Macchi M.53
| Industry | Aircraft manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Italy |
| Products | Aircraft |
The Macchi M.53 was an Italian reconnaissance floatplane developed and manufactured in the late 1920s by Macchi for use by the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy).
Design and development
The M.53 was conceived by Macchi to fulfill a Regia Marina specification calling for a compact reconnaissance seaplane capable of deployment from the large submarine Italian submarine Ettore Fieramosca. A key design requirement was that the aircraft be easily disassembled and stored within a watertight, cylindrical hangar installed aboard the submarine. To reduce risks to both the submarine and the aircraft during launch and recovery—operations that necessitated the Ettore Fieramosca to remain surfaced—the M.53 needed to allow rapid assembly prior to flight and swift disassembly after landing for efficient storage.
This floatplane featured a single-seat, low-wing monoplane configuration with twin floats affixed beneath its fuselage. Powered by a 60-kilowatt (80-horsepower) ADC Cirrus II engine driving a two-bladed propeller, the M.53 could reach a maximum velocity of 144 kilometers per hour (approximately 89.5 miles per hour).
Operational history
The M.53 was one of several compact seaplanes evaluated for deployment on the submarine Ettore Fieramosca, which entered service in 1930. Ultimately, none of these aircraft were installed on the vessel, and the submarine's hangar was dismantled in 1931.
Operators
Specifications (M.53)
See also
References
Bibliography
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