Reggiane Re.2000

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The Caproni-Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I was an Italian interceptor/fighter, serving in the Regia Aeronautica, Hungarian Air Force, and Swedish Air Force.

Contents 1 Development 2 Service in Sweden 3 Service in Hungary 4 Variants 4.1 Italian versions 4.2 Hungarian versions 5 Operators 6 Specifications (Re.2000 Series I) 7 Sources 8 Related content

[edit] Development

The Re.2000 prototype's first flight was on 24 May 1939, in Reggio Emilia, flown by Mario de Bernardi. It showed a maximum speed of 515 km/h at 5,000 m. This was to be the Reggiane company's first plane with aluminum paneling rather than exclusively wooden structures. Mock dogfights to test the plane against other existing ones found that it could successfully outmaneuver the Fiat CR.32 and the German Bf 109E. The Regia Aeronautica rejected it, however, due to its unreliable engine and vulnerable fuel tanks.

Only five were ever actually included in the Regia Aeronautica, including the prototype. They were organized into the Sezione Sperimentale Reggiane inside the 74a Squadriglia in Sicily. Later it was renamed 377a Squadriglia Autonoma Caccia Terrestre, and received nine further Serie III Re.2000s. It was based in Sicily, and fought on North Africa, Malta and Pantelleria, mainly in the attack role. The last Reggiane aircraft was sent back to the factory in September 1942.

The Regia Marina did experiment with a carrier version (Serie II) of the plane launched by catapult successfully, but the idea was not implemented, the planes used to a limited extent from land bases. Both Serie II and III were equipped with radio, which was not fitted on Serie I.

The aircraft was much more prominent in the Hungarian and Swedish air forces. In fact, eighty percent of Re.2000 production went to one of these two countries, with Hungary ordering 70 and Sweden 60 machines. The United Kingdom government was also interested in the plane, putting an order for 300 Re.2000s, but this was cancelled by Italy's entrance in the war alongside Germany.

[edit] Service in Sweden

The Swedish purchases of various types of Italian warplanes in 1939-41 were an emergency measure caused by the outbreak of war. There were not other nations willing to supply planes to a small neutral country and domestic production would be insufficient till 1943. The Swedish Air Force purchased 60 Re.2000 Serie I's, which got the Swedish designation J 20 and were delivered during 1941-43.

All J 20s were stationed at the F10 wing, Bulltofta airbase, Malmö, in the southern tip of Sweden in 1941-45. They were mainly used to intercept axis and allied bombers that violated Swedish airspace. One J 20 was lost in combat. It was shot down while intercepting a Luftwaffe Dornier Do 24 in Swedish airspace near Sölvesborg on 3 April 1945.

The pilots appreciated the model, which performed well under harsh conditions. But its mechanical reliability was substandard according to Swedish Air Force requirements, so the aircraft had to spend a lot of time in maintenance. At the end of the war, the 37 J 20s that remained in service were so badly worn out that they were decommissioned for good in July 1945. One was kept for display purposes, whereas the others were scrapped.

[edit] Service in Hungary

The Re.2000 Serie I also served in Hungary as the Héja (falcon) I and II, II being the same plane with a different engine and Hungarian machine guns. The Hungarians used the planes to fight on the eastern front of World War II.

[edit] Variants

[edit] Italian versions

Re.2000

• Initial prototype, 1 built

Re.2000 Serie I

• Production model, 157 built. Serie I had modified windshield and slight equipment changes.

Re.2000 Serie II

• Ship-borne version, 10 built. Serie II had 1,025 hp Piaggio P.XIbis engine and arrester gear.

Re.2000 (GA) Serie III

• Long-range fighter, 12 built. Serie III had redesigned cockpit, increased fuel capacity and option of auxiliary fuel tank or 4,410 lb (2,000 kg) bomb load.

[edit] Hungarian versions

Héja I

• Hungarian designation for Serie I.

Héja II

• Hungarian designation for modified license-produced Serie I. Héja II had 986 hp WMK 14 engine and two Hungarian 12.7 mm Gebauer machine-guns.

[edit] Operators

•  Germany: Luftwaffe
•  Hungary
•  Italy
•  Sweden

[edit] Specifications (Re.2000 Series I)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 7.99 m (26 ft 2.5 in)
• Wingspan: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)
• Height: 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 20.4 m² (219.59 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 2,090 kg (4,608 lb)
• Loaded weight: 2,850 kg (6,283 lb)
• Useful load: 911 kg (2,009 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Piaggio P.XI RC 40 , 986 hp (731 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 530 km/h (329 mph)
• Range: 1,400 km (870 mi)
• Service ceiling: 10,500 m (34,450 ft)
• Rate of climb: 11 m/s (3,175 ft/min)

Armament

• Guns: Two 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine-guns

[edit] Sources

• Punka, George (2001). Reggiane Fighters in action. Carrolton: Squadron Signal Publications. ISBN 0-89747-430-9. 

[edit] Related content

Related development

• Reggiane Re.2001
• Reggiane Re.2002
• Reggiane Re.2005