Macchi M.24

Macchi

Industry	Aerospace
Founded	1912 in Italy
Headquarters	Italy
Key people	Alessandro Tonini (designer)
Products	Aircraft, including the Macchi M.24 flying boat

The Macchi M.24 was an Italian flying boat crafted during the 1920s by designer Alessandro Tonini and manufactured by Macchi. Initially created for military bombing purposes, it was later adapted for civilian applications.

Design and development

The M.24 bore a strong resemblance to earlier Macchi flying boat bombers like the Macchi M.9 and Macchi M.18, notably sharing their biplane layout and the distinctive Warren truss-style interplane struts. Unlike its predecessors, which were powered by a single engine, the M.24 featured a twin-engine setup arranged in a tractor-pusher configuration mounted on struts positioned between the wings. Similar to the M.18, it included an open gunner station at the front of the hull, but added an additional gunner position amidships.

In 1925, two M.24 aircraft completed a notable demonstration flight originating from Macchi’s base on Lake Varese, navigating across the Alps and visiting cities such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Leningrad before returning home. This achievement was followed by trials involving torpedo deployment. The Italian Navy extensively operated the M.24, and several units were acquired by the Spanish Navy, which employed them actively during the Rif War, especially during the Alhucemas landing.

A civilian variant known as the M.24bis emerged in 1927, featuring equal-span wings and an enclosed cabin within the forward hull that accommodated eight passengers. This model was utilized by Aero Espresso Italiana on routes connecting Brindisi, Athens, and Constantinople, while Società Incremento Turistico Aereo Roma (SITAR) also operated them on Mediterranean routes.

Operators

Template:Country data Kingdom of Italy

• Regia Marina

Variants

• M.24 - the original production model featuring biplane configuration with Fiat A.12 engines and reduced lower wing span
• M.24bis - version with equal wing spans, powered by Lorraine-Dietrich or Isotta-Fraschini Asso engines; available in both military and civilian models
• M.24ter - military variant equipped with Isotta-Fraschini Asso powerplants

Specifications (M.24ter)

File:Macchi M.24 fuselage L'Air June 15,1927.png

Macchi M.24 fuselage illustration from L'Air June 15, 1927