Aermacchi MB-326
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| MB-326 | |
|---|---|
 RAAF Aermacchi MB-326H A7-047, 1980 |
|
| Type | Advanced trainer |
| Manufacturer | Aermacchi |
| Maiden flight | December 1957 |
| Introduced | February 1962 |
| Primary users | Italian Air Force South African Air Force Royal Australian Air Force Argentine Navy |
| Produced | 1961-? |
| Variants | Aermacchi MB-339 |
The Aermacchi or Macchi MB-326 was a light military jet aircraft designed in Italy. Originally conceived as a two-seat trainer aircraft, there were also single and two-seat light attack versions.
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[edit] Design and development
At the beginning of the 1950s, jet propulsion drastically changed the aviation world. First-line fighter squadrons were equipped with aircraft, such as the F-84 and the F-86. Bombers were also experiencing the same transition. The competition between the two categories already existed, as fighters shifted to a monoplane structure (reducing agility to gain more speed), to catch bombers. This shift to monoplane configuration was shown in aircraft like the Tupolev SB-2, Martin B-10 and Savoia-Marchetti SM.79) in the 1930s.
In the 1950s, the bombers needed more speed, as fighters entered the jet era first. Second-line machines continued with piston engines; they were sufficiently powerful, had lower fuel consumption and were more reliable than the early jets. Many second-line tasks, like transport and maritime reconnaissance, were carried out by propellor driven aircraft.
Initially, there was a three-step training syllabus: (1) Basic trainers, like the T-6 Texan; (2) Intermediate trainers with more speed and power, similar to World War II fighters and (3) Advanced trainers with a two-seat configuration, like the T-33 Shooting Star, the Vampire, and the Meteor. This phase did not last long with the increase in performance. The new supersonic fighters needed a jet-powered trainer.
In the 1950s, before the advent of the turboprop, many countries operated small jet trainers with a similar performance to their full-blown aircraft. Some nations started to develop aircraft like the Fouga Magister, the T-37, the Jet Provost, and the Aero L-29. Italy, still recovering from the war years, could not afford the development of a supersonic interceptor or bomber, developed light fighters and trainers - a lower-cost solution.
The two most successful projects began from the industries that had already produced the best Italian first-line fighters during the previous war: the Aeritalia G.91R designed by G.Gabrielli and the Fiat G.55. The MB-326 was designed by Ermanno Bazzocchi at Macchi. Bazzocchi considered many configurations, the one chosen was a single-engined design. The airframe was a robust and light structure, metallic, simple and cheap; powered by an efficient engine, the Armstrong Siddeley Viper. This engine was designed as a short-life unit originally destined for target drones, but showed itself to be far more reliable with a longer life span. This airframe and engine combination led, in 1953, to the MB-326 project.
The Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian Air Force) was quite interested, and so the MB-326 took part in the contest. The requested characteristics were:
- Max load 7 g at max weight
- 5,000 hours lifespan, 50-60 hours between servicing, stall-alert (at 15 km/h more than stall speed)
- Take-off at max load in 800 m over 15 m-high obstacles, or 500 m at light weight, landing in 450 m at minimum weight
- Speed (min-max): 110/130-700 km/h
- Rate-of-climb must be at least 15 m/s and endurance should be three hours at 3,000 m.[1]
No weaponry or pressurization was needed, but Bazzocchi introduced them, seeing how things were developing in the future. There were several modifications to the MB-326 project: the horizontal tail surfaces lost their negative dihedral angle, the airbrakes (two in the wings) became one, in the ventral position. In 1956 the AMI approved the project and requested two prototypes (MM.571 and 572) and one airframe for static tests.
The prototype made its first flight on December 10, 1957 and showed itself to have very good capabilities. But the modifications affected the weight, which were 400 kg more than the initial estimates. The original Viper 8 engine had only 795 kg of thrust, so it was decided to use the Viper 9, which had 67 kg more power.
I-MAKI, the prototype, was first demonstrated in France. The second prototype flew on September 22, 1958. It had a new Viper engine, the '11' model, updated to produce 1,134 kg thrust (2,500 lb).
