, even by Re.2000 standards, especially due to its troublesome engine.
The Re.2000bis, equipped with the more powerful P XI bis radial engine, was only manufactured in small numbers. Reportedly, by August 1941, only nine examples had been delivered to the newly formed 377a Squadron.
Design
The Reggiane Re.2000 is an Italian all metal, low-wing
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 ...
fighter aircraft. It is the first aircraft to be designed by Reggiane to employ
aluminum
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It has ...
stressed skin
In mechanical engineering, stressed skin is a type of rigid construction, intermediate between monocoque and a rigid frame with a non-loaded covering. A stressed skin structure has its compression-taking elements localized and its tension-taking e ...
construction, as opposed to the wooden or mixed wood and metal structures that had been traditionally used in contemporary Italian aircraft such as the
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 ''Sparviero'' (Italian for sparrowhawk) was a three-engined Italian medium bomber developed and manufactured by aviation company Savoia-Marchetti. It may be the best-known Italian aeroplane of the Second World War. Th ...
(which had been previously produced by Reggiane under license). The stressed skin fuselage was highly
streamlined
Streamlines, streaklines and pathlines are field lines in a fluid flow.
They differ only when the flow changes with time, that is, when the flow is not steady.
Considering a velocity vector field in three-dimensional space in the framework of ...
, save for the protrusions of the hard-
rivet
A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed, a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite to the head is called the ''tail''. On installation, the rivet is placed in a punched ...
ted finish.
The majority of the aircraft's exterior, including the tail, was metal-skinned; however, the control surfaces had
fabric
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
coverings.
In addition to the stressed-skin construction, Reggiane introduced several advanced features on the Re.2000, such as a modern structure, which was considerably more advanced than the ones used in Macchi's and other Italian fighters of the time, along with an
elliptical wing
An elliptical wing is a wing planform whose leading and trailing edges each approximate two segments of an ellipse. It is not to be confused with annular wings, which may be elliptically shaped.
Relatively few aircraft have adopted the elliptic ...
profile. Overall, the design possessed greater aerodynamic sophistication in comparison to other Italian rivals such as the Fiat G.50 and
Macchi C.200
The Macchi C.200 Saetta (Italian: "Lightning"), or MC.200, was a fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy. Various versions were flown by the ''Regia Aeronautica'' (Italian Air Force) who used the type throughou ...
.
The Re.2000 was furnished with retractable
landing gear
Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...
; the main gear retracted via the
Curtiss
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (1909 – 1929) was an American aircraft manufacturer originally founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss and Augustus Moore Herring in Hammondsport, New York. After significant commercial success in its first decade ...
method, the wheels rotating around to face flat within the wheel wells when retracted.
The atypical fairing covered the landing gear's actuation mechanism, while the legs incorporated
hydraulic
Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counter ...
shock absorber
A shock absorber or damper is a mechanical or hydraulic device designed to absorb and damp shock impulses. It does this by converting the kinetic energy of the shock into another form of energy (typically heat) which is then dissipated. Most sh ...
s and drag struts to effectively absorb loads;
pneumatic
Pneumatics (from Greek ‘wind, breath’) is a branch of engineering that makes use of gas or pressurized air.
Pneumatic systems used in Industrial sector, industry are commonly powered by compressed air or compressed inert gases. A central ...
brake
A brake is a mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of friction.
Background ...
s were also fitted. The tail wheel was both retractable and steerable.
However, according to Cattaneo, the Re.2000 was afflicted by a major handicap in the form of the unavailability of reliable in-line engines of sufficient power; as such, the RE.2000 was able to represent only a limited advance over the Macchi C.200.
The Re.2000 was powered by a single
Piaggio P.XI RC 40 radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ca ...
, which was capable of generating a maximum of of thrust; this drove a
Piaggio
Piaggio & C. SpA (Piaggio ) is an Italian motor vehicle manufacturer, which produces a range of two-wheeled motor vehicles and compact commercial vehicles under seven brands: Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Derbi, and Scarabeo. Its ...
