Breda Ba.44
| Company type | Aircraft model |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | 1930s |
| Products | Biplane airliner, military transport aircraft |
Template:No footnotes Template:Infobox aircraft
The Breda Ba.44 was a biplane airliner produced in Italy during the mid-1930s, which later saw limited military deployment when requisitioned by the Regia Aeronautica for use as transport aircraft.
Design and development
The Ba.44's design originated from the de Havilland Dragon Rapide, for which Breda had acquired a manufacturing license. Breda's engineering team adapted the original design to align better with their production methods, with the prototype Ba.44 notably differing in its cockpit and empennage configurations, as well as featuring locally manufactured Colombo S.63 engines. However, during mass production, these were replaced with the same de Havilland Gipsy Six engines used in the Dragon Rapide.
Operational history
Ala Littoria procured four units, employing them on routes to Albania, while the prototype was sold to the Regia Aeronautica, which utilized it as a VIP transport and medical evacuation aircraft in Libya. The aircraft's commendable performance in these roles prompted the air force to requisition the civilian Ba.44 fleet in 1936.
In 1933, Paraguay's government acquired one Ba.44 for its Military Aviation branch, deploying it as an air ambulance and transport during the Chaco War. This aircraft was transferred to Paraguay’s inaugural airline, L.A.T.N. (Líneas Aéreas de Transporte Nacional), in 1945 and remained in service until its retirement in 1947.
Beyond North Africa, Ba.44s were active in Italian military operations across Albania, Greece, and Yugoslavia.
Operators
- Ala Littoria operated four aircraft, all of which were later absorbed by military aviation.
- Regia Aeronautica acquired the prototype and assumed control of four civilian Ba.44s in 1936.
- Paraguayan Air Arm purchased one unit configured for air ambulance and transport duties.
- Líneas Aéreas de Transporte Nacional (LATN) operated one former Paraguayan Air Arm Ba.44.
Specifications
See also
References
Bibliography
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- Sapienza Fracchia, Antonio Luis: "La Contribución Italiana en la Aviación Paraguaya". Self-published. Asunción. 2007.
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External links
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