The AMI placed an order for the first of 15 pre-series examples, signed on December 15, 1958. In 1960, a large order for 100 machines was placed, establishing Aermacchi's supremacy in jet-trainers.
Direct competition came from the Fiat G.80 and following models. It was quite good overall, more powerful and the first real Italian jet, having flown five years earlier. But it was also heavier, bigger and more expensive. It lost the competition, remaining without a market. Serial numbers assigned were: MM.54166/87, 54188/225, 54238/249, 54266/291, 54298/300, 54372/382, and 54384/389.
[edit] Description
The MB-326 is a low-wing monoplane with an all metal (light alloy) structure. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Viper non-afterburning turbojet with low air-intakes in the wing roots. Each wing has 22 ribs and two spars. The fuel system has one large tank in the middle-fuselage and two in the wingtips. The aft fuselage is almost entirely dedicated to the engine, from just behind the wings. The cockpit has a tandem configuration, which was chosen to give a better aerodynamic fuselage (slimmer) than the more usual side-by-side arrangement. There is a long, low bubble canopy. The rear of each wing has flaps, and ailerons with a trim surface. An anti-sliding winglet was added to increase stability at the mid-wing.
[edit] Operational history
The MB-326 was one of the last Italian aircraft to set any records, when Guido Carestiano set the C1D group 1 category altitude record at 15,489 m during August 1961.
In the meanwhile, the first machines, after a very long development, finally arrived at the 214° Group's Lecce-Galatina school; temporarily fielded at Brindisi. The service began with 43° Flyer course in 22 March 1962. These machines replaced T-6 Texans, and within 130 hours the pilots were as ready as after having 210 hours training in T-6s. This solution was much costlier, but the enthusiasm was great and, with G-91T advanced trainers, there was an "entirely-jet" training course for AMI pilots, and moreover they were all national aircraft. Differing from G.91s that were never convincing as light fighters, MB-326s immediately obtained several export successes.
Eight MB-326B were ordered by Tunisia in 1965. These were developed from basic MB-326s with a weapons capability, with the 37th series AMI aircraft being converted (it had civilian markings I-MAKC). The main innovation was its ground attack capability, with six underwing pylons, holding a maximum of 907 kg of stores. In the same year, Ghana ordered nine similar MB-326F.
MB-326A and C were never realized. The "A" was intended as a light attack aircraft, with two 7.62 mm machine-guns in the nose, but never built. Later, some MB-326s were called "A" only to mean that they were fitted with an ADF Marconi AD-370. The "C" version was to have the NASARR radar in the nose, to train F-104 pilots, but only realized as a mock-up.
Alitalia ordered four aircraft as trainers in the "D" version; demilitarized and equipped with special instruments to train the pilots in preparation for the new jet-liners.
Pilots also provided publicity for the MB-326: Riccardo Peracchi, an AMI pilot, displayed the MB-326's controllability at many airshows; while Massimo Ralli set many records:
- 18 March 1966, 15,690 m altitude record in horizontal flight, and 17,315 m with a launched climb.
- 8 February 1966, climbing records: 2 min 2 sec to 3,000 m, 3 min 56 sec to 6,000 m, 6 min 39 sec to 9,000 m, and 12,000 m in 10 min 53 sec.
- 18 July 1966, endurance record, with 970 km
- 2 August 1966, speed record over a 3 km straight: 871 km/h
- December 1966: speed of 880.586 km/h over 15-25 km, 831.007 km/h over 100 km, 777.667 km/h over 500 km, and another endurance record at 777.557 km
These successes showed how MB-326's performance were excellent for the time, and established it as one of the best in its category. Peracchi displayed its agility, while Ralli the performances, and there were already some customers well-satisfied with this machine.[2]
The Royal Australian Air Force used the MB-326H as a jet trainer. 97 were ordered: 12 were delivered by Macchi, 18 assembled from kits in Australia, and another 67 built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation and Hawker Aircraft with the denomination of CA-30. They were essentially similar to the MB-326G but with improved avionics. The RAAF's aerobatic team, The Roulettes flew the MB-326H from December 1970 until 1989. Although widely liked for its excellent handling and well-suited to its task, the service career of the MB-326 was cut short because of structural fatigue problems: the Australian fleet, for example, had a life of type extension program in the 1980s and were then re-winged in the early 1990s after a fatigue-related crash, but even so the MB-326 was supplemented by new Pilatus PC-9 trainers to reduce flying hours and the last examples had been withdrawn by 2001.