-built three-blade
constant speed variable-pitch propeller Variable-pitch propeller can refer to:
*Variable-pitch propeller (marine)
*Variable-pitch propeller (aeronautics)
In aeronautics, a variable-pitch propeller is a type of propeller (airscrew) with blades that can be rotated around their long a ...
.
This engine proved to be a major weak point of the aircraft in service as it proved to be not altogether reliable.
Despite the limitation imposed by a lack of suitable engines, the fighter remained a relatively compact and balanced design.
[Cattaneo 1967, pp. 3-4.]
The aircraft was furnished with an
elliptical wing
An elliptical wing is a wing planform whose leading and trailing edges each approximate two segments of an ellipse. It is not to be confused with annular wings, which may be elliptically shaped.
Relatively few aircraft have adopted the elliptic ...
, the internal structure of which comprised a multi-cell configuration using a total of five
spar
SPAR, originally DESPAR, styled as DE SPAR, is a Dutch multinational that provides branding, supplies and support services for independently owned and operated food retail stores. It was founded in the Netherlands in 1932, by Adriaan van Well, ...
s, stress-skin covering, and integral fuel tanks within the center section.
The wing made use of a modified N.38
airfoil
An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is the cross-sectional shape of an object whose motion through a gas is capable of generating significant lift, such as a wing, a sail, or the blades of propeller, rotor, or turbine.
...
section and was outfitted with
Frise-type ailerons complete with static and aerodynamic balance, along with a split-continuous flap.
The cockpit of the Re.2000 featured a large backwards-sliding canopy; it is claimed that this canopy provided "almost unrestricted all-round visibility".
The armament comprised a pair of 12.7 mm
Breda-SAFAT machine gun
Breda-SAFAT (''Società Italiana Ernesto Breda per Costruzioni Meccaniche / Breda Meccanica Bresciana'' - ''Società Anonima Fabbrica Armi Torino'') was an Italian weapons manufacturer of the 1930s and 1940s that designed and produced a range of m ...
s, housing 300 rounds each, installed in the upper fuselage; in addition, provisions were made for the fitting of
bomblet
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller submunitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill personnel and destroy vehicl ...
-dispensers (''spezzoniera''). It was also possible to install a
gun camera
Gun cameras are cameras mounted on a gun, used to photograph or record from its perspective. They are typically used on the weapons of military aircraft and operate either when the gun is fired or at the operator's will. Gun cameras are used for ...
, while a small internal bay could be used to hold a few 4.4 lb (2 kg)
incendiary bombs.
This armament, while typical amongst Italian-built aircraft at the time, was relatively light in comparison to foreign-built rivals then being constructed; additional weapons, such as the installation of a pair of wing-mounted guns, was studied but never applied.
The Re.2000 had no fuel tanks contained within the fuselage; nevertheless, using the entirety of the wing's internal volume for fuel tankage, it could house a maximum of 460 kg (640 L) of gasoline, providing it with a 900–1,100 km endurance, far in excess of its contemporary rivals built by Macchi and Fiat. However, the Re.2000 was considered to be not as rugged as its Macchi-built contemporaries; specifically, its fuel tanks were considered to be vulnerable, which were not of the
self-sealing variety then becoming popular in military service. It has been claimed that this lack of durability had been a major factor when, following an official evaluation by the ''Regia Aeronautica'', the service decided to reject the type.
Operational history
Overview
Following the decision of the ''Regia Aeronautica'' to reject the Re.2000 and cancel its pre-production order,
the Italian government authorised Reggiane to promote the type for sales on the global market to international customers, effectively offering the programme a reprieve. Enthusiastic, the company decided to proceed with the production of the original batch of 188 fighters that had been cancelled as a private venture so that immediate delivery could be offered to foreign customers.
[Cattaneo 1967, pp. 5, 7.]
Reggiane rapidly set about marketing the Re.2000 towards various interested countries, many of which had been incentivised towards such purchases as a consequence of the breaking out of the Second World War.
The type met with a level of success, with several countries being keen to place orders for the type. Accordingly, the Re.2000 was much more prominently used by the
Hungarian and
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
air forces than by the ''Regia Aeronautica'' at home. In fact, 80 per cent of the total Re.2000 production went to these two countries; Hungary having ordered 70 aircraft and Sweden opting to procure a batch of 60 machines. Other countries had also exhibited interest in the aircraft, but ultimately did not place orders for the type.
