Nardi FN.305

Fratelli Nardi

Industry	Aircraft manufacturing
Founded	1930s
Headquarters	Italy
Products	Aircraft (including Nardi FN.305)

The Nardi FN.305 was an Italian monoplane created by the Fratelli Nardi firm, intended for use as both a fighter trainer and liaison aircraft.

Development

Conceived to fulfill roles as a trainer and liaison plane, the FN.305 prototype took to the skies for the first time on 19 January 1935. This model featured a low-wing cantilever design with mixed construction materials. Its landing gear included a tailskid, with the main wheels retracting inward. Propulsion was provided by a nose-mounted 200 hp (149 kW) Fiat A.70S inline piston engine. The initial prototype accommodated two crew members in tandem within an enclosed cockpit. Plans included producing versions with either single or dual seats; subsequent prototypes comprised a single-seat fighter trainer and a two-seat basic trainer, both equipped with open cockpits.

File:Nardi FN.305D I-TOMI.jpg

Nardi FN.305D two-seater I-TOMI at Fantasy of Flight, Polk City, Florida

Following this, two extended-range FN.305D variants were built, each powered by a 200 hp (149 kW) Walter Bora radial engine. The first of these two-seaters achieved a class record during a March 1939 flight from Rome to Addis Ababa, covering 4,463.8 km (2,773.68 miles) at an average speed of 240 km/h (149 mph). The second FN.305D was a single-seat model acquired by Yugoslavia for an ultimately abandoned nonstop transatlantic flight attempt.

The prototype was later fitted with an Alfa Romeo 115 engine and designated the FN.305A. Production was carried out by Piaggio, as the Nardi facility lacked sufficient capacity. The Italian Air Force placed orders for 258 units, predominantly two-seat FN.305A models serving as fighter trainers and liaison planes. A limited number were completed as single-seat open-cockpit FN.305Cs and enclosed-cockpit FN.305Ds. In addition to Italy's procurement in 1938, nine aircraft were exported to Chile and 31 to Romania, where production under license was undertaken by Societatea Pentru Exploatări Tehnice (SET), resulting in 124 units built. France placed its largest foreign order with a request for 300 aircraft; however, only 41 had been delivered before Italy declared war on France in June 1940. These planes served primarily as liaison aircraft and fighter trainers. Hungary was the final export customer, ordering fifty units.

An enhanced model was later created under the designation Nardi FN.315.

Variants

File:Nardi FN.305 L'Aerophile March 1939.jpg

Photograph of the Nardi FN.305 from L'Aerophile, March 1939

File:Walter Bora a Nardi FN.305D (1938).jpg

Nardi FN.305D featuring Walter Bora (1938)

FN.305

Prototype model

FN.305A

The principal production model configured as a two-seat aircraft.

FN.305B

Variant featuring a single-seat with an open cockpit.

FN.305C

Single-seat version equipped with an enclosed cockpit.

FN.305D

Extended-range model powered by a 200hp (149kW) Walter Bora radial engine; two units produced—one single-seat and one two-seat.

Operators

Template:BUL

• Bulgarian Air Force – operated one unit

France

• French Air Force – fleet of 41 aircraft

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• Royal Hungarian Air Force – utilized 50 aircraft

Template:Country data Kingdom of Italy

• Regia Aeronautica – total of 285 aircraft in service
• Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force

Template:ITA

• Aeronautica Militare Italiana maintained 10 aircraft until 1948

Template:Flagcountry

• Royal Romanian Air Force – operated 31 units

Template:Country data Chile

• Chilean Air Force – possessed 9 aircraft