Other MB-326Gs used the Viper Mk 20 engine which provided 1,524 kg of thrust, and were consequently faster and had an increased payload of 1,814 kg max. Argentina ordered eight, initially as MB-326K, later called MB-326GB.
Brazil was the main customer for the MB-326, in 1970 ordering two prototypes and 166 MB-326GCs, called AT-26 Xavante. It was produced under license by EMBRAER with a further six for Togo and 10 for Paraguay. Another 17 were built in Italy for Zaire (Force Arienne Zairoise) and 23 for the Zambian Air Force.
This enhanced version was also acquired by South Africa, which despite being under embargo, obtained the license to produce it as the Impala Mk I. At least 150 were built and used also in an armed configuration. Seven examples of the MB-326K were also bought as light attack aircraft, with a further 15 assembled from kits, while around 78 were license-produced and known as the Impala Mk II.
The MB-326K (originally known as the MB-336) was the last generation model, fitted with the Viper Mk 600 engine, capable of 1,814 kg thrust to endow an even better performance. The first flight took place on 22 August 1970. The two prototypes were I-AMKK and I-KMAK, MB-326G converted to this new model.
Dubai bought three in 1974, and a further three in 1978 (MB-326KD), Tunisia eight (MB-326KT), Ghana nine (MB-326KB) and Zaire eight (MB-326KB).
The MB-326L was essentially the MB-326K with two seats. Two MB-326LD were supplied to Dubai and four MB-326LD to Tunisia.
One of the last buyers was, again, AMI, that ordered 12 MB-326E, comprised six MB-326 updated to MB-326G, and six new produced (MM.54384/389). They had provisions for armament, but the engine was the Viper 11 Mk 200 and not the Viper 20 Mk 540.[3]
The measures to save costs led the MB-326 to be substituted with propeller models, but the Macchi was flexible enough to act as a medium trainer and light attack aircraft. RAAF pilot training in 1985 consisted of 60 hours pre-selection on CAC Winjeels, 150 hours medium and another 75 advanced training on MB-326s, before finally progressing to the Mirage IIIOD.
In Italian service MB-326 was replaced with the MB-339 between 1981 and 1984, acting after that as fast linkage aircraft, replacing the old T-33s that were slightly faster. One of them crash-landed on a school in Casalecchio di Reno (near Bologna) the 6th of December 1990, killing 12 fifteen years old students and injuring 88 people. Unusually the MB-326 did not see service with the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team, who kept their faster G-91R PANs which were later replaced by MB-339s.
In other countries MB.326 was used as first-line machine in local wars. MB-326 failed to penetrate the NATO airforces, it had instead success being sold to many Third world countries, regardless if these were ruled in a democratic way. South Africa, already under embargo had them. Used aggressively against Angolans, Cubans and several militia movements they typically flew at 550-650 km/h at 15 m altitude to avoid the risk to be shot down or even sighted by the powerful aa defences fielded (that made more important flying low as possible rather than fast as possible). One of them was shot down by an SA-7, another returned with a missile (SA-7,8 or 9) in the exhausts. Several others were lost. This machine had many advantages over the high performance jets. Even if slower, it had the capability to operate from advanced, primitive, short airfields, moreover in a cheap manner, and strike within minutes the targets. SAAF used up to 6 120 kg or 4x250 kg bombs, but the main weaponry were 68 mm rocket-lunchers (four x 6 or two x18), and the two 30 mm guns (with 300 cartridges).[4] These guns were the real bonus for MB.326K, over the performances, slightly superior, compared to two-seat versions. These latter could hold 30 mm DEFA guns, but only in underewing pods. However, the dual capability as trainer-attackers was better rated, also because the availability of six hardpoints and so dual-seat versions were the most produced. The situation was even more clear with the next generation MB.339K, single seat attack machine, that had no success at all. Six Squadrons operated with MB.326K in SAAF for all '70s and '80, leaving to Mirages the heavier tasks like fighter and interdiction. The increasing danger forced to not use them in the battles of 1987-88 over Angola and Namibia.