British interest
In December 1939, a British commission, led by
Lord Hardwick and
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State ...
representatives, arrived in Italy for the purpose of purchasing various pieces of military equipment; aside from items such as
marine engine
An inboard motor is a marine propulsion system for boats. As opposed to an outboard motor where an engine is mounted outside the hull of the craft, an ''inboard motor'' is an engine enclosed within the hull of the boat, usually connected to a pr ...
s, armaments and
light reconnaissance bombers, the delegation sought to procure of around 300 Re.2000s.
[Cattaneo 1967, p. 7.] During January 1940, the Director of Aircraft Contracts confirmed the British order. The German government issued its approval of the sale in March of the same year, but withdrew its approval during the following month.
In light of this, the Italian and British governments then decided to complete the contract through the Italian
Caproni
Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan.
Founded by Giovan ...
’s
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
subsidiary as to side-step Germany's objection; however, the British order was cancelled as a consequence of
Italy's entry into the Second World War on 10 June 1940.
[Duncan-Smith 1981, p. 174.][Cattaneo 1967, pp. 7-8.]
Italy
![Reggiane2000 San Diego Air Space Museum 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Reggiane2000_San_Diego_Air_Space_Museum_1.jpg)
Only five ''Serie'' Is served in the
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was abolis ...
, including the prototype. They were organized into the ''Sezione Sperimentale Reggiane'' inside the 74a ''Squadriglia'' in
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
. Later it was renamed ''377a Squadriglia Autonoma Caccia Terrestre'', and received nine further Serie III Re.2000bis; 12 of the 26 Reggianes were later converted to GA standard.
The few Re.2000 and 2000GA were used over Mediterranean Sea as escort and attack aircraft, sometimes with Macchi 200/202s and FIAT CR 25 two-engine fighters. 377a was based in Sicily, and fought in
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
and
Pantelleria
Pantelleria (; Sicilian: ''Pantiddirìa'', Maltese: ''Pantellerija'' or ''Qawsra''), the ancient Cossyra or Cossura, is an Italian island and comune in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and east of the Tunis ...
, mainly in an escort role and protecting Axis ships almost until Tunisia (with a range up to 300–350 km), well beyond the other RA single seat-fighters; sometimes it was used to attack Malta with bomblets (''spezzoni'') and machine guns, typically at dawn. It reported a single 'kill' against a
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until ...
. Overall, their service was not remarkable: there was at least one sudden fatal flat spin, while another Re.2000 had fatal engine damage (a piston was literally driven through the cylinder) and crash-landed, overturning, catching fire and almost killing its pilot (rescued by the ground crew). Although the Reggiane had a long range, it was disliked and even feared by ground crew and pilots, for its difficult maintenance and unpredictable engine reliability and handling. The last Re.2000 was sent back to the factory in September 1942.
The final fate of Re.2000 in ''Regia Aeronautica'' was to serve with 1° ''Nucleo Addestramento Intercettori'' (N.A.I.), based at
Treviso
Treviso ( , ; vec, Trevixo) is a city and ''comune'' in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 84,669 inhabitants (as of September 2017). Some 3,000 live within the Veneti ...
, and serving for experimental purposes until the Armistice. The last two serviceable aircraft were demolished by the Germans, with another one destroyed after being captured at
Furbara.
The ''
Regia Marina
The ''Regia Marina'' (; ) was the navy of the Kingdom of Italy (''Regno d'Italia'') from 1861 to 1946. In 1946, with the Italian constitutional referendum, 1946, birth of the Italian Republic (''Repubblica Italiana''), the ''Regia Marina'' ch ...
'' (Italian Navy), however, experimented with a
carrier
Carrier may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Carrier'' (album), a 2013 album by The Dodos
* ''Carrier'' (board game), a South Pacific World War II board game
* ''Carrier'' (TV series), a ten-part documentary miniseries that aired on PBS in April 20 ...
version (''Serie'' II) which was successfully launched by
catapult
A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden release of stored p ...
