Macchi M.B.308

MB.308
Aermacchi MB-308 in flight at the Historical Aircraft Group FlyParty 2014
Role	Utility aircraft
National origin	Italy
Manufacturer	Macchi, German Bianco
Designer	Ermanno Bazzocchi
First flight	19 January 1947
Primary users	Aero clubs Private pilot owners
Number built	183

The Macchi MB.308, later Aermacchi MB-308, was a light aircraft produced in Italy in the late 1940s, one of the most prolific Italian-built types of the following decade. It was a conventional high-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed tricycle undercarriage. Construction throughout was of wood. The pilot and a single passenger or instructor sat side by side, and later examples had a third seat behind them.

The MB.308 was ordered in quantity by the Aeronautica Militare, which leased them out to Italy's aeroclubs. A modified version with a higher-powered engine was put into production in Argentina, under licence to sailplane manufacturer German Bianco.

Operators

 Argentina

• Argentine National Gendarmerie

 Egypt

• Egyptian Air Force

 Italy

• Aeronautica Militare Italiana - received 81 aircraft in 1948 and were retired in 1954^[1]

 Lebanon

• Lebanese Air Force

Variants

• MB.308 - main production version with Continental C85 engine
  • MB.308 Idro - seaplane version
• MB.308G - three-seat version with Continental C90 engine
  • MB.308G-100 - MB.308G built in Argentina with Continental O-200 engine and fuel tanks relocated from fuselage to wings

Specifications (MB.308 (C85 engine))

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1955–56^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 6.53 m (21 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 10.00 m (32 ft 10 in)
• Height: 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 13.72 m² (147.7 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 410 kg (904 lb)
• Gross weight: 650 kg (1,433 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 80 litres (21 US gal; 18 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Continental C85 air-cooled flat-four, 63 kW (85 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 197 km/h (122 mph; 106 kn)
• Cruise speed: 164 km/h (102 mph; 89 kn) (70% power)
• Range: 760 km (472 mi; 410 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
• Time to altitude: 6 minutes to 1,000 m (3,300 ft)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aermacchi MB-308.

• Bridgman, Leonard (1955). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1955–56. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company. 
• "The Macchi MB 308". Flight: 64. 17 July 1947. Retrieved 2008-04-03. 
• Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-577-5. 
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 419. ISBN 0-7106-0710-5. 
• World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 901 Sheet 03. ISBN 1-156-94382-5.