MB.326K were also used as interceptors. In several encounters happened in 1985 with Mi-8 and 24 they shot down six of them. This happened during a crucial phase of the ground war, when Angolan a Cuban troops were blocked after the offensive set-up against UNITA bases. This ended soon in a disaster because the supplies were cut off by UNITA and SAAF while first line troops ended ammunitions. Helicopter were used to supply sieged troops, and SAAF wanted to cut off this link. 2 Mi-24 were shot down in the first encounter while escorting Mi-17s. MiG-21 that escorted them flew too high and there was not clue of what happened. Two days after Impala Mk 2 stroke again, downing 2 Mi-24 and 2 Mi-17, and this time it was clear the role of SAAF. These success were not difficult to understand because Impala were fast, well armed and agile also at low altitude and speed. The attacks to the unaware big helicopters were performed only with two guns, more than enough to shot down them. MB.326K, with Italian airframe, British engine and French guns were highly effective, and had also some ECMs to defend themselves from AA reaction. The use of AAM was not apparently a standard for these machines, at least not in SAAF service (SAAF had also Magic missiles). Impala Mk 2 operated at extreme ranges and must fly very low, climbing only when helicopters were seen, because they flew at medium altitudes, after the attack the must return at low altitude to avoid MiG interception. Also the Silver Falcons, SAAF acrobatic team, had them. The main school was Langebaanweg, with 83 Sqn. Advanced Flying School.
The MB-326, like its competitors the Cessna T-37 and the BAC Jet Provost, was designed and ordered in the period when the "all-through" jet trainer was a fashionable concept in many air forces. The idea was to provide a single type that could be used for both elementary and advanced training right through to near combat-ready standard. In practice it was soon discovered that the simplicity and economy of scale of operating just one type for all training purposes was far outweighed by the purchase and operating costs of a large all-jet training fleet. Most operators quickly added a cheaper piston-engined type for basic training, and the MB-326 found its primary role as a lead-in trainer to prepare pilots for transition to very high performance fighter aircraft.
The aircraft was important also for two developments: from MB.326K was developed MB.326L and this was the direct ancestor of Aermacchi MB.339. With the license-building in Brazil, MB.326 opened the field to further collaborations, leading to AMX. Neither of the two were successful as MB.326 was, but this machine was capable to further steps in technology and commerce.
[edit] Variants
- MB-326 : Two prototypes and 125 production training aircraft for the Italian Air Force.
- MB-326A : Proposed armed version for weapons training, not built.
- MB-326B : Two-seat jet trainer, light attack aircraft for Tunisia. (Eight built).
- MB-326D : Two-seat unarmed jet training aircraft for Alitalia. (Four built).
- MB-326E : Two-seat armed jet trainer for the Italian Air Force. (Six built).
- MB-326F : Two-seat jet trainer, light attack aircraft for Ghana. (Nine built).
- MB-326G : Two-seat jet trainer, ground-attack aircraft. (Two built).
- MB-326GB : Two-seat jet trainer, ground-attack aircraft. Eight were sold to the Argentine Navy. 17 aircraft were exported to Zaire, and another 22 aircraft to Zambia.
- MB-326GC : Two-seat jet trainer, ground-attack aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force. Built under licence in Brazil as the EMBRAER EMB-326. 167 aircraft were built for the Brazilian Air Force. Eleven of the Brazilian aircraft were transferred to the Argentine Navy after the Falklands War ( Spanish language: Guerra de las Malvinas ). Six aircraft were exported to Togo, and another ten aircraft to Paraguay. Total production 182 aircraft.