. Lacking a carrier, Italy used a similar system to the British CAM ships equipped with Hurricanes. The first proposal was made in late December 1940, although the program officially began with an order issued in April 1943.
[Cattaneo 1967, p. 6.] The first modified Re.2000 Cat. (taken from the Swedish orders) flew on 27 June 1941, the last on 18 January 1942 (MM.8282-8288), but crashed on 10 September. There was another navalized Re.2000, the MM.471. It flew initially with a lower powered A.74 RC.38 engine, but it was lost too, during the travel from
Reggio Emilia
Reggio nell'Emilia ( egl, Rèz; la, Regium Lepidi), usually referred to as Reggio Emilia, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, and known until 1861 as Reggio di Lombardia, is a city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has abou ...
to
Taranto
Taranto (, also ; ; nap, label= Tarantino, Tarde; Latin: Tarentum; Old Italian: ''Tarento''; Ancient Greek: Τάρᾱς) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto, serving as an important com ...
(12 May 1941). The first launch was performed on 9 May 1942 with test pilot Giulio Reiner.
The work to make suitable the Re.2000 Cat., nicknamed ''Ochetta'' (little goose) took considerable time and only at the beginning of 1943 were they used aboard the
''Littorio'' class, but not more than one for every ship (although capable of holding three aircraft). Initially the Re.2000 Cat. aircraft were issued to and , while followed only in the summer, after testing had taken place aboard the RN ''Miraglia''.
[Harrauer, Franco. "Re.2000 Catapultabile." ''Aerei nella Storia,'' W.Ward editions, Parma ago-September 2008, pp. 49–50.][Cattaneo 1967, pp. 6-7.]
The Re.2000 Cat. was slower than a standard Re.2000; instead of , the maximum speed was only at km/h at 5,500 m, and at sea level compared with for the Re.2000. The climb to 6,000 m was 7,75 min (vs 6,5-7 min), apparently there was not much difference in ceiling 10,000–11,100 m and endurance, range was 450 km, endurance 1,000 km (at 460 km/h), up to km 1,290 (at m 6,000, full loaded, km/h 430). Weights were 2,120–2,870 or, probably with the complete kit, 2,200–2,970 kg; the engine was the P.XIbis, that had both at take-off and at 4,000 meters.
Differing from the Serie I, both Serie II and III variants were equipped with radios.
There was the usual Italian armament (two 0.50 caliber Breda machine-guns with 300 rounds each), and some provisions for external loads (tanks or bombs), apparently never utilized.
The Re.2000 were assigned to ''Squadriglia di Riserva Aerea delle FF.NN.BB.'' (air reserve squadron for naval battleships), led by Captain Donato Tondi. This was initially based at
Grottaglie
Grottaglie (; scn, label=Salentino, li Vurtàgghie; la, Criptalium) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Taranto, Apulia, in southern Italy.
Geography
Grottaglie is located in the Salento peninsula, dividing the Adriatic sea from Ionian ...
, then at
Capodichino
San Pietro a Patierno is a suburb of Naples, the chief city in Campania, Italy.
Geography
It is one of the largest suburbs of Naples and is relatively lightly populated compared to surrounding areas, with around 20,000 residents. The district of ...
and finally at
La Spezia
La Spezia (, or , ; in the local Spezzino dialect) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy.
La Spezia is the second largest city ...
, as air defence for naval bases. The squadron disbanded in April 1943 and was replaced by the 1° Gr. Riserva Aerea delle FF.NN.BB, led by now Maj. Tondi, with three flights. It had all the eight Re.2000s and several old fighters. Many of them were aboard the battleships: two for ''Vittorio Veneto'' and ''Roma'', one for ''Littorio'' (summer 1943).
