IMAM Ro.37
| Ro.37 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Role | Reconnaissance |
| Manufacturer | Meridionali |
| First flight | 6 November 1933 |
| Primary user | Regia Aeronautica |
| Number built | 617 |
The Meridionali Ro.37 Lince (Italian: "Lynx") was a two-seater Italian reconnaissance biplane, a product of the Industrie Meccaniche Aeronautiche Meridionali (IMAM) company. It appeared in 1934 and had a composite structure of wood and metal. The aeroplane first saw operational duty in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War (1935-1936) and Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), and during the Second World War it saw duty on almost all fronts, except for Russia and the English Channel. It followed the Ro.1 as the main reconnaissance aircraft for the Italian Army.
A contest was held by the Regia Aeronautica for a light reconnaissance aircraft and a heavier aeroplane. The first was to have had 350 km/h (190 knots/220 mph) maximum speed, five hours endurance, three machine guns and a bomblets dispenser, armour, and the capability to operate from improvised airfields. The heavier aircraft was to have had 325 km/h maximum speed, at least 1,300 km (810 mi) endurance, 7,000 m (22,750 feet) ceiling, climb to 5,000m (16,000) in 19 minutes, three crew, five weapons, a high wing and other details.
Limited production of the IMAM Ro.30, an improved Ro.1 with a defensive turret and better engine, resulted. It was rejected by the Regio Esercito and not chosen for production, being capable only of 200 km/h (110 knots), five hours' endurance, a climb rate of 4,000 m (13,000 feet) in 20 minutes, and having three weapons.
IMAM did not give up after the modest success of the Ro.30 and so designed a new aircraft, the Ro.37, which first flew in 1933.
This was a biplane of mixed construction, with two seats, and a 560 hp Fiat A.30 inline engine. It reached 300 km/h (162 knots) and perhaps even more with this engine, the same as that of the Fiat CR.32. The Ro.37 had a 7,000 m ceiling, 3,000 m climb in 11 minutes, over 1,200 km (750 mi) endurance, three machine guns (two in the nose and one dorsal), twelve 15 kg bombs, and good agility. It was similar to the Hawker Hind, rather than a light army aircraft, and its performance was similar to the later Westland Lysander, but the contemporary British design was the Hawker Hector.
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