- AT-26 Xavante : Brazilian Air Force designation of the MB-326GC.
- RT-26 Xavante : A number of AT-26 Xavantes were converted into reconnaissance aircraft.
- MB-326H : Two-seat jet training aircraft Australia. 87 aircraft were built for the Royal Australian Air Force, and 10 aircraft for the Royal Australian Navy. Twelve Italian-built aircraft and 85 built under licence in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation with the designation CA-30.
- MB-326K : Single-seat ground-attack aircraft for the South African Air Force. Built under licence in South Africa by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation.
- Impala II : South African Air Force designation of the MB-326K.
- MB-326KB : Single-seat ground-attack aircraft for Zaire. (Six built).
- MB-326KD : Single-seat ground-attack aircraft for Dubai. (Three built).
- MB-326KG : Single-seat ground-attack aircraft for Ghana. (Four Built).
- MB-326KT : Single-seat ground-attack aircraft for Tunisia. (Seven built).
- MB-326L : Two-seat advanced jet trainer aircraft.
- MB-326LD : Two-seat advanced jet training aircraft for Dubai. (Two built).
- MB-326LT : Two-seat advanced jet training aircraft for Tunisia. Four built.
- MB-326M : Two-seat jet trainer, ground-attack aircraft for the South African Air Force. Built under licence in South Africa by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation.
- Impala I : South African Air Force designation of the MB-326M.
- MB-326RM : Five Italian Air Force MB-326s were converted into ECM aircraft.
[edit] Operators
- Argentine Navy. 8 MB-326A plus 11 MB-326GB ex Brazilian Air Force
- Royal Australian Air Force 87 MB-326H
- Fleet Air Arm (RAN) 10 MB-326H
- No. 724 Squadron RAN
- Brazilian Air Force. 182 MB-326GC (known as AT-26 Xavante)
- Ghana Air Force. 15 MB.326
- Alitalia
- Italian Air Force. 106 MB-326 (including 15 pre-production)
Paraguay- 9 MB-326GC
South Africa
- South African Air Force 62 MB-326 plus 125 Impala Mk.1 and 73 Mk.2
- Tunisian Air Force. 16 MB-326
United Arab Emirates- 6 aircraft
United States
- Zambian Air Force. 23 MB-326GB
[edit] Specifications (MB-326A)
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
- Payload: 1,814 kg (4,000 lb)
- Length: 10.65 m (34 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 10.85 m with tip tanks (35 ft 7 in)
- Height: 3.72 m (12 ft 3 in)
- Wing area: 20.35 m² (218 ft²)
- Empty weight: 2,237 kg (4,931 lb)
- Loaded weight: 5,216 kg (11,499 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 5,216 kg (11,499 lb)
- Powerplant: 1× Bristol Siddeley Viper Mk.22 , 11.1 kN (2,500 lbf)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 871 km/h (470 knots)
- Range: 1,822 km (1,132 miles)
- Service ceiling 47,000 ft (14,300 m)
Armament
- 2 × 12.7 mm Browning machine guns or 2 × 30 mm DEFA-553 cannon
- Up to 2000 lb (900 kg) of weapons on six hardpoints, including gun-pods, bombs, and rockets
[edit] References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Fenili, Vincenzo. Impala sul Bush JP4 Magazine Jan 1990
- Jannetti, Fabrizio. 30 anni di '326, Aeronautica&Difesa magazine, Ed. Ai editions, Rome, n.14 dec 1987 pag 38-47.
- War Machines encyclopaedia, Aerospace Publishing, London 1985, p. 2117-19 (Italian edition printed by De Agostini)
- Impala against helicopters
[edit] External links
- Specs & Photo at Flugzeuginfo.net
- Serial number history of Australian CAC/MB-326 aircraft
- Warbird Alley: MB-326 page
[edit] See also
Related development Aermacchi MB-339
Comparable aircraft
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