Six Re.2000 Cat.s were still available at the time of the Armistice and four were in service aboard the battleships ''Italia'' (''Littorio'' before the fall of Mussolini), ''Roma'' and ''Vittorio Veneto'' (the normal load was only one, the battleship had up to three aircraft, but smaller than the Re.2000). The two left at La Spezia were demolished after September 1943 (they served with 1a Squadriglia). During the ''Roma''s sinking (9 September 1943) only one was launched, as they were a single mission aircraft (forced to reach a land airfield); therefore, Do 217s attacked facing only
anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
guns. The fate of the four Re.2000s was as follows: the one on ''Roma'' was lost with the battleship; the one of ''Italia'' was damaged and jettisoned from the ship, after the
Fritz-X
Fritz X was the most common name for a German guided anti-ship glide bomb used during World War II. ''Fritz X'' was the world's first precision guided weapon deployed in combat and the first to sink a ship in combat. ''Fritz X'' was a nickname us ...
impact. One Re.2000 was launched from ''Vittorio Veneto'' to catch the intruders, but failed and finally crashed while landing near
Ajaccio
Ajaccio (, , ; French: ; it, Aiaccio or ; co, Aiacciu , locally: ; la, Adiacium) is a French commune, prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud, and head office of the ''Collectivité territoriale de Corse'' (capital city of Corsica). ...
airfield. The last one survived and it is still extant, being the only Re.2000 remaining in Italy (another is in Sweden). This is the MM.8287.
Sweden
![Caproni Reggiane RE](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Caproni_Reggiane_RE.2000_2.jpg)
The Swedish purchases of various types of Italian warplanes in 1939–41 were made as an emergency measure resulting from the outbreak of the war, as no other nations were willing to supply aircraft to this small neutral country whose domestic production did not become sufficient until 1943. The
Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force ( sv, Svenska flygvapnet or just ) is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the es ...
purchased 60 Re.2000 ''Serie'' Is, which received the Swedish designation J 20 and were delivered during 1941-43.
[Henriksson, Lars]
"J 20 - Reggiane Re 2000 Falco 1 (1941–1945)."
''Avrosys.nu''. Retrieved: 27 March 2010.
All of the J 20s were stationed at the F10 wing,
Bulltofta airbase,
Malmö
Malmö (, ; da, Malmø ) is the largest city in the Swedish county (län) of Scania (Skåne). It is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region, with a municipal populat ...
, in the southern tip of
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
in 1941-45.
They were mainly used to intercept
Axis
An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to:
Mathematics
* Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis
*Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinate ...
and
Allied
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
bombers that violated Swedish airspace. One J 20 was lost in combat, shot down while intercepting a ''
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
''
Dornier Do 24
The Dornier Do 24 is a 1930s German three-engine flying boat designed by the Dornier Flugzeugwerke for maritime patrol and search and rescue. A total of 279 were built among several factories from 1937 to 1945.
Design and development
The Dorni ...
near
Sölvesborg
Sölvesborg (old da, Sølvesborg) is a locality and the seat of Sölvesborg Municipality in Blekinge County, Sweden with 10,024 inhabitants in 2013.
Sölvesborg is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to ...
on 3 April 1945.
[Cattaneo 1967, p. 10.]
The pilots appreciated the type, which performed well under harsh conditions and was the fastest aircraft then in operation with the service. However, the Re.2000's mechanical reliability was unable to meet Swedish Air Force requirements; reportedly, the aircraft normally had to spend a great deal of time in maintenance.
At the end of the conflict, the 37 J 20s that remained in service were so badly worn out that they were decommissioned during July 1945 and were subsequently scrapped, while only one of these were retained for display purposes.
Hungary
German leaders were reluctant to supply the
Royal Hungarian Air Force
The Hungarian Air Force ( hu, Magyar Légierő), is the air force branch of the Hungarian Defence Forces.
The task of the current Hungarian Air Force is primarily defensive purposes. The flying units of the air force are organised into a single ...
(''Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő''), MKHL, which was seen to be focused on home defence and the possibility of conflict with neighbouring
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
.
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
expressed this view during early 1942 when Hungary issued a request for German-built fighters. "They would not use the single-seaters against the enemy but just for pleasure flights!... What the Hungarians have achieved in the aviation field to date is more than paltry. If I am going to give some aircraft, then rather to the Croats, who have proved they have an offensive spirit. To date, we have experienced only fiascos with the Hungarians."
[Neulen 2000, p. 131.]
