Breda Ba.33
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Italy |
| Products | Aircraft |
The Breda Ba.33 was a lightweight sport aircraft originating from Italy, engineered and produced by the Breda firm.
Design and development
The Ba.33 was designed under the direction of Ing Cesare Pallavicino at Breda. The initial model, known as the Ba.33 Serie 1, featured a low-wing, two-seat monoplane configuration with external struts connecting the wings to the fuselage. It was equipped with a four-cylinder, air-cooled inline engine—the de Havilland Gipsy III—delivering 89 kilowatts (120 horsepower). Subsequently, two variants of the Ba.33 Serie 2 were introduced: one retained the de Havilland Gipsy engine, while the other was fitted with a Colombo powerplant.
In addition, Breda created a single-seat variant named the Ba.33S, which differed by having an enclosed cockpit and was powered by a more robust Colombo S63 engine rated at 97 kilowatts (130 horsepower).
Operational history
Following its inaugural flight in 1930, the Ba.33 and its derivatives established themselves as highly effective touring and racing aircraft throughout the 1930s.[1] In 1931, a Ba.33 secured victory in the Giro aereo d'Italia ("Air Tour of Italy") competition.[2]
The Italian squadron utilized Ba.33s during the International Touring Competition held in 1932, with notable participant Winifred Spooner among the contenders. Ambrogio Colombo led the standings after the technical evaluations. Unfortunately, on 23 August 1932, two Bredas suffered structural failures in their wings causing crashes—one of which resulted in a mechanic's fatality during bailout—prompting Italy to withdraw all its teams from the event.[3]
Variants
- Ba.33 Serie 1
- This initial model was a two-seat aircraft powered by an 89-kilowatt (120-horsepower) de Havilland Gipsy III engine.[2]
- Ba.33 Serie 2
- Available in two configurations—one equipped with a de Havilland Gipsy engine and another fitted with a 130 hp (97 kW) Colombo S.63 engine.
- Ba.33S
- A refined single-seat variant featuring an enclosed cockpit and powered by a 140 hp (104 kW) Colombo S.63 engine.
Operators
- Mainichi Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper.[2]
Specifications (Ba.33 Serie 1)
See also
Notes
References
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External links
- "The Breda 33" article in Flight, August 19, 1932
- Ba.33 on www.airwar.ru (in Russian)
- Breda information at www.superaereo.com
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