Breda Ba.65

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Breda Ba.65
Type Ground attack aircraft
Manufacturer Breda
Maiden flight September 1935
Retired 1941
Primary users Regia Aeronautica
Iraq
Chile
Portugal
Produced 1935-1939
Number built 218

The Breda Ba.65 was a single-engine ground attack aircraft used by the Italian Regia Aeronautica during the Spanish Civil War and World War II.

Contents

[edit] Design and development

An evolution of Breda Ba.64, the Ba.65 was designed by Antonio Parano and Giuseppe Panzeri. The Ba.65 was a single-seat, all-metal, cantilever low-wing monoplane with aft-retracting main undercarriage. Like its predecessor, it was intended to undertake aeroplano di combattimento multiple roles as a fighter, attack and reconnaissance aircraft. [1]The Ba.65 carried wing-mounted armament of two 12.7 mm and two 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, with internal stowage for a 200 kg (400 lb) bombload in addition to external ordnance that could total 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The prototype, which was first flown in September 1935, like the initial production aircraft, used the 522 kW (700 hp) Gnôme-Rhône K-14 produced under license by Isotta-Fraschini. Starting from the 82nd aircraft, the more powerful Fiat A.80 RC.41 18-cylinder, twin-row radial engine with a takeoff rating of 746 kW (1,000 hp) engine was adopted. [1] Production ceased in July 1939 after 218 aircraft were built by Breda and Caproni.

[edit] Operational history

The Breda Ba.65 debuted during the Spanish Civil War, with the Aviazione Legionaria using the Series I variant powered by the Gnôme-Rhône engine. It proved effective, and was compared positively with the German Junkers Ju 87. In a unique engagement, on 24 July 1936 one of the Aviazione Legionaria pilots scored an air-to-air victory when he encountered a lone twin-engine Tupolev SB-2 bomber over Soria and shot it down.[2] Of the 23 Ba.65s sent to Spain, 12 had been lost in the course of the civil war. The Ba.65s flew 1,921 sorties, including 368 ground-strafing and 59 dive-bombing attacks. When the Aviazione Legionaria returned to Italy in May 1938, they bequeathed their 11 surviving Ba.65s to the Spanish Air Force.

During World War II, the Ba.65 was employed against the British in North Africa. Most were either out of service or shot down by February 1941. The aircraft, which had been forcibly kept in service after the failure of the Breda Ba.88 and the poor performances shown by the Caproni Ca.310, was replaced by modified S.79s or fighters in the dive bomber role.

Twenty-five Isotta-powered Breda Ba.65s were sold to Iraq in 1938 and saw action against the British. Chile bought 20 powered by the Piaggio P.XI (also a 14K derivative) and Portugal purchased 12, in June 1939. The Soviet Union received ten aircraft.

[edit] Variants

Ba.65
Single-seat
Ba-65bis
Twin-seat bomber
Ba-65bis
Twin-seat trainer

[edit] Operators

Flag of Italy Italy
Flag of Iraq Iraq
Flag of Chile Chile
Flag of Portugal Portugal
Flag of Spain Spanish State
Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union

[edit] Specifications (single-seat version)

Data from The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II[3]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 9.30 m (30 ft 6.1 in)
  • Wingspan: 12.10 m (39 ft 8.4 in)
  • Height: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
  • Wing area: 23.5 m² (253 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 2,400 kg (5,300 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 2,950 kg (6,500 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1× Fiat A.80 RC.41 radial engine, 746 kW (1,000 hp)

Performance

Armament

  • Guns:
    • 2 × 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns
    • 2 × 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns
  • Bombs: 500 kg

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Mondey 2006, p. 25
  2. ^ Breda Ba.65
  3. ^ Bishop, Chris, ed. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1998. ISBN 0-7607-1022-8.

[edit] Bibliography

  • Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II. New York: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 0-7537140-60-4.
  • Sgarlato, Nico. Italian Aircraft of World War II. Warren, Michigan: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1979. ISBN 0-89747-086-9.
  • Shores, Christopher. Regia Auronautica, a Pictorial History of the Italian Air Force. Vol. 1: 1940-1943. Warren, Michigan: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1976. No ISBN.
  • Taylor, Michael J.H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation Vol.2 . Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Educational Corporation, 1980. ISBN 0-7106-0710-5.
  • Winchester, Jim. "Breda Ba.65." Aircraft of World War II (The Aviation Factfile). Kent, UK: Grange Books plc, 2004. ISBN 1-84013-639-1.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

Comparable aircraft

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