The MKHL consequently became a significant purchaser of Italian aircraft and was the main operator of the Re.2000. Hungary bought 70 Reggiane Re.2000 Falco Is and then also acquired the licence-production rights for this model to produce a total of 200 aircraft, known as
MÁVAG Héja
The MÁVAG ''Héja'' ("Hawk") was a Hungarian fighter aircraft based on the Italian Reggiane Re.2000. The 70 Reggiane Re2000s delivered from Italy were modified with Hungarian equipment and fitted with Hungarian-built Manfred Weiss WM K-14 engin ...
("Hawk") II built between 1940 and 1942.
[Neulen 2000, p.121.][Cattaneo 1967, pp. 8-9.] According to other sources, between 170 and 203 aircraft were constructed. The II series was the same aircraft with a different engine and Hungarian machine guns. The first aircraft received from Italy were sent to
Debrecen
Debrecen ( , is Hungary's second-largest city, after Budapest, the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar County. A city with county rights, it was the largest Hungarian city in the 18th century and i ...
to strengthen home defences, as there was danger that the growing crisis over
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
could lead to a conflict with Romania.
Conflict was avoided and the Hungarian Reggianes were used on the
Eastern Front, in the war against the Soviet Union.
The first seven Re.2000 were sent to the Eastern Front on an experimental basis during autumn 1941.
[Cattaneo 1967, p. 9.] Flying alongside the
Fiat CR.32
The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Designed by the aeronautical engineer Celestino Rosatelli, it was a compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable aircraft for its era, leading to i ...
s of 1/3 Fighter Company, the Reggiane pilots claimed eight kills, for one loss, during three months of combat, against Soviet Air Force.
In the summer of 1942, Hungarian Air Force contributed with its 1st ''Repülőcsoport'' (aviation detachment) to the German offensive ''
Fall Blau
Case Blue (German: ''Fall Blau'') was the German Armed Forces' plan for the 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia between 28 June and 24 November 1942, during World War II. The objective was to capture the oil fields of the Cauc ...
''. 1/1 Fighter Group (1./I ''Vadász Osztály'') equipped with 13 Re.2000s or ''Héjas'',
[Bergström-Dikov-Antipov- 2006, p. 21.] reached its first front base near Kursk on 2 July. By 3 August, 2/1 FS joined the other Hungarian fighter unit, that had moved to Ilvoskoje airfield. The task of 2/1 was to escort short-range reconnaissance aircraft, while 1/1 would support bombing missions.
[Punka 2002, p. 7.]
Combat performance against the
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
was satisfactory. On 4 August, the Hungarians claimed their first kills, when Ens Vajda shot down two enemy aircraft.
The first Hungarian ace of the war, 2/Lt Imre Pánczél, claimed his first air victories while flying the Re.2000, three of them in one sortie, in 1942.
[Shores 1983, p. 103.]
However, the Re.2000's flight characteristics were markedly different from the Fiat CR.32, from which Hungarian pilots frequently converted. The Re.2000 was much more prone to handling difficulties, especially
stalls and
spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
s, as well as reliability issues. All the 24 Re.2000s had suffered accidents (minor and major) within a month of combat deployment. Piaggio P.XI engine proved to be a mechanical nightmare for the mechanics.
Landing and takeoff accidents were common on the rudimentary Russian airfields and due to the Re.2000 not having a rugged landing gear, compared to that of the CR.32. After a steel plate was added behind the cockpit for the protection of the pilots, the shift in the aircraft's
center of gravity
In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space (sometimes referred to as the balance point) is the unique point where the weight function, weighted relative position (vector), position of the distributed mass sums to zero. Thi ...
led to more frequent accidents. In a much publicized mishap, 1/Lt
István Horthy
Vitéz István Horthy de Nagybánya (9 December 1904 – 20 August 1942) was Hungarian regent Admiral Miklós Horthy's eldest son, a politician, and, during World War II, a fighter pilot.
Biography
In his youth, István Horthy and his young ...
(the son of the Hungarian regent
Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya ( hu, Vitéz nagybányai Horthy Miklós; ; English: Nicholas Horthy; german: Nikolaus Horthy Ritter von Nagybánya; 18 June 1868 – 9 February 1957), was a Hungarian admiral and dictator who served as the Regent o ...
