Fiat C.29

Fiat Aviazione

Industry	Aviation
Founded	1920s
Founder	Celestino Rosatelli
Headquarters	Italy
Products	Aircraft including the Fiat C.29 seaplane

Template:Infobox aircraft

The Fiat C.29 was a high-speed Italian Seaplane crafted by Celestino Rosatelli and produced in the late 1920s by Fiat Aviazione specifically for the 1929 Schneider Trophy contest. Although three units were constructed, the aircraft never competed; two were lost in accidents, and the remaining example is preserved in a museum.

Design and development

The initial flight took place in early June 1929 at Desenzano del Garda, piloted by Francesco Agello. This twin-float monoplane racer was characterized by lateral instability. A distinctive feature was its wing design, which combined a wooden spar with an outer covering of aluminium alloy panels. Power came from the Fiat AS.5 V-12 engine, engineered expressly to reduce the frontal profile.

On 12 June 1929, during landing, Agello encountered boat wake turbulence, causing the first prototype (serial number 129) to rebound into the air, lose lift, and plunge vertically into the water. Agello escaped without injury after being ejected from the cockpit. Subsequently, the second prototype (130) was rapidly assembled, incorporating larger Empennage surfaces to address prior stability issues.

While showcasing the second prototype on 12 August 1929 to a British aviation magazine representative, Agello attempted takeoff three times; on the third try, the aircraft sank back onto the water and was irreparably damaged. Although Agello survived with minor injuries, the engine descended approximately 300 ft (90 m) to the bottom of Lake Garda and remained unrecovered. Following this, Italo Balbo commissioned a third unit, designated 130bis, which was shipped directly to England without undergoing test flights ahead of the Schneider Trophy event. The C.29 was present at RAF Calshot, but did not participate in any flight during the competition. The Italian team ultimately secured second, fourth, and sixth positions flying Macchi M.52 and Macchi M.67 models.

Aircraft on exhibit

File:Fiat C.29 MM130 (6414035913).jpg

C.29 MM.130 exhibited at the Italian Air Force Museum

The only surviving C.29, the third produced, is preserved and presented at the Italian Air Force Museum.

Operators

Template:Country data Kingdom of Italy

• Regia Aeronautica

References

Bibliography

• Eves, Edward The Schneider Trophy Story. Shrewsbury. Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2001. ISBN 1-84037-257-5.