To: "Robert Beechy" From: "eamon" (email address removed) Subject: Re: RE. 2005 second part Date: Mon, 06 Jul 98 05:23:18 PDT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Default"; X-MAPIextension=".TXT"(some headers removed) Hi Robert, glad to read that you appreciated tha infos I sent you. > >First of all, talking about technical and historical informations > concerning the italian production of the period 43-45 could be very > difficult and confusing. > > I'm sure; but that is what makes the search interesting :-) I agree with you; it's very stimulating and the italian production of that period is quite unexplored land. > >WEIGHTS: > >what do you mean with LOADED and GROSS ? > > Sorry to confuse; when I create a new web page, I re-use an old one as a > basis; for example, if you look at my page on the Curtiss XF-87, under > "Weights" you will see a number for "empty," "loaded," "gross" and > "maximum;" when I am doing a new page I just leave the ones I don't know > blank. I see. I had a look on the RE. 2002 Technical Workshop Manual but only the empty / fully loaded weights are reported. > ENDURANCE: > >What do you mean ? > > Same as above - I don't know if there is an appropriate performance number > for this category or not; some aircraft performance figures give the flying > range in terms of time (hours, minutes), some in distance (kilometers or > miles). In other words, if you don't know it, just ignore it :-) Ok. In this case I found the endurance only referred to the preliminary design datas (the famous A05/0901) and it's the following : 2 h 24' at 515 Kph at 6500 m of ceiling > >HISTORY: > >ROLL-OUT : what do you mean? > > The date when the first aircraft was "rolled-out" of the hangar to be > officially presented to the buyer, user, the press, the public, etc.; did > not always happen though. I have not found any information concerning an official presentation of Sagittario. Anyway that's not surprising considering the military and political situation in Italy in that period. > >By the way, I did not know that one was given to Romania. Have you more > informations about it? > > Sorry, no :-( Now I think to remember that I read somwhere that some RE. 2005 have been used by Luftwaffe in Romania (Ploesti area) after September '43. But I'm not so sure that this hypotesis be realistic. Anyway I'll check in my library. > >DISPOSITIONS: According to my informations : DESTROYED (accidents) : should be 2 DESTROYED/HEAVELY DAMAGED BY ALLIED BOMBING : 1 in Capodichino, 6 in Sigonella (4 of them were just damaged/badly damaged and has been captured by Allied and 1 of them transferred in USA for tests) and 2 in Reggio Calabria DESTROYED AT GROUND BY R.A. PERSONNEL : 7 in Capodichino DESTROYED IN FIGHTING : none CAPTURED BY ALLIED : 4 in Sigonella (see above) CAPTURED BY LUFTWAFFE : unknown. But at least one source report that a Staffeln completely equipped with RE. 2005 was operating on Stendal/Borstel airfield in Bandenburg. According to my opinion could be logical for the following reasons : 1) the interest of LW on RE. 2005 (see below) and 2) the relatively short distance between Brandenburg region and North of Italy in order to supply spare parts SURVIVING: as you wrote the only remains are in Taliedo. By the way what happened to the "american" Sagittario after being tested? this could be interesting to be known. OPERATIONAL UNITS: REGIA AERONAUTICA : as you know LUFTWAFFE : see above + 1 example RE. 2005 "LW" ex MM 495 (see below) USAAF : see above ANR (Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana): 6 examples (ex. R.A.) used by Squadriglia Addestramento Caccia in Caselle airfield (January-July '44 period) > >NUMBER BUILT: > >as above. The total production should be of 36 units. Above mentioned 36 units correspond to prototypes, pre-production and 0 serie. I have informations of 8 examples of 1 serie already produced but not delivered at end August '43. Concerning that ones I don't have the corresponding MM. - 1st prototype - MM 494 - 2nd prototype - MM 495 - preserie - MM 092343 to 092358 - 0 serie - MM 096100 - 096117 - 1 serie - MM ? > >VERSIONS, PROTOTYPES AND STUDIES > >Next time I'll add some informations about: > >RE. 2005 "Luftwaffe" > >RE. 2005 wooden structure > >RE. 2005 "Twin Sagittario" > >RE. 2005 "R" RE. 2005 "LW" Following a request of the R.L.M. (as done for other italian fighters) the MM 495 was refurbished at LW standards (end July '43). Main modifictions : the FIAT engines was replaced by en original DB engine, the Piaggio P.2001 propeller was replaced by an original V.D.M. propeller with relative hub and the gas throttle (control) was inverted. This "prototype" was tested in Guidonia and the speed performances resulted improved (628 Kph with FIAT engine and more than 650 Kph with DB engine). The MM 495 was then bought by R.L.M. and moved to Rechlin airfield. The other Sagittarios used by LW were certainly former R.A. aircarfts. RE. 2005 "wooden structure" By an idea of Ing. P. Nardi of Bologna in order to produce the aircraft with non-strategical materials. In this case even the workers skill could be less specialistic. This idea never was realized. RE. 2005 "Twin Sagittario" Study of Ing. Maraschini. The fuselages of two Sagittarios were connected by a central section in wich are placed two MG 151/20 guns and were a 930 Kg torpedo can be fixed. The water cooler are inside the wings and one MG 151/20 is placed in each hub. The pilot cockpit is placed in the right fuselage and the theoretical speed is about 680 Kph. RE. 2005 "R" To the informations in your possession I can add the following: study of Ing. Ferri (a officer - Maggiore - of R.A. Engineering). Empty weight (theoretical) : 2400 Kg obtained by removing the two MG 151/20 from wings and the armoured seat. Maximum speed (theoretical) : 730 Kph (with both propulsion system) in this case the range should be reduced of 20%. Concerning prototypes that's all I have. All of them have been conceived before the italian surrender (Septembre 8th 1943). > >SOURCES: > >Arena, Nino. REGGIANE 2005 SAGITTARIO. Mucchi Editore, Modena, 1994 > >Brotzu Emilio, Caso Michele and Cosolo Gherardo. DIMENSIONE CIELO - 3RD > VOLUME. Edizioni Bizzarri, Roma, 1972 Arena, Nino. BATTAGLIE NEI CIELI D'ITALIA 1943-1945 : Storia dell'Aviazione della R.S.I.. INTYRAMA, Genova, 1971 I've quite a lot of pictures, drawings and 3 view but unfortunately I've some problems with my scanner. ASAP I'll send you something. By the way I've also a bible for R.A. colours and markings. If you need more, let me know. Ciao Max