), serving as a fighter pilot with the
Hungarian Second Army
The Hungarian Second Army (''Második Magyar Hadsereg'') was one of three field armies (''hadsereg'') raised by the Kingdom of Hungary (''Magyar Királyság'') which saw action during World War II. All three armies were formed on March 1, 1940. ...
died flying a Re.2000 V-421 with 1/3 Fighter Squadron on 20 (on 18, according to other authors
[Punka 2002, p. 9.]) August 1942, on his 25th operational sortie. After a pilot flying above asked Horthy to increase height, he pulled up rapidly, stalled and crashed.
[Neulen 2000, p. 127.] Nevertheless, the determined Hungarian pilots kept on flying combat missions and scoring a number of kills against the Soviet fighter, if they managed to force their Russian opponents into a dogfight, thanks to the maneuverability of the Italian built plane.
The Hungarians Re.2000s had their most successful day on 9 August 1942. That day, near the village of Davidovka, 16
Ilyushin Il-2
The Ilyushin Il-2 (Russian: Илью́шин Ил-2) is a ground-attack plane that was produced by the Soviet Union in large numbers during the Second World War. The word ''shturmovík'' (Cyrillic: штурмовик), the generic Russian term ...
s and a similar number of
LaGG-3S[Punka 2002, p. 8.] were intercepted by four Reggianes. The Hungarians downed four LaGGs, suffering the loss of the Re.2000 of Lt Takács, who crash-landed behind his own lines, wounded.
The Hungarian Reggianes flew their last sorties on the Soviet front on 14 and 15 January 1943, when they took off for uneventful patrols and reconnaissance missions. Between 16 and 19 January, with the Red Army rapidly approaching Ilovskoje airfield, and with no time to heat the Piaggio engine's frozen oil, mechanics were forced to blow up the last unserviceable ''Hejas''.
[Punka 2002, p. 10.]
The surviving Reggianes were kept in Hungary for home defence.
[Cattaneo 1967, pp. 9-10.] Production of licence-built ''Hejas'' continued: 98 were completed in 1943 and 72 in 1944 although the variant was regarded as no longer suitable for combat against the latest Soviet fighters.
[Neulen 2000, p. 130.] Hungary requested that an additional 50–100 Re.2000 airframes be manufactured in Italy, as suitable engines and armament could be locally manufactured; additionally, other countries expressed interest, including Finland (100 examples), Portugal (50), Spain, Switzerland and Yugoslavia. However, no airframes were available by then.
[Sgarlato 2006, p. 16.]
By April 1944, the MKHL still deployed four ''Héja'' IIs in 1/1 Fighter squadron and four ''Hejas'' II in 1/2, all of them based in Szolnok for home defence duties, along with about 40 Bf 109s and Messerschmitt Me 210s. The last sortie for the licence-built Reggiane Re.2000 occurred on 2 April 1944. That day, 180 bombers from the USAAF
15th Air Force
The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Force ...
, escorted by 170 fighters, bombed the Danube Aircraft Works and other targets in Budapest. The Hungarian fighter control centre in the Gellért hill, near Budapest, scrambled one wing of ''Héjas'' from 1/1 Fighter squadron, along with 12 Bf 109G-4/G-6S and a couple of Messerschmitt Me 210Cas-1s from the Experimental Air Force Institute (RK1). The Hungarians reported 11 aerial victories, of which six were confirmed, while USAAF pilots claimed 27 MKHL aircraft shot down. However, later records showed only two Honvéd pilots were killed.
[Neulen 2000, p. 136.]
Variants
Italian versions
;Re.2000
:Initial prototype, one built.
;Re.2000 Serie I
:Production model, 157 built. Serie I had modified windshield and slight equipment changes.
;Re.2000 Serie II
:Ship-borne version, 10 built. Serie II had a 1,025 hp
Piaggio P.XI
The Piaggio P.XI was an Italian 14-cylinder radial aircraft engine. The P.XI was a licensed derivative of the French Gnome-Rhône Mistral Major 14K produced in Italy.Gunston 1989, p.110. Isotta Fraschini also produced a version of the 14K cal ...
bis engine and arrester gear.
;Re.2000 (GA) Serie III
:Long-range fighter, 12 built. Serie III had redesigned cockpit, increased fuel capacity and option of a 170 L auxiliary fuel tank or a dispenser of 22 2 kg bomblets.
;RE 2000 "Catapultabile": Re 2000 aircraft modified for catapult launch from
Regia Marina
The ''Regia Marina'' (; ) was the navy of the Kingdom of Italy (''Regno d'Italia'') from 1861 to 1946. In 1946, with the Italian constitutional referendum, 1946, birth of the Italian Republic (''Repubblica Italiana''), the ''Regia Marina'' ch ...
ships. On the day of the armistice, 8 September 1943, 6 Re 2000 "Catapultabile " were in service, with two on the battleship
''Roma'' and one each on the
''Vittorio Veneto'' and
''Italia'' (formerly the ''Littorio'').
Hungarian versions
;
Héja I
:Hungarian designation for Serie I.
;
Héja II
:Hungarian designation for modified license-produced Serie I. ''Héja'' IIs had a 986 hp WMK 14 engine and two Hungarian 12.7 mm Gebauer machine guns. 204 built.
Operators
;
*''
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
''
;
*
Royal Hungarian Air Force
The Hungarian Air Force ( hu, Magyar Légierő), is the air force branch of the Hungarian Defence Forces.
The task of the current Hungarian Air Force is primarily defensive purposes. The flying units of the air force are organised into a single ...
;
*''
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was abolis ...
''
;
*
Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force ( sv, Svenska flygvapnet or just ) is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the es ...
Specifications (Re.2000 Series I)
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
* Angelucci, Enzo and Paolo Matricardi. ''World Aircraft: World War II, Volume I'' (Sampson Low Guides). Maidenhead, UK: Sampson Low, 1978. .
* Bergström, Christer., Andrey Dikov and Vlad Antipov. ''Black Cross Red Star: Air War over the Eastern Front, Volume 3: Everything for Stalingrad''. Hamilton, Massachusetts: Eagle Editions, 2006. .
* Cattaneo, Gianni. ''The Reggiane Re.2000 (Aircraft in Profile Number 123)''. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1967. No ISBN.
*
* Duncan-Smith, Wilfred (Grp. Capt ret). ''Spitfire into Battle''. Feltham, Middlesex, UK: Hamlyn Paperbacks, 1981. .
* Ethell, Jeffrey L. ''Aircraft of World War II''. Glasgow: Collins and Jane's, 1995. .
* Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "RE 2000... The 'State-of-the-Art' Reggiane". ''
Air Enthusiast
''Air Enthusiast'' was a British, bi-monthly, aviation magazine, published by the Key Publishing group. Initially begun in 1974 as ''Air Enthusiast Quarterly'', the magazine was conceived as a historical adjunct to '' Air International'' maga ...
'', Forty-one, Midsummer 1990, pp. 54–69. Bromley, UK: Tri-Service Press. ISSN 0143-5450.
* Longhi, Roberto. "Reggiane and I... A Fighter Designer Recalls". ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 2, 1976, pp. 214–224.
* Mondey, David. ''The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II''. New York: Bounty Books, 1996. .
* Neulen, Hans Werner. ''In the skies of Europe: Air Forces Allied to the Luftwaffe 1939–1945''. Ramsbury, Marlborough, UK: The Crowood Press, 2000.
* Punka, Gӳorge. ''Hungarian Aces of World War 2''. Osprey Publishing, Oxford, England, 2002. .
* Punka, George. ''Reggiane Fighters in action''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 2001. .
* Sgarlato, Nico. ''Reggiane'' (in Italian). Parma, Italy: Westward editions, 2006.
* Snedden, Robert. ''World War II Combat Aircraft''. Bristol, UK: Parragon, 1997. .
* Shores, Christopher. ''Air Aces'', Greenwich, Connecticut: Bison Books, 1983. .
* Taylor, John W. R. "Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I (Falcon)". ''Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the Present''. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. .
{{Authority control
1930s Italian fighter aircraft
World War II Italian fighter aircraft
Reggiane aircraft
Low-wing aircraft
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1939